Real Worship

Today was my first Sunday back after a two week break and what a Sunday it was!

While I was on holiday, one of the things God was speaking to me about was the power of praise. I knew that on this first Sunday back I was to encourage the congregation to enter into praise with a renewed fervour and passion. So, over several days before the service I began to read around the subject and got a vision of me stood before them, reading scripture and encouraging their faith – declaring what happens when God’s people praise Him.

The first song on the set list was Chris Tomlin’s “Forever”. The band began playing the chord progression for the chorus while I read from Isaiah 12:4-6. I began to declare that God was great in our midst, saying that He “inhabits the praises of His people” (Ps 22:3) – as we bring what we have (our faith-filled praises), the almighty creator of the universe brings all that He is; we enter His presence & the kingdom of God invades the earth. What an explosive start!

The set list this week looked like this:

• Forever (Chris Tomlin) Ali
• Your Grace Is Enough (Chris Tomlin) Mike
• From The Inside Out (Hillsong United) Mike
• How Great Is Our God (Chris Tomlin) Mike
• Everlasting One (Ali Loaker) Ali
• Who Is There Like You (Ali Loaker) Ali

Right from the outset there was an excitement and an expectancy of what would happen as we met with God. The worship flowed freely & passionately, interwoven with prophetic words, healing and a tangible sense of God’s presence. This was great because there were a number of visitors who don’t yet know God. For everyone present, there would have been no doubt that God is real and He makes a difference in the lives of those who want Him.

It was great to be on holiday, but it’s great to be back!

Here’s week 2 of Ali’s guest blog:

• G Forever (Chris Tomlin) Ali
• G Come love of God (Ali Loaker) Ali

–(Notices)–

• Em The voice of the lord (Ali Loaker) Ali
• Em More than life (Hillsong United) Ali
• Bm Did you rise the sun (Hillsong United) Teash
• Am A thousand miles (Ali Loaker) Ali

“This Sunday was the first time in a while we have had the go ahead to play praise songs after the notices. We were playing before the service and God gave me a picture of us marching into battle with a ‘kingdom of God’ flag raise high above our heads (Isiah 59:19). I started the service by reciting this verse and letting everybody know the direction God wanted to go in today.

The first two songs went well and I encouraged the congregation to use them as a pathway on to the battlefield because breakthrough is in the air. The breakthrough never came unfortunately or at least not to the natural eye!

Worship went well with Teash leading her first song. She did really well and managed to remember all of the hand signals etc…

Cheers

Ali”

Week 1 of my holiday.  Here’s what Ali had to say about the service:

“Sunday went well, there was no real ‘topic’ or subject that the service was about but it did not seem to matter.

Set List:

• I will Exalt (Ali Loaker)
• My Best friend  (Hillsong)
• You’re all I want (Kelly Carpenter)
• Light of the world  (Matt Redman)
• I run to you (Ali Loaker)
• A thousand miles (Ali Loaker)

The service got off to a bang with ‘I will exalt’ and everything went well up to the notices, the songs seemed to lift the congregation.  I led the whole service with Mike away on holiday (this left a noticeable hole in the band!).  I felt that they should have gone into another praise song after the notices but did not have one ready in time so we launched into ‘Draw me close’ which actually created a lot of intimacy with the pastor declaring that the power of God was stronger than usual.  I challenged the congregation to ‘lay down their lives again’ as they did when they first came to Christ.

‘Light of the World’ bridged the gap to the next song and the calm, peaceful atmosphere continued.  ‘I run to you’ brought the congregation right into the intimate prescence of God and there were some tears as people who were hurting realized there is hope for them.  Musically it was all a bit simple but it seemed to do enough to lead people into God’s prescence.  The service ended with a little boy being dedicated to God; Rachel stopped playing the keyboard despite telling her to continue and then Pastor Mark motioned to her to continue.  The lesson learnt was: Always do what the worship leader asks – even if it makes you uncomfortable!  Most of the time he or she will be right!

Cheers

Ali”