Five Must-Haves For Individual Worship Time
Week 1
As a worship leader, spending time alone with God is important. It’s great to lead worship. Standing on a platform/stage, allowing God to use you as an instrument to reach others, giving the gifts He has given you back to Him, letting strangers watch you perform what’s meant to be an intimate task is what it means to be a worship leader. Being an example to those who don’t understand what it means or even know how to outwardly express their worship to God is both a huge responsibility and a humbling honor. It’s a wonderful way to be a servant of Christ. That being said, as worship leaders, we must remember that time spent alone with God is an absolute must. In order to carry out our task of creating an environment of worship and focus on the One God of the universe, we need to maintain our own spiritual health before we can expect to share it with others.
Honestly, you don’t NEED anything in order to spend time alone with God. You really just need you and God. However, there are elements you can add (or subtract) to enhance your time spent alone together. No one can tell you what’s best for your individual time with Him, but starting next week, read the following suggestions of ways to make your time with Him special. Pray about how these could help make your personal worship time truly the best part of your day.
Week 2
One) Solitude. Being alone is something that probably rarely happens, but is necessary in order to fully concentrate on God, His word, and allowing Him to speak to you and be heard. Worship leaders, we spend our time in the spotlight, being watched, being heard… Over time, that can become a distraction to us. “How do I sound? How do I look? What song comes next? Oh no I forgot if the words are “Your” or “Thy” in this verse.. Is this part unison or harmony? So-and-so sounds really good on this solo..” the list never ends. When you remove yourself from the stage, from the people, and from the mental place where what you are doing or singing directly affects another person’s worship, you can truly basque in the presence of God. You will always be in his presence, and you can worship Him no matter what’s happening or who is watching, but it’s a different ball game when you and God are one-on-one.
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalms 46:10 NLT)
Week 3
Two) Bible. When I say, “Individual Worship Time” I mean all elements of worship. Reading my bible, specifically one that I can physically hold in my hands, not an online bible or a bible app is one of my favorite ways to connect with God. Why? Simply because it’s God’s heart and His own words right there in my hands. A lot of the time we refer to a church service as worship, then preaching, then communion, then prayer, then we’re done. Let’s remember that all of those things are worship. Playing instruments and singing is worship. Listening to someone preach/teach/speak, is worship. Communion is worship. Prayer is worship. Reading scripture is worship. Writing is worship. So when I refer to “Individual Worship Time” I don’t even really think about singing.
Worship-verb-(1)show reverence and adoration for (a deity) (2)treat (someone or something) with the reverence and adoration appropriate to a deity.
“Worship” synonyms: revere, reverence, venerate, pay homage to, honor, adore, praise, pray to, glorify, exalt, extol
Isn’t it funny how there is no specific mention of music or song in the definition of worship or in those words synonymous with worship, but in our church culture we automatically marry music and worship?
Week 4
Three) Music. Understand, I wasn’t in any way trying to downplay music. All I meant is that while it’s a powerful tool we use to communicate with God, it isn’t the only way to His heart. Music for the specific purpose of worship can often be put in a box. We think of “worship music” as strictly Hillsong, Israel Houghton, Bethel, Kirk Franklin or Chris Tomlin. While those are all people or groups we identify with “worship” or “church” music, I challenge you worship leaders, to look beyond the obvious. Dive deeper. Listen to music without words. Try a classical piece. Try a jazz standard. Try a song in another language. God created music, creativity, and all people – which includes diversity and musical variety.
“Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.” Isaiah 42:10
Week 5
Four) Writing materials. Whether you’re a pencil and paper person or a jot it down in your phone kind of person, have something at your disposal. There are times when I am reading a bible verse that I want to share or remember and I end up forgetting all about it after five minutes of doing something else. There are other times while listening to music, words will come to mind. Sometimes, while reading scripture, a tune will come to mind. Having writing materials is just a good way to prepare for whatever God may stir in your heart and set on your mind. (Worship leaders, you never know when God will put a song on your heart. Even if you don’t see yourself as a “songwriter”, don’t be surprised if God drops a song on you seemingly out of nowhere. Remember, God doesn’t sit and read over our credentials and resumes in order to find someone to use to further His kingdom. A chorus you jot down at 11 pm in the bathtub may become a great anthem that brings people from all walks of life together in praise and worship.)
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1
Week 6
Five) Silence. This something our world doesn’t allow much of. Space. Time. Moments. Quiet. Emptiness. Our culture is obsessed with constant entertainment. Worship leaders, our world and life is music. Noise. Interactions. Communication. While that’s great, I encourage you to practice being comfortable in silence. Next time you’re driving alone or you find yourself home alone, don’t turn on music, don’t turn on the television, don’t go to sleep, don’t read… Sit down, take a couple of deep breaths, and just listen. If that idea kind of freaks you out, set a timer. Increase your time limit with each “silent session”. As you’re driving to work, the store or maybe even rehearsal, just drive. Don’t sing. Don’t hum. Don’t tap and make beats on the wheel. Just be. Give your brain a break. Give God a chance to speak to you. I hear people complain that they never hear God’s voice and start to wonder.. How much space do you allow Him? Do you leave space for God to get a word in edgewise? Sometimes I wonder if God, as big as He is, chooses not to yell over all of our noise, but instead whispers to us. Maybe our lives are just too loud for us to hear His gentle whisper.. Why are we quiet when the pastor stands up in church and starts speaking? Because if we sit in a congregation with 4000 people and we all are speaking and playing music, we wouldn’t be able to hear what he’s saying. Being silent as our church leader presents the Word, is respectful. In the same way, we want to give God that same respect. Especially during our Individual Worship Time. Silence is worship. Giving God a turn to speak is worship. So after the music, the reading, the writing.. Finish out your worship with space. Silence. Let God hold the mic, worship leaders.
“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20
Week 7
Solitude. Bible. Music. Writing Material. Silence.
After the past six weeks of reading through these, how are you feeling about it all?
Before this week is over, take a moment to write a short reflection and pray about how God can speak to you through individual worship time.
LivingFive13 