Tag: worship planning

Worship Planning 101

Let me preface this post: I am not an expert Worship Planner. There are, however, a few tricks and patterns I have implemented over the past 20+ years. Some of the hints may help a Worship Leader just starting out in ministry. Some may not. Take it all with a grain of salt and find what works for you!

The A, B, Cs of Worship Planning:

Appeal

I know what some of you are thinking, “Why is it important for worship to be appealing? Who are we appealing to?” Maybe that particular word is a bit of a stretch, but for the purpose of this article, I don’t think it is. You see, it’s all about your church’s context. First off, we must always plan vertical worship that is appealing to our Heavenly Father. His opinion is ultimately the only one that matters. Next, we must look at what type of worship is our congregation attracted to, ie-horizontal worship. In other words, what is going to appeal to vast majority of people in your church? Our main goal is always to glorify God in worship, but if our secondary directive is to maximize worship for the betterment of our congregations (promoting horizontal worship), then it stands to reason that we need to be looking for songs that fit our church’s worship context. I bet you can look around your geographic area and discover the different worship contexts that exist in your own area. Some churches are more “high church” with organs and robes. Some are more open and free, incorporating Beatles songs barefoot before the Lord. Neither is better than the other, but they each appeal to a different groups of worshipers.

Biblical

This would seems self-explanatory, but you would be surprised. I’ve been very discouraged at what passes as solid, biblical worship in today’s generation. There is this mentality in some churches that if it’s on the Christian radio stations it must be good. Folks, we must be more discerning than that. There are even some hymns that I would never put in a congregational setting. Take “Bringing in the Sheaves”… What are sheaves? Why are we singing about fortunes, not souls? Does it mention Jesus specifically or just an ambiguous God figure? When in doubt, throw it out…The Gospel, and your role in sharing it, is too important to sing questionable songs. If you are unsure where to turn for biblical truth in worship songs, I recommend checking out the Berean Test. By no means are they a perfect resource (only the Bible takes that spot). However, they do a very good job of utilizing scripture to verify their points of emphasis.

Congregational

After you have established what is appealing to your congregation and what it biblically sound, it is important to make sure that the worship is congregationally sound. In other words, is it singable? Not everyone in your congregation has the vocal range of Brandon Lake or Chris Tomlin, so maybe, just maybe, you need to adjust the singing to where the maximum amount of people can participate. I once had a professor that offered a suggestion to finding that sweet spot in congregational singing. He referred back to the 1991 Baptist Hymnal and informed the class that no music goes past the ‘F’ above the Middle C. That should be your guide.

In Conclusion

Finally, please bathe your whole process in prayer. Stay in the scriptures daily. Spend time listening to the Lord and learning from other believers. I find that my head and my heart have an easier time discerning what is good and true when I am focusing on my walk with the Lord. We were never meant to do this alone.

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Why Theology Matters

My wife recently shared with me a video she found on social media. It was a pastor talking about counterfeit currency. He said that when government experts are learning to distinguish between the authentic bills and counterfeit bills, they study the real bills hot off the presses. These experts make sure they know how the paper feels, how much a bill weighs, how it reflects light and the subtle shades of ink printed on each side. This way, they know when they are NOT holding the real deal. When a counterfeit bill comes across their path, they may not know why it is wrong, but they can tell you it’s counterfeit every time.

The same is true for us with theology. I don’t have to understand why some theologies are false, I just have to know the Truth-the Word of God. I must be grounded in it. When developing a theology of Worship, it is imperative that the Worship Leader dig into Scripture to form their own personal theology of worship.

Let’s start out with some definitions. First, Merriam-Webster defines theology as “the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; especially: the study of God and of God’s relation to the world.”[1] It also defines worship as, “To honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power” or “to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.”[2] Therefore, to develop a theology of worship would mean that we understand the study of our faith, practice and experience as to why we regard our Almighty God with great respect, honor, and devotion. In summary, it is why and how we choose to relate to the Almighty God.  

