What is your Purpose?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

What were you made to do? Many of us may answer this question with a multitude of things, such as, be a good parent, climb the corporate ladder, help people, etc… some of us may even identify ourselves or our purposes with the things that we do, such as, our jobs, hobbies, talents, etc. In the end, the question is still up in the air… what were you made to do? What is your purpose?

Do you know the main reason God created you? It wasn’t so you could pursue your career, make the people around you happy, achieve your goals, or anything else other than to worship God. You and I were both created for the singular purpose of worshipping Christ in all that we do and bringing Him the glory He is due.

Psalm 29:1-2 commands our worship to God in this way,

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

God created each of us to worship Jesus Christ… the Son of God and Son of Man. You were made to praise His name.

Chosen to Worship

In 1 Peter 2:9 it says,

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

I love this verse for a variety of reasons, but one that is often overlooked is the purpose for which we have been set apart or chosen by God. We were CHOSEN that we MAY proclaim His excellencies. Ultimately we are called out and chosen for the purpose of praising!

Created to bring Glory

Often times when we are asked the question, “What is your purpose” we don’t think all the way back to creation… but we should. God had a master plan. Why would a all-sufficient, self-sustaining God go out of His way to create something that would rebel against Him. I would have answer that by saying… what is a better way of bringing yourself glory? God intended for us, His creation, to bring Him praise from the beginning. Isaiah 43:6-7 says,

I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

It is made through Scripture that they very reason we were created is to bring God glory and praise. What greater purpose could there be?

Colossians 1:16

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Emphasis added)

Isaiah 43:20-21

The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. (Emphasis added)

So instead of the question, “What is your purpose?” The real question should be, “Are you doing what you were made to do?” or, “Are you fulfilling your mandate?”

Given the Responsibility to Praise

Revelation 22:8-9

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

In this portion of Revelation we see John falling at the feet of an angel in worship. Did you notice the way the angel reacted? The angel rebuked John and simply said, “Worship God.” In other words, don’t worship anything else… worship God alone! Revelation is the last chapter of the Bible, and this is the last duty of man: worship God!

What a great reminder of our purpose. Worship is what we were created for. This is the final end of all existence: the worship of God. God created the universe so that it would display the worth of his glory. And he created us to see His glory and to worship it.

Romans 14:11

For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So worshipper, are you doing what you were made to do? Is Christ being glorified and honored in your life of worship?

In closing, say this prayer…

God, make me a door in which people can enter into Biblical God-honoring worship.

How Prepared are We?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am a stickler on being prepared. I feel that if you are going to do something then you better be prepared to do it right and to the best of your abilities or you shouldn’t even bother at all. So many times though I feel as if we as worship pastors get into the daily “grind” or routine and enter unprepared into one of the most important things we do each and every week… leading congregational worship!

You might be saying, “Woah! Woah! Woah! Hold on to your horses there hotshot… you don’t know my life or my habits.” That may be true… but I believe that if we prepared ourselves and our congregations to worship on a regular basis then we would be seeing so much more true, authentic, and Spirit-filled worship in our local churches.

I’ll put it this way… being prepared for a worship service means more than having faithfully practiced and rehearsed the songs to your accepted level of excellence. Being prepared is more than having a strict minute-by-minute or song-by-song schedule to abide by, a team of professionals who could play the songs forward or backwards at any desired speed, or having all your segues and cues polished and ready to go.

Being prepared for worship includes being ready to lead, sing, and play… but it also includes so much more.

God is on a search for true worshipers. John 4:23 says,

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

Are we being faithful to worship and lead in spirit and truth? Unfortunately for some of us that means we may need to make more time to prepare ourselves, and our teams.

Let me clarify one point before we dive deeper into this subject. We MUST prepare ourselves musically to lead worship. We CANNOT expect to properly lead people if we don’t know our stuff! So, take that as you will. We all prepare differently, but we should settle for nothing less than excellence. Our God is deserving of more than mediocre unprepared worship… and when we continually thank Him for the opportunity to do what we do and yet we don’t spend the time and effort to adequately prepare then we are blowing the opportunity we have thanked Him for. God doesn’t NEED us to accomplish His task and will, but He desires to see us used in His purposes. Prepare well and be ready to be used.

Now that I’ve made that one clarification lets take a look at how we can and should prepare for leading worship.

  • Prepare your Heart and Mind

It is of absolute importance that we take time to prepare our hearts to worship God before we set foot in the sanctuary on Sunday morning. True spiritual preparation takes time and effort and isn’t done in the fifteen minute gap between sound check and service.

In fact, God made this crystal clear when He gave the law in Exodus 19. Verses 10- 11 say,

The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

God called the people to prepare to come into His presence, or even near His presence when He came down onto the mountain where He would speak to Moses. The people weren’t even on the same mountain and they had to prepare! We are actually approaching and entering into the Lord’s presence with our worship… we should seriously prepare! We see consistently throughout Scripture and history that God wants His people to get ready to come near to Him, to prepare themselves for an encounter with Him.

