Bringin’ The Worship

By Justin McRoberts • Oct 5th, 2009 • Category: Artists in Residence

A few years ago I was invited to lead music at a conference in Santa Cruz, CA. I learned a bit about about the group and what kind of music they were used to so that I could prepare a song-list they’d find familiar and singable. Upon arrival, I noticed the poster advertising both the speaker and myself. The poster read “The Reverend Speaker VonSpeakenstein (not his real name) will be delivering the Word and Justin McRoberts will bring the worship.”

“Bring the worship?” I pondered. “Is that like bringing the noise? Because if so, I only packed with the one guitar; I can only make so much noise, really.”

And speaking of packing.. I didn’t even remember putting ‘the worship’ in the car… crap. I mean, if I had known that I was supposed to bring it, I would have saved room. Instead, I stuffed my backseat with lesser things like clothes and snacks. How could I have forgotten the worship? What would these adult christians do if the guy they hired to lead songs foolishly left the worship laying on the floor of his garage with the laundry? That should have been the first thing I put in the car, along with a few extra sacks of hand-raising, teardrops and fainting.

I stood there before the sign.. heart sunk low.. head bowed and back bent under the weight of my failure as a leader,.. as a christian.

“Oh, well,” I concluded “I’ll just have to play these songs and hope that whatever happens between God and these people here is less dependent on me than this poster implies.”

Tagged as: Justin McRoberts

↓ 4 comments

#1 Mark A. on October 5th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

So what came of it? Did you in fact bring the P&W? Did they like the songs?

#2 John Lunsford on October 5th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

Spectacular. Your post reminds me of a video I saw a couple of years ago from Brian McLaren called the Worship Industry. The video and your post seem to reference this mindset that worship is a specific time done in a specific way led by a specific person with a specific song.
Worship is all the time. The picture my daughter drew of the mountain behind our house is worship to the Creator. When my students take care of a stranger, a friend, or relative it is worship to their Provider. Worship is a mindset that sees God in every moment and praises Him with the very breath between our words.

#3 Justin McRoberts on October 6th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

Good word, John.

Mark,
As best as I recall, the weekend was good but awkward. I think they liked the songs I chose but were really hoping for a band with drums and whatnot. I never play with a “whatnot” as I find they are difficult to sing over.

#4 Steve Thrush on October 9th, 2009 at 4:33 am

Justin: Since i’m a gay guy and meth addict and life-long pretender (and a whole list of other things i’m even more ashamed to mention) that has been asked to facilitate at church’s men’s retreat this weekend in those same Santa Cruz mountains, you’ve got me scared shitless. I mean, if they wanted you to package worship up for them nice and neat, and you’re a worship god, what the hell are they gonna expect from me?! Maybe we should team up sometime and figure out how to encourage our “christian” brothers and sisters to worship our “unseen distant Lord” in the way they love and take risks and look into the eyes that nasty world we’re supposed to be in but not of. Don’t let up, my brother. My heart breaks for this bride and I don’t love her a percent as much as He does.

Steve
Berkeley

Does it Resonate with you?

Name

Email (will not be published)

URL