Effective Worship Ministry - 10 Keys
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A Lifestyle of True Intimacy with The Lord
The is the most easily discerned attribute within one who experiences the reality of the spirit and truth that comprises all true worship. We understand living a lifestyle of true intimacy begins with the expenditure and prioritization of our time.
Nevertheless, ministers who generally make up the 10% who do 90% of work within a church may find it easy to forget the wisdom of Mary given us in Luke 10: 38-41. Jesus was clear that Mary understood the importance of spending her time sitting with Him over her sister Martha’s choice to prepare their meal. The ministry preparations one makes unto the Lord are important, but should never supersede that which is most important – the times of intimacy we choose to make for Him.
2. Knowing How and When to Be Still Before the Lord
This is likely one of the most missing attributes among musicians who serve. The gift makes room, yet is “given without repentance” (Romans 11:29), can become our identity. It can become easy to begin viewing who we are in Christ, not by who He is, what He has done and is doing in our life, but by our work or specific work for Him.
Because the Lord will always love us for who we are beyond what we do for Him, a realistic cure for this problem is knowing Him in the stillness we are willing to afford Him in our busy lives. This is a serous issue especially in the loud complex and media noisy world of the modern Western church. Learning to become still through the seasons of life is a big part of hearing His still small voice.
3. Fidelity to The Word
This might seem obvious given how many times most of us have heard it taught and preached, but our regular and ongoing time spent reading and reflecting upon His Word in nothing less than crucial. We may be saved by what we believe and confess with our mouth, but we can never know what it means to move beyond being a believer to being a disciple outside of His Word. It is as the Holy Spirit illuminates and inspires our time in God’s Word that we grow in the mind of Christ and in our understanding of Father’s heart.
4. A Sanctified Life
Here is another snare that binds too many musically gifted artists - the lack of a sanctified life. Once one understands the beauty and importance of their gifts and the jealous nature of our God who gives such to us, a certain wisdom can grow. The one who finds a heart to use the gifts He gives and nurtures only unto Him finds a higher calling. A servant who learns to continually guard their heart across life’s countless decisions allows for an anointing only such a heart given to Him can know. Simply put, God can best bless that which is bless-able. Understanding His displeasure in mixture, and how easily we can offend His Spirit, is the beginning of an imperative wisdom for a true music minister.
A sanctified life, and gift, is one of the most important keys to the one who would seek to minister in a Prayer Room and understand the power only found in the prophetic flow of His Spirit.
5. A Yielded Lifestyle
Although this might seem obvious to some, it should never be underestimated what a blind spot yieldedness can be for all of us. The greatest human example, of course aside from Jesus upon the Cross, was seen in the father of true worship…Abraham as prepared to offer his son Isaac in obedience. What example could, and should, breed a greater depth of humility in any worshiper after God’s heart. We are wise to remember the saying of the old preacher who cried "Lord, please never show me my price". He said this in humility, knowing all men have a point at which, except by the Grace of God, we would could fall as countless others.
6. A Fasted Lifestyle
Here is the key many of us find easiest to wrestle with. Yet, we learn from those who we should emulate in the faith how important some kind of regular fasting is to spiritual growth. There are certain bridges we will never cross in Kingdom life without knowing the power and clarity found in fasting. Fasting should play a regular, or at least intermittent part, in our walk with Christ. Although generally understood that fasting focuses upon food there are also other forms of fasting beyond food, such as fasting from media, TV, radio or News etc.
7. A Lifestyle of Keeping Short Accounts
This should be the easiest of the Keys mentioned, given the conviction of the Holy Spirit when we are odds with another person. Whether it is us who needs to forgive someone, or we become aware that another has something against us, it is always contingent upon the one intent on worshiping God to put all things horizontal right before offering anything of the vertical to Him. Jesus could not be clearer about this than in Mathew 5:23-24.
8. Love for Others and Those Who We Minster To
A heart to prefer and champion others can never be underestimated in the eyes of God. Little is more Christ-like than following after our Lord’s example who promised our doing of “greater things”. We also know that all done outside of love is as a noisy brass cymbal in God’s ear. God looking upon our heart for the “how and why” we do what we will for Him will always outweigh the “what” of whatever it is we do. There are too many examples of this to list here, but a heart that prefers others over self is one that is evidenced in being quick to listen and slow to speak.
9. A Proper Understanding of Our Role in Worship
Jesus, who perfectly embodied each of the keys mentioned thus far, demonstrated for us a life of pure worship through His perfect obedience and unwavering eye upon His Father. Yet, amazingly He also spoke the words of John 14:12 where He says “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
Jesus was able to speak these words knowing that “because I go to My Father” paved the way for the Holy Spirit to be given and dwell within us. The one who would lead others in true worship, and who fails to remember such is only possible through the power and guiding leadership of the Holy Spirit, has failed to inherit a crucial truth – the call to facilitate is higher than the call to lead. Leaders attract those given to follow, where a facilitator attracts disciples who can achieve the greater in God. The leader is seen, respected and has the focus of others upon themselves. The facilitator has learned to prefer the focus of others to remain upon, not on themselves, but upon God. As Jesus always pointed to His Father, the one who would lead others must always point to the Holy Spirit. This is the heart, hop and focus of a true Prayer Room music minister.
Click the link here to see a SIMPLE DIAGRAM inspired through by Bob Sorge that speaks volumes.
10. Our Skill Level…An Important but Distant Second
Skill is imperative in that we should never try to operate at the very top of our skill level. Why? Because such has a way of tasking the mind and will of our sole that becomes performance based. There is place and room for both what represents our best and what takes our all to the point of allowing ourselves to seek and follow Him within our spirit. A greater skill level affords one greater distance before running into the edge of our ability, but the aim is to not allow our soul to eclipse our spirit. His inspiration and ability to anoint one is far better that mere talent. The best ear candy can bless the soul which is nice, but it will never replace food that nourishes the spirit and is of eternal importance.
The Final Ministry Instruction Jesus Left Us
Lastly, let’s not forget the ministry instruction Jesus left with those who He knew were yet to be filled with His Spirit. It is what Matthias Ministry will never cease adhering to, and remains a New Testament model of preparation of heart and life for ministry to this day:
Jerusalem -> Judea -> World
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Let our first priority be the condition of our own HEART before Him
.................. then let our second priority be reserved for our own FAMILY
...................... and finally may our third priority be our ministry call to OTHERS
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