Sunday Setlist June 19th

The illustration I like to use that defines the praise team's role in a worship service is that of a newly built house. The foundation and structure is in place, but there is nothing on the walls. No paint, pictures, or anything like that. The praise team's job is to create space for the Spirit to do His work. Houses aren't built over night. It takes time. Our team is continually on a journey into finding newer and deeper ways to welcome the Holy Spirit and have everyone in attendance, believer or not, changed in some way.

Maybe they come forward during an altar call. Maybe they make a decision within themselves that day to make a change. Whatever it is, that is what we want. That is what we are after. Not to impress people with our musicianship or get their emotions stirred up artificially. We want lives changed so that the Church will in turn go outside the walls of the building and influence this world for Christ.

Made to Worship (F)
I Will Give You All My Praise (F)

Offertory

Holy, Holy, Holy (C/D)
Healer (G)
Kindness (G)--this song was played during our altar call. A few women came down and prayed. While I was playing, and this is something I've noticed over the years (not necessarily in our church, but the current Church as a whole,) no men came down. While attending some classes at a Seminary years ago, the discussion of a woman's role in the church came up. There was a small faction of men who thought that a woman couldn't teach or direct a grown man in any way. Teaching kids was ok, but not men. The topic of female song leaders came up and some guys said that it wasn't scriptural because they would be telling the men which page to turn to. Ridiculous, right?

Well, my thought on the topic is this--where are the men? Where is the man volunteering to lead singing or teach a Sunday school class for adults? Why are there so many married women who come by themselves to church? Seems to me like the women are stepping up where the men have not.

So, as I noticed that it was all women down front praying, God started giving me thoughts. As we neared the end of the song, I spoke up. I don't remember everything I said, but it was to the effect of, "men...come down here. Come pray for your family, job, church, country....don't be too prideful, be a leader...." And sure enough, when I got through, we played the chorus a few more times and some men came down and prayed. It may have had something to do with what I said, but instead I'd like to think that I simply followed the Spirit and laid the foundation for them to respond.


Praise God.

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