This is a summary of an article from the magazine Worship Leader July/August 2009.
Step 1 : Renew Worship Practices by Michael Neale http://michaelneale.com
The practices and systems you use in any given organization are perfectly designed to achieve the fruit they are producing.
In other word, if you are not seeing the results you would hope for, it is time to take an honest look at your practices and processes and begin to identify the places needing renewal.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
We must always review and renew our practices so as to not become stagnant, comfortable, lazy, apathetic and ineffective.
Even the most creative ideas can become dead orthodoxy if overused and never refreshed.
(항상 현재 하고 있는 어떤 관행을 점검하고 평가하고 새롭게 바꿔나가야한다. 어떤 사역에 열매가 없거나 기대했던것 보다 않좋은 결과가 나올땐 우리가 지금까지 해왔던 관행이나 체제를 재검토해 보아야한다.)
Step 2 : Release The Poets by Ross Parsley http://rossparsley.com
Ross Parsley
Ross Parsley is the Worship Pastor of New Life Church, a large congregation in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is also the founder and president of the New Life School of Worship, which is committed to training and equipping young men and women to lead worship in their local churches. Ross has been featured on numerous live worship albums recorded at New Life including the Integrity Music CDs Counting On God, My Savior Lives, I Am Free, and More Than Life.
Too much creative newness, and people will struggle to engage. Too much older repetition and people tend to check out. the balance of surprise and prediction; interest and familiarity are what contains the makings of wonderful worship service.
Worship leaders are poet. They create; they risk; they experience God and draw others in with them. We need more poets, artists, and musicians to renew worship in our churches.
Three ways to release poets in your worship
1. The Power of Love
The first work of the holy Spirit in release poets and artists must be the transformation from fearful, performance-driven people to loved, accepted, and discipled children of God.
2. Safe Risk-taking
Find ways to allow experimentation and risk-taking that will not incur the wrath of the senior pastor on Sunday morning.
3. Speak the Truth in Love
The secret to increasing musical skills and giftedness is not simply practicing your craft. In addition to personal practice, we must include the input and evaluation of others. Some churches are so full of “love” that they never tell the guitar player he or she is out of tune.
Step 3 : Study Worship and The Bible by Brian Doerksen http://briandoerksen.com
Brian Doerksen is a songwriter, recording artist, author, conference speaker and pastor. He is known for his many worship songs including “Come now is the time to worship,” “Refiners Fire,” and “Halleluah”. If we want our songs to stand the test of time, we are going to have to dig deeper theologically and be prepared to embrace a lifestyle of study.
One of the ways we are endeavoring to deepen our biblical understanding of worship is having a monthly worship gathering for all our leaders and musicians. Another way is working through good books.
Step 4 : Understand The Culture of Your Community by Calvin Nowell
Worship leaders have to be interpreters, of sorts – understanding the heart of God, while also understanding the language of their communities. This means taking into consideration the culture that they are part of it. One thing that I always try to do is find an effective way to connect with the congregation. Your language is music, and one that is in tune with what God is doing in your heart, community, and world.
Step 5 : Reflect on The History of Your Congregation by Todd Proctor http://deepermusic.com
As we intentionally consider where we have been, we rediscover vital lessons learned along the way. Reflection keeps us in thankful awareness of God’s part in leading the worship of His people.
Step 6 : Leadership and Teaching Worship by Steve Fee
As leaders and teachers or worship we play a role in the process of encouraging our people towards worship renewal. First we need to begin with personal renewal, and we can lead through teaching people to worship God as a response to events unfolding around us in our local community.
Step 7 : Prayer by Kenn Gulliksen
Kemm Gulliksen is a leading figure and gifted teacher from the Jesus Movement and he founded the first Vineyard church in West Los Angeles.
The goal is not frequent renewal, but continuous revival. We are not pots to be filled with water only to be emptied. but more like hoses that are connected to the Source, constantly being filled, constantly full, constantly being emptied out in service. We can only serve from overflow if we choose to stay connected to the Source. (우리가 흔희 얘기하는 성령충만의 원리와 일치한다. 성령충만하다는 것은 비어있던 우리 영혼의 그릇에 성령으로 다시 채운다는 의미가 아니라 계속적으로 우리가 말씀에 이끌리어 순종하면 살아가고 성령님과의 동행하는 관계속에서 계속적으로 생명과 힘을 공급받는다는 뜻이다)