02 Jan, 2010
When Things Don’t Go As Planned, Take 2
Posted by: Bob Kauflin In: —Leading a Congregation|—Worship and the Spirit|—WorshipGod Conferences|Videos
What do you do when you start leading a song in two different keys?
At our WorshipGod08 conference, we had the opportunity to find out as Joseph Stigora started “Psalm 96″ in one key and the rest of the band from Covenant Fellowship came in a step higher. I posted on this previously, but here’s the video again:
I got an email recently from a Sovereign Grace worship leader who shared how that incident at the conference encouraged him on a recent Sunday. This is what he wrote:
We are a church of about 150 or so, so when you mess up it feels really uncomfortable because everyone is so close. It had been a while since something happened.
Sunday before Christmas I had a young lady sing “In Christ Alone.” She’s definitely the most-gifted musician and singer we have–I love when she is able to sing for us. She came in on the wrong key (I gave her a terrible transition……..). She tried to recover but couldn’t. I heroically tried to pick up the vocals (I can’t believe I had the audacity to try!!) but sadly was singing in the same key she was (ha! If only we’d been singing it in that actual key, we would have sounded great!). Crash and burn. In that moment I sensed the Holy Spirit bringing to my mind, in fast forward time, that moment at the WG Conference. I sensed a rush of peace and confidence and waved for her to stop…told our folks some of the above, we’re imperfect, we’re in the wrong key, thanked them for their patience and said we’d just start over.
Let me tell you, I don’t know that we’ve had a more passionate and responsive time of worship than we did when we started again and sang “In Christ Alone.” It was as if we were all more aware of our fragility, our vulnerability, our need for the Savior. When we finished together, the music team was real thankful it happened. Almost like, “Man, we wouldn’t mind that happening a few times per year if thats the effect!”
While I’m hoping your musicians aren’t praying for these kinds of “opportunities,” don’t be surprised if God chooses at times to glorify  himself this year through your weaknesses rather than your strengths. After all, that’s what he’s promised to do. (2 Cor. 12:9)
And while we’re on the topic, what have you learned from your “train wrecks” this past year?