For the follower of Jesus, sound theology of worship begins with biblical knowledge. Matt Boswell writes, “For the worship leader, our beliefs and convictions about God are what serve as the foundation for worship. A love for the Word of God is a primary requirement. Without a vivid belief in the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Word of God, our services (and our lives) will never find the rhythm of worship. The rhythm of worship is revelation and response.”[3] Theology matters for the sole purpose of propelling our doxology, and the remainder of our lives, to the Father. But how does our theology propel our doxology? As worship leaders, our responsibility is to have a deep theological basis for why we do what we do, why we serve who we serve. Our theology can come from many sources, but it should be completely grounded in the Word of God. First and foremost, the Bible should be the only vessel that we filter all of our theology through. Matt Boswell explains that there are three ways in which our theology propels our doxology.

First, our theology propels us to ascribe all of the greatness to God. Psalm 96:7-8 says, “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.”[4] When we gather each Sunday, we must remember that our sole purpose is to glorify God. As worship leaders, we must make this truth a priority in the songs we choose and how we display them to our congregations. We must take full advantage of the platform God has given us and ascribe glory unto his name. We must live a life worthy of our calling.

Second, our theology propels us to bring worshipful offerings to God. The second part of Psalm 96:8 says, “…bring an offering, and come into his courts!”[5] Paul Baloche has a song that proclaims this truth:

I bring an offering of worship to my King

No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing

Jesus, may you receive the honor that You’re due

O Lord, I bring and offering to You

As worship leaders, we must echo what Baloche is saying here. The reason we gather is to bring offerings of worship to our King. We must shy away from feeling satisfied with simply being accepted because of our offerings. God is worthy of so much more.

Third, our theology propels us to tremble. Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!”[6] This is where we fall short as the body of Christ. Boswell explains, “One of the greatest weaknesses of the evangelical church is our disinclination to tremble. We do well in asserting the transcendence and sovereignty of God, but we must allow these truths to move us to an awe-filled doxology.”[7] We have lost our fear before the Awesome Lord of Hosts. Worship should never be taken lightly or flippantly. We should aspire to come with our best, for fear of arriving at the feet of our Lord with anything less.

Back to our definition above, as we study how we relate to the Lord, this relationship goes both ways, from man to God and God to man. David Peterson writes, “A theology of worship must consider key themes such as revelation, redemption, God’s covenant with Israel and the call for his people to live as a distinct and separate nation.”[8] We worship because He has already done mighty and wonderful things for us. We praise through the triumphs and lament through the tragedies because He has always been faithful. When developing our theology of worship, we must never forget that worship is our response to the faithfulness of God.

Sources

[1] “Theology.” Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed December 21, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theology.

[2] “Worship.” Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed December 21, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worship.

[3] Matt Boswell, ed., Doxology and Theology (Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2013), 12.

[4] Psalm 96:7-8 (ESV)

[5] Psalm 96:8 (ESV)

[6] Psalm 96:9 (ESV)

[7] Matt Boswell, ed., Doxology and Theology (Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2013), 16-17.

[8] David Peterson, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2002), 23.

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Careful Planning

We all have our own preferences. For instance, I prefer BBQ sauce over Ranch on my chicken. I prefer the mountains to the beach. I prefer Pepsi Zero to Coke Zero, and that’s a hill I will die on.

I also have my own personal preferences in worship. I prefer a good blend of the old classics and new hits. I prefer low lighting as it helps me to focus. I prefer live instruments over canned tracks. And, I have plenty more.

However, seldom do my preferences matters when it comes to planning worship. When planning a service, I often have to fight the urge to impose my preferences on to the worship service.

