BETHEL ’ S
Pastor Bill Johnson
[ WM ] How involved are you as senior pastor with your worship teams ?
[ Pastor Bill Johnson ] I love getting to share my heart with all of our teams , but especially with our worship team . I ’ m thankful that my son , Brian and his wife , Jenn oversee our worship teams . In that sense , I am in touch all the time , as we talk about what God is doing through the team . I place a high-level of trust in our worship leaders and teams . Worship is vital and paramount to me . I was a worship leader and know what a significant role it is for the church . It ’ s vital that our teams know the value worship holds in this house , but more importantly in the kingdom and the life of any believer .
If you are pursuing songwriting as a worship community , tell your teams to write about things that they want to see in five years : Your worship songs and your anthems prophesy and declare over your people and your community . Lean into truths that reflect God ’ s heart and His promises , and the fullness of what Jesus meant when he tells his disciples to pray , “ on earth as it is in heaven .”
What would that look like ? What would that feel like ? What would the world around us be like as His kingdom is established ? Worship is our response to and sacrifice before the Lord . And worship makes a way for God to demonstrate His nature and manifest His presence . We become like the one we behold so we must give all our adoration to Him .
[ WM ] What is the ideal relationship between corporate worship & preaching in a modern service .
[ Pastor Bill ] I ’ m never going to interrupt worshipping God with a message . We are a presence-centered culture , and we focus on worship and creating space for adoration . When it comes to corporate worship , we have a high value for allowing room for spontaneous moments , and our pastoral teams and service leaders all know this . Equally , our worship teams are prepared each week with set lists and song preparation , but they go into any worship time willing to throw the plan out the window to let the Lord do what he wants to do .
Music is an elevated form of communication , it goes beyond our minds . Worship opens doors that sermons never will . Songs and their message can reach across borders and denominational lines . We often sing about a God who is always good , but this is an idea that people historically have disagreed about theologically . A song can create unity and celebrate truth sometimes ahead of a group of people embracing that same truth from the stage .
4 June 2018 WorshipMusician . com