Like water on rock

One of my passions in life is to lead worship. I've been given the freedom and opportunity to lead about once a month at our home church and I look forward to it every time. This week is my week again and I'm finding myself struggling and figured that I may as well blog about it because I think better when I'm talking/writing.

Not only do I have a passion for music, I have the passion to lead people in a meaningful way of connecting with Jesus. My desire is to provide new and inspiring ways for people to close their eyes, open their mouths, and express themselves and their love in worship. One thing I struggle with from time to time is something that I'm also very proud of - the fact that I'm a mennonite. In a mennonite church. As in, not pentecostal. My role as a worship leader in this church is to bring people ways in which to worship that they are able to connect with, but ALSO, I believe, to bring them new ways in which to praise. My mentor likened it to water dripping on stone - I can't just dump water on a rock all at once and expect it to be shaped. However after careful placement and patience, time will pass and a new pathway will be formed in the rock from dilligent dripping.

I'm planning my set for this sunday and desperately want to do something different. To lead people just a little bit down a path we don't often explore. Just a safe distance so that we can still see the main road, but appreciate the view from the foot path. However my prayer is that I see closed eyes and not blank faces. That I see raised hands and not folded arms. It is my responsibility to lead people in worship, not just to play music and hope they like it. It is so not easy.

Yeah I still don't know what this Sunday is going to look like. I dont' know if it will be played safe or played explorative. What do you love about the worship in your churches? What do you wish you could see done differently? What could I do differently?