Robbie Castleman writes, “Now, worship planners and church leaders might verbalize a dependence on God’s Spirit to lead, guide, move and bless the congregation in a service of worship. But if a believer’s experience or congregational need shapes the service, the actual walk doesn’t give evidence for such talk.”[1]

I meet with a group of area Worship Leaders every Thursday morning at 8:00 AM. It really is a special time for me, personally. We all do life together, and share with each other our joys and our burdens of worship ministry. I recall one of the discussions we had discussing the flow of the worship service, particularly the planning of worship. It goes without saying that each of our desires is for the Lord to have His way in the worship service. Although we are responsible for the our congregations each and every Sunday, it is God who is the Lead Worshipper. We ultimately want to be discerning in listening to Him as we carefully plan each worship service. This is not easy. Sometimes that voice we long for and crave goes silent. What do we do then? What do we do when the direction and calling grows stale?

Oftentimes, when I feel stuck or stale, I tend to fall back in to the same patterns of behavior. I often find myself looking back over previous worship services, hoping for a spark of inspiration. I also spend time looking through the Scripture that’s being spoken on that particular Sunday…if I am fortunate enough to receive it before Saturday evening. But, for some of us, we rely often on our own agenda or our personal preferences to mold and shape the worship service. It’s easy to fall back onto our old standards or favorites. Worship Leader… THIS IS DANGEROUS!

Francis Chan famously shared an interaction he had with a church goer after a service one day where the church goer criticized the worship saying, “I didn’t really enjoy worship today.” To which Chan responded, “That’s OK. We weren’t worshipping you.”

Our preferences do not hold any weight on the worship service: It’s God’s service, therefore it’s God’s plan. And sometimes our careful planning can be interrupted by the Holy Spirit. I grown to appreciate and love those interruptions. It makes for a much better worship service.

[1] Robbie Castleman, Story-Shaped Worship: Following Patterns from the Bible and History (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 194.

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The Plight of Co-vocational Ministry – Part 2

Let me expand on my previous post a little further:

I believe that one of the most significant issues today impacting worship services across the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the lack of support and training offered to co-vocational or part-time worship leadership. Due to the steady decline in financial giving and the plateaued growth in many congregations, this phenomenon will most likely only continue to grow as congregations are having to cut costs across the board. This is especially true of mid-size churches that can afford a full-time Senior Pastor but cannot afford full-time secondary staff, such as the Worship Pastor. Although this phenomenon is a reality for churches of all sizes.  LaRochelle reports in Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church, “The reality is that congregations generally have limited resources and, because of the limitations within which they have to live, are forced to make decisions about how best to formulate a staff so as to meet the real needs of the local church.”

My own research suggests that many part-time or co-vocational Worship Pastors feel overlooked or underserved by the SBC. There is an attitude among many in the Christian post-secondary institutions (especially the institutions supported by the SBC) that co-vocational employment is somehow less than. Even when I went through seminary and into my doctorate, it was expected that we would all land full-time positions as soon as we graduated seminary. The reality is very different for many ministers. 

The phenomenon of co-vocational church leadership needs to be reassessed by many in leadership, both in the SBC and in parachurch organizations. Christopher Hagen writes, “Forecasts of total membership, amount of giving, worship attendance, and so on are that of decline for mainline Protestant churches.” This decline is not expected to change any time soon, so the church must adapt. Rudy Gray writes, “Even though accurate data is unavailable, it is still obvious to many Southern Baptist leaders that co-vocational ministry makes up 50 percent or more of our total profile — and it is growing.” The Church, as a whole, needs to reassess how we treat and support co-vocational Worship Pastors.

Unfortunately, through my research I have discovered that many co-vocational or part-time worship pastors feel alone and abandoned by the denomination that is known by its cooperation to support so many. The few part-time worship leaders that are fortunate to be educated or trained in their calling are often outnumbered by the nurses, teachers, mechanics, college students and retirees that are called upon by their congregation to help out on Sundays in the worship team. Many of these congregations cannot afford to send these servants back to be trained in worship leadership. There are very few affordable post-secondary programs available to them. Even the music conferences or training events often require these co-vocational servants to miss their “day job” to attend. 

So, what is the answer? Mentoring. There are so many larger congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention that employ trained and educated worship leaders. We need to stop viewing other congregations as competition. We need to understand that cooperation is the key to the gospel. Those that are fortunate enough to have the training and education need to share their resources. This could be easily facilitated by an organized, denominationally-driven mentor program. 

