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May
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2011
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Posted 1 years 17 days ago ago by Doug Lawrence  0 Comments
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1 likes
My "Green Room" Syndrome made me almost too jaded
I go to worship services a lot. I never seem to get enough, and that might just be my problem. If I’m so addicted to it, why am I not feeling more when I participate in it? In my last role of music/worship guy I produced, implemented, and participated in over 4,000 services (that’s just at one church!). You’d think I’d be an expert “experiencer” by now. You’d think...
The embarrassing truth is that I have infrequently been touched by a worship service because – just maybe – I was too busy counting heads to see if the service was attractive enough to draw a crowd.
Maybe I didn’t experience a service the way I think I should because I was so concerned about how I was coming across – humble, sincere, deep? Maybe I was too worried about the new sound guy seeing to it that the pastor’s microphone was working and “live” every time he spoke. Note: I usually had pastors double body packed just in case one of their batteries died or an erupting volcano in the Philippines caused interference – it became an obsession!
I once gathered enough courage to talk with one of my pastors about my seeming lack of “spirituality” and depth. He was exceedingly gracious in his response. Here’s essentially what he said...
Doug, you’re asking too much of worship. It’s never about what you feel—it’s always about honoring God by showing up and setting aside time to spend with your Creator. He’s not asking you to feel anything. If you do, that’s wonderful and God enjoys you enjoying Him. Let go of some of your expectations and you’ll enjoy it a lot more.
He obviously didn’t understand my “Green Room” syndrome – it made me almost too jaded to enjoy worship.
Friend, (he went on) worship is like the meals you eat to keep yourself alive. You eat hundreds of those every year and I seriously doubt you can remember 10% of them. Occasionally you go to a nice restaurant or to a home where you have a meal you simply can’t forget – a touching worship service is like that. You gotta eat, but sometimes you get to dine, and you want it to go on forever.
I got the analogy but wondered why, if I was spending so much time to make worship wonderful for others, it wasn’t more wonderful for me. My pastor had an answer for that too...
Look, (he said) it’s not God’s job to get you all jacked up every week. God IS! That single fact should be the focus of your time and energy. The service you plan means very little in relation to that singular fact. Enjoy Him, not the service.
I think I got it on his last try. I continued to plan worship with an eye to detail and excellence, but I gave up on trying to please myself when the truth was that God himself was in the room
Doug Lawrence, internationally recognized speaker, author, and advisor, helps churches assess and improve their skillfulness in creating engaging worship experiences by utilizing his more than 35 years of "deep trench" worship leadership in prominent mainline churches. has been a consultant to church leaders for 35 years and is anxious to be helpful to you in leadership, musical, and staffing considerations. Or, if you wish, call 650.207.8240 for assessment information and scheduling.
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