When we take the time to think about what we are doing when we enter into worship, and lead worship, suddenly personal preparation becomes a priority. Take the time to think about the God that we are worshipping.

  • Prepare your Congregation

We know that corporate worship is of central importance. Psalm 22:22 says,

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you

We are to praise God in the midst of the congregation! Worshipping Christ together is vital for us as Christians. Life wasn’t meant to be done alone… and neither is Christianity. So think about it, you’re worship isn’t for you… it is ultimately for God and also for encouraging your brothers and sisters in Christ.

A runner wouldn’t enter into a marathon without specific training the same way an individual wouldn’t climb into a ring with a boxer without having at least put on gloves before. We should prepare ourselves for worship as least as well as we prepare ourselves for other things that don’t hold a portion of the weight eternally.

Work to both prepare yourself for worship as well as teaching your congregation to prepare for corporate worship. When we place specific value on something people handle it differently. Place value on your corporate worship.

  • Prepare through Prayer

This point may seem like a given, but when we get scattered and rushed it is typically the first to fly out the window. Part of our preparations for leading corporately needs to be specific prayer for our corporate gatherings. If we can make this a priority I guarantee you that it will help and encourage you and others in your congregation to keep your focus on the Savior King who alone has the power to save, heal and deliver all who call upon His name and who is worthy of all our worship and more!

We must cover our gatherings in prayer. Commit yourself to praying over your services. We can do nothing alone. Here are some prayer points that will get you started.

–Pray for direction. Pray that we are receptive to the Spirit and willing to go against our own plans if called to. My Pastor has repeatedly said to me that Pentecost didn’t occur because it was placed or scheduled in the bulletin.

–Pray that Christ be glorified. We must continually pray against any sense of pride that may develop within us. Our worship should be about Christ and for Christ. If He isn’t in it then we are just singing songs. All that we do needs to point to the Father.

–Pray for change. We must petition the Father for the hearts of the people within our congregations. We can have great services, but if nothing changes then all we’ve done is provided false security. I challenge you to pray for conviction and repentance, it isn’t pretty… but it is necessary and will bring change.

–Pray against the enemy. Satan wants nothing more than to make us as believer’s weak. A sense of comfort or idleness is a scary thing. Let’s pray against the works of the deceiver that can invade our gatherings and congregations. We serve a mighty God, a roaring lion that crushes the head of the serpent. Pray against the devil and his works constantly.

John 14:13 says,

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Hopefully through this non-exhaustive list we have all seen the importance of our preparations. Being prepared keeps us focused on what matters. When we’re spiritually prepared, we’re not as concerned about songs and arrangements (which are important), but the engagement of the congregation and the presence of God take the front seat.

When we begin to ignore the preparation of our heart, trivial matters tend to steal the show.

We also must remember that we have no right to come into God’s presence on our own. No amount of preparation that we can do is enough to make us fit, but we must be faithful to do our part!

Training our Emotions for the context of Worship

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

This week we will wrap up what has been a three-part series on emotions and worship. We have discovered that every person has emotions, and that they were given by God himself. We also have seen where they can be misconceived or misunderstood in the modern church setting because of people’s reactions to misuse or manipulation. In this blog we will work to understand how we can use our emotions to further glorify Christ.

While human emotions themselves can seem unpredictable, they are typically experienced for a reason. Feelings always follow what we believe to be fact. They tell us how our heart is feeling at a given moment whether we know it or not.

No one has to remind us to feel sad when we are at a funeral for a close friend, and no one has to remind us to feel happy or excited when we receive a gift or welcome back a loved one that has been gone for an extended amount of time. We don’t need to be reminded to feel emotional… and our emotions aren’t easily hid. We can claim that we are all “giddy” inside all we want to… but if we are crying uncontrollably then nothing we say is going to be satisfactory at convincing anyone of our “giddiness.” Instead, our emotions have portrayed a different story that is more “heartly” accurate.

Emotions are an accurate portrayal of what is happening within our hearts.

If we truly desire to do everything for God’s glory, then we must seek to understand how our emotions should function in corporate worship. Below I will bring to light several things we must train ourselves to do and think in regards to our emotions experienced in the context of worship.

  • Embrace them.

We have discussed the fact that everyone has emotions and that God created them ultimately for His glory… but that doesn’t always ease the mind for those of us who have been “trained” in the traditional church to suppress our emotions at all costs.

Let’s be honest… most of us have a fear of being controlled by our emotions because we realize that our emotions can mislead us. Maybe we have been misled by our emotions before and we have vowed to never let that happen again, or we have seen what we label as “ridiculous” over-the-top emotional reactions on TV or in person and are afraid that if we allow a leakage of our emotions then the entire dam will burst and that will be us that people are looking at.

But, worship is not based on feelings, instead it is based on truth. We worship God because He is worthy. We worship Him regardless of how we feel. We worship Him because He deserves it, not because it makes us feel a certain way. Allow that to sink in… we should allow how we feel about God to be visible because He is worthy, not because we like the feeling of an emotional “high.”