There are precedents set by other denominations that foster the building of mentoring relationships within and outside the denominational lines. The Leadership Program for Musicians is one such program established by the Episcopal Church’s General Convention. Rideout explains in the American Organist,

The LPM program was designed for those who (1) had not yet had the opportunity to develop their musical skills through long-term education or continuing education, (2) might have studied music in a college environment but did not study how to plan and lead worship or how to select hymns and service music, (3) were members of other denominations yet served in Episcopal congregations and needed to know more specific information, (4) were young musicians with potential for church-music leadership, and (5) desired positive

professional relationships with other musicians and clergy.

Building such a program within the Southern Baptist Convention would be an easy means of providing many underserved worship leaders with the cost-effective and timely tools they need to be better prepared for their ministry. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this dissertation, that idea is simply not on the radar of the Southern Baptist Convention, other denominations have already put mentoring strategies into place. In order to see a lasting monumental change, the denomination must make mentoring and training the part-time worship leader a priority.

Sources and Further Reading

Hagen, Christopher E. “The Low-Cost Church.” The Clergy Journal 76, no. 2 (Nov, 1999): 17, http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/230525947?accountid=12085.

Rudy Gray, “Is Bivocational Ministry the New Normal?,” The Baptist Courier (November 6,2016), https://baptistcourier.com/2016/11/bivocational-ministry-new-normal/.

Rideout, “Value Added: The Leadership Program for Musicians,” 42.

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Relationships Matter

Relationships are one of the most critical parts of the human existence, both our relationship with God and with others. Relationships can make or break you worship.

Relationships matter.

For the Worship Leader, building and developing lasting relationships is essential for any future success in ministry. Relationships are the meter which determines if your ministry fails or flourishes. 1 Corinthians 1:10 tells us, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”  Solid biblical relationships are even more crucial as a Church Leader. Being a relational leader takes hard work, but the results are so worth it.   

Unity is key to relationships of any type, especially within a multigenerational church.  Bob Kauflin says, “The scattered church throughout the week is still the church.  But gathering together is a physical demonstration and reminder of our distinctness from the world and our unity in the gospel.  We show that we’ve been drawn apart from the world and drawn together to God.”[1] 

Worship is primarily a relationship. When we worship, we commune with God. This is our time spent in His presence, whether we worship corporately or privately. When we enter His presence, we bring Him our cares and concerns, we listen for His voice and we praise Him. As worship leaders, we are relationship leaders. We lead others to the throne of grace. However, this is not where our responsibility with our relationships end.

In religion, the primary indicator of a meaningful relationship is discipleship. Jesus told us in one of His last directives to go and make disciples.[2] Today’s generation of church-goers has far more outside influences than any of the generations that came before. It is because of this that the church, needs to redirect its focus on building the body of Christ as a whole and complete unit. 

One church. One mission. One calling.

More and more churches are emphasizing small groups. Small groups allow people to open up their lives to each other in a more intimate setting than a larger corporate service. My wife and I are blessed with an incredible small group. We call ourselves the “Young Adults,” but we’re not so young anymore. But, let me tell you, when I know I have a group of likeminded believers in my corner that love and support me, that is worship.

As a worship leader, I try to be as involved with as many people as I can.  I want to get to know them, their family, and how I can better serve them. Blackaby says, “Those in prominent positions must always remember that without followers, they are not leaders.”[3]  At the church we serve, my wife and I are involved in one of the healthiest small groups I’ve ever encountered. We are literally “doing life” together. We know we are being prayed for. We can call any of these men and women at a moment’s notice. We are literally fighting our spiritual battles with some of the finest soldiers in the Lord’s army. What a blessing!

