I wanted to give you a little something that I think may help you as a choir director or worship pastor/worship leader. This is a very simple concept that I myself have used, and it has changed my life. This simple idea can revolutionize your worship services and it can change your life as well! I’m sure by now you’re thinking, “Joe, what single piece of free information can you possibly offer to us that can both revolutionize our worship services and change our lives?!?” Well to that I say, “You’ll be surprise!” You see, when I reveal the details of this “thing” that will change everything, your initial reaction may be, “We already do that! We don’t need help in this area, and this article is clearly not for us.” Well, just give me a minute; If you’ll really get honest with yourself and think back into the past when things may have gone wrong with your church choir music, or maybe just didn’t go as well as you had hoped for, you’ll see what I mean. Ok, enough with the waiting game, what am I talking about? What is this thing that is going to change everything for me?

Preparation.

I have learned to live by what I call the 5 P’s: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

With reluctance, I had to admit that I was wrong in the way that I did things for the first few months in the ministry. You see, we all too often get all caught up in the job! What we forget is that this is not just our job. This is our honor, to serve the risen Savior, and deliver our very best praise! So let us begin to actually take the time to do the things that they don’t teach you how to do! Let’s spend more time planning, and less time talking, and almost instantly, an amazing thing may happen. I have seen our worship services get so much better! There is no more dead space, no more wondering what was going to happen next! YOU’RE the choir director, or the choir member, or the worship leader! You need to know what is going to happen next, because guess what?!? Nobody else does! Be prepared! Be ready! How do you do this?

1. Know what songs you are singing as congregationals no later than the Tuesday before the upcoming Sunday. (This one is a given, if you don’t already do this, shame on you.)

2. Sketch out on a yellow notepad what you plan to say to welcome your congregation to God’s house, what you’ll say as an introduction to each song, and how and when you’ll lead the church in prayer.

3. Know how long each song is going to be. Everyone deserves an ample amount of time to do his or her individual parts in the worship service. Don’t cut your Pastor or your special music short. This is disrespectful. They probably won’t say it, but I bet they’re thinking, “Am I not worth a little more preparation and planning so that I have time to do what God has lead me to do?”

4. Leave a little wiggle room. You don’t know what may happen to cause the service to be slightly off schedule. You never know how the Holy Spirit will guide you or someone else during the service. Allot a few extra minutes in case something changes.

All that to say, when you become a better planner, and you learn to prepare more thoroughly, you may find that the leading of the Holy Spirit is a little easier to find on those Sunday mornings. Why? Because God is pleased; you have been a good steward of the time He has given you.

I hope this helps, and always, pray every decision through.

Joe Cox is Minister of Music, Concert Pianist, and internet marketer.

http://www.churchchoirmusicnow.com/

http://www.churchchoirmusicnow.com/church-choir-music/proper-preparation-for-church-choir-music

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Logic tells us that the word “has departed” denotes simply that there used to be glory, and now there isn’t. The term originated in reference to what many refer to as “the Shekinah (SHE’KEE’NA) glory” which is the manifestation of the glory of God in the temple at Jerusalem – the place where God resided. This “Shekinah” was displayed in several ways in Scripture including the burning bush, the bright light when the angels announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds, etc. The Shekinah was only present when the Ark of the Covenant was in its proper place, in the Holy of Holies. Historically, whenever the Ark was NOT in the temple, the temple was said to be “Ichabod.” The real substance and meaning of the temple was missing. It was merely an empty habitation at that point because the essence – the glory of God – was gone.

There are many references to the “glory of God” throughout Scripture. It is the direct reminder of God’s power and interaction with His people. The word “glory” is one that is often misunderstood. Though most would agree that the word implies praise, honor and fame, a more complete definition includes the words splendor, magnificence and radiance. Now, apply that definition to any verse regarding “the glory of God” and it changes its meaning in a powerful way.

Today, in this Age of Grace, the glory of God is manifest through the lives of those truly serving Him. Notice: through the LIVES – NOT the buildings. Our lives are intended to form the visible manifestation of God’s splendor, magnificence and radiance. Until we renew our minds to this truth, it ain’t happenin’. When it does, through the ministry of a relative few, we see them as being “more holy” or “more spiritual” than the rest of us, as if they set the standard to which the rest of us can aspire. That’s unfortunate for, if we are to compare ourselves with anyone, that person should be Jesus. He alone is our standard.

The Scripture refers to us, the followers of Jesus, as “living sacrifices.” This is commonly referred to as an oxymoron (a la “Jumbo Shrimp”, “Found Missing”, “Microsoft Works”) for a sacrifice is dead and, therefore, cannot possibly be living. Notice, however, that the phrase is not “tithing sacrifices”, “preaching sacrifices” or any other kind of sacrifices. No, the term is LIVING sacrifices, denoting life, day to day, moment to moment sacrificial living. In other words, doing everything as unto the Lord God (1 Cor 10:31).

