Doug Van Pelt

Worship "in a perfect world"

Hello, blog. It's been awhile. Blame twitter and my busy schedule. I hope to get back on track this week. Maybe I can dare to finish the Love Dare. I just got a new CD I probably wouldn't have listened to for awhile ... unless I'd read the bio. Native Window is the members of Kansas (drummer Phil Ehart, guitarist Rich Williams, along with later additions from the last decade -- violinist David Ragsdale and bassist Billy Greer), sans vocalist Steve Walsh and founding guitarist Kerry Livgren. They set out trying not to sound like Kansas, but with a violinist and these guy's personality, they can't help but sound a little like the band.

Anyway...
This Sunday our worship leader at church and I were talking. I tried to help him get some attention while at GMA, agreeing to take a dozen CDs with me and hand out to various industry people I knew that could maybe make a difference. One radio guy refers to his services as being like the Geico company, saving people thousands of dollars by not servicing their music to radio. I got the impression that, while this guy was impressed with Toby's song ("Loved Ones"), that it was so brutally competitive out there with Christian radio that it was best not to try at this point in time. I affirmed my friends attitude (of being satisfied where he's at now, leading worship at Calvary Austin every week, making a living making music) as being a good one.

He asked me a question: In a perfect world, who would you have lead worship at Calvary Austin? Of course, that was a loaded question and of course it was one that is hard to answer on the spot. I said, "Toby Walters."

It's a question worth considering. Not for real vocational placement, necessarily, but just to get one thinking about worship. If I could have any worship leader at my church every weekend, who would it be?

My first criteria would be: "someone who leads worship." They don't just play songs. They don't just sound good. They engage the congregation. They encourage them to worship. In fact, they don't let the congregation get away with sitting still and not worshipping. He or she leads them in prayer, calls them to worship, models engaging God with one's emotions, soul, body and endeavoring to engage God with our spirit.

A guy named Maury Millican would probably be on my fictitious "list." He was really good about leading and calling to worship. He was very practical and very relaxed about calling God's people to humble themselves as well as rejoice before their King.

As I pondered the question, I wasn't too attracted by having any of Christian music's "heavyweights" in the worship category. While it would be great and fun to have people like Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Matt Redmond and folks like that leading worship, the whole "celebrity" factor might get in the way or get old.

What if Michael the archangel led worship at our church? What could he tell us about worship that pleases the Father and honors the Son? That's an interesting question. My mind, when asked to answer that question, will easily gravitate towards, "What moved me the most in past worship experiences?" I might judge those experiences by the amount of tears, goosebumps, tingling sensations, or quiet awe. Maybe by the amount of dancing or people on the floor weeping before their God, crying out "Holy, holy, holy!"

But that direction would be fed by my experience. What worship pleases the Father most? What could an archangel, who had been in heaven while worship on earth (as well as heaven) took place ... what could he tell us that would reveal and motivate us to worship that way?

I can only imagine. I would think that honesty would be key. Speaking forth praise, or complimenting God on His attributes and His deeds, would be high on the list. Whether there was emotions or not would not be the key here. It would be that honesty.

Passion and purpose of heart would be likened unto honesty, but slightly different. Not only would the stoic man from European descent be honest in speaking truths to God about Himself; but the young person next to Him telling Jesus how much he appreciated being forgiven, how humbled he was to see God move on his behalf that week.

I think of the person that had a bad week. The person who is suffering. When that person commands their heart to simply give thanks and praise God for Who He is, that probably pleases the Father a great deal.

What do you think?

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at May 25, 2009 09:05 AM