Where our strengths lie is usually where we are most successful.  I consider myself a good worship planner, and I can execute a worship service well.  Beyond the task of planning and leading worship services, I also invest in relationships with other people, inside and outside our small group.  I do this by meeting with individuals for lunch or just having a cup of coffee together.  Through this intentionally relational time I learn more about how each individual can contribute to the mission of the church, whether in worship or not.  I learn how the church can serve them. I learn their stories and what God is doing in their lives. Not only am I making a commitment to getting to know the person, but I am also providing them an opportunity to serve and be served.

Developing a plan for building and maintaining relationships is key.  As with any career, relationships are an essential part of the work.  However, there are elements of these relationships that can be difficult to maintain or even troublesome for even the most experienced worship leaders.  Navigating relationships through a biblical plan established early in your career can only serve to protect your ministry and family.  No matter what relationship you may encounter, you must approach it with the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  In his book The Pastor’s Handbook John Bisagno says, “The shepherd is always in front of the sheep, and he is out there alone.  He is the leader and enjoys the privilege of leadership.  But he is always the first to lay down his life for his sheep, to fight and even die in their defense.”[4]  As the Worship Leader, you must be willing to go beyond the normality of leading worship, you must invest in the lives of others.

            Relationships are important . . . really important.  For some, building lasting relationships with others will come easy, but for others it will take work.  Nevertheless, each of us should follow the example Jesus set before us.  “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”[5]  Jesus built lasting relationships with His disciples, but more importantly He demonstrated a relational lifestyle with those whom He encountered throughout His ministry. He intentionally sought out those relationships. If we are to make a greater impact in our personal ministry for the cause of Jesus Christ, we have to invest in relationships that matter.

[1] Bob Kauflin, True Worshipers: Seeking What Matters to God (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2015), 77.

[2] Matthew 28:19-20.

[3] Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People On to God’s Agenda (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 218.

[4] John R. Bisagno, Pastor’s Handbook, [rev.]. ed. (Nashville, Tenn.: B & H Books, 2011), 97.

[5] John 15:12-13 NASB

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The Issue of Song Suggestions

Some in my congregation enjoy coming to me with songs that they want to suggest for our corporate worship services. The songs they suggest may be new songs they’ve found on the radio, songs they’ve discovered in their private worship time, or timeless favorites from their past. Each time one of these interactions takes places, I am left in awe of those who choose to take an interest in worship planning.

Discussing worship with each of them is truly one of the many joys of my calling. I love hearing what God is using to move and change those who are seeking Him. The only setback to these encounters is the lack of available space in each worship set to plug in their requests. I wish I could utilize each song suggested to me, but, unfortunately, time does not allow for that.

Worship leaders are one of the top theologians of their congregation. The messages delivered in song can encourage or hinder the personal theologies of hundreds each week. What a huge responsibility! As worship leaders, we will one day be held accountable for the messages we present in each worship set. What are your songs telling your congregation? Are they lifting up the King of Kings or merely sending out a sweet, but meaningless, positive message?

I choose to utilize the BEST POSSIBLE songs each time I step on stage, that means they must sing of King Jesus and His love for us.

A little background for those that are less familiar, a lot of thought and prayer goes into selecting songs for a corporate worship set. Many different attributes of each song are considered when organizing a corporate worship service, including: theme, key signatures, flow, personnel available, etc. More than that, each song must hold up to the standards set in Scripture. Above all, if the song is not biblical, I will not utilize it in worship. Period.

While there are thousands of songs that fit the above criteria, I can further narrow those down to the songs that are the best fit for our worship context. Those will include songs that are vertical in their worship (their main subject is God and not man) and those that fit the theme for our specific Bible passage for the day.

On the contrary, many songs fit the above criteria, but not every song translates well to the corporate worship setting. For instance, take “You Will Be Found” by Cory Asbury & Natalie Grant. I saw “Dear Even Hansen.” It’s a great story. The song is powerful in the context of a secular musical. It’s uplifting and positive…it also does not mention the name of Jesus. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, take “In the Garden” by C. Austin Miles. It’s a beautiful, timeless song. However, it speaks to one’s individual walk with God. With lyrics like, “I come to the garden alone,” or “None other can ever know,” it’s hard to integrate that into a corporate message. As a worship leader, it’s my job to utilize the BEST songs for each individual worship service context. It’s not a responsibility I take lightly.

