Chris Walker

This article addresses the topic of rest and is the sixth installment in the Wisdom for Worship Leaders series.

Have you ever thought about what your space invokes in you or your congregation? Many or most of us are in contexts different from these old European spaces. But every space speaks and every space shapes.

Blessed is the worship leader who knows that the space matters, for their church will discover God’s unique work through the place they call home.

God initiates worship. But we know worship is a dialogue, where God allows and even desires our response. Prayer—whether spoken, silent, or set to music—is our part of that dialogue.

Cultural relevance is good. Excellence is good. God and our community are worthy of both. But those are lesser things that can’t become ultimate things. It’s not about one dominant, charismatic voice; it’s about a community responding to God’s grace with one voice.

A part of a series on wisdom for worship leaders, this article focuses on finding the balance between planning worship ahead of time and leaving room for the Spirit’s prompting during worship.

A part of a series on wisdom for worship leaders, this article focuses on letting the Triune God be the main character in worship and how to let scripture speak. Worship then becomes a dialogue between God and those gathered.

We’re going ebb and flow through seasons of strength and seasons of struggle, where you as a worship planner can take stock of the worshiping life of your church family and identify areas of health and sickness. Those areas of sickness are where a reshuffled version of the vitamin and aspirin metaphor is helpful. Instead of analyzing what the worship service or worship team is “offering” the congregation, we can ask about issues we see in our participation, our passion, our formation, and our mission.

There’s a big difference between the “Christmas spirit” of today and the original Spirit of Christmas. We can see the Holy Spirit’s work throughout the story when we remember and celebrate the Incarnation in this season. It’s the beauty of our Triune God - Father, Son, and Spirit - in collaboration.

"Entering into the upcoming season of Advent and Christmastide, I am full of gratitude for the plethora of unique voices that make up our church family. As a Worship Pastor and planner, I want to elevate “the unknowns,” especially during these significant Sundays of the church year."