The Lord Is My Song: Worship Leadership in Focus

By Mark G. Turner

Having been involved in Christian music for many years, I have made an unfortunate observation. Far too often, music has been the primary focus of many worship practices and events. Our Lord, whom we love, must be restored to the central point of our worship. As an orchestral composer, I realize how alluring music can be. We must set this allurement aside and refocus on Gods glory. If artistic beauty and musicianship have taken center stage, then our music may have become a sinful source of pride.

Singers and musicians have sometimes become involved in worship teams and choirs without ever having begun a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus, and when their musical motivation fades, they depart, having never learned to love Him.

Music is the organized, auditory, communicative expression by the living of the life they possess and the truths they profess. In worship we affirm His worth. Worship, as an act of the will, indicates our position as His obedient people, and He, as Lord, must receive our adoration.

It is my intent with these devotionals, based on seventy-five passages of Scripture, comprising 291 verses, to provide a valuable resource for all who lead worship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512728316

Mark G. Turner

Mark G. Turner, with his wife, Marie, are active members of a local church and have served as missionaries, counselors, Bible teachers, and leaders at Christian children’s camps. They have served in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Great Britain, and the Philippines. Mr. Turner has been a worship leader, elder, school teacher, and recently taught at Windermere Bible College in the Bahamas. Mr. Turner is a graduate of Briercrest College and Seminary, the University of Waterloo, and York University. Mr. Turner, as an orchestral composer, has had his music performed in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain and is currently pursuing postgraduate music composition studies at the University of Leeds in Great Britain. A small sampling of some of his recent compositions can be heard and purchased through, sheetmusicplus.com by simply entering his full name, Mark G. Turner, into the search box. To contact him personally regarding his music or to arrange opportunities to teach or speak, he may be reached by e-mail at: [e-mail]. His Facebook site, O’Kestrel Music: Orchestral Composition, may be visited at: www.facebook.com/OrchestralComposition.

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Copyright © 2016 Mark G. Turner.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-2830-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-2831-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016901189

WestBow Press rev. date: 4/11/2016

Contents

Contemplative Quotes

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Lord Is My Song

Hey, Look at Me!

The Beginning of Jubilation

We’re Safe; Let’s Sing

The Lord Protects Us for a Purpose

The Sound of Singing

Joy in the Morning

Great Things from God

Songs of Deliverance Round about Me

Hello Sin; Good-bye, Joyful Music

Mournful Flutes, I Don’t Think So

Play with Skill and Shout for Joy!

What, You Hate My Song?

From Mud to Music

I Remembered You, Lord, Then I Sang!

Joyful Praise—It’s Contagious!

A Thirst for Praise

What Kind of a Spring Is This?

A Noble Theme for Our Noble God

Loss of the Joy of Music

Keyboard and Guitar, Wake Up!

Hey Kids, What Are You Saying?

The Season of the Savior’s Love

Faithfulness as High as the Clouds

Strumming with No Purpose in Mind

Without Sleep but Secure

Let’s Get Back to God!

Questions Worth Asking

Lead, We Will Follow!

Let’s Make Music Together!

Praise, Let’s Get It On!

He Sings Over Us with Great Joy

With Diversity, Let’s Praise Him

God’s Not at Their Party

Even in the Hard Times, I Will Rejoice!

The Lord Creates Praise

My Lips, My God, and My Redeemed Soul

With a Voice Like a Trumpet

Hey, Where’s My Snare?

Lutes, Harps, and Lyres, Morning and Night!

A Simple Love Song Is Simply Not Good Enough

Declare His Glory, Everywhere!

Oops, It Seemed Like a Good Idea

Singing Trees of Joy

Music and Dancing and Someone Worth Finding

Let’s Be Singin’ a New Song!

A Skillful Enterprise

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

Let’s Get It On!

All Creation, Let’s Praise, Right Now!

Every Musician Has a Role in Sacred Song

Communion, Sing a Hymn, Then Out We Go!

Prophesying, Accompanied by Music

Crowns of Joy

Crank up the Volume!

Sound the Trumpets, and Be on Your Way

Deborah and Barak, Break out in Song!

Consecration in Concert

Bow, and Worship, No Way!

The Best Rejoicing Since King Solomon!

’Til I Die, I’ll Be Praisin’!

Know Your Assignment

The Loss of Joy

Your Decrees Are the Theme of My Song

Everyone, at Your Stations, Please

Let Every Region of the Earth Praise the Lord

Let’s Go. We’ve Been Summoned!

That’s a Lot of Praise!

Old and New Memorialized for God’s Work

It’s Time for a New Song!

Singin’ from the Servin’ or Wailin’ from the Forsakin’

The End of the Music of the World

Sounds Like God Singing!

