I was recently asked by a friend why I don't put titles or songwriter's names on my powerpoints when I am leading worship. It may seem like a minor thing, but for me, at least, it is something very telling about worship. My two (and really, only objections) to putting titles and authors on my powerpoints are 1. distraction from worship, 2. makes it lyrics, and not a song.
The first point, is relatively simple, it is that when I make powerpoints for worship, as a worship leader, my primary concern is to lead people into worship of God, into a place where people can experience God through music, through the songs in their hearts. As a worship leader, all I am doing is directing communal worship to God through a gift that God has given me. Psalm 100:4 says "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." As a lead worshiper, all I do is to start singing songs of praise, so that we can enter His presence with communal worship. As such, I am always trying to remove things that are distracting to people, distracting from the presence of God. I don't want to do anything to detract from people's intimate time with God. Its a holy, sacred time, and I dont see how titles or authors can help that. In fact, it can detract from it, if people get too hung up on the author or the title, it can actually act as a hindrance to entering into worship. For example, if I lead one of the songs that I've written, it might distract people to see "XXXXXXX by Trevor Siu". That's the last thing I want, because then I am taking away glory from the One who deserves all glory, honour and praise. If a song was written by myself, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, or anyone else on this earth, what does it matter? It shouldn't be at all about the author, I submit, instead, that all the focus should be on the words we are singing to the Most High King. Those are words that are from the heart, who it was penned by in inconsequential. All the glory to Him! If you really want to know about a song, to buy it, or just curious, I ask that you wait until after we are done with our "service". That way there is no competition about who is getting glory, but solely Him.
The second point that I have with authors and titles, is that it reminds us that it is a song. Yes there is music, and a quaint melody, but it really should be YOUR song. Not written by someone, or called something. Instead, the words you are singing should come from your heart. Even if you've never heard a song before, sing it with all your heart, because worship is your (my) gift back to God for all He's done for you (and me..). I don't want to create an atmosphere where we merely sing songs... songs are useless. They have no meaning, they are just that, concrete, immobile pieces of music. God doesn't care about music, He doesn't care about how good the guitar sounds, or how nice the melody is. He doesn't even care about what the words are. Samuel 16:7 says that man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. God doesn't care how loud we're singing, He just wants our hearts. This is where the song "Heart of Worship" came from, was this season. The story behind it is pretty powerful : http://www.crosswalk.com/1253122/ . I don't care if you like me leading my song because it has nice lyrics, or good chords or whatever. I want you to make it your own, to help express your heart to the Lord, through music. That's a central point to worship, is getting beyond who wrote what, and its called what, its that this is the cry of MY heart, this is the cry of where I am right now. I'll close with my favorite line in "From the Inside Out",
"And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise From the inside out, my soul cries out".
That is true worship that God honors, and adores. That is, a heart giving back to Him through anyway possible, music, dance, drama, speaking, whatever your gift may be. It can be your worship to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Thats worship.
Kia Kaha!
Trev
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