The Sound of Worship

I LOVE my worship team! This past Tuesday, during our practice, we were having a time of changing the way one of our songs were sung(harmonizing, echoing, etc.) and I was blessed by what I saw. Let me back up a bit. We are practically a "brand new" team as far as how long we've been working together. We've been together with our current team for almost a year, which is VERY new. So there's been lots of foundation building- lots of team building, open-ended questions of the night, things of that sort. Well, recently our pianist and my right-hand lady, Linda had a very prophetic dream concerning the level of worship we want and desire to be at. Since then, there has been lots of growth individually and together.

So that brings us back to Tuesday night. We were going over a song that's sung its usual way. But this time one of our newer vocalists had a suggestion(which is unusual in itself) and asked that we have the ladies harmonize with a whisper while I sing the lead. At first it was a struggle because it was way too quiet. One of our girls, whom I love like a dear sister, has always felt comfortable just blending in with my voice and "hiding" behind me vocally. So when they were asked to sing something completely different from me, I can see in her face a look of uneasiness. So we rehearsed it once, and then once again and it still wasn't sounding right. After a moment of quiet, another of our newest members stepped up and said (quote not exact), "I really feel like you are here because God called you. God gave you that voice to praise Him and not to be shy about it. Of all places you should be most comfortable, it's here."

WOW!! That broke and released something in her! The next time we sang it, it was as if Heaven opened up and the Presence poured on us! I looked back and with tears in her eyes, she sang with all she had. It was beautiful.

I've felt lately that what happens on Tuesday night will be magnified come Sunday and I'll be the first to say, I am so excited about what God's going to do to the people in the congregation who have been comfortable "blending" with other believers whilst hiding their own unique voice of praise. So if you are a prayer warrior, one thing I really ask that you do is pray continually for our worship team. The Lord is doing mighty things, therefore, the enemy is going to following right behind to make sure that doesn't happen. Also pray for this Sunday and every Sunday-that the Lord raises us to new heights in the worship team as well as the congragation.

I think the author of Hebrews had it right when he said "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb.10:25). And Paul as well when he said, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thes. 5:11). When I see these things happening in our church and especially with the worship team, I am all the more encouraged to stand firm in the faith with my brothers and sisters.