Our emotions aren’t a reason for worship… they are an outcome or byproduct of our worship.

If we are worshipping God because we just love that “worshipful” feeling then we are worshipping for the wrong reason… are we really even worshipping God at all? If our reasoning behind worship is to receive something ourselves then we are entering into worship with the wrong intentions.

But cold, unattached worship is just as bad. When we separate emotions and feelings from our worship what message are we conveying to ourselves, the church, the world, and to God? How can we sing of God’s greatness, grace, and love, and feel nothing? Our worship MUST have a proper emotional response to God. We must learn to embrace our emotions!

  • Point them towards God.

 This may seem easy and obvious… but you would be surprised how many of us unintentionally enter into worship seeking another emotional experience or high rather than seeking to encounter the Spirit of God. We touched on this briefly in the last point… our worship of God is for God! Our worship isn’t for us! We shouldn’t “worship” for a feeling… we should worship God because of the fact that He is God! Everything we do and say in worship should be directed towards God and His church. If we are worshipping because we want to leave feeling satisfied or “amped” up then we are worshipping something other than God. Allow God to move you into worship and allow yourself to be poured out for Him and Him alone.

With proper intentions and foundations comes proper God-honoring worship.

  •  Allow them to be the initiators of action.

 In part of my last blog I discussed how our emotions are meant to do more than make us “feel.” Instead they are designed to make us feel something that brings about an action… that action could be as simple as remembrance or as elaborate as surrendering everything you have to God and living your life on the mission field. Either way our emotions are an avenue or starting point. When we encounter God we should be filled with emotion… we should also never leave the same.

Here is an excerpt from my last blog discussing this very subject:

Emotions are expressions of our hearts, but without action or change they equate to nothing at the end of the day or service. Our emotions should motivate us to action in worshiping and praising God. Simply weeping during a Samaritan’s Purse commercial at the way children are living in third world countries does nothing, and ultimately everything remains the same when that emotion passes. But… weeping at that reality and then donating money or adopting a child makes a difference! The emotion is merely the beginning… the start of a response or change. Let your emotions push you into action that glorifies Christ. If worship breaks your heart because of your sinfulness in comparison to God’s holiness then make a change! Strive to be holy! Don’t leave your emotions at the door or the altar as you leave church, rather let them transform you into a better disciple for His name’s sake!

We should be striving to become more like Christ and our emotions can play into that goal. Allow yourself to be “moved” and “changed” for Christ!

  • Allow them to edify the Body.

Lastly, emotional expression is not just a matter of individual edification, but rather of corporate edification. In Romans 14:19 we are called to pursue what builds up the church:

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

So… just because we “can” express our emotions, and have freedom to do so, we need to remain aware of how we are affecting those around us. Biblical worship can involve a wide range of responses, and we are free to respond how we feel led but not at others’ expense.

For each of us that will look different. For me personally, I lead at a church where the worship environment is basically free and inviting for people to respond how they feel led. It isn’t unusual to have people shouting, clapping, crying, or even “dancing” at different points in our worship. In that environment emotional responses aren’t unusual and won’t distract from the worship environment itself because they have become part of it. In different cases people may want to use restraint for the edification of a brother or sister. Let’s face it, not all churches are the same in the way in which they worship… but that is OKAY!

Bob Kauflin puts it this way,

If I’m worshiping God among a group of people who come from a less expressive tradition, I will exercise self-control and seek to respond emotionally to God without distracting others. My understanding is that in showing love to my brother, I am showing love to God.

It’s not that we are holding anything back, instead we are using what God has given us to build up and strengthen others and the Body of Christ as a whole!

In closing, I do find it necessary to remind everyone that God’s standard for our worship given in John 4:24 has and will remain the same regardless of our emotions:

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

If the purpose or success of our worship were to be measured by our emotions, there would be no standard for how to worship or what constituted acceptable worship, because it would vary so much. Many of us have the truth down by singing Christ-centered songs, but have a long way to go in the “spirit” category. The standard God set is an absolute one, that does not waver like our emotions. We must choose to do what God says to do, motivated by our devotion and trust toward Him, regardless of what our emotions would encourage us to do…

If we pursue Christ whole-heartedly then our emotions will respond accordingly.

Common Misconceptions Regarding Emotions and Worship

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

 

In my last blog I began discussing a topic that has been a center point of discussion in the area of worship for centuries. That topic is emotions. Let’s face it… emotions are part of who we are. Emotions are part of what makes us what we are… human. Emotions provide us assistance as we interact with others and our environment. Without emotions our world would be rather bleak.

But… with all of that being said, we need to be aware of how our emotions are interacting with the things around us, and what they are doing within us in different situations. When we allow our emotions to go “unchecked” and have free reign to make us feel and act in any way they please we will begin to encounter problems. A “balancing” of our emotions is crucial to a healthy lifestyle of worship. Below I will discuss several common misconceptions regarding emotions and how they influence us in worship.

  • Emotions during worship are misleading.

