Married to a seasoned worship leader I’ve surveyed the worship ‘scene’ from the inside and from the outside as a worshipper. I once wrote a poem titled ‘worship slot machine’ borne out of momentary frustration at the many comments received by worship leaders, often seemingly personal preferences dressed up as something more weighty, and sometimes representing polar opposite views within the same worshipping community. Requests for more hymns, more contemporary songs, more connecting words, more flow so fewer words, and so on. On two occasions people came up to offer a welcome encouragement to the worship leader and it turned out to be praise for the socks or trousers they were wearing!

 

I’ve seen how much prayer, time, work, and skill goes into preparing for Sunday and other times of worship, including the mammoth and marathon undertaking that is the Christmas services season.

 

First and foremost in my mind and heart is the desire to ‘worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness’ and to bring him the praise due to his name. I love that old phrase saying that the chief purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. I’m keen to get a head start on heavenly worship in the here and now, not least because it lifts our eyes and hearts upwards and we sure need that in our lives. 

 

Having the opportunity for a while to be part of the customer service team at The Worship Zone/iSingWorship has only served to increase my passion to encourage Christians to worship God, in whatever way I can. I’ve been brought to tears on a number of occasions by emails from pastors and others, with very few or no musical resources in their setting, who have been overjoyed to discover fitting resources to enable them to lead their church in worship, helped very much when the song keys are just right for facilitating congregational singing.

 

The mission of iSingWorship is “Engaging God’s People in Praise” and I can’t think of anything better than that to be engaged in.