But probably one of the most frustrating things that sadly is very alive in the leadership of worship today, is the struggle with DIVERSITY in the body of Christ... this struggle for one stream or style of music in worship to be seen as superior, that struggle to be RIGHT!!
So, if you would allow me just to share about this today, and I ask you to firstly RELAX, and just hear my heart. I am absolutely no expert per say, but I am a leader who is PASSIONATE and absolutely committed to the Kingdom of God FLOW, the strength of us as a whole, for these are such strategic days we live in, and if we spend our time and expend our energies on matters which have no eternal significance... all I know is that there are REAL issues at stake where this lost and broken world is needing us to reconcile differences wherever we can, and get on with taking Jesus to the world.
1 Cor 12:22-31 basically says it all.
Every single one of us is uniquely different, on average we have 10 trillion cells in our lovely intricate human bodies, and if you were to stretch them into a line, they would circle the earth 47 times! We are so VERY different... CONFORMITY is certainly not what God was thinking during Creation... but UNITY is what it is all about. This is a very strong word, allowing for differences in method, but setting a standard for issues of the heart... a yearning for the reality of God in our midst, a continued supernaturally revealed understanding of the things of Christ and the work of Jesus on the earth today (see Psalm 133).
So when it comes to a gathering of worshippers and a time of worship through song, you must always remember that there are SO many responses that will accompany these times of faith and reverence. Lifted hands, face down in awe, shouts of praise, exuberant dancing, quietness and stillness, on bended knee, with unceasing prayer, songs of thanksgiving, songs of lament, feasting and celebrating.... and as many of you read, some of your hearts leapt, and some of your hearts shuddered, as our diversities came into play. Our preferences, our personal wiring making its entry....
Diversity can certainly make us very uncomfortable... but lets look at Psalm 122... as David said, 'I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord!' It speaks of how we love to go to the house of the Lord, that ALL the tribes will go up (and all our complexities as well! ) but in His presence we rejoice that He has saved us, redeemed us, and desires relationship with us, He provides for us, has set us free... and in WORSHIP, our commitment is announced again - I WILL do my best for You... powerful responses of adoring people, to a faithful God.
