On March 18, 2000, Horizon Christian Fellowship, in San Diego, had an awesome worship conference called Worship Xcellence. I learned a lot and was really blessed. The conference was hosted by Deven Berryhill (a great guy and worship leader). Miles McPhearson, Mike MacIntosh, Holland Davis, Joe Sabolick and Chris Falson all gave awesome messages. The Kry, Luna Halo, Horizon's worship band, All Together Separate and Regeneration played incredible worship songs!
These were our theme verses - Psalm 33:1-3 "Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy."
It was a full and awesome day. I took a lot of notes. Some of these quotes are from the speakers, some from my Bible and some from things that God brought into my mind. Here is what I learned about worship!
Are you disappointed when the worship songs stop?
There is a song in each of us.
Don't let leadership change you in a bad way.
The thing that makes worship different than any other music is it's purpose is to praise Jesus.
The purpose of worship leaders is to bring people into the presence of God.
How much of your time, each day, do you spend in worship?
Your time alone with God effects the way you are, in the time you spend in front of people.
Worship won't explode outside until it has exploded inside.
What is the first thing God said to you today?
Great worship bands are made of great worshipers.
Do a job, at church, that everyone avoids.
If Jesus returned today, would you be among those who welcome Him or who dread His coming?
Do you know what the Bible says about worship?
A worship song empowers people to tell God whatever is already in their heart.
Most of us are very restrained in our worship.
Ask God if what you're doing pleases Him.
Learn the words and melodies to the worship songs you sing.
The church needs to be the originator of new music, again.
That's your monkey, not mine.
Give God your best!
Has the holiness of God hit you?
God does not see like humans do. He evaluates our inner disposition and character.
You can see your reflection in another person's eyes. God sees His reflection in our eyes and we see our reflection in His eyes.
It's not how high we jump, but how straight we walk when we hit the ground.
I'm getting smaller and He's becoming bigger in my life.
Look up the words for praise and worship in the Bible.
True worship should consume your life.
Worshiping God will cause a reaction.
You'll have answers to many questions when you are close to Christ.
I have an audience of One.
I'd rather be laughed at, all the way to Heaven, than praised, all the way to Hell.
Many "cross-over" bands have forgotten to take the cross over to the secular world of music.
The enemy is not happy at us for bringing people into God's presence.
God says, "I'm God and you're not."
It's impossible to waste things on God.
Your worship can't be controlled by what you think others think about your expression.
Let the whole world say I'm an idiot, but let God say I'm right on; that's good enough for me.
Mick Jagger still hasn't gotten satisfaction from his music because it's not directed toward God.
Our concern should be God's approval alone.
Jesus was a sweet smelling sacrifice, on the cross, because He had been anointed with spikenard.
When do you put your needs ahead of your spouse or your children?
If you can't hear someone else, maybe you're too loud.
You're not always going to be singing and playing your favorite songs.
God will be the potter and we will be the clay.
Jesus, please protect me from your people.
Pray for people and think about how you can meet their needs and encourage them.
God wants us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
The best musician isn't necessarily the best worship leader.
Worship teams don't simply need rehearsal with each other; they need fellowship, too.
Careful self-examination of our motives along with a good dose of courtesy and love are necessary to worship with other believers and bring God glory.
God would still come, even if you weren't there.
Do you dislike a certain hymn or chorus? Don't gripe about it; accept it. Realize that as you put aside your preference, another Christian is able to worship better through it.
Nobody is more important than someone else.
A great leader must be a great servant.
Know the difference between cultural limits and God's limits.
Spend more time cultivating your character than your references.
Next time you must select a leader, ask questions about character - not resume.
Jesus picks people that nobody else picks.
Jesus could have easily taken John the Baptist's disciples, but He chose His own.
A leader is best when people hardly know he exists.
Become an active member of a local church, now. Don't wait until your schedule clears.
Don't grow away from God; even if you become wealthy.
God should be the focus of our music.
There are Christian musicians playing for themselves and the show and there are Christians playing for God.
If I don't worship You, let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth.
Let Jesus do what He must do.
Meditate on the things God has saved you from: hell, drugs, despair, alcohol, sinful habits, hopelessness, restlessness and selfishness.
Don't hold in all the pain; give it to God.
Have you known someone for some time, but have never shared Christ with them? Create an opportunity to share about the most important aspect and person of your life.
You don't have to know who is leading worship. You must know who is being worshiped.
Worship is a response of respect when the truth is revealed about God.
We're not on the throne; we're not even in the throne room.
Don't put worship in a box.
Have you seen the holiness of God? If you haven't, how can you lead others to see it?
After you've seen God, you'll worship differently and live differently.
In five years, I'll have a different perspective on certain things.
Do you know which prayers of yours God has answered?
If you don't notice the things that God does in your life, why should He keep doing them?
If I lose the power of God in my life, I'll be like an ordinary person.
You are just like the people you are singing with.
We don't have enough sin to infect God, but He has more than enough holiness to purify us.
Jump when God tells you to jump and land when and where He wants you to land.
Click here to go to JCSM's main Worship Xcellence page (with links to several different conference years of notes)