To get your feet wet , I would say to try a song and then take a couple of minutes to go off the page . Speak to the people and say , “ This is what we ’ re going to try , just for a few minutes . This is why we ’ re going to do it .” Tell them that we ’ re going to take a little trip there , and then we ’ re going to come back . Let them get their feet wet and know that the water is fine , and it ’ s a good place to be . Then , maybe next time they ’ ll go knee-deep . It ’ s like in Ezekiel 47 , where he describes being led deeper and deeper into the water . I feel like that ’ s what the Lord calls us to . He ’ s not a Father who just throws us in and says , “ Swim !” No , He leads us into it , and He walks with us and lets us get used to the way it feels as we get deeper .
[ WM ] What are some suggestions for churches who want to open things up , but don ’ t know where to start , and also want to be sure they ’ re ready to do it once they step into it ?
[ Steffany ] Pastoring people through the process is the best advice I have . It gives the people freedom to ask questions . For people who are just in the beginning stages of this , it needs to be an open conversation . It helps so much ! It ’ s actually very simple to step people through the process . Some will still be nervous , and some will still be skeptical . It ’ s going to take them getting in the water to feel it out . And some may still not get it . But what I do know is that we will find what we are looking for . If we are looking for God , He will be found by us . If we ’ re looking to be critical , then we ’ ll find a reason to reject it . We will always find what we are looking for , deep in our hearts .
can get caught up in is trying to pastor the Presence , rather than pastoring the people through the moment . Jesus does not need our pastoring . He is the Good Shepherd . He will not lead us where He is not , and where He won ’ t be .
It always helps when your pastor will do a series on worship . It gets the people prepared , and they feel like they can confidently sign up for what is coming . And it gives them scriptural context , because it ’ s everywhere in scripture . People have to find their own expression . We have to be clear that what we do at Bethel is just one expression , and other churches have their own expression . Maybe what we ’ ve cultivated at Bethel will help you . Learning from other people is a part of good growth .
That ’ s really descriptive , but I think it ’ s also just about keeping things simple . It ’ s easy for people with lots of charisma to feel like , “ We need two hours ! We just need freedom , and more time with the Presence of God !” But the God that I know can do anything He wants to in just a moment . He doesn ’ t need two hours to move . Don ’ t despise the two or three minutes where you take a risk . Then , as you build trust with the Lord and with each other , you have that much more space . Maybe it turns into two hours of worship . But make sure that everybody knows that you ’ re going there together .
[ Amanda ] I was a part of the House of Prayer for several years , and one of the things that we would do is play a song that we knew really well , and we would take our time with it . Then ,
For churches who are wanting to get their feet wet , a great place to start is for the teams to really connect with their pastors , and let them know that they are wanting to take things to a deeper place , but that you want to make sure the people are coming too . The truth is that a little teaching goes a very long way . You don ’ t burst into a prophetic moment with people who don ’ t understand it . You pastor them through the moment . In trying to make this transition , if we ’ re not careful , one of the things that we
June 2018 WorshipMusician . com
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