Why do I write all of this? My point is, KEEP IT UP! Please share with your worship leader what God is revealing to you through a particular song. Don’t be discouraged when they don’t include a particular song that you suggest. They are up against pressures and standards that many will never understand. Your worship pastor genuinely wants to know how God is working through you. I know I do.

Sources and Further Reading

The Berean Test-www.thebereantest.com

http://www.churchleaders.com/worship/worship-articles/304410-church-needs-theologically-minded-worship-leaders.html

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/hey-worship-leader-are-you-a-theological-lightweight/

thebaptistpaper.org/amid-music-minister-shortage-training-shifts-to-emphasis-on-theology/

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A Case for Lament in Worship

Many of us that grew up in the Church are used to the bright, happy, and welcoming side of worship services. After all, those are the characteristics that draw outsiders into our world. So when the psalmists lament, and instruct us to do the same, it can be quite jarring to some in the Church. After all, who wants to hear others grumbling, complaining or mourning in Church?

First off, what is lament? Ryan Higginbothom defines it as, “A lament is a prayer expressing sorrow, pain, or confusion. Lament should be the chief way Christians process grief in God’s presence.” Lament is our means to process grief, sorrow and pain in the presence of our Creator.

COVID stole many things from us. There was a few months in 2020-2021 that brought my community to its knees. We lost so many well-loved men and women of God. And, to add insult to injury, we were not able to properly say goodbye to them through the usual methods of sick bed visits, meals for the families and even public funerals. We corporately lost so much during that time, many privately lost much more.

Personally, one of the hardest losses was a former Worship Pastor in our area, Brother Charles. He was so beloved by so many. I remember getting the phone call from his wife that he had tested positive and was being admitted to the hospital. Being in his 80s, it did not take the illness long to progress to the more serious stages. Finally, he ended up in hospice care. I was the last person to visit with him before he passed away later that night. I prayed over him as he was ushered to Jesus. I will never forget that sweet time with Brother Charles. Shortly after his death, the family held a private service and his children moved his sweet wife out of state the next day. An entire community of believers were robbed of a goodbye to either of them. We had to grieve without the catharsis that a public funeral provides.

During this period of grief, I started to study the laments written in the Book of Psalms. I started to identify with the emotions displayed by the writers of these great prayers. I saw the brokenness present in their lives and became overwhelmed with the brokenness that inundates our world today. It seemed the more that I studied and prayed, the closer I felt to the Almighty. During this time, God healed my heart, and I grew in my faith as a follower of Jesus.

Laments are a powerful tool in the arsenal given to the believer. They are a beautiful picture of the relationship between the Divine Creator and the limited created. So much of our world is wrapped up in negative emotions. So many face grief, hunger, loss, pain and sorrow on a daily basis. Many carry those traumas in and out of Church each Sunday without an understanding of how and why we are to bring those issues to the Throne. Even Jesus lamented. All you have to do is read Luke 19 as Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and the people that He loved.

As Worship Leaders, we do so much to teach our congregations about Praise and Worship. We sing the latest and greatest songs, we strive to put on a fantastic show meant to draw participants in, and we often look and act the part. However, we are neglecting our duties to lead our worshippers to the Throne of Grace, even in the hard things. We are often placing our own heartaches on the back burner every time we step on stage. We ignore those broken parts of us while we set a false example of a superficial worship. Biblical worship isn’t always shiny and happy. We are a broken people serving a perfect God. If we look at the Psalmists, much of their worship was wrapped in sorrow, grief and pain. They felt alone. They felt forsaken. Many in our congregations often feel the same.

As Worship Leaders, what kind of example are we setting to the hurting and lost if we do not incorporate lament into our public and private worship?

