Last week I had the opportunity to lead at Westminster Presbyterian Church in my home town of Spartanburg SC. The majority of people who came up to me at the conclusion of the evening were folks that my grandfather pastored while he was on staff at a church here in town. They quickly reminded me of all their memories of me as a small boy I once was in my home town.

As I was leading I was awakened to the beauty of people young and old worshipping the Lord together. I must say the week was filled with songs the band and I typically do week in and week out, so needless to say some older people were probably a bit startled at the style of music it was.

What I found to be really interesting was when everyone knew why they were there, there didn’t seem to be any needless offense in the room at all. People seemed to know they were there to do more than just enjoy music…..they were there to engage God. The expressions of worship that filled the room where various at times. While some people sat others stood and while some people extended their hands others kneeled and so on.

Another observation I made was how a familiar older song would gather people in unity and accord while a newer song would seem to propel people further in their journey of worship. I saw how open everyone was to receive and hear from the Lord.

Whether your old, young, charismatic, presbyterian, baptist, whatever…..I’m convinced when it comes to worshipping the Lord, the destination is the same for all of us…..His manifest presence. While the journey may seem a little different for some, everyone wants and needs a touch from the Living God.

I saw twenty year olds and eighty year olds lift up their hands confessing that they struggle with receiving the Father’s love; feeling as though they have to earn something before they can receive something. The Father wants everyone to know……we are his beloved children, in whom He’s well pleased. If Jesus needed to hear this before He produced one piece of fruit in His ministry how much more do we regardless of our age?

Many people received, praise be to God!

Just wanted to share a new song I’m working on. The band and I have been doing it live quite a bit and it’s been really powerful. The vibe of the song is sort of “hymn” like which is a bit out of the box for me. All that to say I really hope you enjoy a rough version of “Beautiful Rescuer.”

Oh great love of heaven for us

Ransomed children we are His

Made alive now walking with Him

Evermore His Kingdom lives

——–

The great beautiful rescuer, Jesus Christ

overcame on a tree all our sin

Death no longer maintains any hold on Him

We as well resurrected with Him

——–

Promised ghost of love so Holy

guide in power all our days

Never leaving or forsaking

Constant in the trial always

——–

Oh my soul rejoice, my soul rejoice

I am a proud father of two beautiful children, Levi and Zoe. My daughter Zoe is 18 months old and has the personality of her father big time. She has produced this high pitch scream when she now wants a certain toy, a certain piece of food or simply attention. Zoe now thinks the more she screams in her daddy or mommy’s fragile little ears the more she gets her way. This is Zoe’s little formula in what she thinks will produce results. I’m going be honest…sometimes this works (well…depending on the pitch of scream).

We all have these tendencies in our life right? We want to control the results so we default to a formula we know. We become comfortable with the actions we think will produce a certain response or gratifying reaction. It’s as if we think there might be a magic formula.

Maybe one week it looks like this:

Great opening set + teaching that stirs the heartstrings + invitation with acoustic/piano or pad in the background = people come to the front in response.

In the context of corporate worship within church today, I really believe we’ve developed lots of these formulas that generate baked up responses we as leaders look for in our congregants.

For me, from time to time I notice it is hard not to default into the formula of always playing certain songs, building up the music at the right time then saying a little word or prayer at just the right place in the set, already knowing what this will probably evoke from the people I’m leading. Being a worship leader, I used to think this is what the church expected of me. This is what I’m on the payroll to do…to use my pocket-full of formulas to generate a response through musical worship, then get off the stage.

Now I’m not saying that formulas are “evil,” per se, but it does feel a bit like manipulation, right? Rather than relying on the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of his people and creating space for response, we shape the response we have already dictated we want them to give.

You see, a formula will always stage manage the Holy Spirit’s leadership. I’m beginning to rid myself of this formulaic approach to leading worship. I don’t want that kind of control anymore. I don’t want to be the person generating the response anymore.

Here’s what I’ve found as a worship leader: A framework will always empower the Holy Spirit’s leadership.

I remember growing up as a kid playing in the backyard watching my dad pull out the tools to start another summer garden. We would plant tomato vines, squash and a variety of other vegetables. For each tomato vine he would place a circular trellis around the base. The trellis would do the following.

-It would give the vine a path of freedom to grow and produce more fruit at an exponential rate.

-It would keep the fruit away from potential weeds/bugs.

-It would give the vine more of an opportunity to receive nutrients from the sun.

The trellis, as you can see, provides the framework for the vine to produce fruit in. It empowers the vine to do what it was intended to do…produce fruit.

The framework for corporate worship looks very much the same. The framework of our worship preparation and design should be very much submissive to the Holy Spirit. When it’s not, it becomes a formula. The general framework I work with looks a bit like this when creating a set list for the order of worship. (a more detailed post will come later for further explanation)

-Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

-Songs of Prayer and Confession

-Songs of His Character and Holiness

-Songs of Intimacy

Of course all of this is submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We could be led to move right into the Holy of Holies corporately if there is a revelation of that in the room. It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through our identity time and time again.

