The Unquenchable Worshipper - Chapter Four
The Unquenchable Worshipper is written by Matt Redman, author of the song “The Heart Of Worship.” By posting about it, I’m not only sharing it with you but it gives me an opportunity to really digest it and think about it.
Chapter Four - “The Unpredictable Worshipper”
Drawing from the story in Mark 14 of the woman who anointed Jesus with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume at Simon’s house, Redman indicates that the woman was an unpredictable, untamed heart on a quest to see Jesus glorified. He makes the point that there should always be something fresh and surprising in our worship. Sharing a story of his own experience leading worship on one occasion, Redman says nothing seemed to be clicking when suddenly a secular song with a positive message popped into his head and he decided to play it. It turned out that this particular song spoke specifically to the circumstances of one particular person that night.
Redman is careful to point out that there has to be a balance between unpredictability and the desire to make sure that worshippers can keep up with what is going on. One helpful phrase he uses is to replace the idea of “worship leader” with “lead worshippers.” In the sense that the Holy Spirit is ultimately the worship leader (see Philippians 3:3), the human worship leader then “becomes more of a lead worshipper who tries to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit and throw himself or herself wholeheartedly into worship as an example for others to follow.”
I think the main point I take from this chapter as a worship leader is to make sure that our worship service doesn’t fall into the rut of doing the same things in the same order each week. In planning a service, I should always be open to doing things slightly differently or adding new things once in a while to keep the service fresh. In addition, I should be flexible enough to go with the flow of what I am feeling at the time – I’ve certainly seen things happen in worship that were not planned and were obviously the work of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s my favorite quote from the chapter:
“A relationship with the living God shouldn’t just fade away or wear out like an old pair of shoes. It’s meant to be new every morning, just like the mercy it responds to.”
Written by Brian Beasley.
"But seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt. 6:33
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