Worship-Connection with You and God! Not You and People!

On Monday and Tuesday I attended a Worship  Conference where Kim Walker and Band were leading worship Monday night and Kim taught a workshop on Tuesday.

I went into this thing expecting an awesome time of worship and a good workshop where I would get some good info and go home. Wow…was I wrong….

On Monday Night Kim lead incredible worship. I was amazed at how easy it was for her to get lost in the Presence of God.

Tuesday morning however was the major killer for me. God messed with my heart for an hour and a half of Kim teaching. Here are the highlights I walked away with:

1. At one point Kim had joined the School of Ministry at Bethel and no one there knew she sang and she was going to audition for a Worship Team and the Lord told her not to audition, not to even tell anyone she could sing and anytime she tried to sing around people she couldn’t! The Lord told her she had found her identity in her gift and he was taking it for a while to give her time to find her identity in Him and not her voice.

That struck me. While she was talking about that experience I immediately started panicking thinking, “Maybe God will take my voice away! What will I do without it?!”

The Lord showed me that I am way to secure in my gift as a singer and not secure enough in my identity as a His Child. This blew me away! Until that moment I thought I was secure in God, but in a moment God showed me where my identity truly was hiding-in my voice and singing ability.

After the session I was able to talk with Kim for a few minutes and she encouraged me (and I encourage you) to really begin to seek Gods heart out. When we realize how much GOD LOVES US, then we can find our security in Him. Its when we fall in love with God that we find our identity in Him. Seek Gods heart out! God has a “Sierra Shaped” hole in in heart where I fit! Its amazing!

2. As a Worship Leader its not about your connection with the “crowd” during worship, but your connection with God! You connect with God and bring them with you as you connect with God!

CONNECTION! ITS ALL ABOUT CONNECTION WITH GOD!

If we make it about the people then our focus if off, if we as Worship Leaders are focused on “me and God” first and foremost and our connection from Heaven to earth then that is what we are accountable for. I’m not accountable to God if the people just stand there and don’t respond to the Holy Spirit moving. I’m responsible to worship until the Presence and Glory of God shows up and lead the people with me into the Presence of God! That’s my job as a leader. Its not my job to try and force people to sing, dance, clap, etc. Its not my job to bring hype to a service and try and make it this emotional experience that is only an inch deep. I would rather have the Glory of God manifested and the Presence of the Holy Spirit present in such a way that we are in awe and adoration and going deep deep deep!!!

I desire to see the Church get to the place that there is no need for Hype! As a Worship Leader we shouldn’t have to hype the Church into Worship! We shouldn’t have to stand there and say, “Press in! Press in!” etc etc.

We should be living a lifestyle of Worship so that when we come in on Sunday mornings, we come in ready to worship as an extension of our worship throughout the week!

I’m not saying Hype is bad. Sometimes some people need a jump start to get them going, but what I am saying is that if you are letting the emotion of the music, the vocals or who the band is define worship for you then you’re not worshiping the Creator, you’re worshiping an emotion that can be a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit. And that is easy! It happens to me! When Kim Walker was singing it was easy for me to “worship” but I had to ask myself, “is it the emotion of the room and the music that I am letting pull me in, or am I letting the Holy Spirit draw me?” That’s what it comes down to! CONNECTION WITH GOD NOT MAN!

3. Worship is  not music. Worship is not songs. Worship is not lyrics. Worship is not instruments playing. Worship is this: A connection with God! That is what matters!

Music is an EXPRESSION of Worship. Its an expression of Gods Creativity we use to Praise Him and Worship Him. But you DO NOT NEED music to worship. If you cant worship God in your “prayer closet” without music then thats a problem. We shouldnt NEED music to create “an atmosphere of worship” as I ve heard it called. You can call the Glory of God down just by using your voice to worship and Praise.

One thing Kim said is that she praises God the same on stage as she does when shes alone with God! I love that! As a Leader I think its key to be vulnerable in the presence of God in front of the Church your leading worship in.

Worship God just as you d when you’re alone. Be an example. Connect with God DEEPLY! You don’t want to be a shallow Christian that needs a worship leader/team to get them into the Presence of God. You have full access to the King! Use your voice!

My favorite song right now is “Show me Your Glory” by Jesus Culture. The words are so perfect for where my heart is and where our hearts position before God should be!

I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light, rolls of thunder

Im not afraid (2x)
Show me your glory (4x)

Im awed by your beauty, lost in your eyes
I want to walk in your presence, like Jesus did
Your glory surrounds me, and Im overwhelmed

I long to look on the face of the one that I love
Long to stay in your presence its where I belong

I have more thoughts on this but this blog was long enough so another blog will be following shortly on the Creativity of God and using Gods Creativity through us in Worship!