We can’t earned grace
Grace is gift from God. We cannot work for it.
Work can’t increase faith
Our faith can increase (e.g. becomes “stronger”) and often events can cause it. But this is misleading. What increases faith is our knowing God, more and more; that we continuously reflect on his word in reflection of God working in our lives and events, which in turn nourishes our faith.
If we can’t “earn” grace, and any “work” or effort we do with the intention of increasing faith leads to nothing, what’s the point?
Bear in mind that for musicians, our skills, talents and life inclination towards music (and worship) does not come over night. It has taken dedication, and that will continue.
To lead and help in worship is probably 80% team work, 20% your own skills. That again does not happen overnight, all of us need to “work” on that, and we are here today because of the “work” we have done, individually and collectively.
How does this relate to faith by grace and not works, for us as worship leaders, including musicians?
1
Consider the effort in learning new musical passages, choreography, movements, chords, intervals, breathing etc.
How would you respond to the comment that we do just enough since we might only need to do that passage 2 or 3 times in the coming months – there’s no need for so much effort?
2
Effort is contextual and subjective: that means in some places or in some situations there is less demand to “get better” than other situations. Outline what different scenarios could lead us to raise or lower expectation in “effort” in worship leading. Discuss how such expectation can be communicated directly or indirectly, or felt, by those who lead and those who are led.
3
Is effort equivalent to work? More practice more burden?
4
Faith is empowered by the Holy Spirit made possible through Christ of the will of God the Father. How does faith relate to effort? Since work does not produce faith, in what ways do we realise faith, and faith meanings, in how worship is led?
5
Does faith negate work? More faith reduces work?
6
What areas of your worship ministry that require effort?
Imagine we are working on the transition from a relatively modern worship song, to an old hymn favourite. First we decide the approach about musical feel should be very similar across the whole thing, any changes of style will be subtle and gradual.
- What might be preparatory steps for everyone? How about prayer and meditation during the days to the first rehearsal? What might you do in this time space?
- At rehearsal, we will already have an outline of an “idea”, likely shared in advance by one of the leaders. Since each worship team members are in different spiritual journey – different points in their music discipleship, what might be effective ways to encourage everyone to be in the same mind and spirit to arrive at the right temperament for the medley?
7
Having done Q6, think of another scenario of music ministry where whole-team effort is necessary. For example, develop additional capacity for singers to direct tempo and transition during singing. This could include clarity of direction via hand sign, eye contact and / or voicing, and to designated members of the team (e.g. violinist) rather than everyone.
For example, Be Still and Know that I am God (music arranged by Jack Schrader). We will want to begin at about middle of the temperament scale, not too high nor too low – middle. We will then gradually shift it to more “meditative”, say 2 out of 10 where 10 is maximum. Then move to slightly energetic, say 7, and then drop back to middle say 5. In live take, we can’t plan ahead what will happen since the hymn is so powerful the Spirit will take us somewhere in its own pace. But we will need a leader to ensure the worship team is one spirit, one mind and one voice.
Use this example, or another one of yours, to draft some points about this aspect of development for singers. This illustrates music discipleship.
8
Equipment for music worship can be costly and requires much thought and planning on resourcing, installation and decommissioning. How does our faith “live out” in this facet of the worship team?
While we don’t “worship” such equipment even though they are specially gifted to us by God, in what ways and forms should our faith be expressed in such matters?
9
How does encouragement and admonishment work in your worship team?
As an example, a member of the team voluntarily and consistently gets correct version of hymns and songs, even prayers, ready for all team members (different voices, different instruments in their own notation and keys). But no one realises this team member’s loving work in music descipleship, except the church cleaner who usually notices it as they complete cleaning of the premises and leave at 800am on Saturday.
Another example concerns the flautist, who makes little effort in playing music, sometimes staying silent, for hymns and songs that are slower in tempo, but appears to be “into it” for faster numbers.
What are some ideas that might work in music discipleship should these or similar arise in your worship team?
