Job description
Lately, to some, worship has seemed kind of "dead". If you aren't into worship, you may not "get" much of this. Charismatic Christian lingo... But just like when I talk to Tina about work... I only know how to speak in the context of the subject I'm speaking about! And if you are reading this page... you probably are "into" worship.

Anyway, to some, worship has seemed kind of dead. Being on a worship team, and being a worship director, I think about this. (Even if I have stepped down now. I still care and I still think about it.) So... the general consensus becomes "You need to make worship better" and "How do we make worship better".

Well I've been thinking about it, and I've come to a conclusion... But first, some background.

Worship was awesome in Costa Rica. We were doing it multiple times a day, everyone was doing devos and quite time, and we were doing God's work. In other words, God was on our mind all the time and we were in a pretty steady state of worship. (Not just singing worship but worship as an everyday lifestyle and choice, as Michael would say.) So... not only was the band in that place, but so was the entire congreation. And then when we got back worship was really good. But lately it has seemed kind of "dead". Pretty much ever since school started back up.

Last weekend I though the team did really well. Michael was really flowing with the crowd, which is so hard for so many worship leaders. After the service I told him I thought he did really well, and he said thanks and then made a face like "Yeah, it was awful". Then later a few people mentioned how "the crowd just wasn't in to it."

So... how come I thought it was so good (as well as a few other people) and yet some members of the team, that were flowing and seemed to go there thought it wasn't?

I believe it is because they are focusing on the wrong thing, and asking the wrong question!

The worship team is starting to focus on the congregation and less on God - or even if they are focusing on God, they are worrying about the congregation. And they are worrying about "how to get the congreation to worship." And therein is the problem, imo. The issue is we have a large new influx of students. People that have moved to town, students who have been invited now that school has started back up, etc. And many of them don't know how to worship or have never been in a church where the youth worship. And so there is starting to be pressure on the worship team to "get these youth to worship" and "make worship like it was." But, it is my contention that the question for the worship team shouldn't be, "How do we get these people who don't know how to worship, to worship?", the question should be, "Given we have a large group of people who don't understand worship, how do we maintain an attitude and atmosphere of worship?"

It is unrealistic to think that the worship team can somehow make worship with the current set of youth in the ministry, the same as it was this past summer. There are many of the same people, but the group as a whole is a different group with a different dynamic.

And the important thing to remember is, "You can't make someone worship". What you do is:

• You teach them about worship,
  
• You encourage them to worship,
  
• You model worship for them, and most importantly
  
• You have an attitude of worship and YOU worship God.

As a worship team, that is all you can do. And if you keep your focus, many people will eventually go there. Worship is an awesome thing, that once experienced, people will long for. But you can't explain that. People have to experience it. And the best way for them to experience it is for you to just do it, encourage them, and let them get involved over time.

So... my suggestion to the team would be to "Keep your eyes on God and just keep doing what you've been doing." The team is an awesome worship team. They flow with the Spirit and hear from God. And if they just keep doing that. Just keep having that personal relationship with God (which is what this is all about), and keep the focus. Then they will present an atmosphere of worship and others will follow. Getting caught up in "the job" of being a worship team and trying to "get the people to worship" will result in the focus being lost and will hinder, not help, the congregation.

So... judge every night (if you have to judge) on how YOU worshipped... not on how others did. That is something I've always tried to do. The best and worst times of worship that I have experienced have been based on how I felt I flowed, heard from the Spirit, etc. and how the team did and not based on what the congregation did or how they thought. I've had times I thought were awesome when "the crowd didn't get into it" and other times that I knew were terrible, that "everyone thought was great." Again... its all about you and God... and you are the best judge of that!

At some point the congreation will get it, they'll understand, and it will be like it was this last summer... and then a whole new school year will start and you may have to go through it all over again. That is just part of being in student ministry. So be encouraged by how you do, not how the congregation does!

Keep your eyes on God. Keep your focus on God and worshipping him, and eventually everything else will come.

posted by James at 3:27 PM

Well...
What now, as far as this blog is concerned? I started this to journal my thoughts about them team. Some of that I've done, some I haven't. How personal do you get on a "public" forum. Also, some times you just don't feel like writting things down.

Anyway, I'm at a new era with respect to the team. I've pretty much "closed this part out." But I'm going to leave this blog open (since people may want to read it from time to time... or I may want to just come back and read it). Plus I *think* I'll still post entries here occasionally. Like I said, I'm still be around. I'll still go and worship with these guys from time to time. Also, I'm thinking about writting something on student lead ministry. We'll see.

In any case, I'm leaving this open and may still post here. If I do, I'll announce it on WorshipJunky. That way people that follow that blog will know, instead of having to check here every now and then.

Its been great... Love you guys. See ya round. (and Bobby... see ya in a about 45 minutes when we do adult worship practice).
posted by James at 6:18 AM

Dono
The entire team is pretty much in the same roles they have been in for some time. And as I've said many times, they are all so awesome at what they do. They each are "a part of the body" that makes up the entire team. Some more out front than others, but all an important part.

I just bring up Dono because he is "the main drummer" lately. Nick has stepped down for the fall season to play football, and Dono moved from the sax to the drums.

I love expressive worshippers. Not that they have to get all freaked out and jump around (in a fake way or anything), but people you can tell are just enjoying what they are doing. For instance, in some songs that are really building, you can almost see Nichole jumping out of her skin. It is building and building and it looks like she is going to explode. That is an awesome thing. It takes the congregation with her. She is modeling passion and worship to them.

Well Dono is that kind of worshipper. He can't contain himself. He just goes for it before the Lord.

