Ryan Hebel encourages worship leaders to have variety in their music:
Here’s the thing. I have menu anxiety. The moment I open the cover to reveal a myriad of great options I can feel the pressure of a looming culinary decision rolling in like a summer thunderstorm. And those giant boards up on the wall behind the counter? Yeah… The problem is that I like *EVERYTHING. How is one to make a proper selection, when presented with so many great options?!
So you can imagine the proverbial tempest forming in my soul when I sit down with a piano or guitar and crack open my laptop, a few hymnals, and my bible before attempting to craft a worship experience that will equip a lot of other people to join me in the sacred work of honoring the Most High. Sure puts ordering lunch into perspective… However, the problem is the same. How does one go about making the right decisions? The BEST decisions?
Diversity and Variety:
Let’s be real. You can’t just eat Lucky Charms all the time. Yes, they are magically delicious, but they are only “PART of this balanced breakfast”. If we worship leaders truly take seriously the health of our worshiping congregations then we need to be attentive to nourishing them well. And that means diversity and variety. Too much of one thing and not enough of another can make for all kinds of “health problems”. A worshipping community needs to be constantly nourished by the full bounty of what God has made available to his Church in order to thrive. This means that a worship leader’s role in constantly compelling the Body to move from spiritual milk to solid food has to be taken seriously. And we’re working from a pretty sweet menu.
What can I get for you today sir or madam?
I’ll take your finest “All Creatures of our God and King”. 1225 was a good year.
Loading ...