Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Worship Wednesdays - The First 10 Minutes...


See if this scene is familiar to you: 

Rehearsal is about to begin. Singers and musicians shout their greetings and throw coats and instrument cases in the pews. The tech team is untangling mic chords, and the pianist is complaining about the weather knocking the piano out of tune again. Conversations range from the latest internet meme to the score of the game, because there’s always a ‘game’…

To the outside observer, it’s disorganized and sloppy, but to the skilled eye, something wonderful is happening - Community.

Talent, musical skill, and work ethic are important, and those things can create a good sound. But in the church, we’re not simply looking for the sound. Throughout scripture, we see examples of people working in teams to accomplish great things for God, and our worship teams are no different.

In the first 10 minutes of rehearsal, while people are gathering and chatting and setting up, relationships are building. Through the jokes and laughter, friendships are growing. In the quieter moments, people start to ask the real questions, and share personal details about their lives. And some time in the future when these same folks need help, they know who they can call.

For those of us who are a little Type A (can I get a witness?), this kind of organized chaos can seem like a distracting way to start a rehearsal, but trust me - more good can come out of these first 10 crazy minutes than you can ask or imagine. I’m reminded of this verse from Psalm 126:

Our mouths were filled with laughter, 
our tongues with songs of joy.

Have a good laugh, get to know each other a little better, and trust that God is working through each relationship there, to draw each of us closer together, and closer to Him.


Next week: What do we do after the first 10 minutes?

Worship Wednesdays is a weekly series to encourage and equip worship leaders and songwriters. 
Bookmark this page, leave a comment, & visit us every Wednesday! 

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