Worship Style Guide
by Kim LintonPosted in Worship 5 Comments
There’s a lot of controversy in the church today surrounding worship styles. Should we sing hymns or choruses? Should we have drums? Is it too loud? Everyone seems to have an opinion about the perfect worship style. People like what they are familiar with so as worship leaders we tend to want to please everybody, which is impossible. I’ve seen churches destroyed over controversies surrounding worship and I can assure you it grieves the Lord.
I want to make it abundantly clear that I do not believe there is a perfect style of worship. I do believe that each church has a unique DNA if you will, a seed that God has designed. The worship leader’s awesome responsibility is to discover what it will take to make that seed grow in the area of worship. This is a process that requires much time in prayer, from a person who is willing to be humble before God, and who is willing to obey whatever He says even if it seems foolish. Often the congregation will not like change, but it’s very important that the worship leader obey what God has told them and not let people lead them down a worship path that God does not want.
We must also be careful not to change things just for the sake of change, or to try to shock people into the latest and greatest worship craze. In my experience leading worship I had to learn the hard way. When I first started, I was very sensitive to people’s comments. I had a problem accepting the authority that God had given me, so I tried to please everyone.
I soon learned that my job was to lead them. If I didn’t, I was letting God down. We are to listen to people, use their suggestions if it fits into what God is telling us, and throw them out if it doesn’t. Sometimes God uses people to help us move in the right direction, so it’s important to listen, but we are not to be controlled by them.
Worship styles vary more than anything else in the body of Christ. If God has called you to be the worship leader of a particular body of believers, then he feels that you have something unique to give to that body. It’s very important that you not try to be like someone else. Be yourself. It’s all right to learn from others, but don’t try to imitate what someone else is doing, it will be empty and the people will not respond.
What moves you? What is God impressing upon you? God will always use the personality of the worship leader that He has called to set the style of worship for their particular church. I don’t mean that you are the final word in worship, but that you should build the worship around what you feel you are hearing from God.
Hopefully your pastor will give you that freedom, but if not always be careful to bring what you can while at the same time "submitting to those that have rule over you" (Hebrews 13:17). I can tell you from many years of personal experience that God will not bless your ministry if you have rebellion in your heart.
Having said all of that, be ready to be stretched. If you are seeking God for direction He will begin to have you do things you would have never dreamed of. Are you a die-hard contemporary music fan? Get ready to bring out the hymnals. Do you hate contemporary Christian music? Get ready for the electric guitar. God loves to make us grow. He loves to take us to new levels of freedom in our service to Him.
The best worship leaders are open to all styles of music. You must be willing to be flexible, while standing firm in the authority that God has given you. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Singing the same tired songs over and over again will bring death to your worship service. Using songs that people are familiar with is good, but never adding any fresh material is simply a lazy way to lead worship.
Listen to new types of music. Visit churches that have a different style from yours. The only way to teach others to be able to worship Jesus in all things is to practice it yourself. If you are rigid, unmoving, and unwilling to change, the people you lead will be the same way.
Your congregation should be taught to be open to worshiping without music, without overheads, without being in church, and without songs that they are familiar with. Remember, we are to point them to Jesus. It really is all about Him. If we put Him in the center of it all, then it will happen spontaneously with or without us.
For more worship articles by Kim Linton click here.
About Kim Linton
Kim Linton began her writing career in 2001 as a contributor for Ministrymaker Magazine. Kim's work has since been published on a variety of websites including Woman's Day and Intel, and featured on several news sites including USA Today, Yahoo! News and The Wall Street Journal.5 responses to “Worship Style Guide”
Thank you for your teaching, Sister Kim. It is true that there are many styles, sounds, songs of worship. I remember the words of a Southern Preacher that came out west to teach and I agree with him on this one point: So many churches have been built around people that have been saved for 30 years instead of centering their church in bringing people to salvation. Christian rock concerts, guest speakers, camp meetings, tent meetings, or whatever works… I say GO FOR IT! Heaven rejoices over one that is saved than the 99 that were left behind. Amen? Thank you again for your teaching. Blessing be upon you and your family!
I fell into the position of leading in worship at my very very newly started church. I have always loved to sing and play guitar but I’ve mostly done this in my highschool choir and in private. I feel overjoyed that God has allowed me to serve Him in this capacity but at the same time I have becoming aware of the huge responsibility this really is. I am beginning to search out support on the internet. I realize also that I can’t do this unless I allow myself to be led by the Holy Spirit. The Pastor enjoys every time I sing and play, but I can tell in my spirit that some Sundays are way better then others. I can only pray that each Sunday and inspirational by the Lord. I pray for every Sunday that the Holy Spirit just explodes in our singing. I see I will be on my knees in prayer more often.
Thank you! This is just what i needed to hear.
Thanks for this article. I have served as a lay preacher for 45 years and have seen many different churches and worship styles. Unfortunate that I see now oh-so-many congregations closing (or stagnating) because they refuse to change. This can be the old shocked by the new, as well as the new with no respect for the old. I won’t go on! I really appreciate what you have to say. Thanks again.
I bookmarked this link. Thank you for good job!,