worship leader / s . It ' s often been said that true worship is actually " sung prayer ". Your website shows that your worship and prayer ministry is part of the " prayer room ". Please tell us about the association between prayer and worship at UPPERROOM ?
[ Jonathan Lewis ] We define prayer as a relationship and worship as agreeing with who God is . If we use these descriptions , they ’ re so intertwined . Inside a relationship , even on a human level , you ’ re constantly giving identity to one another . So , inside these terms , prayer and worship are so intertwined . Our relationship with God isn ’ t limited to Sunday service - Sunday morning Christianity isn ’ t a real relationship . All our life is a relationship with him and he ’ s worthy of our every hour of every day , and we express that through continual adoration morning , noon , and night . Whether we have 1,000 people or one person in the room , the goal is the same , to love and adore Him . We have over 160 volunteers doing 80 hours / week of prayer and worship in our prayer room . It has become a rhythm of life for our church community that is giving life and nourishment to our entire city . those things , but I ’ ve learned they must be for Him first ! If I start focusing my attention on people and what they ‘ need ’, the list is endless . God is the one that meets needs and He will when He comes . In most churches the sermon is why people gather . But our people gather around the Lord in worship first . And oftentimes the message I ’ ve prepared is further formed and activated from the place of worship .
[ WM ] What nuances are there for a pastor in relating to worship leaders and musicians ?
[ Michael ] Worship is when we minister to the Lord . Preaching is when we minister to people . Usually , our time of musical worship precedes preaching and if we prioritize this ministry to Him , He is welcome and ready to minister to everyone who comes . So , if the worship leader is doing their role , it makes my role as a pastor and teacher much easier . One serves the other . Preaching isn ’ t the point of church - the presence of Jesus is . I want to preach from the place of abiding in His presence . I have such a high value for our worship leaders ’ ministry to the Lord - their ability to connect our greater church body to the Lord and posture us corporately to rightly respond to Him when He comes . That ’ s what I look for in a worship leader .
[ WM ] These next few questions are for your
[ WM ] Your corporate worship times occur multiple times a week , and not merely on Sunday mornings . Do you plan your worship " sets " in a weekly format ? Do you allow for " spontaneous " worship ?
[ Jonathan ] Yes , and yes ! Our community lives in the ebb and flow of form and spirit . We have three distinct movements in each set that include Thanksgiving , Worship , and Intercession . We call this our TWI model . Inside the safety of the form and movements , the Spirit flows in different ways . Which is what we interpret as ‘ spontaneous ’ songs . It ’ s actually the free flow of the Spirit through each person ' s unique expression . Spontaneous worship is not a genre , it ’ s worship that happens when our leaders partner with the Holy Spirit and agree with who God is and what He wants to do . Our leaders begin to encounter the ministry of the Lord to themselves and what ministry He wants