Thanks for stopping by and for modeling humility.

Cathy

The Lord has used this website to clarify many things for me. I have read some of your blog entries through tears because it seems that someone has finally articulated the very thoughts of my heart.

Specifically, as a woman, I have been questioning the context in which I should be using the gifts I’ve been given. Your blog on “Is it Biblical for a Woman to Lead Worship?” was so insightful, and biblically informed, and shared in a tone that was not condescending, offensive or defensive, but rather compassionately confident of what scripture has to say to us on the subject. It helped me to pore over scriptures that in the past have been used to support women leading in a congregational context with eyes not glazed over with assumption. In so-doing I was able to embrace the idea that God may have a different context for my gifts: leading other women in worship.

Might you consider offering a workshop in this vein? I think it would be so helpful for women who have gifts in areas of leadership/music to work out how they might express those gifts, and explore what it might look like in the context of the church.

Here are some brainstormed—translated “incomplete” :)—ideas… Maybe it could be called something like “Modelling Miriam”— women leading women in worship; complementing what is happening in the larger assembly; living lives as fragrant offerings to the Lord as we affirm & encourage our men/families… (this is the picture I got when I read the passage on Miriam with the lens of assumption taken off :))

I think that in women’s gatherings/Bible studies, etc. we tend to talk about marriage and motherhood, walk through various books of the Bible, but very rarely do we really look at these topics through the lens of worship, knowing our God, expressing our heart to Him. At least, that has been my personal experience. The “worship” segment of a gathering has often been just “singing songs”. How powerful would it be to see that time become an opportunity express our hearts toward God, and to open ourselves up to hear from Him.

I’m not sure if you might even have thoughts on this subject that might become another topic to blog about?

Cathy

We’re hosting the WorshipGod conference July 30-Aug 2, 2008. You can learn about it here.

Also, maybe have some vocal instruction on healthy “mix-belting” to help our vocalist not strain and sing in an unhealthy manner with the contemporary styles of music today.

I always love coming to the Worship conference. I’m able to apply so much to my personal worhsip and to teach it at our church and to students at the Christian university where I teach. I’m looking forward to this year topic.

I’m a Asian American worship pastor and learning so much from here and praying that I can attend your conference next year. I have a passion to share ‘inseparable worship and mission’ through corporate worship believing that’Worship and goal and fuel for mission’(from John Piper’s book Let the Nations be Glad’). My passion is raising and equipping GLOCAL(global+local) worship leaders who will embrace God’s vision of Global worship at where they are. So topic that I will suggest will be ‘How to be a GLOCAL worship leader: embracing and living out God’s global vision in your local church’
Book I want to suggest is ‘Glocalization’ by Bob Roberts Jr.
Even though Psalm is filled with personal expressions, also we can find God’s vision to reach all nations to gather worshipers around the world ( Psalm 67Psalm 67
[67:1]May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
[2]that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
[3]Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
[4]Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
[5]Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
[6]The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
[7]God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

, Psalm 97Psalm 97
[97:1]The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
[2]Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his
throne.
[3]Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
[4]His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
[5]The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
[6]The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
[7]All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!
[8]Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O LORD.
[9]For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
[10]O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
[11]Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
[12]Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

, etc.)

Your blogs are a blessing to me. I was at Worship God ‘06 and was truly blessed. It was far more than I had expected. I’m already excited about ‘08.

Recently I was reading The Deliberate Church, by Dever, and he talks about planning ahead in worship ministry. I have to admit that I really struggle with planning ahead, and I know that it hinders our creativity in corporate worship. I would benefit from hearing what you and other seasoned worship pastors do in this area.

Thanks, again. Blessings.

Sean

Taking a cue from the breadth of emotions and tone in the Psalms, how do we incorporate a broader range of emotions, tone, “state of being,” etc. — in other words, it doesn’t have to be “happy, happy, happy” all the time. I know when I’m looking at scripture passages for congregational reading or as inspiration for songs, I’m drawn to Psalms like Psalm 8Psalm 8
[8:1]O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
[2]Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
[3]When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
[4]what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
[5]Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly
beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
[6]You have given him dominion over the works of your
hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
[7]all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
[8]the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
[9]O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

, Psalm 66Psalm 66
[66:1]Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
[2]sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
[3]Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing
to you.
[4]All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name." Selah
[5]Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
[6]He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
[7]who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations--
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
[8]Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
[9]who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
[10]For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
[11]You brought us into the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
[12]you let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
[13]I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to you,
[14]that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
[15]I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened
animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
Selah
[16]Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
[17]I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
[18]If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
[19]But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
[20]Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!

, etc. that give a clear declarative message of praise, thanksgiving, and remembrance of God’s redemption.

But how about the Psalms that take a little more thought to digest, like Psalm 10Psalm 10
[10:1]Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
[2]In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have
devised.
[3]For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the
LORD.
[4]In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, "There is no God."
[5]His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
[6]He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity."
[7]His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and
oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
[8]He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
[9]he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
[10]The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
[11]He says in his heart, "God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it."
[12]Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
[13]Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, "You will not call to account"?
[14]But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
[15]Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
[16]The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
[17]O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your
ear
[18]to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no
more.

, Psalm 79Psalm 79
[79:1]O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple;
they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
[2]They have given the bodies of your servants
to the birds of the heavens for food,
the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
[3]They have poured out their blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there was no one to bury them.
[4]We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
mocked and derided by those around us.
[5]How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy burn like fire?
[6]Pour out your anger on the nations
that do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
that do not call upon your name!
[7]For they have devoured Jacob
and laid waste his habitation.
[8]Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
for we are brought very low.
[9]Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
for your name's sake!
[10]Why should the nations say,
"Where is their God?"
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
be known among the nations before our eyes!
[11]Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
according to your great power, preserve those doomed to
die!
[12]Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
[13]But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
from generation to generation we will recount your
praise.

, or Psalm 88Psalm 88
[88:1]O LORD, God of my salvation;
I cry out day and night before you.
[2]Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry!
[3]For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
[4]I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am a man who has no strength,
[5]like one set loose among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
for they are cut off from your hand.
[6]You have put me in the depths of the pit,
in the regions dark and deep.
[7]Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves.
Selah
[8]You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
[9]my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O LORD;
I spread out my hands to you.
[10]Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
[11]Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
[12]Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
[13]But I, O LORD, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
[14]O LORD, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
[15]Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
[16]Your wrath has swept over me;
your dreadful assaults destroy me.
[17]They surround me like a flood all day long;
they close in on me together.
[18]You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.

, for example? How do we incorporate passages that deal with doubt, fear, anger, confession, and so forth? What are ways to communicate the message of these Psalms as part of our “regular” church life and times of corporate worship?

This issue isn’t limited to just the Psalms. There are many scripture passages or whole books that we tend to avoid in corporate worship and teaching because the message is too complicated or threatening for us to deal with, but the Psalms give us the full breadth of sorrow, joy, contrition, peace, etc. in a concentrated “package.”

Thanks for seeking our input.

Andy Bryant
Vancouver, Washington