I know this thought is scary. Incorporating corporate lament goes against everything we know as worship planners. If you want to scare your Senior Pastor, go tell them you have planned a worship service around public lament. Watch the twinge of fear flash in their eyes as you bring up sackcloth and ashes.

However, there is a place in worship for corporate lament. I am not arguing for every worship service to include a time of lamenting. However, brokenness should be present in every worship service, and every now and then, we should take the opportunity to corporately guide our congregants through the process of lament. We should instruct them and lead them through a time of lament, displaying our own brokenness and need for a Savior in the process.

If you are unsure how to begin to approach corporate lament, there are many great resources available. Many break down the patterns displayed in different Psalms. I personally like the 4 stages of lament detailed by The DiscipleMakers. They are address, complaint, request and trust. However you choose to incorporate lamenting into your worship, please do so authentically. So much is lost in worship when we choose to wear the mask of fake contentment. Lead by example. After all, Jesus did.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 42, ESV

Sources

The DiscipleMakers – https://www.navpress.com/sites/thedisciplemaker/2021/09/how-to-cry-out-to-god-the-4-steps-of-lament/#:~:text=The%20psalmists%20most%20often%20move,%2C%20request%2C%20expression%20of%20trust.

Ryan Higginbothom – https://openthebible.org/article/biblical-lament-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it/#:~:text=Lament%20is%20a%20direct%20expression,to%20Him%20but%20our%20needs.

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The Plight of Co-Vocational Ministry – Part 1

A few years ago, my wife and I made the tough decision to leave an unhealthy church situation. I was unhealthy. Church hurt is very real (much more coming on that in a later post). But, needless to say, my family and I left our church battered and bruised. I decided then and there that I was done with ministry. If God wanted me to serve Him again, He would have to move a mountain… or two.

Like the old saying goes, “church would be great if it weren’t for all the people.” For the record, I am the people.

After my family and I left that church, I took a sabbatical and worked at a Christian bookstore for a few months. Even in all of my hurt, God gave me an amazing gift… He surrounded me with some of the most amazing men and women of God, all of which were co-vocational ministers (aka bi-vocational ministers). During this time, He opened my eyes to the plight of co-vocational ministers, paid or unpaid. This became my passion and purpose. Finally, He used these amazing men and women to do something miraculous, He healed my heart and restored my call to Worship Ministry. My sabbatical only lasted about a year, but that was enough. I knew I had to support these men and women in whatever way I could.

A little backstory, I am a 5th generation Music Minister/Worship Pastor/Song Leader. Whatever you want to call it, the men in my family have been leading it for more than 100 years. There are many, many things I don’t know, but I know Church Music. I grew up on the old hymns, singing Southern Gospel with my Dad, uncles, and sisters with my Mom on the piano. I have three post-secondary degrees in Church Music. I can’t do much in the “real world,” but I know Church Music. I have been incredibly blessed to have been as exposed and trained as I have been. It’s not a gift that I take lightly, as I know many others have accepted a call to Worship Ministry without the training and resources that I have been blessed with. So when it came time to work on my doctoral dissertation, I knew what I needed to do. God had given me a passion for the plight of the co-vocational Worship Pastor.

Many of the men I grew to know during that brief period of secular work had surrendered a call to the ministry without the benefit of a theological education, or even church resources to receive any education or training in their area of ministry. The few co-vocational ministers that have the benefit of a seminary degree often graduated from seminary with the understanding that they would always be employed full-time, leaving them unable to properly provide for their family with a marketable skill when God calls them to a co-vocational role. Even our post-secondary institutions have failed to provide much training in the way of an affordable certificate program for anyone except a Senior Pastor. You would be hard-pressed to find any educational resources for the co-vocational minister called in any other area of ministry other than to shepherd a church.

