What are some important characteristics of worshippers (in this instance I mean singers, musicians, worship leaders etc.)? A popular quote comes to mind. "always preach the gospel and if necessary use words." It's no different in worship. If we are going to step up and sing/play an instrument/lead worship in a congregation, we must demonstrate worship in our lives and be an example of it, just as Jesus said he "set an example" of being servants in John 13:15.
I thought about it for a bit this morning and found this verse in my Bible: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12)
Be an Example in Speech:
We need to be wise about what comes out of our mouths. If you lead worship, make sure you are biblically prepared and that you have prayed so that you are sure that what you are going to say is correct and comes from God. Secondly ALL OF US need to make sure our daily conversations reflect the message of the songs we sing in worship. Proverbs 12:18 says "...the tongue of the wise brings healing." So make sure to stay away from gossip, hurtful conversations or speech, and profanity. This includes our comments on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
We need to have Kingdom priorities. Do we store up treasures here on Earth? The bible says that our heart is where our treasure is stored (Matthew 6:19-21). Many of us look for fame, popularity, recognition, and even status as musicians. Jesus said, "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33) So let's set our hearts on the Kingdom of God; God will take care of the rest.
We sing about God's love. We must demonstrate this love in our lives: We must love VERTICALLY (God) and HORIZONTALLY (our fellow man) genuinely and let it reflect in our lives. If our congregation can see God's love reflected in our daily lives, and a passion to serve and proclaim Jesus on and off the stage, they will truly be open to following us into worship. When the congregation feels that we genuinely love them as well, they will more willingly worship with us.
Worshippers need to have faith and grow in the faith. How is this accomplished? By studying God's word, and spending time with God. When we have a deep understanding of God, this is transmitted to the congregation. We must continually grow and constantly try to know God more.
Be an Example of Purity:
As worshippers we must reflect Jesus' character. Nothing wrecks our credibility more than moral compromise. Our lives must reflect a moral purity. This means we should know our moral standard (God's Word) and live in obedience to God. When we know God and live our lives in worship to Him we seek to please him in everything we do. We can live our lives in such a way that people will not have anything negative to say about us. Titus 2:7-8
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