stay focussed

The oft maligned John Wimber was asked in an interview how should writers, musicians and worship leaders prepare. Wimber's response is excellent and is applicable beyond the music aspect of church life.

The difficulty will not be so much in the writing of new and great music; the test will be in the godliness of those that perform and deliver it. In that sense some of our worship community is not well prepared for revival. Many have been allowed into worship leading because of this new emphasis on contemporary groups and music, and the consequent need for their worship skills and musical skills. But little has been said to them about the need for godliness, spirituality and depths of maturity in their individual and family lives. Quite frankly, many of our musicians are just not steeped in a daily spirituality.

We need to be aware that in times of great blessing, there is also the potential for great testing and trial. This is not the time for 'business as usual': This is the time to get deep into prayer and God's Word, and deal with those cracks and holes in our spiritual lives, to get our lives in order - because with great blessing goes great pressure.

Some of the activity that is going on is quite extreme, and it's incredibly easy in these times to become so enamored of some aspect of the outflow of God, that in trying to protect or champion it, you will find yourself out of line with orthodoxy. Down through the history of the church many wonderful things have happened that have produced much fruit. But certain aspects of these things have led people to get out of line with Scripture and the church, simply because of the excitement of the movement and the intensity of the phenomena, often resulting in the birth of a cult.

As leaders we need to remain congruent with orthodoxy and orthopraxy, to maintain our focus on the 'main and the plain' in Scripture.

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