Things we value
Intimate worship - This has almost become a catch phrase in contemporary worship circles and as a result has lost some of its meaning. Perhaps it is most simply stated by saying we all have a longing to know God and be known by Him, understanding that it is only through the work of Christ on the cross that this is possible. In worship we seek to experience God in a very close way in order to gain the courage to expose our hearts to Him. Many of us can come to God quite readily through years of experiencing Him. Others need to take more time and faith to meet God in a very personal way in worship. We are trying to understand how we can remove barriers to intimate worship and discover how we as worship leaders can experience intimacy for ourselves and then help facilitate it for others.
Passionate worship - Worship expression should encompass the entire spectrum of human emotion from lament to celebration. The Bible contains no warning concerning the expression of passion in worship. Rather, there are only warnings against declaring things with our mouths that our lifestyles do not match up with. A genuine but passionate worship expression is fertile ground for releasing joy and creativity in the body.
Honesty in worship - We value being honest and vulnerable in our worship expression. Songwriters and worship leaders are encouraged to use language of the heart when writing or choosing songs to write and use those songs that express present, personal experience with God, not just those that are popular. Honesty in worship is a Davidic model and will serve to encourage the body to be vulnerable and honest before the Lord.
God focused worship - Unless our worship expression is ultimately focused on the adoration of God, our worship will become anemic and self-centered. In our honesty, passion, vulnerability and intimacy there must be a view to the exaltation of God Himself. This is where all the attention is now lifted off ourselves and onto Him. Their should be an element of bringing a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15). Although we always benefit greatly from it, worship by definition is ministry to God first.
Integration of all the arts in worship - Our creative activity ultimately finds its roots in God Himself. We believe that all art forms can be explored as they relate to worship. We are in the process of discovering how dance, poetry, painting, sculpting and other creative expressions can be explored both corporately and personally.
Excellence in worship> - Just as we pursue excellence in our spiritual walk and our relationships to each other, we should also pursue excellence as worshiping musicians and artists. This is not to be confused with perfectionism, which stifles creativity. Rather, we should seek to become as skilled as possible on our instruments in order to promote creativity the freedom that comes from being disciplined worshiping musicians.
Valuing the presence of God - God is present with us at all times; however, there are times when He makes His presence known to us in very real ways. This can happen while we are walking down the street, driving in our cars or in a corporate worship meeting. As worship leaders we look for ways to honor this manifest presence of God in our meetings and ask Him to make Himself known to us. We feel this invitation is honouring to Him and also recognize that often these are times of great significance to us as a body.
Leading out of lifestyle of worship - We believe that if we are called to function as worship leaders in the body we are also called to lead out of a lifestyle of worship. This means that the act of worship is not separated from our daily lives. We seek to be worshipers and not just do worship. This means fostering a lifestyle that is open to God but also open to others. Living in community offers us a chance to practice a worshiping lifestyle by loving and being accountable to each other so that we live our lives in view of those we seek to lead in worship. Worship is intrinsically tied to how we love each other, how we regard the poor, and how we conduct our lives at home or work.
The job of worship leader is functional, not positional. This means that we dont imagine ourselves to hold any kind of superiority over the rest of the church but rather that we are all equal in authority under God.
Mentoring in worship - As in all aspects of training for ministry, we believe in imparting experience and skills to those who are seeking to be mentored. We know that certain ones have walked down roads where others are about to walk down and believe it is honoring to each other to allow those with the experience to help hone the experience of those who follow. For this reason, we also place a high value on us allowing children to explore their own specific callings without being jealous of their giftings. We recognize the Kingdom principle of multiplication and look for ways to help others grow.
Worshipers in the marketplace - Certain musicians and artists within the church are also called beyond the walls of the church to become woven into the cultural life of their communities at large. Some may play or lead on their church worship teams but may also play in local rock bands, folk groups, artists guilds etc. We want to help train and encourage these ones whenever we can and recognize that their contribution to their communities is a very natural and important way for them to live out the call on their lives as worshiping artists.
Prophetic worship - Prophetic worship is the expression of people who have learned to hear Gods voice and echo what God is saying in worship. Leading prophetic worship means to become skilled at listening to what God is saying at any given time. This skill can be evident in simple things like knowing which songs to use in worship on a Sunday morning, or it can get more mysterious by understanding which sound, note or syncopation or even movement to emphasize at any given moment. It can also be demonstrated by understanding the times and seasons in the life of the body and/or by the prophetic connection that can exist between the worship leaders/team and the rest of the congregation. Being prophetic brings with it the challenge of practicing excellence, passion, honesty, being God-focused, intimate and perhaps all the other points mentioned here. All these things together help bring about true prophetic worship.
Contact Us:
info@canadawestworship.com
(250) 859-3591
Norm Strauss (director)
Box 21133
Orchard Park Post Office
Kelowna, BC V1Y 9N8
CANADA