Compelling Worship

Here at my church we have a vision statement that is “...to be a church that is locally focused and globally engaged with an undeniable influence for Christ.” We have strategies that help us fulfill that mission and vision. One of the strategies that really impacts what we do as worship leaders is the strategy of having “Compelling Worship” in our services every weekend.

“Compelling Worship,”can be defined as worship that captures and holds someone’s attention, empowers that person to believe a truth (The Truth), and moves that person to act upon that truth. Isn’t that exactly what we want to happen in worship? We want to propel people towards Christ in our music and we act on and off the stage.

The great thing about this is that we do not have to do this alone. We don’t have to worry about how to compel people or motivate them with what we do alone. I believe that the responsibility to have Compelling Worship is a joint effort that we co-produce with the Holy Spirit. This does not mean we just get to sit back and do nothing, but that we do this with the help of the Holy Spirit.

This means that we have to worry about being good stewards of our gifts and abilities while also being authentic in our worship. We can come and sing all the songs and do all of the “right” things but if we are not genuinely worshipping we will not draw people to God. In Isaiah 29:13: “The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” If we are not compelled, how are we going to compel people?

We should worship with a burning passion to bring worth and honor to God. That is what we can do to make a difference in our times of worship. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

After we do our part and present it to God, the Holy Spirit then begins to move and work in the hearts and minds of people. The Holy Spirit compels, comforts, instructs, and leads people. There is nothing we as worship leaders can do to replicate what the Holy Spirit does on our own. We have to rely and lean into the Holy Spirit to make our worship so compelling to make a lasting impact in life change for people in our church.

As we lead worship every Sunday whether we are playing an instrument, singing, or helping lead worship from one of our technical areas, let us strive to connect people to the greatness of God by letting compelling worship start in our hearts first.