YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
[ TURNING REHEARSAL INTO WORSHIP | Vance & Michelle Shepherd ]
One of the most seemingly non-spiritual things What we like to encourage our students to do in our calling, and that most certainly includes
in leading worship for a service is getting is come to worship rehearsal with an attitude giving praises to Him through music.
prepped and ready. It seems very non-spiritual of praise and worship, even when working to have to work through mechanical and through the musical details with the team. I One of my favorite verses regarding worship is
technical details for a worship service, because know that for me personally, I always choose 2 Chronicles 5:13:
we are expecting it to be a spiritual experience. to look at rehearsal time the same way as a
church service, except that the chairs are filled
One of the points that we try to drive home
up with the potential people that are coming.
with our students and youth worship teams is
“It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and
singers were as one, to make one sound to be
heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and
when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets
that we are not doing a “performance,” but we
It seems very non- and cymbals and instruments of music, and
spiritual to have his mercy endures forever: that then the house
to work through LORD;” (KJV)
mechanical and Here’s what I love about this passage: First, in
technical details voice with the trumpets and cymbals and
worship service. for a worship they were doing, and when to do it! I’m quite
But what we encourage our students with is service, because rehearsal as a team to make this happen – they
we are expecting and something like a beautiful piece of music
are truly working toward leading others into an
encounter with the living God.
So how should we look at rehearsing and
practicing through a worship set? Sometimes
we can get so bogged down in the technical
details, that it’s hard for us to find the spiritual
side of it. And at other times we feel like we
have to “turn on” our worship heart and “turn
off” our technical brain at the beginning of the
that rehearsal IS a form of worship, and that our
practice time during the week, our rehearsals
with the band, and our sound checks are all
part of that sacrifice of praise that we give to
God, so that we can serve His people well.
Rehearsals are absolutely necessary to allow
praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for
was filled with a cloud, even the house of the
order to make one sound, and to lift up their
instruments of music, they had to know what
sure that this required individual practice and
it to be a spiritual
experience.
didn’t all just look at each other and say “Go!”
just happened.
And second, the house was filled with a cloud.
God’s presence showed up because of their
praise of Him and their thankfulness. And we
the people that we are serving to have a
can expect God’s presence to show up in our
distraction free, rich worship time.
I like to look out over all the seats from the
But I’m sure that if you’ve been around a stage view, and pray for the different sections
worship rehearsal or two, you’ve seen where and for the individuals that will fill those seats
someone on the team is just kind of going on Sunday morning. Also, focusing on the lyrics
through the technical motions, definitely not in a of every song, getting those words down in my
spiritual place… and then…. BOOM! The lights spirit, and pondering the message of the songs
come on, the 5:00 pre-service countdown has makes rehearsal seem so much more like a
just hit :00, and that same person has their spiritual experience instead of the cold technical
hands in the air, smile on their face, and seems thing it can tend to be. When we lead worship,
to magically “turn on” their worship. This can we are not singing or playing for ourselves, but
be confusing for people, because we are not to Him. We have so much to praise Him for,
doing a performance, but it can seem like that and music is one of the most powerful ways
is what we’re doing when others see that we to worship God and put all of our senses into
can “turn it on and off.” doing what we were created for - to glorify Him
February 2018
houses of worship, too.
This week, choose to look at rehearsal with your
youth team as a unique opportunity to bond
together in the task of leading God’s people to
a closer place with Him, and turn your rehearsal
time into worship.
May you be blessed as you pour into the next
generation of worship leaders!
Vance & Michelle Shepherd
Founders of The Shepherd School Of Music in Las
Vegas, NV, where they work with youth to raise up the
next generation of worship leaders and musicians.
www.ShepherdStudiosLV.com
WorshipMusician.com
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