ooo sorry for the slight delay in updates. ok here they come! prepare yourself!
alright. this week we had external speaker Jarvis Tan talking to us about how to lead a p&w session. it was a cozy number that we got so we were able to sit in a circle and throw questions back at him all throughout the session.
we opened with a mini worship session. Jarvis mentioned that extroverted people would tend to find p&w more natural to them - since they talk to think, rather than think to talk (like introverts do). so they're generally more comfortable with this form of prayer than introverts are. during the worship itself he also told us that opening our palms up was symbolic of receiving, and raising our arms up signified surrender.
also, we should be comfortable with silence - such comfort is a pre-requisite to worshipping best. many people think that the louder the music is, the better, but the highest point of worship really is in silence.
1. origin of music.
what was it created for?
Jarvis opened the question to the floor. communication, celebration, entertainment were but some of the answers he received from us.
there are many theories as to how music came about. one of them involved lucifer - the angel of light or music.
the bible describes him as having instruments coming out of his body. like he was music itself!
he would lead the angels in praise and worship of God - put in context, he was like the 'worship leader'.
unfortunately, he wanted the praise and worship that God received for himself. this led him to be banished from heaven to earth and subsequently hell.
thus music, in its broken form, came to earth when satan was cast down here!
and praise and worship is meant for praising God!
praise and worship seemed to be lost from the Catholic Church for a while - much focus was on liturgical music, where everything had to be by the book. as we have learnt, there are many strict guidelines as to how exactly liturgical music had to be.
the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was instrumental in bringing praise and worship back to the Catholic Church.
more about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal!
2. Importance of music in worship
music appeared in the bible 829 times!
in God's temple, 4000 people were specially assigned the task to sing.
the singing went on for 24 hours a day (yes the 4000 people took turns. haha!)
there are 200 scripture passages that tell us to sing!
so, as we can see, the importance of music in worship was emphasised from the start. ^^
after we convinced ourselves of that, we proceeded to more p&w-specific talk.
in p&w, we tell people to give glory to God.
it is important for us to have an end in mind. what's the highest point of any p&w session that we could possibly achieve?
Jarvis shared his experience of a glory cloud coming down unto the place.
God was so tangibly there till no one could stand to minister.
this is the highest form of worship in contemporary style!
being in the worship team, we should strive to allow people to come into very close encounter with God.
this is not about emotionalism!
yes, natural talent and human effort can touch people - hearts, minds.
a very human level.
not the level that Christian music wants us to achieve!
how do we touch the spirit?
BOTH the worship leaders and instrumentalists have to live the faith!
to move people's spirits, we ourselves have to be in a state of grace.
confession is a powerful grace that we Catholics are privileged to have!
we cannot touch others if there is unrepentance in our hearts.
we are the instruments!
prayer - inspire people to pray through prayer!
a person who truly wants to lead people in worship requires annointing of the Holy Spirit!
someone who is technically adept can only touch people emotionally at best without such annointing.
there is an absence of the spirituality that comes with deep prayer.
3. Is music a charism or simply natural talent?
natural talent - inborn traits/qualities. you 'have it in you'. it can become a charism if you co-operate
charism - a way in which God wants us to love people. we are an 'instrument' here.
so what's the difference? when you use a charism as compared to natural talent, you produce a result that is not your own.
God works through us to produce a supernatural result!! :)))
3 signs to identify a charism (universal, not just pertaining to music):
- experiencing inner peace and joy. NOT superficial joy!
- there are visible, tangible results. people are blessed.
- when people affirm you directly or indirectly.
this is not a foolproof method, but it serves as a pretty good indicator! :D
alright. you may not be that musically inclined. does this spell the end of your dream to lead in worship one day?
really, if you have the desire to serve, it does not matter if you 'do not have the vocation'.
work hard and go for it!! ^^
Questions & Answers!
Q: Is it possible to tire out even if music is your charism?
A: If you're doing something you love, you will be energised doing it. You tire out when you're not taking care of yourself. It may be physical, emotional, spiritual or mental negligence. Do check if it is a matter of self-care!
Are you not praying enough? Take note of your relationship with God.
Q: How do you bridge different styles to attain flow? (Flow is attained when you're no longer in charge of what you're doing. it's like being in an alternate reality: you're like standing next to yourself, watching yourself do what you're doing. this is when you're truly an instrument of God!)
A: Preparation is important. Very important! Leaders tie up with the musicians beforehand and get to know each other better. If the worship leaders cause the musicians to not be in sync, it may be a better idea for the musicians to lead worship.
Remember that the event is simply a catalyst for the ongoing growth which takes place. Relationships are built and we mature as we journey to the end result.
ok! now for the practical advice Jarvis has for us.
week 11 MM session handout - practical tips on how to lead p&w!
thank you for visiting and downloading!! :DDD
jess
...making music for GOD!
