Simplicity

Every now and then, I like to take a Sunday and lead worship by myself, singing while switching between the guitar and piano.  The comments I get from these weeks always astounds me.  They range from “Wow, I was so moved” to “Why would you do that?” to “How about you don’t do that again for a while…a long while…”

Rarely do I hear any comments, positive or negative, but it seems like the barrage of emails and personal conversations occur only after “solo Sundays.” 

First off, I love Sundays like this.  I mainly love it because it’s an “easy week.”  No extra mid-week evening practice.  Also, my teams appreciate the added week off.  It’s definitely NOT because I need the attention solely on me for a week.  In honesty, I don’t like that pressure on me.  My sub-par guitar and piano skills are exposed and my mistakes aren’t covered up by the rest of the band.  It’s very nerve racking.

But there’s something about the simplicity of it.  Does every week need to be a huge “production?”  Does your faith hinge on whether or not there is a full rock band up on stage every week?

One of my all-time favorite songs is “Heart Of Worship” by Matt Redman.  “When the music fades, and all is stripped away, and I simply come…”  I remember when this song first came out.  It came out in a time when “big production” was the thing in churches.  I remember thinking, “Wow, I’ve missed the whole point of this worship thing.”  Since then, I’ve always made a point to work in a solo Sunday every now and then, if nothing else, to be that gentle reminder that it’s not about us or our preference, but rather it’s about bringing glory to God.

Isn’t that what worship is all about anyway?