Thoughts on worship

Several months ago I made a post on here about using the arts in worship. After that first night I made a decision to use these forms of worship for special times. I was wrong. Let me give you a glimpse into what we are doing with worship in our ministry and why. I would love to hear you thoughts on it, and get your help into taking it to a different level.

1. We don’t use a live band to sing with. For one reason, our youth room is not acoustically well designed for a live band, but a bigger reason is that for many youth worship leaders (and adults for that matter) have a hard time separating leading worship and performing for their friends. I’m not saying they can’t, but I think it’s a thin line. So, we use worship DVDs, and honestly, it has been great.
2. Each week we set out paints to paint on the “continuous painting” and markers and crayons and paper on a table, and we have chalk and chalkboards out as well. As we get ready to open up our time of worship, I make sure that the students understand that the room is theirs to respond to God in any way (appropriately) that they feel. They can draw, they can paint, they can write, they can sit quietly, they can sit and read their Bible and journal, they can pray with each other or a leader, or they can stand (or sit) and sing with the worship music playing.

It took a little while, but the students are starting to embrace the idea that worship is not all about standing in rows and singing. I do know that there are other things I need to work on and develop in our worship, but it has been a process.

I want to know how to incorporate live music and students who worship through playing instruments and singing without setting them up to struggle with pride. I want this to be a true time of worship for them. I want to figure out how I can keep this from inadvertently teaching them that we only worship at specific times. I want them to understand that they can worship God at all times in everything they do.

I would never say that this is the way that worship should be done. I don’t claim to be an expert in worship, and I am always worried that I could be doing more harm than good. We will keep trying this and trying to grow, and I will keep praying that God would draw us into authentic worship as a response to His Word and what He is teaching us.

For you viewing enjoyment here is a progression of our painting.