At the church I pastor, we have a regular gathering that serves as a monthly prayer meeting on the last Sunday of every month. The other times of prayer in the life of our church occur in our morning worship service and during our weekly/bi-weekly small groups. Most of the time, our monthly prayer meeting is fairly well attended. I suspect that it is, at least in part, due to the fact that we have a meal. However, it is a sad reality of the church in the Western world that the prayer meeting is "the least attended church gathering." I have experienced this sad reality first hand as a member of a church of 1000+ where 8 to 10 people would show up for the weekly prayer meeting. It didn't take me long to realize that prayerlessness is one of the foremost sins and symptoms of an anemic church.
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Paul reminds us that "God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33). Paul isn’t calling for worship services under rigid, pharisaical control. Instead, we should pursue the confident freedom and musical agility that comes through disciplined preparation. Through faith-filled planning (dream!) and reality-packed preparation (dread!), worship leaders can embrace (faith!) both order and spontaneity, structure and Spirit-led moments.
May we approach worship leadership with renewed appreciation for how preparation enables Spirit-led spontaneity. As we plan thoughtfully, prepare thoroughly, and present worship skillfully, may we help God’s people to celebrate the gospel in fresh and compelling ways.
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