The cool thing is... he is that kind of worshipper on the drums as well. Sometimes it looks like is he going to fall right off the drums or something. :-) I love that. I told him I love to see drummers who "dance on the drums." He isn't the best drummer in the world (and he knows that), but he has an awesome heart for worship, he is an excellent worshipper on the drums, and he is getting better every time he plays. He is an awesome guy, with such a heart for worship. It was so cool to watch him as he worshipped last night.
posted by James at 6:13 AM

Last night
Last night I thought the worship was really good. Michael is such a natural leader. He flows with it so well. The ups, the downs, talking to the congregation, leading them. Was it an awesome "experience", was everyone "into it". No, not really. But as a worship leader, you can't control that. You can't MAKE people worship. All you can do is model worship to them, and by that lead them.

Once of the hard things about a student ministry is that it is in constant fluctuation. The "congreation" is new every year. Your seniors leave and new people come in. So basically you have a whole set of new people, who may have never worshipped before. Who don't understand it, and don't get it. All you can do is model it to them. Eventually they'll get it. But at first it can make worship not seem "as good as it should be." But there is nothing a worship leader, or team, can do about that. You just continue to worship God as you know YOU should, and the rest will fall in line eventually. You continue to model, lead and encourage.

And our team is awesome at that. One of the best.

Jaime played her SP500 for the first time at youth last night. Very cool. Michael said he wants to get one, once he is making good money and can afford it. It has some really cool sounds. I think Jaime is going to have a lot of fun with it. It is great to invest in your kids in something they love, that they can use to minister to others, and that brings them joy.

I was watching the entire team last night, as "the last night as the worship director." Man they are awesome. How God must look down upon them and find such job. They are so beautiful in worship. They are a prime example of why God created humans.

Yes, we are imperfect. We have our issues, our problems. We fall down and make mistakes. But we also know how to love. To watch our kids pour out their hearts. To reach out to Him and "go there". To find joy and passion in worship. To love Him through it. Wow. I know what it does to me as a human and a dad to watch that. I can't imagine how He feels about it, other than to know what joy and love it brings to Him... and how much stronger. He sent his Son to die for these kids. And it was well worth it.
posted by James at 6:08 AM

and the Continuation
Fuel is all about student led ministry. And the worship team is no different. As I just said, I started with the worship team two years ago with bunch of teens who had a heart for worship, but needed some guidence. In that two years they have grown to an AWESOME worship team. Not just "for teens" or "as a teen worship team", but as "A worship team." Some of the best worship I have been involved in. Michael and Nichole are awesome worship leaders. Called and annointed of God. Bobby is an awesome leader. They run the ministry. I've just been showing up lately.

And so now I've stepped down. Now what happens? What adult is going to step in and take over as the worship director? None. Bobby is going to take over as the leader. Moving from "student corrdinator" or "assistant coordinator" to the person in charge. There has to be an adult there for liability reasons, but there is always a sound person there who unlocks and gets things going.

This is what stundent led ministry is all about, and as it should be. Bobby is stepping in the position I'm leaving, and he will do an awesome job at it. He already does. He'll lead the team as he always has, and he'll report to Pastor Rick once a week (something I just didn't have the time for). In addition he'll be at the monthly leadership meetings.

This is so awesome, and made me "leaving" so much easier. It is a natural continuation of things. And I think it is totally of God. I did what I needed to do, and now by leaving, Bobby is able to move into more responsibility and the ministry is even more student lead. How cool.

Way to go Bobby... you'll do awesome!
posted by James at 6:00 AM

End
Now its been almost 2 years. For most of that time I've been working 7 days a week. I have my "real" job at MCI Monday - Friday, and I usually put in some time on Saturday morning as well. I love that job - but it does take a lot of time. It is just the nature of the job, and my passion about it. I then work with the youth on Saturdays from 3:00 till about 8:30. And then I have adult worship practice on Sunday morning starting at 8:00, church, and then I do some account for the church either on Sunday afternoon or night (depending on what else is going on, like youth leadership meetings once a month, adult leadership meetings once a month, etc.). I'm not complaining, I LOVE all this stuff... but lately I realized that something had to give. 2 years of working 7 days a week is catching up to me. And with all the stuff that is going on at church and the stress that Tina is under, I need to spend some more time at home. I need one day a week off. So... I stepped down from youth.

On the one hand it was very hard to do. I love these kids and I worry about them. And I'll miss being with them every week. On the other hand, it was the right thing to do at this time and I'm totally "at peace" with it.

I told Bobby on Wed, Michael on Thur, and the rest of the team last night. The "kids" were great about it.

"Good for you. You deserve some time off. Have a great time."

That was the overall sentimate expressed to me. Happiness for me. And thanks for what I had done. Made me feel really good. It was hard to say "Good bye"... but it isn't really good bye. Jaime is on the team. I'll be there every week dropping her and her keys off. And as any parent whose child is in youth, and as an "ex-leader"... I'll be stopping by from time to time. Just to see how they are doing. Worshipping with them. I just won't be as involved.
posted by James at 5:54 AM

Beginning
"Fusion Worship" started almost 2 years ago. Pastor Rick came to me and asked me if I'd be interested in working with the youth worship team. I told him I'd love to. Here was a group of about 15 teens (13 - 15 years old) who had a little talent and a ton of heart. Some of them were pretty good, and some of them were just starting. As a whole, it sounded like 15 different people worshipping God all at the same time. But they knew how to worship and they were hungry to worship God. They quickly improved.
posted by James at 5:46 AM