9 THINGS I WISH WORSHIP LEADERS DIDN’T SAY (By Joshua Reich)

We’ve all been in that worship service—the one that got really awkward, really fast when the worship leader said the wrong thing.He didn’t mean to. He was trying. But it happened. He said something, and the feeling got sucked out of the room. The pastor covered his mouth because of the heresy coming out of the worship leader’s mouth.

It happened.

So what did he say?

Here are nine things I wish worship leaders didn’t say (or said less):

1. Turn to your neighbor and ________. I’m an introvert, so I hate any time that I have to turn and say anything to anyone. I do this sometimes in a sermon, but rarely if ever. Maybe two times in eight years. If you’re a guest at a church, you don’t want to turn to your neighbor and do anything, unless it’s your wife, and then you certainly don’t want to be in church for what you have in mind. Don’t tell them to turn to their neighbor and say something. I was at one church where they put on the screen during the welcome time, “Hug 18 people.” Nope. Time to sit down and check out.

2. Let me tell you what I just heard in the sermon. A pastor spends anywhere from 5-20 hours on a sermon. You just heard it for the first time with everyone else. Please don’t re-preach the sermon. Now if you’re prepared and thought through it, great. But almost every time a worship leader says something off the cuff or prays something off the cuff, heresy follows. Not bad heresy, just things that sound slightly off.

Worship leaders, if you are going to talk or pray, write it out ahead of time. Be prepared. You teach your church about God every time you open your mouth. Make sure what comes out is correct.

3. Who’s excited and ready to sing today?! Almost no one. It’s early and we had a fight on the way to church and our kids were difficult and I stayed up too late on Saturday night.

Also, almost everyone hates to sing in public, especially men. You just need to be aware of that.

We also don’t like to clap and sing at the same time because almost no one can do that. It’s not bad, we just aren’t very good at it. We also can’t sing as high as you can, so when you sing really high, and we know you are awesome and have an incredible range, we stop singing.

4. Father God, dear Father God, holy Father God. This one drives me nuts. It is almost like the worship leader forgot God’s name or needs to remind God of His name or remind the church who they are praying to. I don’t get this.

5. Wispy breath prayer. This goes right along with the Father God prayer, this wispy, romantic, Barry White prayer voice. I remember taking a friend to church. He wasn’t a Christian, and when the worship leader broke out the Barry White prayer voice, my friend leaned over and said, “Is he trying to seduce us?” I kid you not. Just be yourself. Use your voice. It’s good enough to sing on stage, it’s good enough to talk to us. Don’t use a British accent if you’re from America. Be you.

6. I can’t hear you. Yes, cause we aren’t singing. We don’t know the songs, so we aren’t singing. The lights and fog are too flashy, so we feel like we’re at a show and don’t need to participate.

7. Let’s give God a hand. This is often a plea for applause for you. If people want to give God a hand or you a hand, they will.

8. Let’s sing this from our heart. What does that even mean? I have no idea what that means. I went to Bible college, seminary and I’m 80 percent done with a theological doctorate degree, and I have no idea what this means. Someone please tell me how you sing from your heart instead of your mouth or your gut.

9. Be here now, Jesus. This is one of the worst things a worship leader can say. Is Jesus not there before you say this? Was the Holy Spirit not on the move before you asked Him to be on the move? Or, “God, we just want more of You.” You have all of God you need. That’s not the problem. The problem is we don’t see God, we don’t have the eyes and ears for God, not that He isn’t here.

Worship leader, remember, what you say and do on stage teaches us how to connect to God and worship. It also helps us respond to a sermon we just heard or prepares our hearts to hear God’s Word. You have an enormous task. Many of you take it seriously, for which I and your churches are grateful.

(Joshua Reich is the Lead Pastor at Revolution Church in Tucson, AZ.)

Thought for Today......

Soren Kierkegard, the 19th century Danish religious philosopher, told a story about a town where only ducks live. 

Every Sunday the ducks would waddle out of their houses and waddle down Main Street to their church.


They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their proper pews. The duck choir waddles in and takes its place, then the duck minister comes forward and opens the duck Bible. 


He reads to them "Ducks! God has given you wings! With wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fence can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings and you can fly like birds." 


All the ducks shouted "AMEN!"...and they all waddled home.

Feeding and Nourishing Corruption In Kenya

Corruption mentality doesn't begin when you start working at NYS or when you are posted to Afya House.

It starts when you start bribing your baby with a sweet/biscuit so that he can stop crying. When you give your son 5 Shillings so that he can go to the shop and buy a kilo of sugar which he will also use!

When you bribe so that your child can join the Police Force, what do you expect once he gets there AND he knows he should not be there in the first place?

If you didn't know that is many a time the genesis of believing that you have to get "paid" do what you are supposed to do, or that you are entitled to "something" for doing something.

Then our youngsters watch in admiration as glorified THIEVES drive around in big cars and stay to the West of Nairobi.

"Working" smarter takes a whole new dimension.

CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY!

When Trees Are Threatened

We signed up for a hike with a ranger, who told us a remarkable thing: when a tree's life is threatened, stressed by the elements of fire, drought, or other calamity, it twists beneath its bark to reinforce and make itself stronger.

On the surface, this new inner strength may not be visible, for the bark often continues to give the same vertical appearance. Only when the exterior is stripped away, or when the tree is felled, are its inner struggles revealed"

Inner struggles for folks like you and me can also make us stronger if we so choose, and face our difficulties and challenges with courage and determination and not allow them to defeat us.

  -- Marilyn J. Abraham

BEING THANKFUL

At times we tend to grumble that what we are engaged in is perhaps not bringing in enough money, is not comfortable enough, is stressful, etc, etc.....

