7 Things in 7 Years: Worship Is Vertical

I have been involved in music ministries for about 15 years now, but it wasn't until I came to Harvest I was made aware that leading worship requires so much more than musical ability. And even more than that, worshipping in the congregation is not just about joining in with songs.

Music seems to be an important part of church life. And so it should be: music is effective for helping us to enter into God's presence and glorify Him. God himself designed it that way. But how much weight do we place on what we sing and who we sing it for? Do you go to church on a Sunday and find yourself completely fixed on Jesus, or do you find yourself distracted by the fact that you don't actually like that song; the person behind you is singing out of tune (or too loud if you sit near me...soz); or the musicians aren't up to scratch that morning? I make no apologies for saying that worship isn't about you. It is not about your taste in music; whether you feel it should be current and relevant or we should stick to rousing redemption hymns. It is not about how awesome you sound to the person next to you. And it certainly isn't about taking a back seat because you're not all that musical and singing isn't your thing. So what is it about?

It is about your heart. It is about being directed to Jesus. It is about taking your eyes off everyone else and belting your praise out to God. God looks past the instruments, the staging and the presentation and looks at the heart of the worshipper.

As a result, we try to be very intentional with the music and worship at Harvest. We are contemporary but we do not compromise. Harvest do not believe in gimmicks- the word of God can pull on the heart of any man without clever showmanship. The songs we pick for Harvest must be able to stand up against scripture and expound complete biblical truth otherwise we will not use it to lead God's people. No matter how popular it is in the Christian charts. The worship team are held accountable in how they are leading their lives: we cannot expect to serve in a ministry which is so public if we are living a life of hypocrisy. We are required to serve with humility. We strive to use our abilities with excellence, but our worship team are not rockstars and we are not special. We should not distract the congregation in our conduct or playing but simply direct people to the saviour. I love serving with our worship team- they are an immensely talented bunch. But more than that, they seek to give God the glory He is due. They build each other up, share their gifts and pray fervently for every Sunday.

Worshipping alongside my brothers and sisters at Harvest is a profoundly moving and incredible thing. But as a singer, I have the added bonus of being able to witness the worship from the front. From those who have their hands raised and emotions bursting, to the ones who have their hearts and heads bowed in quiet awe and reverence, it's a beautiful thing; and it is all a sweet fragrance to the one who is worthy.