Thoughts About Leading WorshipDale WellsPalm Desert Church of ChristOctober 25, 2009

Our Current SituationSeason is upon usSeasonal members returningLocal visitors keep comingNew members & families being addedAttendance will not grow past 80% capacityWhen crowded, people will not comeEveryone wants some “elbow room”Auditorium capacity is 200Last Sunday’s attendance was 155 (77.5% capacity)This was with only a few seasonal membersMore are coming in the next few weeksThey will be here for the next six months

Our Options

Our New Sunday Schedule8:30 – 9:30 Early Worship Service9:30 – 9:45 Fellowship Break9:45 – 10:30 Bible Classes10:30 – 10:45 Fellowship Break10:45 – 11:45 Late Worship Service

Streamlining Our Worship ServiceOld order of worshipSongAnnouncementsPrayerSong(s)Prayer of PraiseSong(s)Communion & ContributionSong(s)Scripture ReadingSermonInvitation SongClosing PrayerCurrent order of worshipSongPrayer of PraiseSong(s)Communion & ContributionSong(s)SermonInvitation SongAnnouncementsPrayerItems EliminatedSermon shortenedAnnouncements moved

My Goal is SimpleTo suggest some ways in which we all can make our Sunday morning worshipMagnify GodUplift the worshippers in our assembliesEnrich our spiritual livesAnd to elicit your thoughts about these things, as well

Secrets of Acceptable Worship

Directed to GodPsalms 19:14 NIV May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.We’re not trying to impress others or make a big showWe’re offering this to GodThat says a lot about doing our best

God-focused, NOT man-focusedColossians 3:17 NIV And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.John 4:24 NIV God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”Matthew 15:8-9 NIV These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (9) They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.

Done in an orderly fashion1 Corinthians 14:23-40 NIV … (26) What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. … (33) For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. … (37) If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. (38) If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. … (40) But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.This is our guiding principle this morningWe want to do things right so no one else’s worship will be interfered with

Leading Public Prayer

Key passages on prayer:Effective prayer comes from a righteous lifeJames 5:16 NIV Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.Effective prayer is offered in faithJames 1:6 NIV But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.Overriding emphasis is that God’s will is doneMatthew 26:39 NIV Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

We can pray for so muchDaily provisions Matthew 6:11 NIV Give us today our daily bread.Sickness and sick people James 5:13-16 NIV Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (14) Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (16) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

We can pray for so muchThat the church will grow as it should Ephesians 1:16-18 NIV I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (17) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (18) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,Government and civil authority 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— (2) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

We can pray for so muchTo be thankful for blessings receivedBy ourselvesEphesians 1:3 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.By others1 Corinthians 1:4 NIV I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.The list goes on and on!

Pray the kind of prayer you’ve been asked to prayFirst prayer:Praise God & ask His blessing on our worshipCommunion:Ask God to bless the elements& worshipersClosing prayer:Pray for the sick & needs announced, then for God’s continued presence with usDon’t go on and on. Dismiss us!

Two “Don’ts” & a “Do” for Public PrayerDon’t over-personalize your prayerPraying “I have sinned by lying and cheating last week” is not appropriate.Pray for congregational considerations.Don’t re-preach the sermon or “hammer home” its pointsNever use prayer as a pulpit, to “get someone”Do prepare to prayThere’s nothing wrong with writing out what we are going to pray

Read some of the great prayers in the Bible and draw from them:Old Testament PrayersGenesis 18:23-25 2 Samuel 7:18-29 1 Kings 8:22-301 Kings 18:36-39 2 Kings 19:15-19 1 Chronicles 4:10Ezra 9:5-15Isaiah 38:2-8Daniel 9:4-19Habakkuk 3:2-19New Testament PrayersMatthew 6:9-15Luke 18:9-14John 17Acts 7:59-60 Ephesians 1:15-23Ephesians 3:14-21 Philippians 1:3-11Colossians 1:9-12Jude 1:24-25

Psalm 8 is helpful beginning spot for prayerO LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. (2) From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (3) When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (4) what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (5) You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (6) You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: (7) all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, (8) the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (9) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Use the ACTS acrosticAdorationConfessionThanksgivingSupplication

Additional suggestionsUse the microphone You’re competing with lots of ambient noiseBe yourselfNo need for a special “holy voice” or flowery languagePray from the heart without overused clichésWhy “Guard, guide and direct us until we meet again” or “Restored to their normal walk of life”?Why not “Be with us till we meet again” or “Heal them”?Remember we’re praying TO God THROUGH ChristColossians 3:17 NIV And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Practice praying at homeYour suggestions?

