WorshipHelps

A collection of resources and commentary for those who plan and lead weekly Christian worship

About

Welcome! This website is intended for thoughtful but harried worship planners. We invite you to explore the resources available here for planning and leading worship.

Since this is a collaborative effort, we also invite you to contribute. All are welcome to comment freely; if you are interested in becoming a posting member of this community, please click here.

If you don't want to post regularly, but do have a question, or want us the community to address a particular issue, feel free to email.

Contributers

    Tom Trinidad
    Thomas Nelson
    Taylor Burton-Edwards
    Ron Rienstra
    Peter Armstrong
    Kevin Anderson
    Kent Hendricks
    Kendra Hotz
    John Williams
    John Thornburg
    Guy Higashi
    Greg Scheer
    Eric Herron
    Debra Avery
    Clay Schmit
    Chip Andrus
    Brian Paulson
    Brad Andrews
    Bob Keeley
    Andrew Donaldson

Deck the Walls with Praise

I've been using a tool for small group worship that has helped bring a fresh twist to 'plain ol' strumming and singing.

I print out twently-four, 8.5 x 11 sheets that each have an artfully fonted, black and white excerpt from the Psalms or some other praise text.  If the room is large, I print out double-copies.  Before leading, I hang these sheets on the walls of the worship space using scotch tape.  Some I hang low on the wall, some eye-level, and some higher.  Some sheets, I scatter on the floor.  It is best to have the sheets three to five feet apart from each other.

Sp_eg_1

Typically, as I did early this morning for a Fuller D.Min. class, I begin with one song of declaratory praise, sung together.  After that song is finished, I play quietly as I explain the worship excercise, saying:

1. Notice the words of praise from the scriptures scattered throughout the room.
2. As the music continues quietly, feel free to wander about, reading these verses.
3. You may read in silence.  However, as a particular verse, phrase, or word impacts your soul, you are invited to read it aloud, spontaneously.
4. There is no hurry.  We will allow several minutes to praise God through his Word in this way.

After the groups seems to have made it through most of the scriptures, I seemlessly lead into a final few songs.  When this ritual is unfamiliar to the group at hand, it never fails to prompt a sincere and engaging worship response.

Free "Scripture Posts" can be downloaded [here](http://www.unkeptrecords.com/downloads/resources/Scripture posts.pdf) (these were created by Aaron Klinefelter)

Comments

aaron said...
Very Cool! I'm so glad these simple pages continue to help folks worship. I remember the first time we did that in house church - I had no idea how or if it would work, but it did - very well. It turned out to be a good way to engage folks in movement and participation that was open and non-threatening.
e. said...
Kudos to you, Aaron, my brotha!