Intentional Worship

“How do you guys prepare for your worship times?” This is a question I get asked a lot. Sometimes, it feels a little like folks are looking for me to give them a formula or pattern that we walk through every time we prepare for a time of worship. Honestly, I’m not really sure what they are looking for- like anything, I’m sure everyone’s process is different from mine just like each one of my band mates has a different process they go through to prepare themselves individually for our worship times together.

As I think about it this morning though, I think: how amazing would our corporate worship times be if…

the entire body prepared themselves specifically for that appointed time?! Instead, more often than not- and unfortunately for some worship leaders- folks walk in the door half prepared and choosing music that they LIKE or that they are good at versus the content it contains to lead their congregation. This isn’t judgmental, it’s a fact.

If I were to pinpoint a band process, one of the things the guys and I like to after we rehearse is take a few minutes to talk about what God has done or been showing us and take some time to worship the Lord for that through music. We’ll play through a progression and just sing about it- thanking the Lord for what He has done for us separately and together. We don’t ever want worship to be a time where we go through the motions because we are doing ‘Your Grace is Enough’ for the millionth time; our desire is that it’s constantly new for us never settling for what we know- but being constantly refreshed on the message we are proclaiming.

So the encouragement today is this: corporate worship times don’t hinge on what man has done for God throughout the week; but your response in corporate worship will reflect your times with the Lord during the week. So why not make worship intentional? Why not be intentional on spending time with the Lord each day? Worship is not just a song or specific time- it’s a constant walk w/the Lord as we reflect on what He’s done- we know what He’s done through our time in the Word- and our response to His grace.

So how about being intentional this week? What do you think?