This morning as my neighbor was leaving for her place of work, she looked at me with envy as I stood on the veranda admiring the gray fog because of the way I am dressed. It's soooooo cold in Murang'a, central Kenya this morning (14 C). I actually look like a Murang'a version of the Eskimos, as I have wrapped something akin to a blanket around myself. Without a care regarding my appearance as I work from the house, no intention of venturing out until 1 pm for lunchtime fellowship.

That made me realize how at times I complain about having to keep odd working hours writing stuff, this morning, for example, I was up at 3 am, and now I am thinking  of a short power nap.

My point, realize there are many who would give a finger to be where you are today! Appreciate what God has given you, for HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights” (James 1:17).

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1,2,3).

God is good always and forever so let’s thank him again and again and again!!!

YOU AND ME GOD, AGAINST THE WORLD (Russ Lawson, Messages From The Heart)

Have you ever felt like the whole world is against you? Sometimes it feels that way doesn't it. Even if you are right and know you are right, the world often is really not interested in what is right, they only want what they want anyway.

This little story kind of puts things in perspective.

A preacher had been having trouble with his congregation. It seemed they could agree upon nothing, and controversy filled the air until meeting on Sunday itself, became an area of conflict, and unhappiness filled the church. The leaders of the congregation organized a meeting of 10 elders and the preacher. They met in the conference room, sitting about a magnificent mahogany table. One by one the issues were dealt with and on each issue it became more and more apparent that the preacher was a lonely voice in the wilderness.

The leader of the meeting said, "Come, Preacher, enough of this. Let us vote and allow the majority to rule." He passed out the slips of paper, and each man made his mark. The slips were collected and the president said, "You may examine them, Preacher. It is 11 to one against you. We have the majority."

Whereupon the preacher rose to his feet, "So", he said, "You now think because of the vote that you are right and I am wrong. Well, I stand here, and he raised his arms impressively, and call upon our Holy God to give us a sign that I am right and you are wrong."

Suddenly, there came a frightful crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning that struck the mahogany table and cracked it in two. The room was filled with smoke and the elders were hurled to the floor.

But the preacher was untouched, his eyes flashing and a grim smile on his face.
Slowly, the speaker for the elders lifted himself above what was left of the table. His hair was singed, his glasses were hanging from one ear, and his clothing was in disarray. He said, "All right, 11 to two. We still have the majority."

I'm reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:15-18 writing about a man named Alexander. He wrote to Timothy: "You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Paul said, he stood all alone for the truth of God's word, but he also understood that "the Lord stood" at his side. I can promise you (from experience) that at times, if you stand for truth, for purity, for righteousness, at times it will seem that you stand all alone. Never forget that God is with you always.

Christian Escapism on Social Media

One of the things I have learnt on Social Media (being quite active as I am, actually I live online ) is that we as Christians love our comfort zones very much. For example, we are very comfortable with a post that only requires a simple AMEN, SURE, GREAT, POWERFUL MESSAGE, WORD!, THANK YOU FOR THAT, WOW! etc, etc

However, anything that challenges our traditional way of Christian thinking makes us uncomfortable, we prefer to read that and quickly skip with no comment (perhaps a like). We are shy/afraid to comment on the deep profound stuff you just read from his or her wall, if it challenged you.

My brother and sister, if we want to grow, we must avoid escapism and burying our heads under the sand whenever we feel challenged by a different kind of thinking or perspective, hoping that “it will pass” and we can revert to the usual.

Even a good classroom teacher encourages students to be inquisitive, to contribute, share, and never to be afraid of what fellow students think of you. Just be sincere. An inquisitive student learns faster and more. I am not under any circumstance saying YOU MUST comment.

I love Social Media because it is such a wonderful forum where I can post something and in the process end up learning much more from your comments, rebukes, correction, guidance, etc. That is how a Christian grows. Facebook for example, is a form of “communing together” which many of us have physically sadly neglected.

Facebook, in particular offers a unique forum where you can ask a question/post something and in the midst of the myriad of answers/comments, you may get your answer. That is why I at times post provoking thoughts/opinions.

That way, you and me will not remain spiritual babes forever.

"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly -- mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?"
(1 Corinthians 3:1-5)

“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
(1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

"The Trouble Tree" (Author Unknown)

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric-saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. 



On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. After opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. 



Afterward, he walked me to my car. We passed the tree, and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. 



"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning, I pick them up again." 



"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before." 



APPLICATION: As Christians, we know that we've got something even better then a "trouble tree," we've got Jesus, whom we can give all our daily burdens. And what's better, is we don't have to (and really shouldn't) take them back! Have a bad day at work? Give it over to your Jesus who loves you, and let it go, and start fresh anew the next day. The more we give our burdens to Jesus, the lighter our loads and the better our relationships with others.

Gorilla Moment (Author Unknown) [Edited]

 Tony Whittaker wrote how a 30-second film shows six people playing basketball, three in white shirts and three in black. Volunteers are asked to count how many times the white shirt team passes the ball. At the end of the film, they are asked if they saw anything unusual. Most do not. The unusual thing is: halfway through the film, a man wearing a gorilla suit walks through the players, beats his chest to the camera, and then walks off. 


 "When shown the film again, people are utterly surprised to see him, to the extent that they often believe a different film has been substituted for the original one. Their focus on one task has blinded them to a truth." 


 He goes on to say, "This film trick illustrates a simple fact--that if we are only looking for one thing, we do not usually see anything different...The point at which people finally see the unexpected is what [could be called] a 'gorilla moment.'...So often in life people see only what they want to see and don't see what they don't want to see." 
 

To Have Succeeded -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.