Throwaway Worship Question in Auckland

     I'm preparing to leave New Zealand, where I've been investing some days in the lives of arts leaders and pastors.  Today, in a coaching session with about thirty leaders, one of them asked about the beginning of a Sunday morning worship service, and how to avoid worship songs that feel like "throw-aways" because so few people are engaged, or even on time, for the worship experience.  Everyone else in the room immediately resonated with this challenge, and it provoked some animated dialog.  I found myself oddly amused at how so many of the same issues affect churches literally all over the world.  Together we explored various ways to call people to worship, and how to model full engagment from the front, hoping to draw others in.  One guy also pointed out that sometimes we need to simply recognize that as artists and worship leaders, we need to "get over ourselves" and allow people some transition time as they come into church, full of other concerns and anxieties.  Our arts teams have already prepared themselves and been in rehearsal that morning - while others in the congregation are attempting to abruptly turn the switch from everyday life to the sacred space.
      We explored all kinds of issues today, and I don't think a single concern from these leaders was something I haven't heard before in other settings.  Yet we all find it to be incredibly valuable to hear that others wrestle with similar challenges, that we are not as alone or as unique as we think, and that this kind of ministry truly is daunting and sometimes overwhelming!  At the same time, we agreed that most days we still feel abundantly blessed for the privilege of ministry.  I sensed from so many of these leaders a phrase I've often said myself:  "I can't believe I get to do this!"  As always, I walked away feeling inspired by the perseverance and courage of these leaders, certain that they gave more to me than I contributed to them.  So now it's off to Australia, where I will do two days of workshops with women in church leadership.  I miss home, but I must say it's great to feel some warmer air!