in fact, no one waited to see if another was
going to lift holy hands - it was simply a huge
collective abandonment of self, each and every
attendee reaching up in reverence, respect and
expectation. What a wonderful feeling to take
home - that the very way I worship: eyes and
hands up, tiptoeing in an effort to get closer to
Him, is a shared practice with people from every
corner of the nation. It was an encouragement
to continue worshipping in a big, loud and
proud way.
As a worship team member: vocalist, acoustic
guitarist and (when needed) bassist, this
conference served as a masterclass on
preparation, leader-watching and synergy. It
was obvious that everyone on the team knew
their part cold; this level of preparation allowed
each member to “let go” of their own parts and
listen to everyone else. Because of the fantastic
congregation seating arrangement, whereby
every seating group was given an opportunity
to sit right up at the stage, I was able to see just
how often every member watched every other
member. There were many moments when
instrumentalists closed their eyes in reverence,
and because of this, I believe I began to notice
something I will call a “checkpoint system.”
There were sections, or checkpoints, in each
song where the band knew to watch their
bandmates and leader to see where they were
headed next. It was truly inspiring. The team
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September 2018
WorshipMusician.com