When it comes to worship, we are obsessive about the atmosphere.
The pad creates an atmosphere. The guitar swells create an atmosphere. Every intro, transition, and altar call is about the atmosphere it provides.
But the tension happens when the planning of the atmosphere doesn’t leave space for what the Holy Spirit wants to do. Of course, God can [and does] work through Spirit-led, intentional, well-researched, well thought-out planning.
The time and energy you invest in staying ahead and well-planned is never in vain. However, how do we plan and create an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit can operate?
I don’t know about you, but I want more than man-made plans. I’m hungry for more than just being awed by incredible talent on stage. I’m not interested in just being moved by a charismatic speaker. I want the Holy Spirit. I need the Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit.
I definitely don’t want to be in the business of getting in the Spirit’s way. Or drawing too much attention to myself. I don’t want to create a fanclub of churchgoers while the Spirit watches from a distance.
What about you?
You’ve heard the saying, “Plan like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on God?” Well, I believe we should pray and plan like it all depends on God. Because for anything supernatural to happen, we need the Holy Spirit. So our planning should be prayer.
But that doesn’t condone lazy planning. It should inspire a wide-eyed, expectant, edge-of-your-seat adventure of a plan where the Holy Spirit is at the center.
The Comforter, the Counselor is here. The one who can make all the difference. Let’s stand at attention.
3 Ways to Give God Room in a Service
So how do we plan in a way that allows unplanned encounters? I can think of three simple strategies:
1. Be Patient – I’m always frustrated by worship teams that rush through songs. But there’s the opposite team that seems to constantly linger in no-man’s land. Sometimes you just need to sing a song and move on. Knowing how to balance songs and spontaneous, patient flow is an important skill for any worship team.
Here’s what I advise – be patient. Don’t be in a hurry to finish. It’s like being at the Grand Canyon. When you’re there, you don’t want to hurry up so you can get back to playing Super Mario Run on your phone. You wait. You linger. You stare. You drink it in. We need more of this in our worship.
2. Spotlight the WORD – The Holy Spirit doesn’t speak apart from the Word of God. Many of us squint our eyes, linger for hours, and strive for days to hear the voice of God on an issue. I’m not here to debate the audible voice of God and whether it’s legitimate. That’s another discussion. I will say this – God HAS spoken in His Word. And our obedience to His Word should keep us busy enough, rather than stressing about things that may not matter. In your service, spotlight the Word. The closer you are to the Word, the closer you are to the Spirit.
3. Create Space for Engagement – Many churches plan services where worship leaders and pastors are the performers and the church is the audience. It’s more like America’s Got Talent than church. But for people to experience the moving of the Holy Spirit, they need to enter in – sing, worship, declare, engage. In your planning and in your spontaneous, give your congregation some responsibility. Challenge them to step out.
I’d love to hear from you.
How do you balance tight plans and spontaneous encounters? How do you give space for the Holy Spirit to move?
You can leave a comment by clicking here.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
Try having no music, no light show, no front man pretentiously selling the gospel and none of the other “essentials” that God must have.
Deny anyone the opportunity to “strategic” anything or atmosphere the building.
Send the “worship leader” and musicians out into the congregation (used to be the audience)
Send the clock watchers home.
Read the scriptures together. Have them read to each other by people who believe them and live them. Pray and read some more. Sit in silence and listen.
Do this long enough that all the show-time “worship” can be seen for what it really is. We have been under it’s influence so long that if real worship came along , we wouldn’t recognize it or desire it.
When someone goes on a sugar or salt fast, they discover just how badly their body has been treated upon the first taste of a coke or a nacho-fest.
Let’s face it. We are addicted to American Idol Worship and Talent before Giftedness.
Worship in Spirit and Truth is never in need of a strategy or a carefully moderated “experience” generated by sensationalists needing a weekly fix of sorts.
We are in the world of arrogance to think that we can make the Holy Spirit “Move”.
We can quickly become like Simon , the witchcraft peddler. (Acts 8) “Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money and said to Peter and John, ‘Let me have this power too!”
Has not the gospel been reduced to this on the television airwaves and in the “contemporary” churches of America?
