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A Structure Runs Through It
Both free-flowing praise and traditional hymns can be included in an extended time of worship.
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Some musicians, not to mention some longtime church members, find the move to worship choruses in today's churches threatening. Organists, for example, can have difficulty getting the proper feel for choruses with a pipe organ, and they fear they will eventually find themselves on the periphery of the music ministry. Others, raised on traditional hymns, find choruses repetitive and boring, the free-flowing praise format undisciplined and aimless. At the same time, still others find the "hymn/announcements/hymn/offering" order of service disjointed and distracting. And some younger musicians don't identify with the style of hymns and gospel songs, and they contend that hymns and choruses don't mix. All are legitimate concerns. Can they be allayed? Yes! I'm not out to persuade anyone to adopt any particular style, but I believe we benefit by understanding and occasionally blending the strengths of diverse styles. If we become more comprehensively skilled, we are more valuable instruments for God's kingdom. Worship choruses won't disappear in the foreseeable future, nor will the call for hymns. Finding balance, to appreciate both expressive praise songs and traditional hymns, is possible. Both can be included in an extended time of free-flowing worship. What Is the Rationale for This Style?Eddie Espinosa of The Vineyard in Anaheim Hills, California, likens free-flowing praise to sitting down to a leisurely meal around the family table where you linger and enjoy fellowship and warm conversation with one another. He also likens it to a physical workout. Just as a sustained period of exercise benefits the cardiovascular system, sustaining worship for fifteen to forty minutes gives worshipers an uninterrupted, spiritual workout that strengthens them. Both head and heart can be focused on the Lord. Extended worship allows time to offer the whole self (mind, will, and emotions) to God without distraction. But leading such a worship experience requires a leader to understand the direction of the stream and how to channel the flow. Five Phases of a Worship WorkoutEddie Espinosa and John Wimber, pastor of The Vineyard, developed a five-phase pattern for their "worship set." In their worship services, the choruses were short, and their worship set was long. Rather than singing songs in random order, they recognized the need to smoothly link the many choruses and provide a sense of progression. They identified five different kinds of choruses and how they could be linked into a sequence. The five phases are (1) invitation, (2) engagement, (3) exaltation, (4) adoration, and (5) intimacy, with a summarizing closeout. Espinosa finds scriptural support for the five-phase model in (NIV): Invitation: "Let us sing for joy … shout aloud." Engagement: "Let us come before him with thanksgiving." |             |
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