Leaders, Ministry Leadership, Worship Leading
Helping Others Draw Near
#DrawNear
3 min read
Good News Worship Leaders!
As worship leaders and pastors, we are tasked with what seems like an impossible task of leading people into the presence of God. Only the Holy Spirit can usher us into His presence by the blood of Jesus. The weight is lifted off our shoulders, as He leads the worship. It doesn’t start with us; isn’t that good news?Friends, your job as a worship leader and pastor is to make people aware of the presence of God in their midst; to shine a light on His holiness and get out of the way and let Him do His work. When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord as recorded in Isaiah 6, this is exactly what happened.
He was confronted with the holiness of the Lord, and he was confronted with his own sinfulness. The Lord was gracious and kind and Isaiah was restored for the purpose of spreading God’s message.
It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to lead people into God’s presence.
What Does This Have to Do with Drawing Near?
The verse that you’re likely thinking of on drawing near is from James 4: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8a) If you continue reading, you’ll see that this verse is set against a backdrop of repentance: Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:8b-10) According to this passage, to draw near is to mourn, to weep, and to be miserable over your filthy hands and defiled hearts.
There is the solid hope, however, that if you humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, he will exalt you (lift up your head).
A Message from the Psalms…
The psalms also have a message about drawing near: How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. (Psalm 65:4) How blessed is the one who draws near!How inexplicably soul-satisfied! This is a picture of a soul at rest. God initiates the relationship by His grace. We respond in repentance and we find his grace sufficient.
He lifts our heads and we experience rest deep in our souls. We, in turn, walk in obedience as a love offering.
“How are you responding to God’s invitation to worship Him” @BranonDempsey
Help Your Congregation Draw Near
1. Lead by example. Establish a pattern in your own personal worship of repentance and rest.2. Lead your people in songs that examine the many facets of God’s nature and character.Maximize songs that declare who God is as revealed in the Bible.
3. Exalt the finished work of Christ.
Bring your congregation back, again and again, to drink from the fountain of life that flows from the cross. This is important work. Have you experienced this repentance and rest in your life? How might you lead others to experience it?
@TobyBaxley @BranonDempsey @worshiptt
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