Emily Eslick's Worship Blog

In Chapter 15 of Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin talks about proclaiming the gospel. He explains that to proclaim the word of God, it takes a public, proud declaration that shows that you really believe what you say. Keeping faith through hardship is also important. Saying you are a Christian but doubting in times of trail show that you might not believe as much as you thought. I definitely agree with Bob. Without and outward declaration of what you believe in, how can we expect that others will know what we believe in. I think that doubting through hardship is natural, but having tools that will better prepare you to keep sight of God through difficult times should also be a priority. Having solid building blocks can help you not completely crumble. Having supporting friends and mentors is a big part of that’s. They can help shape your testimony and get you more comfortable with sharing her face.

In Chapter 14 of Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin talks about encouraging an atmosphere or worship. Using the right language is important. Discouraging or yelling at your congregation will not get you anywhere. Being leaders by example encourages the presence of God into a space, making it easier for the congregation to find a worshiping attitude on their own. I definitely agree with letting Godmdo the work. Putting all the responsibility on yourself will most likely end up in ruining a worshiping atmosphere. In leading, it is important to remember that leading by example is the easiest way to usher in the presence of God. By worshiping in front of others, it  may make them more comfortable to worship themselves. Yelling or putting them down is only going to push them farther away for God.

In Chapter 11 of Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin writes about the importance of combining word and music in worship. He says that many people are under the impression that the sermon is not worship. He stresses that you can worship in many ways, including speaking or reading the word. It’s important to remember that the word of God should inspire the music that we use to praise him. The different structures of worship are mearly to appeal to different types of people. I think that worship can be anything. Whether your called to do dance, music, spoken word, or just generally being a good person. All of these things can’t be worship, Praising God isn’t about singing, it’s about showing the Lord through your actions. By living a good christian life, people can witness God’s goodness and grace. I also think that the music you play to praise God doesn’t have to be a specific kind. You can praise with any genre of music, whether it be gospel, country, hip hop, rap, or even heavy meta...

In chapter 10 of Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin about how the Holy Spirit can lead your congregation even when things are going wrong. He stresses that in the mist of trouble, whether it be technical issues or personal problems, you don’t have to rely on your own spirituality to guide your audience. He assures the readers that it is okay to be dependent because a God sent the Holy Spirit to aid us in our everyday lives. I agree that we should be dependent on the Holy Spirit and on God. We should not rely on our own strength to get us through life. In our lives, many people tell us to be strong and that we will be able to get through things. The bible tells us that God has the strength of 1000s of armies. I believe that we don’t have to be strong on our own. We are expected to be weak and fragile. We are allowed to relying on Gods strength to get us through the hard times. This song, Who Am I by Casting Crowns, talks about how we are weak and that God is our provider and ou...

In Chapter six of Worship Matters, Kauflin talks about how Worship leading began. He makes a point to list the evolution of singing in church, ranging from choirs, to circle singing in ancient times. Not all of these methods were the most affective, so when modern worship leading came into affect around the 70's, it changed the game. He also notes that worship leading doesn't half to be singing, it can be art, dance, praise, preaching, or even encoraugment.  I completely agree with the things Bob Kauflin says. Worship leading doesn't have to be music. You can lead worship by doing many things. A modern worship leaders main requirement is is to be spirit lea, but what you do with you're calling is up to you. Dancing, art, preaching, and praying over people are just as valid as singing a song to your congregation. I think that worship leading as we know it today is inspiring because of how diverse it it. Song of the day (lol): Pursue/ All I Need is You ...

In part one of Worship Matters, Bob Kaulflin talks about leading a congregation with integrity. Staying true to the original purpose God had for worship leaders can be hard. Getting lost in selfishness and pride can get you off the path people called to worship leading set out on. When you lead with a self directed motive, all you really are looking for is validation for how you sound/look. By staying in tune with the heart of worship, aka God, you can focus on glorifying God and leading you're peers to a place of true spirit lead worship. I personally believe that worship leading has to come from a place of true selflessness. My greatest priority on stage is to be guided by the Holy Spirit and make decisions in the moment that will help shape the atmosphere. Sounding good and song choice are important, but leading from a place where that is your only priority makes the worship experience not about God. I've had experiences where I get thrown off by a mistake and ruin...