It is a new FREE worship training event for worship leaders and ministry members, that's done entirely online or by phone. Some of today's leading worship teachers, give you some top notch training to take your worship ministry to the next level, enhance your worship leading skills, and discover how to deepen your congregation's passion for worship. And it's all done right from home, as you log on or dial-in to these live, nationwide conference calls.
There are two one-hour sessions per week through July and August and although it's already started, all the sessions are available for "re-play" (downloadable mp3). I've listened to two live sessions and two "re-plays" and I can say these are a great FREE resource for anyone in ministry or just interested in being a worshiper.
Some "gems" I caught this week's sessions from Gerrit Gustafson ("Mighty Is Our God") and John Chism (Worship4Life Ministries):
- Authentic worship is only authentic when worshipers are changed.
- The role of the worship leader is not to "create" worship but to "express" it. We prompt, model, release, facilitate, exhort, and teach worship...but we don't create it. The role of the worship leader is to prompt what is already in the heart of believers.
- "Every man's way is right in his own eyes" (Prov 21:2). We all have our own biases and preferences. Are we willing to learn to express our love for God in ways He prescribes, even if they are outside of what is easy for me?
- "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). It says MUST. All worship must be in spirit and truth.
- Spirit: Worship in the spirit centers on Jesus. It is born out of dependency on God and repudiates confidence in the flesh. Spirit contrasts with the flesh. Living according to the flesh refers to human effort independent of God (Gal. 3:3), and human wisdom apart from God (1 Cor. 2:12-14). Therefore, worship is not driven by human initiative, but is is instead a response to God's grace (Rom. 12:1).
- Truth: Worship in truth means that it aligns with God's truth. It also means that it has a spiritual reality - External expression without internal reality is unacceptable worship. Jesus referred to that as vain worship (Matt. 15:8-9). How can I as a worshiper ensure that I don't get into the habit of drawing near in word when my heart is somewhere else?
- If I am to "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30), then I am to worship the same way. Simply, worship is the expression of our love for God. And God requires our totality in worship - everything!
