Worship 1

I was thinking a lot about praise and worship over the last few months and have decided to blog it. I am currently serving as a children's minister/associate pastor/get'er done guy and I absolutely love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything. But before I was doing this particular area of ministry I had been on or leading worship teams for a lot of years. It really is a passion for me. I didn't play any instrument-except for that month long stint with piano in 5th grade-until I was a senior in High School. Since then I have done a lot of things but music has always been involved. I have played with brilliant musicians far better than myself in countless venues. Jazz, rock, country, theatre, symphony, big band, wind ensembles, percussion ensembles, and churches. Most of these areas I have played many times over with many different musicians. I have learned something from every one of these situations and good or bad from every musician.
I guess the reason for the blog is to communicate how great all of these things are and to point out the one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Also, to express my observations, concerns, and thoughts so that maybe the younger generations(and no I am not old) can possibly avoid some of the pitfalls that I have seen along the way.

Being a praise and worship leader is absolutely the highest calling or the most noble and important thing you can do with your musical talent. There is no doubt about it. God created music--He loves it--He sings--He enjoys us enjoying it--and ultimately when we sing and play to Him and talk about Him and how great He is the we are using music for it's highest purpose-to Glorify God. What an awesome thing to connect with the creator of the universe through something so totally fun and lacking abandon like music.
With all of that said, I wonder why people who have the greatest gift to lead people into the presence of God choose to lay it aside for other pursuits or they mistake the anointing that is on them to minister as the same for them to live under. If that is confusing--let me try to clear it up. Why do some leaders live like major heathens and then get up in front of a crowd and lead worship as if there is no consequence to it. Hurt people in the wake of wayward worship leaders is one of the most damaging things to the togetherness of God's people. I know that God cares for His people above all things and that He is constantly bringing new ministers to the forefront to help people and lead them and nurture them. I know that no person can destroy the things that God does in people--but they sure can sidetrack it for a while.
I guess the bootom line for now is that we need to watch what we say and do. We also need to watch what we spend our time thinking about and what we expose ourselves to. It's not that everything is bad but the more you expose yourself to unruly, violent, impure things the less tuned in you become to the Spirit of God. Your mind and spirit become dulled to the bad things around you that would have shocked you a year ago. Soon---there is nothing left to surprise you or cause you to be shocked. The bible refers to it as hardening of the heart. Then you are in a dangerous place because you have blurred the line between wrong and right. Then you are in a place where you are unprotected and you are vulnerable to giving in to the things that tempt you and provoke you to sin. The devil is always skulking around like a lion looking for someone to have for dinner--looking for someone to rip apart. Don't give up-don't quit-but win. When you aren't sure, He is and He can help you if you'll just ask. He said, "if you seek with all of your heart I will let you find me."
Follow Jesus--Be Like Him. Praise and worship the highest call-we can all do it. You might as well practice now and get used to expressing yourself in your way to God thanking Him for His greatness because the truth is---His children will be doing it for eternity. This is just the rehearsal before the big show. It matters-so do your best.
I am done for now with this final thought--Keep the first thing first! You'll never fail. PJ