Why Another Blog on Worship?

Hi.  I'm Ryan, and I'm a worship leader at Central Church in Baltimore, MD.  Above most things, I'm passionate about people discovering, meeting with, and worshipping the one true God.  Yes, there are thousands of others out there who are more passionate, more eloquent, more trained, more skilled, and more public than I will ever be.  So why do I even bother sharing my thoughts on worship?

When the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us (John 1), Jesus went from town to town, trying to meet the people where they were and introduce them to the Lord of Lords.  Why?  Because Jesus wanted to be known as the front-man that saved the world?  No.  It was because He loved them.  It was because He had particular invitations to particular people, and could connect these different communities to His Father and theirs.  It was because God was worth discovering.

Leading worship isn't much different, and that's why I love this stuff.  Each week, worship leaders have an unbelievable opportunity to invite their communities to connect with our Father.  And, as great as this opportunity is, it is one that is so often squandered.

Do we hide our talents or do we make something of them (Matthew 25)?  Do we sow these seeds or just tuck them away (Matthew 13)?  Do we boldly proclaim the goodness, righteousness, justice, and power of God for our communities to see, or do we fade back into lackluster worship?

So, why do I bother starting yet another blog on worship?  Because I believe there are countless worshipping communities that spend 25 minutes a week giving God lip-service in the songs they sing.  I believe there are songs sung in church that are filled with fluff and weak in content.  I believe there are church bands who wish they could be pop stars and are squeezing that ego through the church's sound system.  And, I believe healthy, courageous worship leaders can step into this tension in a big way.

Let's start this journey today.