You worship leaders, oh you tricky, tricky worship leaders. Every now and then as we wind down a praise song, you'll say something like, "After we repeat this chorus, be quiet for a moment and think about the words you've been singing. Just reflect quietly for a minute before we lift our voices back to God." But I don't know what "repeat this chorus" means because you always repeat things and change the lyrics and switch the pace up.
What I think "repeat this chorus" means is that we're going to sing the chorus one more time. But maybe you're not assigning any numerical value to the word "repeat." Maybe you're just using it as a verb that means, "Sing this until I feel like we've sung it enough times."
So what inevitably happens is that when you finish the chorus, when your secret number of repeats is met, I continue to sing the chorus out loud when I am supposed to be quiet. And somehow, everyone sitting around me knew when you were going to stop singing, so my secret singing cover is blown. They're all engaged in deep personal moments of quiet reflection while I am stuck yell singing, "STRENGTH WILL RISE AS WE WAIT UPON THE LORD!"
I can't stop that from happening. I think to some degree you've got to have the freedom as a worship leader to take the song where the Lord brings it. But that doesn't mean I can't say something after my loud solo chorus that helps remove a little of the embarrassment.
3 things to say when you're suddenly the only one singing:
1. "I love God more!"
Holiness is not a competitive sport, yet. But when you're still singing and everyone else is praying you'll probably feel a little like a sweaty Philistine. So say the opposite of that feeling. Just yell out, "I love God more!" and then throw your bulletin down like Eminem threw the mic down at the end of the movie 8 mile and walk out.
2. "Singing loudly is how I express quiet reflection!"
OK, everyone around you has bowed their heads down while you're still singing. But you know what? You've got to be you. You're unique. You're not a follower. You're blazing a new trail. Sure it's a trail that in this particular case leads to embarrassment, but it's a trail nonetheless.
3. "Holy Spirit, that was totally the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Spirit is such a mystery that maybe you ended up yell singing when you were supposed to be praying because the Holy Spirit was prompting you. Who is going to argue against you on that? Chances are you weren't paying attention which is why you missed the cue to be quiet, but I'm just saying, it's possible it was the Holy Spirit. (Please note: If it wasn't, you've just thrown the Holy Spirit under the church bus and should start praying immediately.)
I hope these tips help you audience members out there this Sunday. And I hope it puts you worship leaders on notice. I'm listening and watching and clearly not above yelling, "I love God more" if you pull a "discreet repeat" on me.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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This almost never happens to me. You see, I've learned not to watch the worship leader but to watch the pastor. I've learned his little signals for, "finish this chorus, I've got something to say" or "finish this up, University of Georgia plays at 1:30 and I want to go to lunch"
Of course sometimes his signals don't work if the worship leader has closed his eyes and is totally making bass player face as he gets into worship.
Completely not what I was expecting. We often have some worship song playing softly in the background while someone is leading prayer. All too often, my mind turns to that song and the words just run through my head - very hard for me to concentrate on the prayer at that point. Not singing aloud at that point, but the words are definitely going through my head more strongly than the prayer.
And I think I've been that worship leader Ed mentions above. :) Led worship one Sunday and completely forgot our normal order of worship as I was leading things.
This is worse than the half chorus switch, but I don't worry about this as much since the lady behind me really gets into it so she is the one that will sing like the entire chorus before she realizes that everyone else has stopped, so my one line gets missed.
BTW, if you don't know what the half chorus switch is that is when they will be singing the entire chorus over and over and then, without warning, they switch to just half the chorus. Most of the time it is the last part repeated over and over, but if they are feeling particularly tricky it is the first half or even the middle, so I'm still in whole chorus mode and they have gone back to the beginning already.
I retaliate by starting my own quiet meditation.
You make me chuckle.
Even Better, you have a mic, and miss the cue!! Bad things, but next time I will try the I love Jesus more and run off stage.
Umm, I'm not so sure one CAN "throw the Holy Spirit under the bus". Hello? He's God?!? He'd see it all coming anyway and just TOSS the BUS!
"Elmer, someone just blasphemed in church AGAIN and now we're up here at 500 feet! Can't these Pentecostals figure out the bus tossing is God showing his power?? I'm walking to bingo next week!"