Many are under the idea that if you feel anything at all during worship then it must be “fleshly” or misleading. But, in reality we are called to use all aspects of our human nature to worship God. We are to worship in “spirit” and “truth” with both our hearts and minds. Therefore, emotions are not of the devil because they were and are given by God Himself. All too often we rush to throw the theoretical “baby” out with the bath water. We have seen emotions used and manipulated inappropriately and because of that we tend to push emotions as far away from our worship of God as possible for fear of “messing” up again or going “overboard.” But, when emotions are authentic and directed toward God alone then I believe that they ultimately honor God. Use what God has given you to pour back out towards Him!

  • If I don’t “feel something” in worship then something is wrong or it wasn’t good or beneficial.

I don’t know how many times I have heard statements that express this exact feeling. It can be somewhat frustrating as a worship leader at times to have to be judged by the external feelings of others. This idea of “spectator” worship is driven by an entertainment saturated church. I hate to break it to you… but worship isn’t about how YOU feel. Worship is our service to God, not His service to us, and any benefit we receive from worship is a by-product and not the end goal. True and authentic worship won’t always provide you with a “good” emotional feeling. Sometimes worship calls us to reverence, sorrow over our own sinfulness, love and overwhelming thankfulness at the foot of the cross, anticipation of what is to come, etc… Worship calls us to evaluate ourselves and our own character in light of our Savior and many times that won’t leave us feeling “satisfied” or “happy.” But, our worship should evoke some response from us individually… we see throughout Scripture that when mortals encounter the presence of God something special happens and they don’t leave unchanged. Seek to encounter and dwell in the presence of God continually!

  • I leave my emotions or response at the door.

Emotions are expressions of our hearts, but without action or change they equate to nothing at the end of the day or service. Our emotions should motivate us to action in worshiping and praising God. Simply weeping during a Samaritan’s Purse commercial at the way children are living in third world countries does nothing, and ultimately everything remains the same when that emotion passes. But… weeping at that reality and then donating money or adopting a child makes a difference! The emotion is merely the beginning… the start of a response or change. Let your emotions push you into action that glorifies Christ. If worship breaks your heart because of your sinfulness in comparison to God’s holiness then make a change! Strive to be holy! Don’t leave your emotions at the door or the altar as you leave church, rather let them transform you into a better disciple for His name’s sake!

  • All emotional responses look the same.

It is true that every person experiences emotions at some point in their life, but it is not true that we all reflect those varying emotions in the same way. Not every person experiences or displays emotions in the same way as you may. Something that may draw you to tears may not affect another in the same fashion. We can attribute some of these differences to things like upbringing, environment, and context, but the reality remains the same… our emotions may be shared but our reactions or responses may differ. In the end, the response isn’t what should be judged because it is outward, it is what is inside that truly matters.

Our role as worship leaders is to actively engage and lead into worship and allow the people to respond in whatever way the feel is necessary. It is not our role to judge others for appearances that may or may not be indicative of their hearts. We must not allow our perceptions of how things should be displayed to reflect onto others and hold them to unrealistic standards based on their personalities and mannerisms.

So… in conclusion, it is necessary that we understand that God created us, and all we are, to fulfill the purposes of worshipping Him. We must not be fearful of our emotions, but rather work to point them towards Christ and the honoring and praising of Him. It is not about us, or our responses. It is all about Him.

Emotions & Worship. Part I.

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

I want to begin by saying that I could do 400 blog posts on this single subject and not touch all the aspects of emotionalism and worship. This isn’t an end all. That being said… I do plan on making this a multi-part series of posts over the next few weeks. I do hope that this can cause each of us to begin to think about our emotions, how we display them, and where they fit in the context of worship.

What is the place of emotions in worship? Where do we draw the line on emotional displays or responses? How far can we go before we are simply manipulating our emotions?

These are all legitimate questions when it comes to emotionalism. Questions such as these have caused considerable debate throughout the years and will continue to do so because of the varying responses you can get from each.

Why are emotions necessary?

I’m sure we would all admit that… emotions are a natural and essential part of life. God created us as emotional beings.

In Mark 12:29-30 Jesus says,

“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

After reading the passage out of Mark I would say that part of loving God with our whole heart must include our emotions. Think about it… emotions are the outlet for displaying what the heart feels. How convinced would your “significant other” be if you told them that you loved them without ever showing any “feeling” or “affection” towards them? Probably not very convinced. Think about a time you have given a gift and the person on the receiving end absolutely loved it. How could you tell? Most likely they displayed emotions of joy, shock, or thankfulness upon receiving the gift. If they had simply said, “Thanks, I love it” without smiling at all would you believe them? Nope. How come? I believe the best way to answer that question would be to say that, “Words alone can only express so much… but when void from emotion much of the meaning is lost.”

A husband shows his love for his wife by expressing feelings of affection or love towards her. In the same way, we should show our love for God through expressed feeling towards Him. A relationship partner wouldn’t be satisfied with a merely intellectual love… so why would God be?

