Music Director: Regina Oettinger
Email: regina@montananazarene.org
Praise Team Schedule Special Music Schedule
January -- Ralph Schulz, Cindy Crofford, David Grimes
Jan. 23 -- Melita Dubach and Greg McClain
Jan. 30 -- David Grimes
February -- Michelle Williams, Melita Dubach, Greg McClain Feb. 6 -- Amber King
Feb. 13 -- Pastor & Cindy Crofford
Feb. 20 -- Ralph Schulz
Feb. 27 -- Michelle, Amanda, Bonnie
March -- George & Kristi Armstrong, Amber King Mar. 6 -- the Craguns
Announcements and Upcoming Events
Band Practice: every Sunday morning at 8:45
Praise Team Practice: every Sunday morning at 9:00
Weekly Word on Worship
One of the most discouraging things I see as a worship leader is when I look out into the congregation and see people not singing or barely moving their lips on Sunday morning. Singing is mentioned dozens of times in Scripture (100+) so it’s clear that we are to do it whether we feel like it or not, whether we think we’re good at it or not. We talk about the hymns we sing (theology, etc.) but we don’t spend much time talking about the actual act of singing. So for the next several weeks our Weekly Word of Worship we’ll focus on this topic.
Christians used to be known as a singing people. As a matter of fact, Church reformer John Huss was martyred for preaching the “heresy of congregational singing,” among other things. Think about it: people died for this privilege! You don’t have to look very far in Scripture to find people who sang in about every circumstance imaginable. (Jehoshaphat, David, Mary, Paul & Silas). I admit that when I’m in a good mood I have no problem bursting into song. I can rock an ABBA or BeeGees song all day long. But I must admit I felt very convicted when I saw that video of the man playing his piano and worshiping as his house lay in shambles around him after the tornado in Kentucky. Would singing be my first response in a crisis? Would praise be my go-to in a trial?
Often when I visit a church, I tend to critique the music and compare it to my preferences. However, what I should be paying attention to is whether the people are singing from their hearts and praising God. That’s it. It doesn’t even have to be good singing. God wants to hear our praise whether we sound like Whitney Houston or not, and most of us would be firmly in the “not” category.
God created us to sing, not to mouth along with the words. We read in Scripture about creation praising God, so when we sing we are just joining all of creation in doing what we are meant to do. Vocal chords begin to form on an unborn child around 12 weeks gestation and can actually work before the baby is even born. (Psa. 139:13-14) God also created singing to be closely tied with memory. That’s why we can remember song lyrics long after we’ve forgotten about everything else. (Alzheimer’s patients prove this theory often in music therapy.)
The most common excuse I hear (as a worship leader and a music teacher) is “I can’t sing.” What they mean is, “I can’t sing well.” Or “The sound I make when I sing is not what I want it to sound like.” Maybe someone told you at some point that your voice was not acceptable. Just because we cannot do something well, doesn’t mean we are off the hook. We all fall short of God’s expectations in many areas of our life, but He still expects us to try anyway. My grandmother did not have a great voice, but no one sang with more joy or passion than she did. I loved to watch my grandparents sing because the love for Jesus was so evident that it never occurred to me to critique their talent or lack thereof.
(I do want to add a brief note here. The motive behind your singing is very important. There are many people, both good and bad singers, who sing because they love the attention and want to be seen, heard, and praised for their abilities. Our motive in worship is NOT to receive praise, but to GIVE praise to the One Who has given everything for us.)
I want to conclude this week with a challenge for you. This Sunday (if your voice is up to the task, as I know many are overcoming sickness right now), I want you to sing your hearts out for Jesus. Don’t worry about what people around you might think about your voice. Do what you were created to do.
One of the most discouraging things I see as a worship leader is when I look out into the congregation and see people not singing or barely moving their lips on Sunday morning. Singing is mentioned dozens of times in Scripture (100+) so it’s clear that we are to do it whether we feel like it or not, whether we think we’re good at it or not. We talk about the hymns we sing (theology, etc.) but we don’t spend much time talking about the actual act of singing. So for the next several weeks our Weekly Word of Worship we’ll focus on this topic.
Christians used to be known as a singing people. As a matter of fact, Church reformer John Huss was martyred for preaching the “heresy of congregational singing,” among other things. Think about it: people died for this privilege! You don’t have to look very far in Scripture to find people who sang in about every circumstance imaginable. (Jehoshaphat, David, Mary, Paul & Silas). I admit that when I’m in a good mood I have no problem bursting into song. I can rock an ABBA or BeeGees song all day long. But I must admit I felt very convicted when I saw that video of the man playing his piano and worshiping as his house lay in shambles around him after the tornado in Kentucky. Would singing be my first response in a crisis? Would praise be my go-to in a trial?
Often when I visit a church, I tend to critique the music and compare it to my preferences. However, what I should be paying attention to is whether the people are singing from their hearts and praising God. That’s it. It doesn’t even have to be good singing. God wants to hear our praise whether we sound like Whitney Houston or not, and most of us would be firmly in the “not” category.
God created us to sing, not to mouth along with the words. We read in Scripture about creation praising God, so when we sing we are just joining all of creation in doing what we are meant to do. Vocal chords begin to form on an unborn child around 12 weeks gestation and can actually work before the baby is even born. (Psa. 139:13-14) God also created singing to be closely tied with memory. That’s why we can remember song lyrics long after we’ve forgotten about everything else. (Alzheimer’s patients prove this theory often in music therapy.)
The most common excuse I hear (as a worship leader and a music teacher) is “I can’t sing.” What they mean is, “I can’t sing well.” Or “The sound I make when I sing is not what I want it to sound like.” Maybe someone told you at some point that your voice was not acceptable. Just because we cannot do something well, doesn’t mean we are off the hook. We all fall short of God’s expectations in many areas of our life, but He still expects us to try anyway. My grandmother did not have a great voice, but no one sang with more joy or passion than she did. I loved to watch my grandparents sing because the love for Jesus was so evident that it never occurred to me to critique their talent or lack thereof.
(I do want to add a brief note here. The motive behind your singing is very important. There are many people, both good and bad singers, who sing because they love the attention and want to be seen, heard, and praised for their abilities. Our motive in worship is NOT to receive praise, but to GIVE praise to the One Who has given everything for us.)
I want to conclude this week with a challenge for you. This Sunday (if your voice is up to the task, as I know many are overcoming sickness right now), I want you to sing your hearts out for Jesus. Don’t worry about what people around you might think about your voice. Do what you were created to do.
|
|
|