Is it just me who constantly re-writes the script in my head?
only vaguely related was a singing episode that occurred while i was a kid in catholic school at a grade level church service.
almost as hilarious as yell singing. but not quite.
I think the problem with "taking the song where the Lord brings it" is that we interpret God loving a whole lot of choruses of "Yes, Lord, Yes, Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord." When you add the sign language motions you're required to do with that song, it can make for a pretty exhausting worship experience. If you haven't done some kind of strength training for your upper arm, you could cramp, making for an even more awkward situation when people realize you're no longer signing "Yes, Yes, Lord, Amen."
Stickers. How do I get SCL stickers? I want SCL stickers...
Seven letter German words now in word verification.
My husband and I lead worship at our church. I'm famous for not following my own husband's cues and beginning one more chorus loud and clear while he has just gone into silent prayer mode. He slowly turns his head and I get the "we only went over that 10 times in practice" look. I give him the "I was worshipping and got lost in the moment so chill out" look. It's awesome. Fortunately most of the congregation is actually praying so I think our secret is safe...until now.
And thanks jennym, I now have a godzilla-looking God tossing buses right and left in my head....:) Roaaaaaarrrrr!
I actually laughed out loud at this. Especially the "thrown the Holy Spirit under the church bus!"
Ha, the holy spirit one is hilarious. I really get annoyed when people do stuff like that. You try to confront somone about something a little suspect and they end up wide-eyed and hissing at you about the holy spirit telling them to do everything, and we all know you can't mess with people's holy spirit radar. "Sure...of course...my apologies for questioning the voice in your heart that told you to witness to people by telling them they are going to hell...that's obviously something Jesus did." *sigh*
Apparently I typed that with my feet, so here it is with corrected spelling:
As a worship pastor, I do it on purpose. I am going to weed you out. I like to take it one step further and, instead of repeating the chorus we just sang, I will go into the chorus of another song in the same key with the same kind of feel but more breathy. So now you are not only soloing loudly, but you are singing the wrong freaking song. Got you.
The ushers are instructed to then escort you out to a room where we take a picture of you holding a sign that says "I wanted a solo so bad that I STOLE one" and post it on the wall of shame in the foyer. You'll never make that mistake again.
I just want to be a blessing.
"Discreet Repeat" = Simon Says for worship leaders. You're doing it wrong.
Between this post and Micheal's comment I am getting stomach cramps! Too funny!
"Holiness is not a competitive sport, yet."
I think you just managed to explain everything that's good and bad about Christianity in one sentence.
Jake: that was excellent!
Usually I can contain myself, but I literally laughed out loud.
Hilarious.
Oh, Jake. That is so funny.
Now, I will get something off of MY chest...
I explained to God that I will only sing one chorus of Yes Lords or Na Na Nahs. So, those of you leading these songs, don't look at me funny and sing louder, trying to get me join in.
Also, any songs with verbs ending in -eth (like panteth), I'm changing to -s. So if you hear hissing in the sanctuary--that's me.
That's what the Holy Spirit told me to do.....
Perhaps I am not spiritual enough, but I have to say the repeated chorus is one of my pet peeves. It just drives me nuts. Let's just sing it once or twice and then be quiet and pray or whatever. Yeah, I know I kinda sound like an old lady right now...
JACOB SILJ: I suffer from voice immodulation Jon. I'm unable to control the pitch or volume of my voice. Also known as Van Horton's Syndrome, VI is a recognized psycho-medical condition which you may have read about in Newsweek or Crack Magazine. Numerous prominent Americans suffer from this debilitating disease Jon, including the guy who played Rodge on "What's Happening" and tennis great Pete Sampras.
Those sneaky, sneaky worship leaders. You should try being back in the sound booth trying to decide "Do I put the words up on the screen because a song is going on or don't put them up because everyone is supposed to be praying???" And if that isn't enough, the worship leader will "get in the spirit" and start singing words I don't have slides for, or a song I don't have listed in our software.
I'm so bad about commenting but I faithfully read your blog and I ALWAYS love it! You seriously crack me up. I always send your link out to our worship team when it's something they'd love. "The Bass Face" was a big hit at practice last night! I love that you are real....just honest in your thoughts!
