Recharge ~ Worship

Ok, so I thought I’d start with my favourite part of the weekend. I got to play drums for Andrew Sercombe out at the Chinchilla Keswick Convention back in 2003. It was a simple but pumped youth camp and though we didn’t have the best gear, we had some good muso and some very passionate kids.

Andrew blew me away. His skills for leading a musical worship time were easily recognised. His guitars skills were good, but it was the way he lead people into a place where they felt free to shamelessly express themselves to God which was what made those times of worship so memorable.

These days Andrew works with Soul Survivor UK and also runs workshops and seminars on corporate worship in the Church.

For the last 2 years Andrew has lead worship at Recharge, and though it is musically driven, it really is a time of worship, not just a time for singing worship songs.

This year I was really drawn into the times of worship. As a drummer I am slightly musical – and so good quality music does influence my comfort in expressing myself to God (for example is I’m hearing off rhythms, beats or harmonies I find myself distracted from what I’m expressing to God and listening to the music). Andrew’s band were all fantastic musos, I in particular connected with what the drummer was doing. His skill were a level above anything I’ve ever played, but it was the joy on his face, the passion in which he played, and his sensitivity to everything else that was going on that really made me connect with him. As a drummer myself I felt when the music was going up and down, and I could hear what I thought I’d be doing on the drums at any point, and pretty well the whole time the drummer was doing exactly that (just with better skills).

Drumming for me is worshipful, so listening to someone else drum in worship can really focus my thoughts and life my praise to God. I don’t know who this guy was but he’s the best worship playing drummer I’ve ever heard, and somehow I’d love to personally thank him for the work he did last weekend.

All that said, the thing I really loved about Andrew’s worship times was the fact he could lead 500-1000 people into a time of meaningful worship through music, and not create the emotional hype which sometimes takes over, distracts and destroys peoples attitude of praise. How he does it I really don’t know, maybe it’s his humility which is evident even from the stage. But however he does it, it is a gift God’s given him and I praise God that Andrew uses it so well.

It’s probably got a lot to do with song choice. Instead of choosing songs which look at our individuality with God, most of the songs sung last weekend included lyrics professing corporate worship.

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all the world will see
How great, how great
Is our God.
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Almighty God, in every way
You are above and beyond understanding
If we did not praise, the rocks would cry out
Glorious God, high above understanding

Andrew’s leading in worship focuses the whole congregation on pointing their praise to God, not thinking about what God can do for us, but what we are doing for him. Throughout the Bible we come across angels sitting and continuously proclaiming Holy Holy Holy, a continuous repetition of praise. I think that’s what Andrew strives for, continuous praise of God through song.

And I truly felt I connected with God, not because I was singing of how he fills me up, and makes me feel good, but because I was telling him how awesome, fantastic, almighty and great he was.