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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.
what you practice, you will perform
perform live
pressure to perform
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Together with our two youngest kids, my husband and I have been leading worship as a band at church for quite a few years. Next weekend we are giving a concert of mostly worship music. I guess it's fair to say we're performing, because . . . well, we ARE performing, aren't we? We've practiced, and we'll practice some more, and we'll choose the order that we'll do the set and plan anything that needs to be said to introduce any of the songs. We will be on a stage playing music for an audience, and I think all that qualifies as performing.
Is it different from what we will do this Sunday morning when we lead worship in the church service? We've practiced, chosen the order and the songs, and we'll be on a stage playing music in front of an audience. And honestly, it's always bothered me when people refer to what worship leaders do as "performing" because to me that implies a different motivation than "leading worship". As I reflected on the word 'perform' today, I've decided that I probably don't need to be worried about which word we use to describe what we do. It's silly that I'm fine with saying we're performing a worship music concert on Saturday night but not fine with saying we're performing worship music in church on Sunday. Perhaps the purposes of those two occasions differ slightly, and the audiences may be a bit different, but both are performances in that we will be playing music we enjoy. In both settings we get joy from sharing something that we've worked hard to prepare with others, and we want the performance and the use of our talents and efforts to bring joy to others as well - and most importantly, to give honor and glory to God.
If our songs of worship are only to showcase our talent, and our hearts are not right, then it's JUST a performance and it's empty. Those of us leading worship should always be asking ourselves why we do it. To serve and glorify God, or to showcase our own talent?
Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. ~Jesus (John 7:18)
God is a very discerning audience, and deserves our very best. And ironically, he is the audience at every practice, when it's not yet our best (or maybe not even very good!) and when we're slogging through details to make it the best. Thankfully God is also a very appreciative and generous audience, loving our efforts to praise him and allowing both performers and other audience members to take joy in the performance.
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The real test of a musician is live performance. It's one thing to spend a long time learning how to play well in the studio, but to do it in front of people is what keeps me coming back to touring. ~Neil Peart
I am putting pressure on myself to do my best and perform to my potential. ~Sidney Crosby
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5 comments:
Kym, I appreciate what you have written and it is most timely. Thank you!
I shall rise in church to sing,
which will likely be a pity,
for the only song I bring
is West Side Story's "I Feel Pretty",
spreading arms out very wide,
gesturing (though not too fast)
while folks sitting by my side
are looking on, dismayed, aghast,
for I look like a lowland ape,
dragging knuckles 'cross the floor;
here comes usher with duct tape
that there will not be encore,
but as my voice meets silent fate,
laughter rolls from Heaven's gate.
I studied music and learned a lot about performing. Then I got into playing for worship and I realised how different it is. Like you say, it's still performing in a way but the purpose of it is different. I think focussing on glorifying God rather than ourselves makes a big difference.
As long as we know what we do is for an audience of One, it will be extraordinary :).
for me I guess the difference between performing and leading worship comes down to presentation. Are the musicians louder than the audience? Do the singers try to outdo the church members? Or are they singing just loud enough to lead people in their praise of God? I've been to concerts where it's been a mix of both, and have an appreciation of that. But I love, love, love, when music leaders at church encourage the audience to praise God fully and downplay their own noise.
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