Worship

How to Worship Right 101

by Honey Stone
03/05/18
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Put the Passion in Worship

I once was at a singles’ retreat and we were scheduled to worship. The worship team started to sing and I started singing really loud. The worship leader looked at me and raised his voice louder than mine. Then everyone else in the room raised their voice.

I raised my voice a second time even louder and the worship leader said, “My girlfriend is a back-up singer and she knows her place. She knows that the worship leader should be the loudest voice and hers should blend in the background.” Then he sang louder and then the group also sang louder.

I raised my voice again and the worship leader was livid as he made his voice louder and so did the rest of the room. 

Just once more time, I raised my voice and the rest of the group raised their voice. Then he got it. I wasn’t competing with him. I wasn’t trying to be the center of attention. I wasn’t even trying to sing loud. I was showing the group how to express themselves with all their heart to the Lord. But the group got it and then the leader got it. Afterward, everyone said that the worship was the best they’ve ever had.

That night they all decided to add worship onto the end of the night. I didn’t show up. They worshipped for hours. People were asking me why I wasn’t there. I said I was tired and besides, I did not need to be there to lead them. They got it - they got how to express their heart to God. I do that any time I can.

This band was the band for the entire group that met monthly. There were about 300 people from all over the cities. I came late to the large gorup worship and there was Mr. Worship guy leading others into singing as he had. He was saying, “Now, let’s all sing with all our heart like this.” He saw me in the crowd and his tears welled up as if to say: thanks for putting up with me.

You don’t have to be on stage to be the worship leader. Sometimes the atmsphere is right. Hildegard Von Bingen said that she liked to worship because of how it felt in her vocal chords. It was as if God designed it so that the breathing would create a spiritual high. Yep, Hildegard, you got it.

Tozer talks about worship and how we will express worship in some form if it isn't to God then it will be another person or nature or something else in life. Worship is just what people are wired to do.

I went to a women’s conference a year ago. There were women there waving flags all mild and Lutheran-like. I came in toward the end of worship. Because there was enough space, I began my more jubilant style dance - not to jar that Lutheran crowd - but because I just hadn’t have that kind of space in a while.

I let loose knowing some people might not approve. It happened to be the last song and after it the leader said, “Let’s sing that 'joy' song again and the group began waving their flags and danced with me in that more jubilant fow. Of course there was that religious spirit sitting on the left side of the room but who cares. She didn’t get it but the others did.

Expressing your passion for the Lord is not something people are used to. They know how to do the quiet and intimate and all that lovey-dovey stuff. But sometimes you just got to crash the cymbals metaphorically speaking. Sometimes you need to crash the church party. Asaph knew it as he went wild with his cymbals. David knew it when he danced with abandon.

One time I was at the House of Prayer. There weren’t many people there and I know the rules but I didn’t want to just sit there and soak. Soaking is for those who are tired and weary. So, I started singing in tongues. Some of the people on the stage seemed upset because I wasn’t following the rules but the leader didn’t bat an eyelash. He started to sing in tongues as well.

Every once in a while I will run into a group and/or leader that can take the cue. Most times it is just the leader who can go there because plenty of worship leaders are yearning for more spontaneity and expression. Some simply want to be a diva. Some don’t want to be influenced by someone in the congregation. Some are very open to whatever the Spirit wants. But when you have a leader who brings up the word protocol then you just take your worship elsewhere. You go where people want to be free.