Howdy folks!
Welcome
to this month’s column. Jeff has had to take a break and asked me to man the helm for him
until he returns. So let's get cracking!
When I first began playing in worship bands, I learned the parts I was expected to play, either by following the direction of the worship leader, or through
learning the songs from recorded renditions that were provided; pretty easy. Low demand, usually a mid-week rehearsal would help iron out the problems and then a
twenty minute warm-up before the service on Sunday.
In one church I spent a couple years at, that meant I got maybe ten minutes to grab my part(s), two run-throughs of the songs, unless
they were songs we all knew, and then take a ten minute break before the service began. Basically, we arrived at 8:00am, set up and be ready to rehearse in ten
minutes, learned one to three new tunes, added two to three previously performed tunes, and then fifteen minutes to put it all together. The band was run with a lot
of similarities to a recording session. Time was of the essence and in precious short supply! Service began promptly at 9:00am.
So in one situation, it was pretty loose; in the other, you had to be organized and have your collective act together - no slackers allowed. If you didn't learn
quickly and adapt on the fly, you were put on the B list. I was an A lister (both on guitar and bass) because I have many years of experience in studio and
on the road. So it was not a problem for me.
Most worship bands are not run this way. But in a way, they should strive to be run like that. Here's why...
I've dealt with people who had the notion that to rehearse too much made it all about you, not the Lord. So these bands were too loose in how they sounded, missing
cues - on songs they supposedly knew and played regularly! Sometimes they worked with bad arrangements. They were basically winging it "in faith" that the Holy Spirit
would swoop in and take over to make them perform beyond their abilities and therefore create a holy moment worship experience for the congregation. They had a false
notion - and perception - of their presentations, which, to be honest, were often quite sub-par and amateurish.
Okay, okay. I hear you. You're saying that many churches don't have high quality musicians and we cannot expect them to sound like totally professional career minded
musicians. Yes, that's true. However, if you are going to be in a worship music situation, you have a responsibility to bring your A game to the performance. And that
means you have to strive to be the best you know how to be. And that may mean you need to take some lessons, whether as a guitar player, bass player, drummer, or
singer. I don't care which instrument you're playing. You are performing a service, "as unto the Lord", and you need to be more responsible and accountable.
Ps.22:29: Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
It is clear in this passage that the man in question has strived to be a skilled journeyman in his craft. He has learned well the things that make one a master at
their profession. And you know that takes years, an apprenticeship (which was common in those days), and then proving himself capable of doing the work on his own.
Why should our approach to anything we do be any different? Nobody wants to walk into a church and hear the music coming off the stage being such that they will
turn around and leave. Our "day job" requires us to be skilled at our work, right? What happens if we take a relaxed and casual attitude about our work? Well, we
get written up or fired. Ouch!
I have been in situations where, as worship leader, I have had to sit people down and tell them they need to practice and maybe take lessons (which I volunteered to
give them for free). The message was clear: you need to improve or I may have to remove you from participating, not because I'm a tyrant and have expectations of
professional level performance. I don't expect that of anyone except actual professionals. But I do expect competent execution of their part on their instrument.
As a leader, I too have a responsibility to oversee not just worship, but the sound of the worship. Sometimes that means making hard decisions.
The bottom line is simple: my contribution to worship must enhance, even elevate, in some fashion the music I am a part of. And by extension, the worship that will
be possible by the congregation as a whole. It may mean playing less, even the absence of my instrument in some songs. In others, when I'm featured prominently,
to be as flawless as my abilities allow.
And that flawless performace doesn't come by my reliance upon the Holy Spirit to make up for any deficiencies in my character - and lack of resolve to be an
adequate musician. It comes from my participation in ensuring I am able to play well. The Holy Spirit may participate, but His job is not to put into me that which
is absent, it is to help me use the knowledge I already possess to the best of my ability.
John 14:26: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit...(will) bring to remembrance...
While I have truncated this verse, the point I'm trying to make is that the Holy Spirit does not inbue you with ability you do not possess, at least in the practical
things of life, such as a skill. But what He will bring out in you is what you already possess, so you can apply it in what you are doing. The better you are in your
craft, the easier His job will be to help you!
So this week, as you prepare for your next service, think about these things with a humble and contrite spirit and heart. Ask yourself some questions:
In future columns, I will begin to address the music of worship, approaches, sonic elements, altering arrangements, arranging in general, and a host of other topics
until Jeff returns. Please keep him in your prayers, too.
Until next time, keep making a joyous noise for the Lord.