Stop it! I'm crying from hilarity! Jake, I heart you. I truly do. Just for that one comment.Curtis...Crack...Magazine...Pete....Sampras...Stop!! You will recieve numerous side hugs in heaven from me for that one...
And sometimes the nah nahs are the only words some people will sing without looking like they want to KILL SEEK DESTROY the worship team....that's why we do the nah nahs.
And I have had numerous discussions with my husband about how we truly DON'T think we could physically sing of God's love forever...at least not if we have to sing that song.
Dude. This actually made me get all teary-eyed because I can't stop giggling.
#4. "I COULD SING OF HIS LOVE FOREVER! - What is wrong with the rest of you?!?!?!"
jake's comment = spew + snort
So much awesomeness.
Michael, my fave Godzilla-God-Bus-Tosser line: "Next week, I'm walking to bingo."
Jake: I totally knew it. But for some of us, that really is the ONLY way we'll get a solo. Please don't take it away from us...
Oh yeah. Jon, your stuff was pretty good too. ;)
Oops. Michael, you WERE funny. But JennyM, your bus-throwing comment contained Holy Spirit awesomeness.
hilarious. jake and jeff, you too.
Don't forget to check out the hand signals the worship leader uses when he/she is planning a repeat. It's stealthy, behind the back, but if you really look, you'll see the twirling finger.... the dreaded 'repeat' signal!
or yell JESUS!
This is the first time I've visited your site...I will definitely be back...YOU'RE Hilarious!
Mainly because everything you said has happened to me!
When I realize that lone voice crying out in the sanctuary is me...it's all I can do not to drop to my knees and crawl out under the pews!
Next time I plan to cry out "I love God more than you do!" and see what happens.
Thanks!
One morning a couple of weeks ago I prayed that God would give me something to laugh at, and not just chuckle or smile, but I wanted something that I would all out split a gut over. Later that day I found SCL and side hugs - now that is being "led by the Holy Spirit" :-). I've been laughing ever since and driving my kids crazy! Thanks Jon and all the "commenters" - Rosie - I loved "if you hear hissing in the sanctuary--that's me."
If everyone else knew when to stop singing and you were the only one who didn't, why do you assume there is something wrong with everyone else?
Also, "repeat" does not necessarily just mean once.
"Holiness is not a competitive sport, yet." Great line :)
Is Bass Player Face kind of like Dance Face?
Post and comments: a virtual shmorgishborg of hilarity! (Did I spell that right? Helen, help me out.) Having been on a praise team long enough to outlast five worship leaders, my biggest pet peeve is when the new guy takes a song that the old guy introduced and changes it all up cause his way is hipper and holier. This makes everyone who knew the song from before feel stupid for singing it wrong and really pisses off us worship coat wearing divas who have already worked out our amazing descants to perfection to the old arrangement. Must you only think of yourselves? It's not about you, dude. It's not about you...
I don't usually stop singing late so much as I start early. Those worship leaders are a tricky bunch, they are.
I must admit. I work at a church and sometimes instead of praying, I'll watch the faces of the congregation members as they desperately want to sit down. You can almost read their minds. "please whatever you do, pray or sing, let's wrap it up because I hate standing for 7 minutes straight!"
I'm not sure if you've written about it already but the awkward sit down/stand up routine at churches really annoys people and makes me laugh as I watch them deal with it....i guess I shouldn't do that. I probably need to pray now.
Rosie, we have a room and a "ministry team" for you too. It's called the "Ministry of Pain" for the belligerent (refuse to sing and/or stand) and those who won't make their kids be quiet. And you'll be wishing there was just a camera in there.
At least you weren't caught saying watermelon after everyone else stopped. Its really hard to turn that into something holy.
Having reviewed my earlier comment, I realize that the fact that I've outlasted 5 worship leaders and I made reference to the worship coat makes me sound incredibly old and non-relevant. For the record, I don't actually rock the worship coat, and worship leaders at our church have the equivalent lifespan of a Mr. Clean magic eraser. So, all you would-be worship leaders, polish up your resumes. You may not be "the one", but you might be the next one.
I'm actually saving up for an embellished jacket emblazened with a worship eagle. That's gonna be so awesome.
