Worship leaders: How do you handle requests?

[Jim B]

Dear worship leaders,

Maybe you can help. I am a Vineyard pastor of a new church plant. Our church has grown from 4 to 100 in average attendance in a little over a year and we have new people, many of them, well, rough around the edges and some not yet saved. We thank God for them! Our worship team is coming along nicely and our services are a bit this side of great. However, as yet, our church, especially our newcomers, have yet to learn the beauty and blessing of worship. They are more like spectators at a concert and are bombarding our worship leader with requests for favorite songs and choruses. I have told him that the only requests that matters are the ones that come from God.

My question: How do we graciously handle those who make song requests? And how do we take them from being spectators to true worshippers?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Jim
\o/

 

[tigerboy]

i think the problem of spectatorship is apparent in congregations full of Christians.. don't worry Jim! it happens to the rest of us too.

one thing that helped our church was to take a service and really discuss what worship is and what it isn't. there are SO many avenues to go down, but basic points about the nature of worship are good...that worship is for Him, that the singing of songs is not all there is to worship, that our physical actions are important. richard foster's 'celebration of discipline' has a great chapter on worship that really helps.

so often we expect people to just know things, or that if we tell them what's right or wrong that they'll be offended. teaching on worship is good...and then practice it!

 

[Philip Babineaux]

yeah, i agree with that previous post... there is much that needs to be taught and LIVED before God's people in order for true worship to happen, in SPirit and in Truth... this whole music thing is honestly way ahead of itself... think about it... our level of musicianship is WAAAAAYY beyond our level of intimacy in worship... and that is a scary sign, and one that is hard to fix for soo many folks!

I no longer take requests... if someone is speaking in to me God's voice and says they feel like GOd layed a song on their heart, I will pray about it and see what happens... but honestly, even when I pick out songs for service, when it comes time to start service half of them are never sung... God leads us and directs... the best way to teach worship is to BE a worshiper... let God free you of the "responsibility" of getting every one of those people to becoem worshipers... if you worship the Lord and live before Him and them (ha), God will honor your obedience, and will do HIS work... which is changing hearts and opening eyes... I trust that God will be faithful to you!

 

[yod]

My question: How do we graciously handle those who make song requests? And how do we take them from being spectators to true worshippers?

I just point them to the "tip jar"


(that's a joke)

However, as yet, our church, especially our newcomers, have yet to learn the beauty and blessing of worship. They are more like spectators at a concert and are bombarding our worship leader with requests for favorite songs and choruses. I have told him that the only requests that matters are the ones that come from God.

Just smile and say, "we are waiting on the Lord to direct us and we can't go to the left or the right without Him moving us. Please send your requests to Him by praying for the worship team and the music selection"

Then it's up to them to move God's heart instead of the band director.

Hope that helps.

 

[spkooky]

Well I think there are songs that personally inspire and personally relate too .... My song right now that keeps ringing in my head these days is "not to us" .. in the beginning i used to just like the music and the beat... but one day I listened to it in my car and the words got me hard and emotional and i realized Everything is for him not for me! So requests may not be so bad ~ =) that song inspires me and reminds me of the message everytime i hear it and its good to be reminded as much as possible

 

[tigerboy]

i think requests generally come out of personal preference...unfortunately, our corporate times of worship are not supposed to be about personal preference, but where is God leading the church?

i've had all kinds of requests...from 'lean on me' to 'He reigns.' it helps when the congregation understands that you are trying to pick songs that express God's heart for US and OUR heart for God, not me, my and I.

 

[kawaiiflipchica]

They are more like spectators at a concert and are bombarding our worship leader with requests for favorite songs and choruses. I have told him that the only requests that matters are the ones that come from God.

My question: How do we graciously handle those who make song requests? And how do we take them from being spectators to true worshippers?

In general I think it takes time for people to feel comfortable enough to participate in worship. The fact that they are requesting songs shows they are interested.

I believe that if they are there, they were called there for a reason. That said, their requests may very well have come from God. (Providing of course that their requests are praise and worship songs.) But whether it did or didn't matters only to a point. After all we worship from our hearts. We sing a praise/worship song not because we were asked to but because we want to express our love. As uncomfortable as your worship leader may feel by being put on the spot... I think it would be best to take requests. Perhaps then that person or people who requested a particular song might actually sing along... therefore breaking down the initial wall of spectator/worshipper!

God Bless!

 

[tigerboy]

how about if we all requested the verses that the preacher preached from? in the middle of the sermon, we could just shout out "Do Romans 8! I like that chapter!" or...'How about some Psalms?'

yeah, ridiculous, isn't it?

 

[yod]

I think we should all take a vote on who get to preach this week!

This kind of reminds me of Numbers Chapter 16 where Korah says, "for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst"

(It's the 4th book in the bible)

 

[Lbiagm]

yea i wonder too.

 

[Preacherchick99]

Dear worship leaders,

Maybe you can help. I am a Vineyard pastor of a new church plant. Our church has grown from 4 to 100 in average attendance in a little over a year and we have new people, many of them, well, rough around the edges and some not yet saved. We thank God for them! Our worship team is coming along nicely and our services are a bit this side of great. However, as yet, our church, especially our newcomers, have yet to learn the beauty and blessing of worship. They are more like spectators at a concert and are bombarding our worship leader with requests for favorite songs and choruses. I have told him that the only requests that matters are the ones that come from God.

My question: How do we graciously handle those who make song requests? And how do we take them from being spectators to true worshippers?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Jim
\o/

Wow.....That sure is different. My parents are the Praise and Worship leaders at my church and I have never heard of anything like that happening.

I guess from what I've observed, they are new Christians and they don't understand the flow of the Holy Ghost just yet.....Maybe if you mentioned that in your sermon and corrected them while you preached, not mentioning names and not looking directly at them as you said those things.

You gotta have boldness some time and if they leave the church or get all offended because you said that--Don't trip! The LORD will take care of it if they are truly there to worship Him and not to hear "a good sermon" or "good to the ears" praise and worship music.

It doesn't matter how many ppl attend your church, it's the quality of the members, not the quantity--If they are offended by the Holy Spirit then that's a shame because the Holy Spirit is our councellor sent from God.

But anywayz, maybe if you mention those certain ppl while you're preaching, then maybe it will show who is actually there to worship and who is there just to "hear some good music and a good sermon".

Sadly there are ppl like that and they don't grow unless someone straight up corrects them with boldness

Which is what you may need to do my friend. Well, I'll be praying for ya Jim B.

Be blessed!!

 

[Preacherchick99]

Well guess what? I talked to my mom and step-dad (They do the Praise and Worship) and what they do is when somebody requests a song from them, they tell the ppl "Bring us the CD! So we can hear it."

And if it sounds ugly, they just straight up tell them no. But if it's good and it's got a powerful message of Praise and Worship--They'll start to learn it.