Leaven Leaven

Volume 1 Issue 1 Worship Article 11

1-1-1990

From Song Leader to Worship Leader: Confessions of From Song Leader to Worship Leader: Confessions of

Transformed Song Leaders Transformed Song Leaders

Rick Flatt

Jeff Nelson

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Flatt, Rick and Nelson, Jeff (1990) "From Song Leader to Worship Leader: Confessions of Transformed Song Leaders," Leaven: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 11. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol1/iss1/11

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46 LEAYEN Winter 1990

FromSong Leader

ToWorship Leader

CONFESSIONS OF TRANSFORMED SONG LEADERS

By Rick Flatt By Jeff Nelson

You conceive of your role as being more than just a song direc-tor. Give us a title andjob description of what you do in the

Sunday worship.RF: My role as a worship leader has evolved IN: Title - Worship Leaderover a number of years. I began as a "song Job description - I am responsible for theleader," and the focus of my interest was almost planning and implementing of each assembly. Iexclusively musical. Through the years, in work give a lot of attention to the mechanics prior towith various worship committees, and through the assembly so that during the assembly therethe direction and expectations of the elders, my do not seem to be any mechanics.role has evolved to the extent that I am now in I am responsible for the flow ofthe as-charge of doing more than selecting songs. sembly. Every assembly is planned in narrative

From the beginning, even as a "song form and if there are missing pieces to the story Ileader," I have been concerned to connect the will add them spontaneously. By that I meanvarious aspects of a worship service together in that each service has a thread or story that runsmeaningful relationship. I have always, to the through the entirety of the assembly time. Thedismay of some, commented on the meanings of worship leader must be sensitive to the "drama"songs. Now I am responsible for the relatedness as it unfolds in worship. It is my role to bring toof all the aspects of our worship -- the songs, the worshipper's consciousness the focus of thereadings, prayers, confessions, etc. And so it has worship.been left to me to narrate the service. Basically,it is my job to see that the "elements" of worshipare arranged meaningfully.

What are the three major "theological" goals you have for wor-ship.

RF: First and foremost, worship must recog-nize the awesome majesty of the God we wor-ship. Whether you call it transcendence orsomething else, worship must remind us thatGod is the creator and we are his creatures. Thisstance for worship gives a natural or organicmeaning for anything else we do in worship.

Second, it is essential that Christiansremember and relive their salvation experiencein worship. Ours must be the experience of

IN: First, it is hoped that our worship willinspire the same response that Isaiah had inIsaiah 6. (a) We will acknowledge the awesome-ness and holiness of God, and literally andphysically experience His presence, (b) We willadmit our sinful nature and condition, (c) Wewill accept His forgiveness as our sin is atonedfor, and (d) We will become messengers for Godbecause of what He has done for us.

Second, the truth of our assemblies

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Flatt and Nelson: From Song Leader to Worship Leader: Confessions of Transformed So

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Isaiah. The redemptive drama should be workedout in our lives again and again through ourworship. This allows us to tell the truth aboutour world. As we confess our sins, and receiveour forgiveness at the foot of the cross, weremember what is real in this universe. It isthen that we can respond to God and others withbended knee. Worship must do this for us.

Finally, we must emphasize that God isat work in our worship. We are changed throughour participation in the gifts -- the sacraments --he has given us.

All things praise thee. Lord may we 47

should be so apparent to an unbeliever that bytheir observing they will be led to "fall down andworship God, exclaiming, 'God is really amongyou!' "(1 Cor. 14:24)

Third, we hope our worship will facilitatethe atmosphere for transformation to occur. Weshould enter every assembly expecting to betransformed and leave knowing we have been tosome extent. Worship transforms us by therenewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)

How do you prepare readers, prayer leaders, etc. for their par-ticipation in the worship?

RF: This is an exteremely hard thing to dowell. I would like to be able to train people toread well in the worship -- or whatever trainingthe given task would require.

I have done things over the years in anattempt to help leaders reflect on their role inthe worship. Printed instructions and sugges-tions have been used. If there is a special read-ing or part in the service that requires a sensitiv-ity to the overall structure ofthe service, I willcontact the participant and brief them on theirassignment.

Given, however, the lack of my time andthe lack of motivation for training, I find myselfselecting individuals who I know can do a goodjob with the particular assignment given them. Ilook at their abilities as spiritual gifts offered inservice to the family. Not everyone has thosegifts.

IN: I find the material and ask the rightperson for the medium. I give them a copy of thereading, ask them to come early ifit requires a"run through", and make sure they understandhow their part fits the "story."

Ifit is a prayer I give them specifics fortheir prayer with an explanation ofthe theme orsometimes give them a written prayer as aguideline. The best way is to write a letterduring the week and give a paragraph summaryofthe theme and allow some time for them toplan a well thought-out prayer.

A lot of times we will have congrega-tional readings or dual readings that I prepare.The material is put it in folders, with eachspeaker's part highlighted. We run through thereading before the service begins.

How important is variety in what you do? Is there a theologicaljustification/mandate for variety?

RF: It is, and it is not. I feel that the basiccontent of the worship experience should remainrelatively uniform. It is God's discipline in ourlives to worship him with a basic content -- acontent derived from who he is and what he hasdone. Praise, confession, gospel, forgiveness,response -- these things do not vary from week toweek.

The forms, however, that carry thecontent can and must be diverse. A change inform can awaken us to new appreciation for

IN: Variety is very important because somany different resources are necessary to coverthe wide spectrum oftopics to be considered inworship. Variety is also the name of the gamefor "unity in worship". I firmly believe thatdifferent styles and elements relate to differentgroups of people. It is best to try to meet theneeds of many by using a variety offorms andexpressions.