His Song Goes On!

Pervasive Praise

Bible Translations Used

A Closing Pastorale

About the Author

Contemplative Quotes

Among all the arts used within the corporate assembly, music has a unique role, not because it is superior to the other art forms, but because of its native peculiarity. Each of us has a God-created instrument within us: the voice. We are commanded to use this instrument in singing the praise of God.

—Unceasing Worship, Harold M. Best

Many prefer the vain jangling (1 Tim. 1:6) of those who teach novelties rather than the pure Word of God that produces holiness in lives. It is unfortunate today that we not only have vain jangling (meaningless talk in NIV) in teaching and preaching, but also in music. Far too many songs not only teach no doctrine, but many even teach false doctrines. A singer has no more right to sing a lie than a teacher has to teach a lie.

—Be Faithful: It’s Always Too Soon to Quit, Warren Wiersbe

Allow God to speak to you through the Scriptures. Also, consider thoughtfully how other sincere believers have related to God with their psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Then respond to Him with your own expression of praise, prayer, and love. Carry a musical demonstration of a youthful faith. And as you do, you will become increasingly aware of God’s amazing grace and His power that enables you to live an effective and victorious Christian life.

—Amazing Grace, Kenneth W. Osbeck

Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.

Hebrews 12:28b (ESV)

Music is an alluring art form but the glory of our Almighty God must be restored as the singular purpose of our worship and song.

Mark G. Turner

Dedication

These devotionals are dedicated to those worship team leaders and choir directors who, week by week, faithfully prepare, with other Christian singers and musicians, a set of worship songs that glorify the Lord. In particular, this series of devotionals is dedicated to our son and his wife, Aaron and Rachel Turner, graduates of Cornerstone University in Michigan. They, as devout missionary worship leaders and educators, jointly illustrate what it means to keep the Lord Jesus and His work as the focal point of every service. This series of devotionals is also dedicated to Henry Dueck, our son-in-law, a graduate of Providence University College in Manitoba. He, as a highly skilled worship leader and musician, brings out the most musically precise worship that I have ever heard, while maintaining a focus on the goodness and glory of God. Lord, may you continue to bless the ministry of these worship leaders.

Acknowledgments

With humble appreciation, I would like to recognize the assistance of my loving wife, Marie, and our always supportive daughter, Anna Marie Dueck. Their assistance to me in the preparation of these devotionals was priceless. Their proofreading, editorial advice, manuscript suggestions, and frequent encouragements have been a genuine source of strength.

Introduction

Having served in and having led various choirs and worship teams, I have made an unfortunate observation. Far too often, music has been the primary focus of many of the practices and even some of the worship services and outreach events. Our Almighty God, whom we love, must be restored to the central point of our worship. As a musician and orchestral composer, I realize how alluring and consuming music as an art form can be. We must set this allurement aside and refocus on the glory of God. If beauty alone is the purpose of our music in church and not the worship of God, then our music may itself become idolatry. If our own professionalism takes center stage, then our music may become a sinful source of pride.

Singers and musicians have sometimes become involved in worship teams and choirs, without ever having begun a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus, and when their musical motivation fades, they depart, having never learned to love our Lord Jesus.

Music is more than organized sound as some theorists have suggested. It is, at its core, the organized auditory communicative expression, by the living, of the life they possess and the truths they profess. To worship God is to decidedly affirm His worth. Worship, whether musical or otherwise, whether personal or public, contains powerful aspects of proclamation and prophecy. Worship, as an act of the will, also indicates position. We, as His obedient people, are His worshippers, and He, as Lord, receives our worship and adoration. Music may not always have audible words, but it does always have intent and elements of communication. When we worship musically, we use our artistic auditory communicative self-expression to adore our loving, powerful, and worthy God.

It is my intent with these devotionals, based on seventy-five passages of Scripture, comprising 291 verses, to provide a valuable resource for all of those who lead worship. Worship team leaders, choir directors, pastors, congregational song leaders, Christian educators, and all Christian singers and musicians involved in worship will find this resource useful for discipleship purposes as they meet for regular practices. To stimulate the interest of musicians, each of the devotionals is based on Scripture texts about music. For the purpose of these devotionals, all of those involved in worship, as worship team participants or as choir members, are intended when the phrase worship leaders is used.

May God use this set of devotionals for His glory and honor, and may each Christian singer and musician find himself or herself worshipping the Lord Jesus with deliberation and obedience.

The Lord Is My Song

Topic: Our Focal Point of Praise: The Lord

Psalm 118:14–16 (ESV)

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!

The psalmist proclaims that the Lord is his strength and his song. He is quoting part of the Song of Moses in Exodus 15:2. Now, hundreds of years after Moses, he is personally applying this truth. He uses the word my to indicate