We’ve all been there. We planned all the service music and practiced. But when we actually lead the music we struggle to know what to say to open the service or transition between songs. You’re not the first person who had this problem. Remember Moses?
Exo 4:10 Then Moses said to the LORD, “But, Lord, I am telling you, I am not a good speaker. I have never been able to speak well. And that hasn’t changed since you started talking to me. I am still not a good speaker. You know that I speak slowly and don’t use the best words.”
Exo 4:11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who made a person’s mouth? And who can make someone deaf or not able to speak? Who can make a person blind? Who can make a person able to see? I am the one. I am the LORD.
Exo 4:12 So go. I will be with you when you speak. I will give you the words to say.”
God knows the words to say. God can communicate that to us. We have to take time to prepare the spoken part of the service in the same way we prepare the music.
I like to think of the music service as a sermon with opening- content and closing. It has a flow. Sometimes we just need to make a comment about the next song to make it more meaningful.
I like to write out what I am going to say. Then I leave myself insight notes on the back of my music page for future reference. I like to ask God to show me something fresh about the meaning of the song. Perhaps it might be an insight on a particular word or phrase that jumps out to me. I might define a word like Emmanuel (God with us ) to clarify its meaning.
Question:
- Are you preparing the spoken transitions and intros as well as the music?
- Are you asking God to show you what to say and taking time to listen to Him?
- Is there something fresh in a particular song that you can share?
- What other ways have you found to help you find the right words?