The Bible is filled with the expressions of emotion. We see in Jesus himself displaying varied and intense emotional expression. He wept, He rejoiced, He felt compassion, and He righteously raged at those who defiled God’s house. Consider the strong emotions expressed from the Psalmists in these Psalms:

Psalm 42:1-4: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 84:1-2: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

In fact the Psalms are overflowing with emotion. David and the other writers of the Psalms got very emotional in their relationship with God. They weren’t scared of something that they couldn’t always control or contain. But… what did their emotions do? They pointed to God. You see… if we aren’t careful we can allow our emotions to take the front seat in our worship and to a certain extent we can end up worshipping the emotion itself rather than the giver and initiator of the emotion.

In the end… emotion in worship needs balance.

Many of us have a fear of being controlled by our emotions or manipulating other peoples emotions. We realize that our emotions can mislead us, and we know that worship is not based on feelings, but on truth. How can we stand and speak or sing of God’s greatness and His amazing love, and feel nothing inside? How can we not respond to His love by loving Him in return? Our worship needs to have a proper emotional response to God.

Ultimately our focus should be on worshipping God because He is worthy of our worship. We should worship Him regardless of how we feel because He deserves it, not because it makes us feel a certain way. If we are worshipping for any other reason or because we like the ways it makes us feel then we are worshiping the wrong thing or for the wrong reason.

If we say we love God with all our hearts, that we desire him more than anything else, that we count all things as loss for the sake of knowing him, then surely our emotions will be affected during God-honoring worship.

Just don’t lose one of God’s greatest gifts to us, emotion, because you have seen it abused. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. I challenge all of you, as well as myself, to learn to express our emotions towards God appropriately in authentic God-honoring worship and see how it changes the way we sing, think, and feel about God.

What is your Heart’s Song?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

What songs connect with you? Do you have a specific hymn or chorus that melts your heart every time you hear or sing it? Do you consistently hum or sing a melody when without music or while alone?

Would it surprise you if I said that God has given you a song?

To many I think it would. But in reality we are wired to make and sing songs to our God. Christianity is a singing religion who serves a God who is one day going to sing over us, according to Zephaniah 3:17. The human heart is an interesting thing… we as people experience emotional highs and lows constantly and without a way to express the excitement or melody inside we would be in a world of hurt.

Music is a powerful thing. Music can change the mood or emotions of a person, act as a carrier for suggestions, and even influence the mind and heart. We have all experienced a situation where we happen to hear a certain melody or a particular song on the radio and all types of emotions and memories arise based on past events. Now obviously that artist had no clue how that song would impact us individually but our hearts over time have tied all sorts of things to the sound of that song or melody. We do it unknowingly! We are undeniably musical and expressive beings.

The world has even caught onto this as well! Think about how advertisers use music to influence us all the time. They use those awful, but catchy, short jingles so that we remember their products while we walk past them on the store shelves… or in my case in the middle of the night while I am lying in bed.

What song are you singing?

You see, God has placed a song or melody on your heart and you may not even be aware of it. Ephesians 5:19-20 says,

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can sing songs with our mouths all day long but until we sing from the heart nothing is truly changed… nothing is happening. The world sings all kinds of songs, but we connect with music not with our ears… but with out hearts. The section of that verse hat says, “singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” signifies that when it is coming from our hearts we truly mean it and feel it. We are moved by it.

What is your heart singing? What connects with you? When the Lord gives us songs we should share those experiences with others and allow those songs to connect with them in their time of need and minister to them in the same ways they have ministered to us. Colossians 3:16 says,

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Share your song.

The importance of this is something that we often miss. We often get caught singing songs in church because that is what we do… but in reality our songs carry so much more weight than that. Your hearts song can change lives. If you only take one thing from this blog I hope that it is this:

Our hearts song can be used to reflect the works and glory of Christ to the world around us.

Why does your heart’s song matter? What does this all mean? Read the story below.

One man’s song…

Horatio Spafford was well known in 1860s Chicago. He was a prominent lawyer, a senior partner in a large and thriving law firm. He was a wealthy, had a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian and faithful student of the Scriptures. His circle of friends included many well-known Christians of the day including evangelist Dwight L. Moody. Spafford seemed that he had it all together, and was living what most of us would call a dream… but soon his life was turned upside down and his dream quickly became a living nightmare.

At the very height of Spafford’s financial and professional success, he and his wife Anna suffered the tragic loss of their young son. Shortly following, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 reduced almost every property Spafford owned to ashes, and destroyed nearly all of his investments.

Two years later, in 1873, Spafford wanted his family to take a much needed vacation somewhere so he scheduled a boat trip to Europe in order to give himself and his family a break and time to recover from the tragedies that had fallen upon them. Spafford sent his wife and daughters ahead of him to England knowing that his friend D.L. Moody would be preaching there and wanting to join Moody in his evangelistic campaign. Spafford had to stay behind in Chicago for a few days while he was delayed with unexpected business.

On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship Ville du Havre, the ship carrying Horatio’s wife and four daughters was struck by an iron sailing vessel and 226 people lost their lives, including all four Horatio’s daughters. Anna Spafford survived the tragedy, and upon arriving in England, she sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone …”.

