Keeping the Church Vision and Worship Line Up

Here are some thoughts I shared in a devotion with our choir and worship team a while back.

1. You all know my vision & passion for Stone Creek Church to be a multiethnic congregation—a missionary outpost in East Central Illinois that reflects God’s love for ALL PEOPLE!

2. I believe with all my heart that one of the out workings of the gospel is that it produces a multiethnic, mission-shaped church.

3. Having worship leaders and worship musicians who value musical diversity–it has been one of the things that has helped cultivate an ethnically diverse church at SCC.

4. I have a deep conviction that diverse musical worship styles produce a culture of celebration & servanthood. Diverse musical worship styles kick consumerism in the face!

5. We have to be deliberate and intentional about bringing diversity thru our music—deliberately choosing songs and styles from different cultures. I believe that music is a very powerful unifying tool—worship is designed to bring us all together.

6. So, I am asking you as our worship team to deploy musical styles that truly cut across cultures—because nothing significant happens by chance.

• When you sing in another language or learn another style of music I am asking that you really put yourself into it—enjoy it, feel it, let others see you enjoying the diversity God has given us!
• When you stand on a stage with a diverse group of worshipers I want you to feel the pleasure of God! People need to see the beauty that diversity brings.
• People need an understanding of the value of worship as a universal language of love.

7. Would you make it a matter of prayer that God would continue to send us different ethnicities? a. And I am asking that you lead the way in making sure we have a multi- racial community. b. We have a multi-racial audience, no doubt about that but…

8. Couple more things-– in all that you do please remember IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU.

• When you are asked to play a different style of music – like making a smooth transition from tune that might be written in sharps to a Gospel tune that is usually written in flats—JUST DO IT.
• Embrace a vision that is bigger than yourself—your own culture. Be completely committed to seeing the vision of a multicultural church come to pass and let’s change the world for Jesus.
• As leaders, WE HAVE TO GIVE UP WHAT WE LOVE FOR WHAT WE LOVE MORE. Do you have a favorite style of music that you prefer? Sure. But is that the most important thing? No way! Would it be easier to play just one style of music? Probably. Is that the best thing for our church? Nope.

9. ONE LAST THING: I am and always been a huge fan of Pastor Carrie Innes, now Wells fan. I appreciate her leadership, her humility and creativity. I know that she is all in when it comes to planning worship sets with diversity in mind. When you assemble a worship team with Hispanic, white, Asian and Black –when you join together as one I believe the heart of God is being represented. Great love is displayed in diversity…it shows we are all God’s children.