Worship conversations – led by @loswhit @gungormusic and @amenabee

Written by Bryan Nelson | posted in God, leadership | 2 Comments

This past week I was at a conference in Dallas called Catlyst. One of the breakout labs had to Carlos Whitaker (artist, pastor, thinker, experience architect), Michael Gungor (singer/songwriter), and Amena Brown (poet) talking about thoughts on worship.

• Amena Brown (poet)
• Carlos Whittaker (artist, pastor, thinker, experience architect)
• Michael Gungor (singer/songwriter)

Carlos has a mission to ”disturb and disrupt career Christians so they see the face of Jesus is a fresh way.” He’s not what suburbia Christiandom is used to — and in my book that’s a good thing.  People tend to judge by the outward appearance — including me.  If you met Carlos in the airport, you’d most likely think twice about taking a seat next to him.

Carlos mentioned, “The green room is the anti-worship room.”  He encourage people to get off stage and out of the green room into peoples lives.

Carlos also said his wife asked him, “Where’s the guy I see leading worship on Sunday at home with our kids?”  Ouch.  That’s a good question.  Are we worshipping the same off stage as we do on stage?  I don’t.  Why don’t I?

Finally, Carlos mentioned in the Monday evaluation meeting after the weekend of worship, are we asking, when did God show up this last Sunday?  This is a great question to ask. Personally I tend to ask all of the technical production questions. But the bottom line question is did God show up in our lives? Did we allow him to do that? Did we see God’s face. Are our lives changed because of it?

Side note: This is the first time I was in a corporate worship environment with Carlos on stage.  He’s high energy.  When I say high energy — I mean AMPED.  Running.  Fist pumps.  Spinning.  I started to judge his motives for his, um, “worship dancing” — I stopped myself and asked, “Why are you asking these questions.  God is present here with me — waiting for me to worship Him. And I’m instead choosing to ask — is that guy for real?”  Shame on me.  David danced and didn’t care.  This is Carlos.  That’s how he worships — and he’s answerable to God, just like I am.  In the end, I can choose what I’ll do in the moment — worship or judge or ______.  Once I personally dealt with the judging issues in my head, I didn’t see Carlos — I saw someone giving it all to Jesus in one moment — and not concerned about what white-bread guys like me are thinking.  As long as how we worship does not become an idol for you, me or Carlos, I’m all in.  God forgive me for not seeing You through Carlos.

Amena Brown made a startling true statement. She said, “Stage work is the same as scrubbing the toilets – it’s serving.”  While you and I know this in our heads, it’s another thing to grab a toothbrush and to start scrubbing toilets and saying it’s the same thing. Her statement was a good reminder that serving the serving. Unlike real estate — location, size, and appearance does not matter.

I appreciated Amena’s humble, and fun, personality.  She’s legit on stage.  I don’t typically connect with poets on stage — but I connected to God through Amena.

Michael Gungor was asked how he writes songs. He made an interesting statement. He said he writes songs with real people in mind, instead of a nameless or faceless things.  Now, when I listen to the music he’s written — it’s apparent.  By the way, I am beginning to like his music more and more — it’s different than the popular music, it’s creative, and it causes me to think.

All three had a discussion about worship and singing.  One of them mentioned “Singing will inspire worship.” It’s the difference between a singalong and worship.  Singing can happen without worship.  Worship can happen without singing.  But singing, typically leads to worship — if you let it.  The decision is in the hands of each worshipper.

Michael asked, “Are we creating out of the noise in our lives, or out of the silence?”  Michael went on to talk about how he took a full day to be silent — and that it took a long time to have the “noise” stop rattling in his head/body.

Here were my take aways:

• Quit being judgmental of people’s appearance.
• Singing does not equal worship.
• Am I willing to scrub the toilet?
• Start asking if God showed up.
• Do I need to be more disturbed with where I’m at spiritually?