The Bible Is Your Worship Playbook

Confession time: I really dread speaking in between songs when leading music in worship. Like, REALLY dread it. 

I've been able to temper that dread with a lot of repetition, but speaking on the spot still gives me that twinge in my gut, traveling out to my hands and feet, giving them a slight tremor while also freezing my words mid-sentence. 

Much of it was born from watching other worship leaders exhort the congregation with passionate words, leading the gathering with affirmations, truths, and encouragement, all from the heart. 

Well, I've tried that... and it just isn't "me." And not being able to stir the passions of the congregation made me feel inadequate, but that all went away when I realized that I don't have to use my words to create a "good" worship service. 

Instead, I take a step back and let the Bible speak for itself.

The Bible Speaks When I Can't... and When I Shouldn't

I learned a long time ago that I can't sustain an exhortation for very long, but there is still an expectation to unpack truths when leading the congregation in worship. If I try to speak off the cuff, then here's what can happen:

• Rambling and rabbit trails.

• Starts and stops.

• Substituting my "-isms" for God's Word.

The first two bullets highlight my tendency to process in the moment, which makes me either long-winded or halting—my mind can't focus and develop a clear and concise remark that adequately explains my point. But, that last bullet is especially important. This will probably step on some toes, but it has to be said: If your words aren't filled with Scripture, you run the risk of misleading your congregation—and you probably need to take a step back and re-focus. 

It sounds harsh, but we MUST place God's truth above our own, and the only way to do that is to let His Word speak for itself. Too many times have I heard nice-sounding exhortations during worship that have absolutely ZERO Scriptures to support them. They sound deep (especially when powerfully delivered), but more often than not, when examined, the statements are largely general and don't lead to growth.

I feel this especially when I'm unprepared, or when my spirit is troubled or weary during a service. When this happens, I run the risk of substituting my limited perspective in place of God's absolute truth, which is deeper and wider than mine. Even worse, I can be driven to elicit an emotional response from the congregation for the sake of "bringing the energy up" instead of truly guiding them, using the Word of God. 

But when I have the right framework in place, my thoughts are more clear and the worship set is smoother and more edifying.

Creating the Framework

My go-to structure for smoothly integrated speaking in the music portion of a service is the following (I mix and match, depending on the situation):

• Explain the theme(s) of the song.

• Tie them with the focus Scripture of the sermon.

• Supplement with another selected passage.

• Encourage worshippers to reflect on these themes and truths as they sing.

Lately though, I've been devouring printed liturgies that solely use Scripture to welcome, encourage, and bless the congregation. This truly lets me take a step back and rely on the Word to move the service along. I plan to use this more of this approach in the coming year, and to give you some ideas for your own preparation, here is a link to a list of Scriptures that you can use:

https://worshipstrategies.com/resources/ols/products/xn--scripture-recommendations-for-planning-worship-services--call-to-worship-assurance-of-pardon-and-benediction-pt64e

Just remember this: The Word of God will speak for you—the most you need to do is provide a brief explanation to reinforce what is already being said. The key to this is preparation. After all, even the best minds can falter and result in rabbit trails, stops and starts, confusing words. But with the right framework, saturated with Scripture, your thoughts and words will be brimming with truth...

...You just need to take the time to put it together.

Be blessed 👊✌️