Here are my questions for you if you’re a church and/or worship leader:

-Where have you decided what you want people’s response to be in advance?

-Are there ways in which you’re manipulating people to get this response?

-What might it look like to leave this kind of leading behind?

So this is “New Songwriting Tuesday” on the blog. Below you’ll find me playing a portion of a song that I’ve been working on. Typically when I write I can’t finish the song in one sitting. So here’s what I’d love….YOUR HELP. There’s a few songs over the next year that I’d like to openly share for those wanting to brainstorm their writing ideas with me.

The first song I’d like to share is about God’s faithfulness.

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” (Deut. 7:9)

I’ve got verse 1 and a pre-chorus. I’m looking for some chorus ideas. The song is in G. Email your chorus ideas to davidwalkeronline@gmail.com.

On your mark…

Get set…

Go…

It’s time for a generation to be awakened to their purpose. It’s time for untainted love to permeate deep into the human heart and find it’s home. Wake up oh those of you who sleep, slumber and toil in monotony. Be awakened to the Lover of your soul. His name is Jesus.

I am constantly contending that the context for corporate worship is more than a list of songs we do in a service. It’s more than a band on a stage with cute clothes on singing and playing songs while the congregation spectates from their seats. It’s more than a performance. It’s more than a one-way conversation.

It’s more than being concerned with the few people who actually posture themselves expressively bringing unwanted offense from others around them. It’s more than wondering why this person has his arms crossed or why that person isn’t singing. It’s more than coming up with a set list.

It’s more than playing all the old songs that everyone can sing too. It’s more than playing all the new songs that no one has heard except the people on stage. It’s more than playing the secular song you can potentially “redeem” because the teaching that particular morning revolves around its content. It’s more than spontaneous songs. It’s more than written songs. It’s simply more than a song.

It’s more than technology can enhance. It’s more than art can express. It’s more than media can display.

It’s more than everything I do described above as a worship leader.

There is a dimension of corporate worship untapped within the Church today, because we are underwhelmed. We are overwhelmed. We are unconcerned. We are comfortable. We are uncomfortable. We are offended. We are confused. We are sick. We are scared. We are ashamed. We are hurting. We are desperate and don’t know how to express it. We need a clarifier. We need a savior beyond what we can earn. We need to change the way we think, then believe it. We need a Lover. We need to be loved and then audaciously love back. We need to be one body and love one another.

Jesus is the Savior, the Mighty Intercessor, the great High Priest. He is the One who has given us unwarranted access into the Father’s presence. It is in this place that we live, move and have our being. It’s the heavenly place, the intimate secret place where the whispers of a good Father sink deep into the heart of a child. Truly, this is where we are marked and carry our identity from each and everyday. Oh how great Abba’s love that He has lavished upon us so we might be called his children.

There is a “Grace given” expression in every son and daughter of the King. This is a unique, definitive expression that no one else in the world has. Unless we release it, it will never be seen, heard, or felt. The Spirit of the Lord is upon this unique expression, not for the benefit of the person but for everyone else in their sphere of influence. The fact is, no one else can fully express their love quite like you in communion with Father. This is the definitive mark of a worshipper.

One of the of the most beautiful characteristics about music is it’s ability to open up and expose your heart. Music is the vehicle that soars down the highway of your soul. It paints a picture in your imagination like nothing else can. I find it does this more for me when the music is instrumental and has no written words to it.

My life-long friend, Robby Davis just released an instrumental piano album called “A Love So Divine.” The album is an expressive piece of Robby’s heart that he’s been sharing with the world. Here is Robby’s story of the album….

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Tirana, Albania to play piano with Campus Crusade for Christ. It was truly an amazing trip! After my first concert in Albania, a friend came to me and shared how my music actually tells the story of her coming to faith in Jesus!

 The following is an account of how the Lord used the songs from my album, A Love So Divine, to tell her personal story.

Lux Mundi- Before knowing Jesus and the love of God, my friend felt alone and often times disconnected from any peace or joy in her life. She had Hope that there was something more to life, but had no idea what that was, or where to find it.  She was lost and searching for True Love.

Daybreak- She knew that she was being drawn from darkness into light! From sin into grace! God was going to meet her right where she was, and extend to her an unconditional Love like she had never known.

Awakening- This was her moment of true understanding! She now had Hope alive in her heart. She understood Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

A Love So Divine- The love she had been searching for, for so many years, she now found in Jesus! A Divine Love straight from heaven. (1 Timothy 1:14)

Trusted- She trusted her Life to Jesus. After living a life separated from God for so long, she now understood and found peace in the knowledge that God can be trusted.

Soaring- The life she previously knew had been turned upside-down! She had found True Love in Jesus, and was beaming with this joy. In this new life, she would now soar on wings like eagles! (Isaiah 40:31)

It’s an honor to retell this true story for all who may read it.  

See how these songs speak to you… let your heart write the lyrics.

-Robby Davis

——Click here to check out Robby’s album——