So our pastor said something recently that has rocked me and has dramatically changed the way that I worship. He said, at the end of his sermon, "Is it possible that we have become more in love with the provisions than the provider?"
To which I almost blurted aloud, "Yes!" I immediately felt like that was me. Soon after I began to listen when I was praying and noticed that not only am I asking for soooooo much, but when He provides, I merely thank him for it and move on. I then end up taking Him for granted. I wish, rather, that my prayer life and attitude reflected the joy of my salvation. If I truly, truly, was in love with Jesus and not just what he does for me it would take such a focus off of doing things to be closer to him.

I refuse to sacrifice truth and sound doctrine for the simple and empty.
As with most new things, it takes a while to get going. Today, one year ago, my wife and I rolled in to Buffalo to start this church and our new life as pseudo-yankees. It was hard as far as the music side of my job is concerned because I was tempted to go with what I knew or what I've always wanted to do if I had the chance. I found that none of those work real well on account of God's ultimate plan is bigger than me. I fought instincts. I fought my boss. Hehe. No, really. He wanted me to do some familiar, popular worship songs in order to engage people. My problem was that a lot of the "popular" songs were weak lyrically and were honestly just boring and bad songwriting. This is where I learned to get over myself and remember that God knows me and what I like. I needed to be most concerned with God's people and leading them well instead of showcasing my playlist of cool tunes to a group of people who don't care.
SO, I sifted through all the pop church tunes to find ones that at least would be scriptural and had integrity. (and didn't completely make me puke.) I added in a few of these old tunes, and while still holding a small grudge, I redid some old hymns to happify my self. Throughout this time I began to notice more people singing along and engaging. For whatever reason, I noticed it. As a core of people gathered and decided they were gonna worship relentlessly, it created a great freedom in the room. It also created space to begin to incorporate new songs that were thick theologically, very creative, and still loaded with truth, scripture, and singability. It's an interesting thing to see over time. From this point I would begin to throw in the occasional challenging song. By that I mean an idea/phrase that makes you stop singing and take stock of yourself, or a melody that allows you to see you can express yourself to God in many notes and not just a 1-4-5 worship tune. All these aspects, among others, while stretching, were creating more space for people to worship in new ways, try new things, carry the experience home, and learn a different side of their creator God.
What has come from this past year is now a database of songs that are rich, beautiful, and truthful. Almost every weak or empty old pop tune is out. The greatest part is that even a visitor is compelled to sing because of the richness of the songs and the truth of the words on the screen. I'm beginning to see and ask God for what Paul was talking about when he said in 1 Corinthians 14:24-25- " But if some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God's truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they're going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you."
My plea to worship leaders everywhere is to not sacrifice truth and sound doctrine for a cool new song. Just because everyone is doing doesn't mean it's good or bad. It also doesn't mean it's right for your church. Our job as pastors is to constantly and consistently listen to God for the direction of His people. For me it was through my pastor to engage people and God has used that and now shaped that into a beautiful congregation of people who worship in spirit and truth and don't want to sing simple things that are empty because they know God is not simple, nor is He empty. Sometimes I have had to write the song needed. Other times its in the most obscure place. Doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not God said to do it. That's always what matters most. In anything. Even if we don't like it or it's not our preference.
God is very creative. We are made in His image. Nough said.

Not My Eidolon
A poem about how we put other gods before God.

at peace?
laughable at least.
no sense of release
until I learn release
and all the tryings cease.
show me what's beneath.
show me "what is increase?"
while I learn this decrease.
I've seen it before
but now in measure more
and I'm the name of whore
to the golden statues poured
from failures break the floor
by weight and wait and sore.
I made them by myself.
I made them for my health.
in turn they sick made me.
in turn they bury me.
in turn they worry me.
in turn they marry me.
and I them.
and I them.
this was not my eidolon.

So I was recently a "Guest blogger" for a youth pastor friend of mine. It's for a blog where other youth pastors like him can come for discussion topics, help, etc. The name of the blog he asked me to contribute to was called "How to engage students in worship." While the title seems a bit manipulative in nature, not only did I not pick it, but there's a reason for it. EITHERWHO,
here it is: enjoy

"How to engage students in worship"

