The (Unfortunately) Rare Mix of Worship and Teaching

Fellow Worship Leaders,

Yes, I said 'worship leaders,' though most of you are Bible Fellowship teachers. But if you and I lead properly, we are leading our people into worship! This message was driven home in my heart earlier today in a staff meeting, through dialogue with much of the team and Jeff Lawrence in particular.

The first key for preparation for your teaching is your personal worship. Jeff reminded us "your private (time with God) becomes public, but your public never becomes private."

In other words, you and I must teach from the resevoir of  a) the effort of our study; b) the illumination in that study by the Holy Spirit. All of that is arrived out through time alone with God, which includes study, reflection, prayer and simply "being still and know(ing) I (He) is God.

When we've prepared this way, we enter the teaching setting as a worshipper leading others in worship.  (And all worship leaders must be WORSHIPping or they are ACTing). Too often we think of worship as 'singing.' (and most of us don't need to be leading singing!). But in reality worship takes many forms.

So how might you take the people you lead into greater worship? Ask the Holy Spirit, but much of it has to do with the tone you set, the words you use and the way you use them. To worship God corporately in prayer means to have a closer encounter, not necessarily a longer list. In study it means to dwell upon His Word, let it wash over us, unpack it's deep meaning, rather than make quick application and move on. In 'body ministry' it means to stop everything and pray over a hurting person or couple, asking and actually expecting the Holy Spirit to intervene and literally make a difference. It is mysterious enough that I have a hard time explaining it, but plain enough that I know what it is not!

Ask yourself, 'What does 'worshiping God' look like,' and how can I lead my group into it?
For all the difficult of pinning that down, I know this: worshipping God in a Bible Fellowship or small group teaching setting doesn't look like rotely reading a lesson prepared somewhere else by somebody else, and declaring it a spiritual growth tool. Without the Holy Spirit and serious contemplation, such a lesson is merely words on a page!  Instead, worship is something more personal, raw, Spirit-engaging and intimate.

Worship at home alone. Worship with your family. Lead worship where you lead. The difference is the difference between God encounters, and mere religion.