There may not be a theological justifica-tion/mandate for variety but I believe the sermon

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48 LEA YEN Winter 1990

what we are doing in worship. I am especiallyintrigued by variety in hymns. To me, there issomething special about sharing a hymn withChristians throughout the ages. A mixing ofcontemporary hymns and the historical hymns ofthe church brings a healthy diversity to worship.

has had too much of a billing in the past. Thereare other areas that have been neglected but areevery bit as helpful, instructive, or meaningfulas the sermon. Variety allows emphasis to beput in different areas other than the sermon sothat the experience of worship is more encom-passing and balanced.

Describe the process you go through in putting together a wor-ship service.

RF: My starting place may be different frommany within our tradition. I feel it very impor-tant that the worship not be determined by mywhims or the felt needs of the congregation.There must be a discipline that allows a churchto explore the various riches of God's wordthroughout the year. To help me with this, Iconsult the Common Lectionary. It systemati-cally gives readings for each Sunday so that overa period of time the majority of scripture iscovered. For each Sunday there is a Psalm, anOld Testament reading, a Gospel reading, and anEpistle reading. I do not always use all of thereadings, but every week they suggest themesand structures in presenting God's story inworship.

After selecting scriptures, I arrangethem as anchor points in the service that allowus to move through the basic content of ourredemptive story with God. I have a few re-sources that suggest songs that go with particu-lar Bible verses. Sometimes I use these. Some-times appropriate songs come to my head.

At that point, I fill in the service withwhatever might be appropriate -- readings,prayers, confessions, etc.

Even though I use the Common Lection-ary to a great extent, I do not think our servicescould be described as "Liturgical." We are still"Free Church" in our approach to worship. Weare not in any way bound to the Lectionary withits elaborate liturgies. But we do have thebenefit ofthe discipline ofthe Lectionary whichguards us from being narcissistic in our worship.

IN: I begin with the sermon outline that Ireceive from the minister of the Word onWednesday or Thursday.

Prayer is my first task so that the Spiritwill lead me in preparing an assembly that willbe transforming for the worshipper.

I then read the outline several times anddecide what elements will capture the narrativebest. (i.e., topical scripture readings, multiplescripture readings, dual readings, congregationalreadings, meditative readings, special thoughtsor readings focusing on communion or theoffering, specific songs and types of songs forspecific reasons, etc.)

I try to formulate the narrative that willmake the sermon outline and the rest of theassembly cohesive.

I put all ofthe resources I think I mightuse in front of me. It usually takes severalhours to find the right songs and other pieces ofthe story.

I contact all the people that are going toparticipate so I can get a commitment and printtheir name in the program.

I write out a detailed "Assembly Order"that goes in the program that is placed in thepews every week. This is to allow people to knowwhat to expect since the assembly is differentevery week.

I put together a songsheet almost everyweek because the hymns that are most appropri-ate are not found in our hymnal.

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All things praise thee, Lord may we 49

What Resources would you recommend for other worshipleaders?

HYMNALS:Great Songs of the Church,

Abilene: ACU Press, 1986.

The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration,Waco: Word Music 1986.

Worship His Majesty,Alexandria, Ind.: Gaither MusicCompany, 1987.

CONTEMPORARY SONG BOOKS:

Multnomah Press, 1987.

Lee Carter Maynard, Memories of the MasterCincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing, '1973.

Lloyd John Ogilvie,The Cup of Wonder,Wheaton, Ill: TyndaleHouse Publishers ,Inc., 1976.

J.B. Phillips, The Newborn Christian NewYork: Macmillan,1978. '

Exalt Him! Songs for Celebration and PraiseCompiled and arranged by Tom Fettke ' RESOURCES FOR CREATIVE WORSHIPWord Music, 1989. PLANNING:

I Will Sing and Praise the Lord,Charlotte, NC: PTL Music & Publishing,1986.

Rejoice! and Sing to the Lord, vol. 1 and 2.,Reid Lancaster and Gary L MabryAustin, Texas: Sweet Publishing Co.

DEVOTIONAL LITERATURE {used forspecial communion readings etcl:

Carlton C. Buck, At the Lord's TableSt. Louis, Missouri, The Bethany Press,1956.

Ard Hoven, Meditations and Prayers for theLord's Table, Cincinnati, Ohio:Standard Publishing, 1974.

Laurence C. Keen~Offering Meditations &Prayers, St. Louis, Missouri:CBP Press, 1984.

C. S. Lewis, The Joyful Christian, New York:Macmillan, 1977.

Max Lucado, No Wonder They Call Him theSavior, Portland, Oregon:Multnomah Press, 1986.

----1 God Came Near, Chronicles ofthe Christ, Portland, Oregon:

The Book of Worship, Nashville, Tn.: UnitedMethodist Publishing House, 1985.

Ronald Allen & Gordon Borror, Worship, Redis-covering the Missing Jewel, Portland,Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1982.

Peter Bauer, ed., Handbook for the CommonLectionary, Geneva: PresbyterianAssembly, 1987.

Karen Burton Mains, Making Sunday Spe-cial, Waco,Texas: Word Books, 1987.

Donald A. Spencer, Hymn and ScriptureSelection Guide, Valley Forge: JudsonPress, 1977.

Jack R. Taylor, The Hallelujah Factor, Nash-ville, Ten: Broadman Press, 1983.

Ann Weems, Reaching for Rainbows,Philadelphia, Penn.: The WestminsterPress, 1980.

William H. Wi11imon,WithGlad and GenerousHearts, Nashville, Tenn.: The UpperRoom, 1986.

Jeff Nelson is the Involvement Minister forthe Preston Road Church in Dallas, Texas.Rick Flatt is the Music Minister for the ParkRow Church in Arlington, Texas

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