A question that friends at church often ask is, “Is there any method by which you select songs for Sunday mornings?” YES, there is…but it has taken years of leading worship to finally have a method to my madness.

I think there are some “unbalanced” ways of selecting songs for corporate worship. When I say “unbalanced”, I mean that there is an over-emphasis on certain themes/ideas, and an under-emphasis on others. Here are a few examples of unbalanced ways to choose songs.

Selecting songs based on what’s popular.

• This is where you find out what’s the latest and greatest in Christian music, and then play that.
• EX: “Hey, the new Hillsong album is out! Let’s put their songs into our Sunday rotation now!”

Selecting songs based on how a certain church leads worship

• This is when you simply try to re-create another church’s corporate worship experience.
• EX: “Let’s see…at the ___ church retreat, they started with two fast songs, then went to a slow song, then ended with one fast song.”

Selecting songs based on how I’m feeling

• This is when your personal walk with the Lord determines every song that is sung, without considering what songs would be appropriate for a particular Sunday, or what would be appropriate for the congregation.
• EX: “Man, I didn’t have a good week. I think we need to sing ‘Give Us Clean Hands’ and ‘Refiner’s Fire’.

Of course I’m being somewhat facetious in these characterizations, but there is an element of truth/reality in each one.

Over the years I’ve learned a more balanced way of selecting songs. I believe we need to select songs that emphasize GOSPEL themes. One way this can be accomplished is by:

First selecting songs that focus on GOD.

• After any given week, we have such a distorted view of God. He becomes small as our problems become big. We need to be reminded of the greatness of God.

Second, selecting songs that remind us of our fallen nature.

• Day by day, we fail God in many ways. We absolutely cannot fix ourselves. There is nothing we can do to fully make up for how we’ve hurt/offended God and hurt/offended others.

Third, selecting songs that point out Jesus’ work on the Cross.

• There is hope for us despite our sin…Jesus paid the price for our sins on the Cross! We need to be reminded of that GOOD NEWS!

Finally, select songs that RESPOND to God’s love and mercy.

• Worship must be a RESPONSE. We can’t just GENERATE worship…we need to be reminded of God’s great love and mercy…and then respond.

All this being said, allow me to clarify something: song selection is not a science or a simple template to follow. Allow your discernment and the Spirit’s guidance to give you insight into a particular worship service. This is just a tool to help you emphasize gospel themes in your worship times.

Moment by moment we must be reminded of God’s great love. A love that pursues us. A love that is never-ending. A love that gives life to those who were spiritually dead. THIS love compels us to worship.

Bobby Oommen
Worship Leader

Take a few minutes and prayerfully soak in this song.

Many years ago, my friends and I attended a 12 hour prayer conference, standing side by side with 20,000 other believers in a large outdoor stadium to fast and pray together. During the time of praise, I noticed a middle-aged woman worshipping God through interpretive dance nearby. She hopped and twirled with her arms gracefully moving in all directions, and I soon realized that her movements resembled an artist applying paint onto a canvas.

With her face lit brightly, she seemed to be painting something beautiful, a masterpiece only she could create and only God’s eyes could see. Her left arm was held in the air to hold the palette while her right arm gracefully moved to and fro as she splashed vibrant colors onto the invisible canvas. I could only imagine the radiant colors she envisioned as she filled her canvas with praises unto God. Witnessing this woman completely immersed in a liberating act of worship made me want to experience it as well.

Although I never learned anything about who this woman was, observing her use of painting and dance as a unique way to worship left an impact on me. As Director of Multimedia at Harvest, I have the unique opportunity to worship God in a similar way, only my palette and paint brushes are my computer and mouse.

From time to time, I find myself wondering if the video spots or fliers I create for the church are spiritual acts of worship to God. But as I reflect on the woman from the conference, I’m quickly reminded that the expression of worship is not limited to one medium or method. I have the privilege and opportunity to creatively use my pencils, paint brushes and design programs to worship Him.

While designing a logo for a new ministry or updating banners for our church website, I’m inspired to do my very best because I have a canvas that’s not only visible to God, but visible to others as well. My hope is that it can impact the lives of others in the same way the woman’s worship did mine.


Sunny Chung
Director of Multimedia at Harvest

I thought a lot about what I should share in terms of Praise team at Harvest and I went through a list in my head; a soul-penetrating quote? a reflective devotional that would cause a revival in the hearts of all men? a mini-sermon on praise and songs of the Bible that would challenge Pastor Dave’s sermon in profundity? But when the dust settled after all these ideas clouded my head, it was clear what I should share. It’s what God has taught me about praise over the 7+ years of serving on praise team. When that hit a chord in my heart, the lessons God had taught me was too numerous to count, I had been ministered by God himself through praise team and here’s just a few of the things I learned:
1. Praise is pure, singing is just singing: Matthew 21:16

“Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read," 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" (or from the lips of children and infants you praise is perfected)

It is 7 am when we get to church for practice, and no one is chipper or happy and making joyful noise unto the Lord is far away from our minds, even though that is precisely why we’ve gathered. When we practice, with sleep still looming over our heads, we just practice, but after a small breakfast followed by the good breakfast of the soul, prayer that is, somehow, our haphazard clanging of instruments only an hour prior to the worship service turns into pure praise and we know God is pleased. Singing without the outpour of the blessing or challenge in our lives is just singing (and not even good one at that). Children and infants have pure hearts; their praise is perfect because of it.
2. Praise without circumstance: 2 Chronicles 35:25

“Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the men and women singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.”

A lot has happened over the seven years on praise team, and it’s not always been a joyride, sometimes, many times, it’s been difficult. I’ve seen family and friends pass away, dealt with “drama” from both family and friends, and not to mention, the sadness of not being able to conceive a child. I’ve learned that praise is not praise because we are happy or joyful, it’s not an expression of happy like laughter or skipping, but we sing to God because he’s God. He deserves it. He demands it. When I sing, even a song of lamentation, I am content and my heart is full. Even when praise is only meant for Him, God has given me the gift of release in singing and crying out to him.

3. Praise is undignified: 2 Samuel 6:14

“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might.”

Even after all these years, I still get nervous standing before a congregation 200 strong. Leading out a song or doing a solo is my worst nightmare. My heart pounds and it gets in my throat and even when I try with all my might, I can’t control the quiver and the shrinkage in volume that happens when I start to panic! I always try to remember, “this is not about you and it’s not a performance!” Praise should be undignified, like how King David danced in the streets of Israel still wearing his high priest linens. He didn’t think about his earthly position, but worshiped him in all eagerness that everyone and everything else faded out of consciousness. I want to worship like this, with all my might and without consideration of how that makes me look.

It appears as though, I did select option #3 and do a three point sermon, but in all honesty, I have been blessed and honored to serve on Praise Team for the last several years. Praise Team is a ministry I’ve found joy in even during the times we had to be at church by 6:30am! No, it’s not an easy ministry, but I am always thankful for it.

Susie Shin
HCC Praise Team