and we have a hunger that we stoke in one and impacted by them. It’s about looking for When we teach community, the point is
another. A lot of that informs what happens in the golden thread of wherever that particular communion. It’s going to look different for
the spontaneous. expression of people are finding life, and what each person because we’re all different, but
they’re finding in God. There are communities it’s more about communion with God than it is
[WM] There are lots of churches who don’t that are more centered around contemplative about spontaneity. Anytime the pressure is put
do free worship or lead out in the sprit for a prayer, and I think there is so much life in that, on being spontaneous, it actually closes it up.
variety of reasons. For those who are curious too. There are places that won’t necessarily When it’s just about communion, receiving and
about it, can you share where opening up time focus on the same kind of expression that hearing from God, and then responding, that’s
for free worship allows you to go in a service we use, but that doesn’t mean that they’re just a natural friendship. That’s natural family.
that traditional song arrangements don’t? not expressing their God-given ability to That’s like walking into someone’s home and
understand, share, and participate with what going to the fridge, and just being a part of the
God is doing in the earth. family flow.
Father kneels down and gets on our level and As far as spontaneous worship is concerned, To me, that’s where spontaneous worship is
has a conversation with us, just like a good father I think that when we learn about the exchange born from. If I haven’t communed in a long
would have with a child. It’s for the purpose of and the continual communion with God, then time, then there is an awkward re-introduction.
expanding our world-view. Worship is never spontaneous worship is simply born out of that. But if the point is communion and connection,
about whether the spontaneous moments are When I’m with a good friend, the spontaneity then the spontaneous worship, while taking
happening. Anytime we get together and want flows. We talk with each other, and we express many different forms, will flow from a heart of
to sing to God and sing about His goodness, things to each other, we thank each other, and abundance and gratitude.
promises, and faithfulness, He is always there. we have a conversation. When I’m in healthy He’s not confined by our services. I’ve watched communion with a friend, it just flows. It’s not [Kalley] It’s about yielding, having flexibility
services that are planned and plotted out contrived and I don’t have to try to make it and being aware that maybe God wants to
to the second, and I’ve been deeply moved happen, it just happens. do something apart from our plan. What if He
[Amanda] Everything has its place. I don’t
think that God is boxed in by anything. The
did have a change of plan, or want to show
up differently? Am I actively building a place for
Him to do that? When we surrender to Him,
those are the best times. He always has a
better sense than we do of who is in the room
and of what could happen. I want to live a life
that is yielded, and I don’t want to turn that off
in a worship set.
By nature, songs are prophetic. Our voices
are prophetic. God wants to use all of it. I love
to yield to what God wants to do. I’m always
asking, “God, are we finished yet? This is Your
service. These are Your people. I get the honor
of being a part of it, but this isn’t my idea,
it’s Yours.” For me, it’s about yielding, and
checking in at certain moments when you feel
like something might be rising up. You feel like
maybe we should just wait here, maybe we
should just give it four bars. And you don’t even
always have to sing something. If you’re not
used to it, maybe you go back into the bridge
when maybe you would have just normally
stuck to the arrangement.
18
June 2018
WorshipMusician.com