I serve in a SBC church. Theologically, I align with the Baptist Faith and Message. I love our emphasis on cooperation in missional strategies. I appreciate our heart for Disaster Relief, Right to Life causes and the inerrancy of Scripture. Where I feel the Convention has failed is the support of co-vocational ministers. Sure, there are a lot of resources (still not nearly enough) available to support the co-vocational Senior Pastor, but virtually none if you are a co-vocational Worship Pastor, Youth Pastor, Children’s Pastor, etc. Bickers states, “Despite being told by various denominational leaders that their numbers of bi-vocational ministers were growing and are expected to keep growing, I could find no denomination with a staff person specifically designated to work with bi-vocational ministers and their churches.” (p. 20) I can confirm through my own interviews conducted with convention officials, no denominational role exists solely for the support and encouragement of the co-vocational pastor.

If you are looking for support for the Senior Pastor or “ministers” in general, your best bet would be to look to the individual state conventions. Many states have allocated resources and personnel to support the co-vocational minister, although none are allocated to the specific needs of the Worship Pastor, such as musical knowledge, theory, song selection, worship team training, etc. Our best bet is to come alongside our brothers and sisters through personal mentoring, prayer, and resource sharing.

And what about the future of the Church and its leadership? As churches are, for the most part, declining in numbers and in financial giving, the number of co-vocational ministry positions will probably only continue to rise. Have we, as the Church, made a space for the gifts and calling of the co-vocational pastors in every ministry area? Have we built the support systems necessary to walk alongside those called to “tent make” in their own specific ministry areas? How can we, as the full-time Worship Pastors, stand in the gap for our brothers and sisters serving in a co-vocational capacity?

Unfortunately, I have more questions than answers.

Currently, I lead a group of local area Worship Leaders we call a Worship Leader Collective. We have created an open dialogue of sharing and prayer. Currently, we have 6 full-time Worship Pastors in our county and over 50 co-vocational or volunteer Worship personnel. The 6 of us meet weekly for prayer and study. We devote much of that time to the support and encouragement of our brothers and sisters serving co-vocationally. I know any of the 5 men I meet with would move Heaven and earth to answer the call to serve one of our co-vocational leaders. They have created an atmosphere of cooperation and support that I am blessed to be a part of. After all, the Kingdom of God doesn’t just mean my church, or yours.

The bottom line is that we can do better. I can do better. Churches are lighthouses. Lighthouses don’t compete. They help each other shine. As a full-time Worship Pastor with resources and education to spare, it is my job to support those co-vocational ministers in my area. I can help them with ideas, supplies, resources and prayer. I can share my blessings to further the Kingdom of God in my area. I bet many who read this can too.

Sources & Further Reading

Bickers, Dennis W. The Art and Practice of Bivocational Ministry: A Pastor’s Guide. Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013.

Blakeney, Donald Oren, “The Rise of the Part-Time Worship Leader in the Mid-Size Southern Baptist Church” (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2083.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2083

Ditmer, Bob. “7 Years of Decline in SBC Have Members Feeling ‘blue’.” Church
Leaders (August 28, 2018). https://churchleaders.com/news/332036-southernbaptists-are-feeling-the-blues.html.

Gray, Rudy. “From the Editor: A Closer Look at the SBC’s Decline.” The Baptist
Courier (February 7, 2018). https://baptistcourier.com/2018/02/a-closer-look-atthe-sbcs-decline/.

LaRochelle, Robert. Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church. Cleveland, Ohio: Pilgrim
Press, 2010.

Merritt, James. “Jesus: The First Bivocational Pastor.” Touching Lives (blog), August 8https://touchinglives.org/2017/08/08/jesus-first-bivocational-pastor/.

Parsley, Ross. Messy Church: A Multigenerational Mission for God’s Family. Colorado
Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2012.

Picardo, Rosario, and Michael Slaughter. Ministry Makeover: Recovering a Theology for Bi-Vocational Service in the Church. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock
Publishers, 2015.

Sharp, Tim. Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their Voice. Chicago, Illinois: GIA Publications, Inc., 2011.

Thompson, M. Greg. “Confessions of a Bi-Vocational Baptist Preacher.” Baptist History and Heritage 40, no. 2 (Spring 2005). http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=vic_libe
rty&id=GALE%7CA134257565&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon.


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