Do you get it? We, the Church – NOT the edifices, but the PEOPLE – are supposed to be the containers of the glory of God. Better yet, the DISPENSERS of the glory of God. Jesus called us “the light of the world” – NOT our buildings and certainly Not our manmade denominations. Too often, even Protestants have the attitude that God is in the church house. Friends, God doesn’t show up anywhere, including church services, until you get there. You bring Him WITH you! Too often, the gatherings taking place within these structures are replete with unscriptural ritualism demonstrated nowhere in Scripture, or they’ve become mere social clubs that rarely reveal lives that have been radically changed. The bodies in there, going through endless motions, and droning worship songs, too often offer lip service with hearts far from God. The glory has gone. The individuals, and the organization which they comprise, have become Ichabod.

So, is your church an Ichabod or is it the house of God?

It’s NEITHER! God doesn’t live in ANY building anywhere on the face of the earth. He lives within YOU. In fact YOU are the Ark of the New Covenant, carrying with you the very presence and power of God EVERYWHERE you go. Problem? The vast majority of those who call themselves “Christian” (literally meaning, “a little Christ”) don’t believe that. Not only that, most of us have never been taught that. Instead, we’ve been conditioned to believe God is “out there” somewhere. We hear songs like “God is watching us” by Bette Midler and “What if God were one of us?” and we base our theology on this stuff rather than the Word of God.

So, is God really within you, desiring to live THROUGH you or isn’t He? Does the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead live within you or is God a liar? Will His disciples REALLY do greater things than He did or was Jesus out of His mind? Does the verse “In Him we live and move and have our being” apply to anyone you know? The truth is, God DOES live within us and He does some pretty incredible things through those who have decided to believe that every Word of Scripture is absolute truth.

Major problem? As I see it, there are three: (A) Preachers aren’t preaching this, (B) Christians are so biblically illiterate, we have no idea what’s Scripture and what’s from Poor Richard’s Almanac and (C) We are so busy doing things the prescribed way that we are oblivious to what the Lord is wanting His Church to do next..

All this can change but it starts with a radical, life altering decision, one that every individual Believer has to make on his or her own. Don’t wait for your pastor or priest to make the choice. Neither should you wait for your denomination to get an edict from headquarters. YOU alone must make the choice to raise your head up from among the crowd. When the lemmings are headed west, go ahead and head east. But be warned: one man’s obedience is another man’s rebellion. The traditional Church is notorious for attacking anyone who follows the cloud. The things we see as commonplace were once considered radical. From church music to altar calls, numerous aspects of church have suffered from “friendly fire” and still do.

It’s Ok, you see, because this is all about you and your personal obedience to what the Father is saying to you, Spirit-to-spirit. Far too often, we have settled for Religion when it’s intimate RELATIONSHIP that God desires from us. How can we get any more intimate than to allow the Creator of all things to live THROUGH us in an effort to lead people from darkness into his glorious light?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael’s mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Since 1999, he has broadcast nearly six hundred inspirational articles and a dozen booklets on subjects that will interest the thinking Christian, all designed to accelerate the process of spiritual development in God’s people.

He is the founder of t.e.a.m. ministries (team1min@aol.com). An Author, Pastoral Counselor and Teacher, his eMail broadcasts, known as “Your Town for Jesus” are reaching millions around the globe WEEKLY. Write team1min@aol.com if you’d like to SUBSCRIBE.

A licensed/ordained minister, a Certified Workplace Chaplain, and a Professional Member of NIBIC, he has ministered in Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, College and Cowboy churches. He is also a Speaker on the Christian Speaker Network and may be available to speak to your church or Christian group

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Tummillo

1. The only hymns that should be sung in worship are the old ones, the ones “we” learned as children. (Note: Was the writer of Psalm 96 wrong? At one time ALL hymns, anthems, and other pieces of music were new.)

2. All church music should be quiet. (Note: Most lovers of traditional hymns would disagree with this. Would singing Joy To The World at a volume barely above a whisper have the same triumphant impact?)

3. The only appropriate church instruments are the pipe organ, the piano on occasion, and the Hammond drawbar – but only in dire circumstances. (Note: Our ancestors in faith used a wide variety of instrumentation to accompany their singing [see Psalm 92 and others]; Christians in most world cultures continue to do the same today. All right, the Martians haven’t caught on, but they’re the exception.)

4. All church music should be serious and classical in style. (Note: Psalm 95? Singing with “a joyful noise” sounds neither serious nor classical.)

5. All church music should be complex, performable by only highly trained musicians. (Note: Our ancestors in faith of African-American traditions composed a powerful body of spirituals that continue to stir and inspire the Christian soul; yet these songs are accessible to people with little musical expertise.)

Rev. James FD Martin is co-pastor of Church of Peace UCC and Bethel UCC, Fond du Lac Churches. He has led worship at not only these Fond du Lac UCC churches, but also many others over his career, spanning three decades.

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