Worship is putting the spotlight on God. When "engaging" students in worship it's important that your definition of worship understands reverence and 'spirit and truth', as well as the fact that some of these kids may not know God and some of the ones that DO may not grasp him intimately yet. Everyone expresses themselves differently so you cannot have unrealistic expectations on say, a 14 year old who is trying to wrestle out who God is, for example. However, you CAN and SHOULD expect reverence and respect.
When I last spoke to a group of teens before I lead worship I has this little monologue. (This is a long way to say what I want to say but hang on and it'll be worth it). I said, "Some of you may not get what's going on in here (ie., you've been invited by a friend, non-believer, etc.) and you may not understand why we're singing songs about blood and other things, but you can at the very least appreciate and respect that we are in love because we have been changed, and we want to exclaim it. Just as though you may go to a concert with a friend and they're a fan of the group you're all seeing but you are not a fan. However, you want to hang with them so you respect that and let them have a good time and you are almost obliged to them and are cool with it. Adversely, if you are in here and you ARE one of those people that has been through a change with God, you're responsibility at the very least is to be sincere. In Isaiah 29:13 it says, "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." SO, if you do not feel like singing because of a bad day, or you have something going on that you need to pray about, or whatever, then it would be most honest to tell that to God. Just like David did. He wasn't always happy and raising his hands, etc. God is most honored when we are most real with him because you cannot fool God or lie to him."
Sometimes, I've heard worship pastors say "worship until you feel like it." I whole-heartedly disagree with that statement because what that encourages is empty emotional experiences instead as well as burying issues rather than being honest. What if I were to come home from a rough day at work and was very down, but I looked at my wife and said, "You make me so happy, I'm completely satisfied in you, I love you." While these things are true in essence, my wife knows me and can read all over my face that something else is going on in me. She wants to hear how I really feel and what's happening in my heart. That's love. After she listens, gives advice, prays with me, etc. I then can offer her praise from a very sincere and happy place. It's the same with God. He is more concerned with our inside being restored than with what we're showing on the outside so that people won't judge us for not "engaging." Also, we're supposed to bear on another's burdens. If we need to go and settle something with a brother or sister before singing or living in a way that's not sincere, then we should because God wants us to and THAT is obedience which may be the hardest but is the most satisfying worship we can offer God.
So Pastors, when you speak to your students about diving into worship, you must establish an active, working definition of worship. You can ask simple questions like Pastor Tim Smith at Mars Hills always says, "Am I moved by the glory of God?" Also, let them know that when they honor God in any way, that's worship because it puts the spotlight on Him and is another opportunity to exclaim who he is and how he saved us by grace. Then you can make it clear that when they are good students in school, when they honor their parents, when they treat people with love and mercy, when they hear and implement the word from you at church, and when they speak/sing the name of Jesus, that these are all ways to worship. Also, they need to know that they have in fact been worshipping during the week by doing these things and that when we all gather to collectively sing songs, pray, fellowship, hear the word, etc at church or youth group, it is a culmination of many different lives and their stories praising God together at the same time and it is beautiful.
Now I know that a big issue, especially with teenagers is an apprehension to be open and demonstrative with their worship because they are concerned with the people around them. That is settled when we begin to understand that we are not gathered for the people around us and therefore do not need their approval. God approves of us and that's all we need. (Jer. 1:5) ( I know, easier said than done!) If we begin to worry about these things such as what will people think, etc. we are putting our worship on ourselves or we are bowing at the idol of human opinion. That's not what God intended at all. Simply stated, worry is misplaced worship and is a lack of trust in God.
When I say we are not here for the other people, I need to add that we are indeed not even there for ourselves. We need to approach worship and church coming not to receive but to bring. When we go FOR God, we WILL be "fed" and we WILL "receive". It is a secondary bi-product, a natural occurrence. This comes because God sees that we have a proper and scriptural understanding of how to worship Him. (John 4:24)
This whole idea is a paradigm shift. It's creating in your students an atmosphere and attitude of reverence and joy. (Which is opposite of most things in the world, which says worship self.) Worship and the Christian life are not meant to be stressful and full of worry. In fact, they are to be the contrast of that. Jesus said we are a people of hope and joy. When we come into a situation of gathered worship times, it should be one of reverence, yes, but never one of confusion or worry. It should be free and if any students don't want to engage for any reason, they should know and continually know that they have access to you and your leaders to talk about why and figure it out so that they CAN worship freely.
I'll leave you with an equation and a question. The equation for your students is when you add the Realization of the Sovereignty of God to the Realization of our Self Condition it always equals Unrelenting worship. Another way to say that is in a question form: The question is not "How do I worship?" Rather, in light of the sovereignty of God, it becomes "How can I NOT worship?" Once we and your students grasp God's sovereignty, it's hard to do anything but worship Him.

Wes Wlters
Creatvie arts Pastor
Restoration Church
Buffalo, NY

Man! I know I say it a lot, but it's true, God is always showing new things to me about himself. In case I haven't said it, my wife and I are expecting our first baby in February. Monday we went in for the 14 week check up and we got to hear the heartbeat. Not only is this my first experience with this ever, but it's also our child! I can't describe the overwhelming feelings that hit me. I am literally sitting there listening to this orange-sized thing beginning life and thriving inside my wife! God is so incredible! It's probably easy to be an atheist until you hear a fetus heartbeat, or unless you look at nature, oh, or if you BREATH! God is everywhere in everything! I don't the word blessed is strong enough for how I feel.

The worship that is the process leading up to this pregnancy has truly taught me to ceaselessly worship God in anything and everything. Good or bad, I can see God in it all. And He sees me in it all. He never takes his eyes or ears off of me. I'm falling in love with my creator and my wife all over again!

p.s. on the album, It's here and will be available on Sunday mornings starting September 13th and on I-tunes soon. Stay tuned here or weswaltersmusic.com for more info

Alright, so I'm on vaca so I'm not doing much posting but here's the mp3 from when I spoke about worship Sunday at Restoration Church. Enjoy!