Antioch Worship
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Antioch Church Worship Ministry Foundations Joshua Rushing, Worship Pastor Vision and Values
Worship______________________________________________ Worship is the response of our hearts and bodies to the mystery and wonder of who God has revealed Himself to be. In Revelation 4 we see that every creature and elder around the throne in heaven is moved to passionate response as they gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Therefore the very foundation of praise and worship is giving glory and honor, love and affection to the uncreated God as we celebrate who He is and what He’s like. Worship is not merely the 3 or 4 songs that we sing on Sunday morning to make sure that everyone is awake for the preaching. It has become cliché but still true nonetheless – worship is a lifestyle. It is a positioning of our hearts before the Lord in honesty and adoration throughout our daily activities, as well as our corporate gatherings. If Christ is indeed inside of us (Col. 1:27), then our daily, even hourly communing with His indwelling Spirit is worship. Unfortunately, in much of today’s church, worship has become more about getting something from God rather than bringing and giving something to Him. Surely God loves to give good gifts to His children (Jas. 1:17, Matt. 7:11), but receiving is not our primary focus in worship. However, as we begin to offer our praise and adoration to Him, His heart is often moved and He often displays His goodness and power without our even “asking” for it. For example, in Revelation 5 the living creatures and the 24 elders gave praise and adoration as they sang a new song saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have make us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Then the song continues, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing…Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” What is the Lamb’s response to the laud and honor, the praise and worship given Him? He responds by opening the seals, setting into action the end of natural history and the dawning of a new age. First they worshiped, and then He acted. There is a dynamic relationship between declaring what He’s worthy to do and Him actually doing it! Although it is biblical and desirable that we seek the Lord’s hand of activity as we worship, it is not our primary focus. It is up to the Lord to respond however He wills. Our main objective, our good choice is to sit at His feet (Luke 10:39-42), loving on Him in praise and adoration. The Worshiper________________________________________ As believers, we are all called to be worshipers. John chapter 4 tells us that the Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. And Paul, in the context of equipping the all saints for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4), gives the command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5). He then ties together the act of corporate worship to being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is for all of the saints. Three Keys To A Worshiping Heart Eph. 5:20-21, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” A Thankful Spirit A thankful and grateful heart produces worship in our spirits. If our souls are going to bless the Lord, then we cannot forget His benefits and should give thanks for all that He has done for us (Psalm 103). A Humble Spirit Verse 21 says, “[submit] to one another.” Without a tender, broken, humble spirit our hearts will harden and grow cold while the flame of worship slowly dies. We grow in humility by “doing life” with other people. A Trembling Spirit Third, we must have “the fear of the Lord.” Our hearts will overflow with worship as we gaze upon and tremble before the glory, the beauty, and the awesomeness of the holy God. We should ask continually for a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph 1:17 and Pro. 9:10). The Ministry and Service of Worship______________________ Calling and Anointing We are all called to be worshipers, but when we embrace the calling to lead others into the presence of God in worship there is added responsibility. This is because it is a sacred calling before the Lord. Therefore, we must evaluate whether a “grace” or “anointing” or “calling” is upon us to stand before the congregation and encourage worship in the hearts of other believers. Our motives and intentions come under closer scrutiny when we begin to consider what a high calling, what an honor, what a privilege it is to lead others to Him. Ross Parsely, the worship pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Spring, writes that we must embrace this calling before the Lord and never treat it as a “hobby” or something we do out of convenience. As the Holy Spirit confirms His calling in us, He makes us a holy vessel fit for the Master’s use in His kingdom. Worshiping and Prophetic Instrumentalists/Singers Calling and anointing are not the only qualifications for serving on the worship team in the place of platform ministry. Instrumentalists and singers must not only be worshipers, but also must worship on their instruments or with their voices. It’s one thing to be a worshiper, and another thing to maintain a posture and heart of worship and prophetic spirit when on the stage. The first thing said about those who were set aside for the temple’s “worship team” was that they prophesied on their instruments (I Chr. 25:1). Lifestyle and Commitment Team members must also have a heart for God and live a life consistent with the Word of God. As a member of the worship team we hold a visible, even prominent role in the church. Our lives off of the stage, away from the church building, must reflect Jesus. Part of this lifestyle is the commitment to the church body and especially the others that are serving on the team. Bob Sorge, in his book Exploring Worship, states, “People should not be involved in music ministry so that they feel they are a part of the church. Music ministry is not the right of the talented, but is rather the privilege extended to the committed [emphasis mine].” Proficiency Musicians and singers must also be skilled with his\her instrument or voice. We want to maintain a high standard and proper balance for the worship team, both in terms of heart engagement and skill level. We want excellence and anointing to be married together. As Sorge points out, “We set very high standards for the pastor because of the Levitical nature of his ministry; why, then, are we so lax in setting spiritual [and skill] standards for the musicians who are responsible for leading God’s people in praise and worship?” Team Structure and Expectations_________________________ At Antioch Church we have a three-tiered system for the worship team. The first tier is called the Primary Team. This team, consisting of 7 to 10 members, will be responsible for the majority of the service of worship at Antioch Church, leading all but one Sunday morning per month. The second tier is called the Associate Team. This team, also consisting of 7-10 members, will serve in worship one week of each month. The third tier is called the Training Pool. This pool is for those who have the heart and desire to serve on the worship team but agree that some further training is necessary before this can be realized. Members of all three tiers are apart of the same worship team. This is not three teams, but one. The levels are set up to honor and steward the different callings, abilities, and gifts that God has entrusted each one of us with. We are all in this together, to support, serve, encourage, and learn from one another. No position on the team is permanent. Team members may be asked to move up or down to the tier above or below them as the leadership sees fit. Each team member will meet with the worship leader once every six months to reevaluate his/her status on the team. There is no need to audition again once you are placed on the team. If you have any questions about any of the above or would like to discuss it in more detail, please feel free to contact me. Joshua D. Rushing, Worship Pastor Antioch Church Email: joshuarushing_antiochchurch@yahoo.com Phone: Antioch Church 479.524.0221
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