Question:
I now belong to a church that split off of a bigger church. The church sits in between a couple cornfeilds and usually has less then 50 people every sunday.
I don't know if it's the wrong thing to say but the worship is horrible. I know their hearts are in the wrong place but right now they queue up a song on a CD and the pastor leads the singing to the music. There are no live instruments.
The problem is that
A. The pastor sings like he's doing a solo, which makes it almost impossible to sing along with and
B. So is the person singing on the CD, usually.
I play guitar fairly well. I don't know how you'd rate a guitar player but I can play 90% of P/W songs and only flub a chord once every F#m7. I am an excellent public speaker and my the Lord has really lit a fire in my heart to do something in his service.
But I must admit, my pride is seriously getting in the way. I just don't think I'm good enough to be the only music behind the worship.
But noone is getting any type of worship out of the worship time. Every Sunday I want to jump up on stage and lead it myself but again, I feel inadequate.
I know the pastor and the church are looking for anyone with musical ability to help with worship and I know in my heart that the door is open to me but I'm having trouble stepping through it.
Playing for my wife and kids and in my living room is alot different than playing for sunday morning worship. I am extremely outspoken and have no problem standing up and speaking a word to the congregation when the Lord directs me. I have no stagefright at all, as long as I feel that I am in control, but if things go downhill...
Does anyone have any thoughts or advice?
Yours In Christ,
Jason
Answer:
Book a flight or drive over here I'll teach you everything you need to know. JK
You have 2 giant obstacles you need to work out. Your Ego and Your pastor's Ego.
For sure you can lead worship with one guy and a guitar. Been there done that. Next thing you know you'll have more musicians you know what to do with.
It's a good desire to have meaningfull worship, I beleive the Lord has given you this hunger and you must do something about it. Step 1 Heart to Heart with the Pastor, never step out of place. Step 2 build a solid repitoire of songs you are comfortable leading. Step 3 ask to do a trial service and see how people like it maybe every 1st sunday of the month then grow from there.
Hope this helps
Answer:
Originally Posted by JJ_Maxx Does anyone have any thoughts or advice? "What He wants of the layman in church is an attitude which may, indeed, be critical in the sense of rejecting what is false or unhelpful, but which is wholly uncritical in the sense that it does not appraise--does not waste time in thinking about what it rejects, but lays itself open in uncommenting, humble receptivity to any nourishment that is going." - C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
There is surely something you can get out of the worship time. Don't get so caught up in what isn't good that you miss what is good.
Answer:
See, I didn't want to get caught up in the fact that I feel the worship is bad. I don't let it affect me on Sundays, though. I try my best to focus on God and seek his face as best I can.
But we mustn't be so caught up in constant edification that we ignore the areas where we can be a vessel for God.
Yours In Christ,
Jason
Answer:
[quote=JJ_Maxx]I don't know if it's the wrong thing to say but the worship is horrible. I know their hearts are in the wrong place but right now they queue up a song on a CD and the pastor leads the singing to the music. There are no live instruments.
If you genuinely feel their hearts are in the wrong place, how do you think having live music is going to change that?
But I must admit, my pride is seriously getting in the way. I just don't think I'm good enough to be the only music behind the worship.
I'm not sure I understand this...pride is usually associated with being really good. Are you saying you don't want to play until you're really good? It seems to me that maybe the solution is to just jump out of the boat and swim. Tell the pastor you're interested, and see where it goes.
Answer:
If their hearts are "in the wrong place" adding a guitar is going to do nothing, You have to address the real problem then worry about the relatively minor thing about who plays the instruments.
Answer:
I'm sorry guys, I think my fingers got ahead of my brain.
I meant to say their hearts are in the 'right' place. I know they are trying their best with what resources the church body has.
And I guess it's pride in the fact that I'm afraid I will be completely horrible.
Last week the pastor put someone on the spot to play Amazing Grace on the piano, she had a very difficult time with it but we were all cheering her on and encouraging her and everytime she'd mess-up someone would day, 'Amen!'. Good stuff.
I just don't know. I know I want to but I don't know if I can actually take the step.