photo: Ebourcier.com – Evan Bourcier
MEREDITH: I love to teach about the heart
do that anymore?
what I’ve come to realize is that we are visible.
of a worshiper. As worship leaders, this isn’t
We have to keep in mind that in being visible,
something we stumble into because our
MEREDITH: I don’t do that as often. Number
what am I doing with my visibility? Am I calling
musical aspirations never got fulfilled. This
one, because I married a keyboard player and
people to myself or am I pointing people to the
isn’t something we take on because we are
he is way better than I am! And, number two,
Lord? Am I saying, “Hey listen to me sing these
a good guitar player or keyboard player or we
because I honestly feel more freedom when I
songs and look at my great leadership quality?”
have a decent voice. It’s more than just being
can step out. It was good for me to start with
or am I saying, “Guys, we get to go into God’s
musicians. When we get back to the heart of
that as a foundation, but it got to the point that I
presence today, we get to approach the Throne
why we are worshiping the Lord, we’re able
kind of hid behind it. It was good for me to step
of Grace with a boldness and a confidence
to ask ourselves, “Why do we sing? Why am I
out. I felt like I could really engage people.
because of what Jesus did for us!” When we
calling these people into the presence of God
go into God’s presence there is an exchange
and saying, ‘Hey, let’s worship God together’?”
When I started leading worship at Harvest
that happens. We’re not just singing for God or
I think that for us as worship leaders, the thing I
Bible Chapel about ten years ago, I remember
to God, He is singing over us! He is receiving
want to say is our private worship always has to
Pastor James McDonald saying to me, “Hey
our worship and as we are engaging with God,
come before our public worship. Singing to the
Meredith, why do you close your eyes when
He reaches down and meets us right where
Lord and offering to Him our worship behind
you lead worship…all the time?” And I was like,
we are and He meets our deepest needs…
closed doors has to come first because that is
“Well, I’m singing to the Lord…I don’t want to
not because He fixes all our problems, but we
what’s going to fuel what happens on stage.
be distracted…it’s just me and Jesus.” And he
realize how big He is and how capable and
If I am not spending time with the Lord, if He
was like, “Well, actually it’s not! (Laugh) If you’d
faithful He is when we start singing these words
is not the treasure of my heart, then what am
open your eyes, you’d see that there’s a whole
of truth over ourselves and back to the Lord.
I really doing when I step foot on stage and
room full of people that are looking to you.” That
say, “Hey people, let’s go into the presence of
was really revolutionary because it gave me
WM: I have been listening through your
God.” If I have not been there then I can’t take
permission to open my eyes and understand
new project, “Deeper” multiple times, and I
people there. It’s so important for us as worship
that being aware of my surroundings and being
especially love the title track and “I Look to the
leaders that we are first worshipers; that we
in tune to where the people are is just as much
King.” Can you tell me a little about writing for
often get to that place where we say, “Jesus,
worship as singing to the Lord. Because, this is
that project and any songs that hold special
You are the one desire of my heart.”
a responsibility that I’m not going to take lightly,
meaning to you?
and so I don’t want it to be a spectator event
WM: You mentioned that as a teenager, you
but a participation event. That was so good for
MEREDITH: Well, they all hold special
were leading from the keyboards. Do you ever
me and I think that for us as worship leaders,
meaning to me honestly! They’re all feel like
22
May June 2016
WorshipMusician.com