Reality check.
Most modern worship experiences in the United States look very similar each weekend. Same songs, instrumentation, format … you get the point.
I know there is innovation happening across the country, so here is your chance to share what you have done or maybe seen other churches do.
We want to learn from you. What is the most innovative element or approach you have seen in worship recently?
-Wade
hmm…interesting..I have made suggestions in meeting before about trying to change things up, but most pastors/worship leaders are too scared to go outside the box or think differently…
Not really innovative. But we have an intentionality of incorporating silence, prayer, reading of scripture and spontaneous elements (including songs) into our worship sets. Not every element every week. But some. And an openness to the leading of the spirit in the moment. This means that each of the 6 weekend services at this campus tend to look a little different from each other depending on what happens in worship that weekend. We are a seeker orirnted church of 5000 and 4 campuses. It can be done.
I want to see sign language involved in worship. I was sitting behind a woman doing sign language during worship one week and I thought it was an incredible way to worship! Visually seeing with your hands how words are spoke is so amazing. I could definitely see people on stage signing during songs, that would be so cool.
…so you think you can dance.
incredible choreography to a moving song is incredible and i watch it weekly as do millions of others.
maybe just put more clothes on.
i said incredible 2x in the same sentence. if that doesn’t convince you i dont know what will.
It’s great to see that a church I consider to be one of the most innovative churches in the country (Elevation) is asking everyone else for creative ideas! You guys inspire me as a creative arts director at my church of about 100 people big time!
Because I am not a musician, I use other visuals, illustrations, skits, art, etc alongside the worship team to help convey the message topic in a different way. Not everyone responds to music…some people are more visual, or respond to things like poetry, etc…so it’s good to throw in some unconventional things to reach new people in new ways.
Here is an illustration we did recently with boxes for our series on service:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKjR0sbk04s
Thanks for all you guys do at Elevation – you are a huge blessing to churches across the country. I pray that God continues to move through all you guys to reach the country for Christ!
I work with the student ministry. The two most innovative things we’ve done is incorporate rap, programming, and dance beats into worship. Back in July we had a night where all the songs were techno/dance pop. I’m still not sure if that was our best or worst idea.
Grace Like Rain (Dance pop w/auto tuned vocals)
Demo
http://www.myspace.com/exchangeworship
Live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqNcLgLCaR8
Indescribable (w/rap during the verses, auto-tuned chorus, and heavy guitars)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hWdr25v5_w
We try to use programming as often as possible. We have a lead synth player more than a lead guitarist. I encourage the students to write songs (which they don’t do enough), and we try and avoid playing too much Tomlin, Crowder, and Hillsong. We occasionally do hardcore and screamo and synth metal.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=141695373603
Matt,
I liked that illustration with the boxes. I’m going to try and find a way to do something like that.
One of the strongest I have seen is a video of the man in the chair, with writting all over him….with the music playing. The message was so real!! Another is when you have shown a video of a person or a family, that has been “touched” and telling the story of how their live’s have been changed by Elevation! Thks!! Happy Thanksgiving!!….John
We have did a meet the band one night at U turn(our youth service). We had everyone that played on the worship team come up and our pastor did an interview with us and then let the teens ask questions. This really cast some vision and inspiration into the teens. After that night more teens wanted to get involved with what we were doing.
One questions or request…
Could you guys post something about what you have done for schooling, lessons, or just how you got to where you are now as leaders.
Thanks
Chris
I strongly believe that methods and styles are important and yield their fruits, however, we have to have a balance realizing that the worship experience is one of the heart and we have to appeal to the heart. The Father is seeking worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Expression, excitement, life; (techno style worship, multimedia, videos, lights, smoke, lots of guitars – ROCK IT) but we must also teach people to cultivate the presence of God, seek the heart of the Father and reap its fruits.
Thanks,
D
I have in the past and I plan on doing it again….thats singing in a cirle unplugged…well kinda with a couple of condensor mics. I think it is important to here each other sing out to God. There is power with many voices singing one melody and maybe throwing in some harmonies. I tried this with a couple of worship leaders w/ acoustic guitars in a circle facing out and the peps in an out circle facing the worship leaders. We sang old hymns and stuff all people knew. It was great.
Boom.
Loved the electro stuff.
One of the things we do is try and incorporate some secular stuff. A few years ago we had the bridge form the killers song “all these things I have done” “saved my soul and now I’m your soldier” and we have also used instrumentals from popular songs that are in the same key and timing as worship songs, Like Mighty to Save which we sang over a dance track.
Other things we have done is have paper screens up for when we have done With everything by Hillsong and had lights behind the screens and them worshiping behind these screens so you can just see their shadows, then at the crescendo of the song (love it) they burst through the paper screens. THat was awesome.
Another thing we have done is have a huge reel of paper that stretches across the front of stage and for people to come and write out thanks to God for the personal things in their lives. That was powerful.
Elevation you guys inspire!!!
Thanks muchly
How bout some differenty styles musically? like write a couple Jazz/Rock worship songs.. I think alot of people are growing weary of the traditional G C D progressions.
Haven’t been going to Elevation long so you may have done this already. My previous church did some worship with artists involved. A potter made a product on a spinning wheel, an artist painted a portrait, all on stage while the pastor was speaking. It was really cool and tied into the message.
We have a prayer time after our third song every service. We have people up front to pray for anyone who needs it but also time for people to come to the altar. It always is a powerful time.
Keep writing your own songs. I think that’s a powerfully innovative act that you are doing now. Also, don’t be afraid to switch up the genres. The country rendition of The Lord is My Rock(probably botched the name there) was awesome. The Jazz pieces you have done are great too. Let’s hear some Ska, Metal, Reggae, Americana, Bluegrass, etc… Different musical genres have the ability to really connect with people. Elevation is the first worship experience that I am consistently able to *worship* with. I’ve been to a lot of different churches and I think the difference is the music style resonates with me and allows me to really praise God.
Keep it up.
Elevation is awesome! The sermons, music, and people are all great! It’s the highlight of my week!
Although, Tim Hawkins is great too! He is a Christian comedian who comes to different churches to perform. You could do that one night during the week. Just a thought.