What was Peter’s reply to Simon? “You and your money will both end up in hell if you think you can buy God’s gift!” (v.20)
Consider, “At first, I was weak and trembling with fear. When I talked with you or preached,
I didn’t try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God’s Spirit show his power.
That way you would have faith because of God’s power and not because of human wisdom.”
(I Corinthians 2:3-5)
Ambiance anyone?
There is truth in both the post here and the reply to this subject matter from my perspective. The reply, however, forgets that the Bible teaches and actually commands us to worship. Read 1 Chronicles 16:23-31 and Psalm 100 a couple of examples. Reading this carefully, you will also discover a glimpse of what worship should look like. Notice the references to the early tabernacle in the Psalm example noting there are services that were conducted here, in which I also believe gives us a great example of how worship should be constructed in the house of the Lord. There are obviously other descriptions of worship in the Bible as well. Another few verses Revelation 4:8-11, reveals that worship is not just singing or even includes music as the four living creatures are speaking.
In a church service, we need to ask ourselves why we come together in the first place? In my Bible studies, I have come to the conclusion that in every service the goal should be to seek, see, and experience the manifested presence of the Lord come down and actually permeate the sanctuary and every person in it. We should expect and strive to meet God every week. In most churches, I’ve been in lately though it seems that God and His Son are treated more like spectators or invited guests rather than the focus of the service and that’s just wrong. Even most of the songs don’t ascribe to God’s Glory or His Son’s greatness and sacrifice. They are not sung to Him and do not proclaim His worth, greatness, and declare His majesty, but are rather just about Him or focus solely on what He has done for us. Sure there is a time in services for different types of songs and we should be truly grateful to Him for saving us, but they should not be the focus or theme of the service. So I say, go for His Glory!
Do we even know what the Glory of the Lord is or what it looks like? I know I have seen glimpses in some services and it is an awesome indescribable experience. It will change you and everyone it touches one way or the other. The Bible makes it clear in scripture that the Glory of the Lord is revealed to us through Jesus Christ the Son of God! Hebrews 1:3, John 1:14. That’s both whom and who we should be worshipping in every service, every time, unashamed and without apology. Therefore, our total focus and purpose in every service should be to see the manifested presence of the Lord fill the house. I’m not saying this purpose is actually going to happen at every service as there can be a lot that can hinder the Spirit of the Lord and His presence (like known sin in the church being ignored), and numerous other wrong motives, hardened hearts, unbelief, weak faith, and so on. This should not, however, ever alter that one single goal for every service, every time the church comes together period. If this is the number one goal, and then it happens, this is when the true power of God hits the church, lives are changed, sinners are saved, healings and miracles happen and true worship blesses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In closing and since I have allowed myself to drift here a little off topic, I totally agree that every service absolutely has to allow the Holy Sprit to move. I get very concerned about what I call cookie cutter well-planned church services that rely on a Pro Presenter or Proclaim timer looming over their service somewhere in the back or balcony saying in essence – hurry up Lord visit us today, accept our sacrifice of praise and do your work. I also believe after studying the subject over quite some time on worship and preaching, the church today needs to focus on one thing and that one thing is Jesus Christ. We need to ask ourselves and seek out what the Bible teaches about what the church is scripturally designed to be.
Hi David,
Thanks for your response.
Here’s a great video commentary from Ravi Zacharias.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tRi2skdTDc&list=PLTaWAxiUwh_Jx-hALZfSJcbeg-sjog7zp
We need to employ a tool of measurement that will tell us the difference between mere emotional stimulation and that of God’s Spirit. One tickles our emotions and the other assures that our minds and spirit’s are just as engaged as our bodies and ego’s.
The Philippians 2 Measurement Tool: True worship produces measurable fruit in lifestyle.
1-Christ encourages you
2-His love comforts you
3-God’s Spirit unites you and you are concerned for others
4-Live in harmony by showing your love for each other
5-Don’t be jealous or proud
6-Consider others more important than yourself
7-Care about them as much as yourself
The purpose of corporate worship is to meet with God, his word and his people
in such a way that:
The mind is equipped
The will is committed Romans 12:1
The desire is kindled
into the doing of God’s will, more and more.
Thus, we become like Jesus, more and more.