This is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. Laugh out loud, tears in the eyes, hysterical!
We need somewhere on the blog to collect lines that need to last in perpetuity.
Like mistymorningmountain's, "You may not be "the one" but you might be the next one."
It's even worse when you're on the worship team and you do it in the mic. I advise closing your eyes immediately when you notice you're the only one singing and make a really holy, worship face. That way, while you can feel everyone looking at you, you can't see it and thus have eliminated that awkward "you caught me being loud and wrong" experience. I advise keeping your eyes closed until you feel that no one else is watching you. That way you have passed that whole moment. Now the problem with this is that you may very well be the last one standing if your eyes are closed, because you didn't notice when everyone else sat down. So you may have another situation on your hands ...
Rosie,
Thanks for the props about my comment, but I can't claim it for my own. I would imagine that many of the commenters/readers of this blog have either used this as a pick up line in a bar or have been repelled by it; with the notable exception of all my Southern Baptist friends out there, who, of course, would never go to a bar...
Our church killed worship teams a few years ago. Via email. While we were all on vacation.
Now the new guy is trying to kill off the choir . His method? Saving money on sheet music and books and teaching us by rote.
BY ROTE people!!! We are not blind 4 year old illiterate bell ringers!!!
It breaks my heart, it really does. I can't even go to choir anymore because it's just back up for the worship leader.
I envy all of you who still are able to use your gifts. Mine stays with me in the congregation. I can actually sing quite well. I can even hit notes so high that people used to say "where's JennyM?" when they need stratosphere notes. Now?
Nothing. He and the previous worship leader KILLED the confidence of quite a few singers. Thanks guys. I don't give a crap how Saddleback or Hillsong do it. If our pastor wasn't so good, and the kids so involved, we'd be gone.
Aside from all the humour, I often pray to just sing again. But I need to be content in the crowd for a year or 7.
This will post as anonymous, but it's me. One of the singing wounded.
I am so guilty of doing this as a worship leader! I've said, we're going to sing this chorus again, and then sang it a couple times, then as projection switched to the next song, I said we're going to do the chorus again. It's a fuzzy memory but I think we did it a few more times. The projectionist was ready to strangle me by the time the night was over.
First time on your blog. I'm laughing outloud! I think your messed up! I like that about you!
write on!
Dear Anon @5:28,
My heart goes out to you. We make silly observations about praise and worship, but your comment was a somber reminder of how very blessed we are that God allows us to use our gifts. I recently left my long time church to plant a new church, and while I left my spot on the praise team, my new pastor is my old worship leader. I used to think that being on stage somehow enhanced my worship experience, but I've found myself drawn into His presence week after week right here in my living room! (Which is where we currently meet.)
I can imagine you are feeling frustrated and heartbroken. If you're like me, you don't just like to sing; you need to sing. Remember that we sing for an audience of One, and your worship sounds just as sweet from your car or your shower as it does from the front stage of your church.
to anon i pray that you continue to push forward! If you ever feel worn out. I recommend "Relient K" - Pressing on.
Btw to John I got the Lecrae album I can't stop listening to it. This rap rocks. I wish alot of other rappers wrote good stuff like this. On that note. Lets all be rebels for Jesus.
"Yell-singing"?! I FREAKIN' LOVE IT! I shall adopt it as my very own.
hehe....this post and the comments are making me laugh out loud at work.....and the babies are sleeping! (shhhh!)
Ah, as a worship leader this one is close to my heart :)
You know, even with music practices and other prep, I often find myself coming to the end of a song and feeling blind panic because I have no idea what's supposed to be coming next.
So I often pull a "repeat the chorus" trick to give me time to glance down at my set list and pre-prepared 'spiritual margarine' ;)
I'm not above a quiet grin when I hear someone singing after everyone else stops. But I'm just as likely to join in and repeat the chorus one more time a capella.
In fact, worship leaders and exposed secret singers could team up to annoy the masses by "accidentally" repeating the chorus over and over until someone breaks.
Anyone wanna guess how many repeats of "I could sing of your love forever" it'd take before someone leg drops the worship leader?
your blog is the best thing on the internet, i love it
HHHAHAAHHA i always do that
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