Shortly afterwards, with a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving wife in England. As Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, his deep sorrow mingled with his unwavering faith in God’s goodness inspired and caused him to write the well known words that we all know as “It is Well with my Soul” as his ship passed over the location of his daughters’ deaths.

Spafford’s heart had a song…

For more than a century, the tragic story of one man has given hope to countless thousands who have lifted their voices to sing. One man who faithfully sang his heart’s song to God has provided words to those at a loss for words in the face of tragedy.

When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul!”

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend – “Even so, it is well with my soul”

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live; if dark hours about me shall roll no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

What is your heart’s song? Will you be faithful to sing it?

Who are you?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Who are you? What is your purpose?

I’m sure that isn’t the first time you have been asked or have wondered that for yourself? Who are you and what is your purpose?

This question definitely isn’t a new one… it has been asked since the beginning of time. I would say that every person (other than Jesus) has experienced an identity crisis at some point in his or her life. For example, Adam, the first man, faced an identity crisis when it came time to pick between the fruit and his calling as the first human creation. Who was he? Could he be better? He was deceived into thinking so and he took the bait…

We also see an identity crisis of sorts in the book of Jonah… The Lord spoke to Jonah and commanded him to be a missionary or preacher to the people of Nineveh. Although Jonah heard form the Lord, what he was hearing didn’t line up with the plan he had for his own life… he had an identity crisis. Jonah ran from the Lord and pursued his own interests. We all know the rest of this story…

Obviously we know there are other reasons and ways to look at the stories of both Adam and Jonah, but one thing is very clear… we all have a NEED for an identity.

An identity crisis is defined as:

A psychosocial state or condition of disorientation and role confusion occurring as a result of conflicting internal and external experiences, pressures, and expectations.

Too often, people base their identities on what they do or in the acceptance of others, and the perceived expectations that come along with that acceptance… whether it is a job, hobby, relationship, or even positive or negative remarks from peers. Traditionally, we’ve been taught to find the answer in one place…we are what we do. If I write, then I’m a writer. If I play music, then I am a musician. If I play a sport, then I’m an athlete. The world creates easy definitions of people and we look to those definitions far too often. We like to define ourselves based upon what we do. Somehow we have been deceived and allowed the things that, for the most part, we have dominion and control over to define us as people. We are allowing our identity and self worth to be found amongst the things of the world.

Are you being controlled or limited by the things that you allow to define you?

The truth is that God intends for all people to find their identity in Him alone. Our effectiveness as pastors and worship pastors is hinged upon us becoming comfortable with the people God has created us to be. Our identity is found and secured in Christ alone when we begin to follow him… we must simply accept that identity and pursue it wholeheartedly.

Below I will present some ideas that come along with finding your identity in Christ. Who are we? Here are some things to keep in mind…

  • A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 says:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

If we have accepted and are following Christ then we are a new creation. Our previous identities are no more! Your identity as a musician pales in comparison to your identity as a son or daughter of Christ. Galatians 3:26 says:

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

  • Tools of Christ

John 15:5 says:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

After conversion we become the branches or arms of Christ. It is through us that the Lord delights in doing His Kingdom work here on earth. Our identity can be found in Christ and expressed through the calling He has placed individually on each of our lives. There are particular characteristics that we are called to have or develop as sons and daughters of Christ. Colossians 3:12 challenges and calls us to better ourselves for God’s work here on earth. It says:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

  • A People with a Purpose

A lot of our seeking for identity comes from our desire to have or know our purpose… people want a purpose. When we begin to follow Christ our purpose is made clear. 1 Peter 2:9 says:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In Christ we have a purpose! God has given us an identity and a purpose to serve Him here on earth 2 Corinthians 5:20 says:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Having an identity crisis? Seek the Lord and your identity in Him will be made clear. Feeling ineffective or unequipped to do the job ahead of you? Pursue Jesus and He will equip you for the task before you. Be confident in your identity because it has been secured by none other than Christ!

As we all seek out our identities, purposes, and callings in Christ I will leave you with a challenge found in Romans 12:2:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

What are your Intentions… Servant-hood or Stardom?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

We live in an unusual day where anyone can be made famous for any peculiar thing. 20-30 years ago it took effort, it took a special gift, and a stroke of luck in many cases. Today it seems that anyone can be made into a sensation over night… from rags to riches, from shame to stardom. In the age of technology, reality TV, and YouTube popularity anything is possible I guess.

Just think about it, we have the Kardashian family who tend to always be in spotlight for seemingly no reason whatsoever, we also have reality TV stars who get recognized on a national level for merely living their “lives” on television. The world is full of large ego’s and people doing whatever they can to get their second of stardom… their moment in the spotlight.

So, how does this truth impact the church?

The “rockstar” or “celebrity” mentality has invaded the church like a plague and, for some reason, it has been embraced or accepted wholeheartedly. All around us there are celebrity pastors, authors, and worship leaders… people flock to their ministries, churches, or events just to hear them speak, to preach, or sing. Is this a bad thing? I would say not always. But, is this always a good thing? My answer to that would be definitely not.