Making Announcements

Announcements are part of every worship serviceThey are scripturalActs 15:3 NIV The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad.They are practicalA practical way of informing folks of what they need to know, whomto pray for, etc.If done wrong they can be off-putting to a visitor.

Practical considerations:Look them over before you beginMisspellings, fuzzy handwriting, etc. make them tediousBe brief – less said is enough said!If you repeat everything in the bulletin, or on the screen, why have a bulletin or display announcements?Be as positive and friendly as possibleNever sermonize during announcementsThis isn’t the time to preach!NEVER ask if anyone has any more announcements!Do not say anything that would distract from worshipYour suggestions?

Reading Scripture

Reading scripture aloud is a very old & important part of worshipNehemiah 8:3-6 NIV He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (4) Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. … (5) Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. (6) Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Reading scripture aloud is a very old & important part of worshipExodus 24:7 NIV Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.”Luke 4:16 NIV He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.1 Timothy 4:13 NIV Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.Even though we’ve taken reading out of our order of worship, you may choose to do it as a part of your assignment

Essentials for good readingPrepareTry to read a thought unit, but never more than 5-7 verses.Read the passage beforehandCheck the reading for words you don’t know or can’t pronounceNote the passage’s punctuationRead “?” as a question; Pause at commas & periodsPractice reading aloud – the only way to get ready is to do it!When readingUse the microphoneGive us a clear announcement of where you are readingDon’t read in a monotone, too fast, or too slowDon’t use a “preachery” or “pious” tone – just read in your voiceYour suggestions?

Leading Communion and Contribution

The Lord’s Supper is a critically important part of worshipWe remember His death and resurrection1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NIV For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, (24) and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (25) In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (26) For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Lord’s Supper is a critically important part of worshipWe commune with Christ1 Corinthians 10:16 NIV Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?We preach our faith in Jesus and His return1 Corinthians 11:26 NIV For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.We examine ourselves1 Corinthians 11:28 NIV A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

Scripture specifically speaks to the problem of observing it wrong 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 NIV Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. (28) A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. (29) For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

When leading at the Table:PrepareIf you plan to make remarks, read scripture, prepare them ahead of timeDon’t talk just to be talkingShort is best – limit remarks to 2-3 minutesDon’t always use the same scripturesMatthew 26:26-291 Corinthians 11:23-26

Suggested meditations:The Becoming Closer Adult Bible Fellowship of the Eastside Christian Church in Fullerton, California, has three years of outstanding communion meditations: http://www.becomingcloser.org/Supper/http://www.becomingcloser.org/NewCommunion/http://www.becomingcloser.org/Communion%202009/

When giving thanks for the bread or fruit of the vine do so!Be sure you express thanks for the emblemsNever say or do anything that would detract from the solemnity of the momentDistinguish between the Supper & offeringI like our practice of telling visitors we understand their commitment to their home congregations and that we do not expect them to contribute, but welcome them to do so, if they wishYour suggestions?

Leading Singing

Practical Ideas for Song Leaders: Prepare!Use some familiar songs that everyone knowsWhen using unfamiliar songs, practice using the “Play” feature in SoftPraise (it allows playing any or all parts)Consider using the “Information” feature in SoftPraise for information to make the songs more meaningfulDouble-check your slides! Some don’t print like they shouldPractice every song all the way through to know how the slides workSome require going back one or two slides at the end of a verseSome have a descant on some versesHave your song service assembled & to Dale no later than FridayDon’t plan to make changes on Sunday morning – it’s too hecticYour suggestions?

Thank you for being hereAnd thank you for your service to the Lord’s Church in Palm Desert