I've been thinking a lot recently about our values in worship; asking myself questions like, why is it that I lead in a certain way? What is it that I am passionate about? What is it we are trying to achieve in a corporate time of sung worship? To me it seems the values behind what we do are absolutely essential. The style and practice may vary, but the values need to be clear and considered. As I've pondered on these questions, this is where I've got to. The worship that our Father in Heaven desires is:

1. Christ Centred

In Revelation 4 and 5 we see the worship that surrounds the throne; the 4 living creatures, the 24 elders, and thousands upon thousands of angels. What is the object of their worship? Who is it that lies at the centre of their worship?

'Then I saw a Lamb looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne.' Rev 5:6

Speaking of the supremacy of Christ Paul writes in Colossians, 'He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.' Col 1:15-20
Our worship must be centred around the person of Jesus Christ!

2. Holy Spirit Led

When we worship we must seek to be led by the Holy Spirit. He is the chief worship leader. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals Jesus, and through Jesus we can worship the Father.

As Richard Foster says of worship:

"It is kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit. We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit."

As worship leaders we are left with 2 choices in the way in which we lead - initiation or response. Initiation is often how we lead, trying to force people into worship and making things happen in our own strength. Far the better way is to lead by responding to what the Spirit is doing. There lies the blessing. Bob Sorge helpfully comments,

"He [God] is honouring those leaders who are coming carefully into his presence, waiting upon Him to initiate toward us, and then helping the people to respond back to the Lord with their reciprocating initiative. In this model there is much less of a tendency toward hype because the Holy Spirit is seen as the one responsible for moving the people to worship - not the worship leader or musician."

So when leading worship seek to be led by the Spirit. That involves asking questions - what are you doing today? Where are you moving? What response do you require of us?

3. Real

People often attend church tired, weary and broken. We must allow people space and freedom to be real and honest in their worship. God doesn't want us to pretend. In the midst of a suffering world, we must be up front that life at times is tough, but God is always good. An important aspect of worship is our honest and genuine response to God. Only then will we be able to find true hope and strength.

4. Intimate

John 15:15 says it all,

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you."

We are called into an intimate friendship with God. We don't just love and respect Him from afar; we can enter close and draw near. What an amazing truth. This is an essential part of our worship, allowing people to receive and respond to the incredible love and mercy God has lavished upon us. That is why we don't just sing about God, we sing to Him.

5. Sensitive

As worship leaders we need to be sensitive to those we lead. Not leading them aggressively or out of frustration, but out of love and gentleness. I think we need to lead with a 'gentle authority.' Sometimes this is hard when people seem slow to engage - if you're anything like me you get more and more angry with people. But actually I need to learn to be sensitive to where people are at, to pray that God gives me a love for them. Only then will I really be able to lead them into an engaged encounter of worship.

6. Transforming

Again Richard Foster comments in his fantastic book, 'Celebration of Discipline,' "Just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends with holy obedience. If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship."

Genuine encounters with God will leave us sharing in His heart for a broken world. We have to care for those around us - the last, the least and the lost. Worship can't just be songs - it has to radically transform us and consequently impact society around us. As we see in Amos 5, songs without actions are a meaningless sound to God

"Worship without mission is self-indulgent. Mission without worship is self-defeating."

So there you have it, our values in worship.

Christ Centred

Holy Spirit Led

Real

Intimate

Sensitive

Transforming