With a large stage comes a large audience and a huge responsibility. How committed are we to stepping up to the plate on that task and delivering faithfully? We shouldn’t be scared of growth! It is a great thing! But we must be careful to keep our intentions in check. The truth is this: When it becomes more about advancing our desires, our goals, and our agendas than it does about advancing the Gospel then we know we have a MAJOR issue on our hands. When we are concerned more about the national spotlight than the community impact we have missed the mark somewhere along the way. Our “best seller” or multi-building church campus or complex is nothing but a statue to our accomplishments if our congregations are getting a watered down, “ear-pleasing,” form of the Gospel.

Here are a few things to keep in mind or ask yourself if you begin to become a “well-known” public figure… because we have said that it can happen to nearly anyone with almost no warning I today’s day and time.

  •  Respect or Idolatry?

Are we using our elevated platform to elevate ourselves… or Jesus? Are we demanding respect because of the things we are doing for Christ, or are we raising our own banner high to be worshipped? It’s a hard thing to distinguish. When we cause people to exalt us, or any other person, above God, we are leading them into idolatry. Stay humble. Keep your eyes on the prize. Worldly fame fades, but the Kingdom of the Lord stands forever.

  •  Who are we causing our congregations to follow?

People need leaders, and God has provided His church with leaders. How are we leading? Are we shepherding the flock and caring for the people within our community? Being a “celebrity” pastor will draw people in initially, but being a part of a community will keep them there. Are we causing people to follow us or are we pointing them to following Christ. Let’s face it, church isn’t about us, advancing our careers or goals, or even making a living for that fact. Sometimes the Lord blesses us with those things, but our focus must remain on Him through it all. We must ask ourselves… who are our congregations looking to? Who are they following? Us or Jesus?

  •  Sensation or Substance?

The Word of God isn’t popular. It doesn’t exactly cause or call people to be comfortable. Want to write a best-seller? Avoid deep theology and anything within it that hurts people’s feelings. Want to write a hit song? Keep it positive and upbeat, but don’t get deeper into the Gospel than surface level. I only say this to make this point: If we have to dumb down or sell out the Gospel to attain any level of success then that is a success that we shouldn’t want. Are we drawing people in because we sing or play so well? Are we bringing people in with our charisma and charming smile/personality? Or, is the Gospel so evident in our lives and words that people who desire substance want to be around us, to sit under our teachings, and to participate in our worship. We should never sell out substance and depth for experience or emotion. Let’s not cause people to succumb to our personalities, but rather let’s cause them to surrender to Jesus.

So… What have we learned? Is it wrong to have a desire to hear the words of a well-known “larger-than-life” pastor? Is it such a bad thing to worship along with the newest iTunes chart sensation? No! I would actually dare to see that we are wise to encourage people to seek out and learn from the best teachers, worship leaders, and theologians possible.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing to be well known for your ministry… if your intentions are correct. Just remember to ask yourself: what kingdom am I expanding? My kingdom? Or the Kingdom of God?

Pastoring and Leading with a Tender and Gracious Heart

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

What is your leadership style? How do you get things done? How do you lead and manage those around you and continually push them to strive for excellence even though the majority of them are over-worked and underpaid (if they are paid at all). This question is often ignored and we are rarely taught how to be effective leaders and managers of those who enable us to do our jobs effectively.

Ask yourself… how do I lead others?

  • Are you a micro-manager? Do you have to be at the wheel on every miniscule task? Do you struggle to trust others as much as you trust yourself to do the jobs at hand? If something has to get done are you the only one that you can trust even if others are more than able and equipped to handle it?
  • Are you passive in most, if not all, areas? Do you allow those around you to do “their own thing” and lead from the sidelines just cheering on your team? Do you work beside others to get the job done or do you watch as they perform ALL the duties?
  • Are you a commander and chief? Does your quest for excellence cause you to lead with a firm hand and stern words that strike fear into the hearts of those under and around you? Do you DEMAND respect from others in an unhealthy way? I hope not… and although that is exaggerated you would be surprised how guilty of this behavior most of us are daily.
  • Do you nurture growth in all areas through the things that you say and do? How about, do you nurture growth through the things you DON’T say and DON’T do? Are you a gracious leader who leads by example and works beside their team to accomplish the tasks at hand with excellence and faithfulness?

Did any of those descriptions of leadership styles “hit the nail on the head” when describing you and your style? I bet one of them struck a chord…

As pastors and ministers I believe we should challenge ourselves to lead with grace and tenderness to nurture and improve those around us in all areas. That description would best fit under our fourth option or style described. Let me explain why…

Often, speaking for myself here, we get so caught up in the weekly tasks that we tend to ignore those doing them and only acknowledge the tasks themselves instead of acknowledging the one(s) who actually DID the task. We can let time pass without giving things a single thought until we notice something that has been done unsatisfactory or not “up-to-par.” How do we break that cycle? How do we lead and improve/ grow people in the things that they do while showing grace?

