Having our hearts right goes a long way in helping others to worship. It matters not if it is singing, praying, or preaching when a worshiper's heart is focused on heaven people will know. The opposite is true too. It is pretty easy to spot the insincere, ungenuine or faker when it comes to these things. People will forgive mistakes in technique, skill level and ability. However, they will quickly judge and tune out the pretender.
As an example, I know a preacher who was using a lot of "canned" sermons and illustrations out of books or off the Internet. One Sunday he actually plagerized a story that happened to someone else. He put himself into the story as if it really happened to him. It was pretty obvious when he couldn't pronounce the places or the names of the people in the story. On Monday a college student called his hand in by showing him the freshly printed story off the Internet. The preacher lost a lot of credibility, ethos and pathos from then on.
Your leading should be nothing more than a model of you approaching God in worship. It must be transparent and genuine. That is by far easier than trying to be someone else. When you are following the Lord you're going to attract a lot of people who want to go with you.
 | Joseph D. Chase Missionary to Jamaica |
I like this because I have always felt more like a worker bee and a follower than a leader...in many aspects of my life. It's nice to realize that in an aspect of worship and following God, I can accept being a follower sometimes and maybe lead by example, at least.
ReplyDeleteI am more of a behind the scenes worker than a worship leader, but this applies to me, too. I have to remind myself that while passing the plate, operating the audio visual equipment or acting as an usher that if I truly worship while I am doing these things, then I am doing a greater service to those who I am helping.
ReplyDeleteThat's something I need to remind myself, and feel the need to remind others, often. Thank you.
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