Leading People to Worship

I recently read an article by Jamie Brown on performance-ism in worship...

Now, I have no desire to engage in a worship war of any sort! That is not the point of this blog post. I believe that we are to sing new songs and we are to celebrate the time-tested songs of our faith. I do want to draw out some of Brown's conclusions for you here. 

To move away from performance-ism or "worship-tainment"...Brown encourages worship leaders to: 

• Sing songs people know (or can learn easily). Sing them in congregational keys.
  
• Sing and celebrate the power, glory and salvation of God.
  
• Serve your congregation. Saturate them with the Word of God.
  
• Get your face off the big screen.
  
• Use your original songs in extreme moderation.
  
• Err on the side of including as many people as possible in what’s going on.
  
• Keep the lights up.
  
• Stop talking so much.
  
• Don’t let loops/lights/visuals become your outlet for creativity at the expense of the centrality of the gospel.
  
• Point to Jesus. Don’t draw attention to yourself.
  
• Don’t sing songs with bad lyrics or weak theology.
  
• Tailor your worship leading, and the songs you pick, to include the largest cross-section of your congregation that you can.
  
• Lead pastorally.