The Pastor that I serve under, Herb Williams, has influenced me greatly by leading with a tender and graceful spirit, and by doing so he has grown me and enabled me to do my job more effectively. He has a saying that will forever impact my life and I think it is useful to all of us when put in a leadership position. He says, “I would rather make the mistake of showing too much grace, than make the mistake of being too quick to be harsh.”

An attitude of grace and tenderness grows people and nurtures relationships. Harshness easily turns away and causes dissention or discord.

You may be agreeing with everything I have said but are wondering, “What does this look like, and how do I do it?” Below I have listed several ideas or thoughts on how to develop others by leading with a gracious and tender heart.

  • Show Grace with your Words

Our words mean more than most of us would acknowledge. The way we speak to people can build up and make people comfortable when serving alongside us, or it can tear down and put people on edge and prohibit them from doing their job effectively. Gentleness is something that I personally struggle with. The one who knows this the best is my Fiancé Alaina. Sometimes I have to be intentional when speaking and dealing with her to be gentle. I would dare to say that it is never the problem that we have a desire to be harsh to others… for some of us harshness just comes naturally and that is something we must work on and deal with. When speaking with people we should strive to use words that are kind and gentle… words that build a nurturing and effective working environment.

In other words, be careful what you say and how you express yourself! Do you have some words in your vocabulary that shouldn’t be there? You may react to that question quickly with a resounding, “NO!” But hear me out… there may be some words that we say to express ourselves that aren’t “bad” or “curse” words, but they also aren’t helping us out when we are trying to connect and nurture others. Some things just come across as more tense, harsh, or dividing than others. The old sayings, “Think before you speak” and, “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all” ring loud and true and are very helpful here. After all, there are ways of saying constructive and difficult things nicely…

Love those around you. Grow them. Pour into them and allow them to pour into you. Nobody is damaged beyond repair, or inadequate. We all deserve to be shown respect, so let the cycle start with YOU.

  • Correct and Guide with Grace

Obviously there are times we need to correct other people, but there is a way to do that in a way that develops a constructive environment with the ultimate goal of doing things with an excellence that points people to none other than Christ. Our critiques and corrections never have to be done in a hateful or mean-spirited way. Instead I have found that providing tips and bringing to light areas to focus and improve upon gets the job done while also providing a teaching and learning opportunity for all parties involved. It may take longer to approach things in this manner, but overall it teaches and conveys things in a way that makes them “stick” through experience more so than a “quick-fix” method. In the end, we are here to pastor and minister and we have to accept the fact that all changes aren’t made overnight. A challenge that we all need to accept is to find ways to gently say what needs to be said and to promote unity and growth through our constructive guidance and/ or criticism.

  • Get YOUR Hands Dirty

 This point may seem like it doesn’t belong… but I assure you that it absolutely does. Every good and gracious leader divides up tasks and places trust in people, but they also lead by example. NEVER give another person a task that you aren’t willing to do yourself.

Do you think that you are too good for particular tasks? Are you willing to:

Sweep the floors?

Clean the toilets?

Sanitize after a disastrous vomit experience?

Make those hard home or hospital visits?

Run the Soundboard or projectors?

If you are above any of these tasks then get out now… You can’t expect another staff member or volunteer to do something that you haven’t, or aren’t willing to do yourself. Be gracious by making life easier for those around you. Part of any pastor or ministers job is to care for and equip those around them. Equipping someone may mean showing them grace and guiding them through a task… and I hate to break it to you, but that isn’t always a quick endeavor!

Are you caring for and equipping people or setting them up for failure?

  • Show those Around you that they are Appreciated

Think to a time when you felt under-appreciated or taken for granted. It’s awful isn’t it? Was it harder to stay motivated and to pursue excellence in the tasks that you are in charge of? I bet it was. Simple acknowledgements of appreciation go a long way in nurturing a positive working environment. We all hopefully have the same interest and passion: working for the Lord’s glory… but we have different avenues and ways of going about accomplishing that task. Support each other and provide recognition when people are exceling in their particular areas. Take time to say “thank you.” It doesn’t cost anything, but it can be the exact encouragement someone needs to press on.

On the same note, part of leading with a tender and gracious heart is to be able to acknowledge and intentionally apologize when we fail. We must swallow our pride, humble ourselves, and admit that we were wrong or that we came up short. We won’t do everything right and those around us know that… stop the act and admit it. If we are gracious in the ways that we lead others then I bet they will be when the roles are reversed. If you are tender and gracious in your leading then I bet you will have many people wanting to support you and pick you back up when you fall.

Be a gracious leader by rejoicing with others in their victories and successes and by supporting people through their shortcomings.

This list or collection of ideas obviously isn’t comprehensive, and I’m sure many of you could add great insight into this post. That being said, I hope you have taken something from this because I know I sure have. We all have work to do… none of us are perfect leaders, but we should always be willing to adapt and improve. I will leave you with the words of Ephesians 4:32:

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.