The reason a cappella congregational singing is fabulous stems from the fact that it only works well when everyone is involved; to do it well demands participation. Isn’t worship a participatory activity?

I hope to secure more photos later.

I sure hope you can join us for our 30th Anniversary, June 30 – July 3 in Nashville, TN at Lipscomb University. There will be many concerts as well as some outstanding congregational singing.

Training and preparation makes all the difference in the quality of worship. Song leaders should always utilize a pitch pipe to avoid the worship-distracting practice of singing songs too high or too low.

Worship leaders need to drive the tempo to prevent a total energy drain. This needs to be accomplished through a balanced approach so that the leader’s voice is not overpowering the congregation.

Planning, team building and conflict resolution skills are essential in being effective. All of these topics and more are addressed by experts during a week of advanced training at the Worship Leader Institute.  Not for beginners, the WLI is an opportunity for talented leaders to improve their leadership skills through the best, individualized training.

Many churches place most of the emphasis on the pulpit and their expectations of the preacher. It’s past time that congregations invest in their singing and worship. After all, worship involves everyone.  For congregations who wish to encourage and sponsor their talented leaders for advanced training, contact Bill@Acappella.com for information on how to apply for the Worship Leader Institute.

Here’s an example that has impressed me lately. Does your congregation have a “Celebrate Recovery” ministry? Our home congregation has a vibrant CR ministry and I’ve been blessed every time I’ve attended. In fact, my repeated impressions have been, “This is how church is supposed to be,” and “This is how all of us should worship.” One cannot help but be moved by the passion and expression of Christians praising God with a total dependence and abandon — reminding me of the woman with the alabaster jar at the feet of Jesus — Authentic, transparent, heart-felt worship is difficult to miss.  I bring up Celebrate Recovery because, much more than a tired cliche’, I believe that the church is to be a “hospital for sinners,” not a “country club for saints.” The CR assemblies (and ministries like CR) are regularly accompanied with serious sessions and effective strategies to deal with spiritual healing.

Our hearts break to hear of precious people who have been rejected and abandoned by the church. I thought we’d start with this topic in our series of discussions.  Are churches effectively ministering to the broken-hearted and to those with special challenges? Why do so many feel abandoned and neglected?

¹⁶ He (Jesus) went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”^[f]

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Luke 4:16-20

Here’s an article by Bobby Valentine that articulates what all disciples need to hear: http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com/2010/10/jesus-mission-our-mission-and-logic-of.html

Are we helping people connect with truly “Good News?” Are seekers finding healing and freedom? In short, do our ministries resemble the ministry of Jesus? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

There is no doubt that there are a number of factors that contribute to such a radical decline. Although I can’t offer scientific evidence, Sharon and I absorb a rare perspective through observing the church from a broad scope through our travels.  A couple of conclusions have become obvious:  1. A large number of churches do not place adequate priority upon their worship, and 2. A significant number of members are leaving our congregations in search of more meaningful worship experiences. I’m convinced this trend can be turned around through worship renewal.

People from many different church backgrounds read this blog, but I’m guessing that some of the trends are similar across various denominations – - and I welcome your comments.

What are your thoughts? Do think the church decline (referenced in the article) is tied in any way to worship and/or music? Do you believe that leaders should re-examine their assemblies? Are people leaving congregations for reasons connected to worship or music?

I pray that we can find effective solutions.  Thanks for sharing in this discussion.

How wonderful it would be if church leaders would trade their emphasis of polished presentations for a compelling call to mobilize every disciple into meaningful service and worship. Equipping the priesthood of believers to become actively engaged requires an emphasis upon education. Worship training is no exception.

There is no greater joy than witnessing this type of transformation, as we regularly experience through the Praise & Harmony Workshops. Our goal is to equip the entire church to be “the choir,” celebrating the fact that everyone’s voice is important.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Contact Bill@Acappella.com about hosting a Praise & Harmony Workshop at your home church. Talk to others who have and learn about the long-term, practical benefits.

Photo by Kevin Bradfield – This shot was taken at a Praise & Harmony Workshop in Martinez, California last weekend. The Martinez Church has already booked a follow-up Workshop for 2013.  The focus of the workshop is to provide long term improvements in singing and worship.