|
By
Rebecca St. Louis
We
began like every other worship team…
We
had some instruments along with some ability. We had some
desire to worship the Lord. For a while we were content
riding on that wave of well-written music that is available
to every Christian. We practiced a lot. We fought even
more. Our fight was not so much about team issues, the
music, or the leadership. (Yes, we did fight about those
things, and even some things that were pettier than those.)
But the fight that I am referring too was on a much deeper
level. Each one of us came to the table so hungry. Each
one of us came with our strengths and with them came all
our weaknesses. Mix it all together and it came out the
other side with a raw and unpolished sound that was heart-felt
and real. We knew we were made for something different
but we couldn’t pin point exactly what it was…
and then it began to come in like a flood.
John
7:38
”He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Revelation 14:2
“And
I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters,
and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound
of harpists playing their harps.
It started with a trickle… A song would extend a
little past what was up on the overhead. There would be
a spontaneous burst with a phrase or a word. We would
hold on a little longer to a chord progression. As a team,
we pushed the boundaries of our comfort zones. Our Senior
Pastor encouraged us on in this new thing like a mid-wife
assisting a delivery. We all knew that it was going to
be one big bloody mess, but then again, so was the cross.
We
continued pushing—this new sound continued coming.
Each person on the team had to experience their own personal
cross by putting a death to performance, pride, self-consciousness,
religiosity, and fear. We have linked arms with each other
and fought to prefer one another. We have found that only
by truly loving one another can this new sound come forth.
Our entire church is now riding on this wave of sound.
It’s often difficult to tell who is officially on
the worship team and who is the congregation. We start
with a song that can gather everyone in. We all sing the
same song, the same words, together in unison. Some how
after a couple of times through, that song becomes a diving
board for us to leap from.
I love to refer to it as “Braided Worship.”
To
“braid” is to interweave three or more strands.
To “worship” is to express reverence for God.
When you put them together you end up with a spontaneous
mix of psalmist and prophetic anointing. One thread or
thought, one word or scripture, can set the tone and begin
a theme that always seems to come full circle. It truly
is a weaving and braiding of voices and songs. As one
voice enters, the others make room and continue to support
vocally whoever “has it” at the time. Each
member is sensitive to the others and keeping constant
connection. It allows a safe environment for the Spirit
of God to flow in a way that mistakes can be made, notes
can be missed, words can be lost, and yet His strength
is made perfect in our weakness. Our prophets become psalmists,
our psalmists prophecy. One song can last an hour which
flies by all too quickly in this flow that unites every
one in the room.
We
hold fast to Ephesians 5:18-21
“…be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one
another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and
make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks
to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for
Christ.”
READ
REBECCA'S
BIO
|
