The Alabaster Box was broken!!!

This was one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve ever done. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think one factor was that my focus was clear. My aim was just to lead people into worship. And by leading, I don’t mean directing. Sometimes we get those two mixed up. But I believe that the best worship leaders are not those who direct the worship but, rather, those who demonstrate worship. There are those who respond well to someone telling them how to worship. But I’ve found that even more respond well to someone that demonstrates how to worship. So when I say that my aim was to lead people into worship, I mean that I wanted to go hard after God in such a way that everyone could see what worship looks like. As an individual Christian, I’d much rather just worship inconspicuously so as not to draw attention to my worship or myself. But, as a worship leader, my duty is to be conspicuous with my worship; to draw attention to the worship for the purpose of demonstration; and to draw attention to God, as He is the recipient of the worship. As a worship leader, I worship extravagantly! I worship hard! I worship loud! For there can be no mistaking my conviction that the God that I worship deserves everything that I have to offer. My hands, my arms, my back, my legs, my feet, my voice, my thoughts, every fiber of my being joins together in chorus to celebrate the matchless love and grace of my precious King.

So, Tuesday night was a night of worship. I’ve heard my singers sing and my band play several times. But I don’t ever recall feeling such intense worship when we’ve been on stage before. It was as if everyone took their alabaster boxes and broke them open before the Lord. I don’t mean popping the top off, pouring some ointment out, then putting the top back on. No, I mean breaking the jar! We went to the point of no return. The worship was thick! The presence of the Lord rested in the place as we presented our offering of music and worship. It was beautiful to feel God moving in the room. The music was great! The vocals were great! The performance was great! But the worship was amazing!!

Mount Lebanon is such a cool church! They treated us as royalty – like we were guests from another state or country. It wasn’t at all like we were from just across the bridge. The hospitality was wonderful! It was also great getting to meet and greet Bishop B. Courtney McBath & Pastor Janeen McBath (Calvary Revival Center – Norfolk, VA) and Bishop Gary Hawkins (Voices of Faith – Stone Mtn, GA). They were all so cool and cordial. They entreated my wife and me the way Christian leaders should entreat everyone. We felt loved and welcomed in their presence.

And, I can’t way enough about Drs. Kim and Valerie Brown. They are some of the greatest leaders in the body of Christ today. Their love and hospitality was just fantastic! This is the second time we’ve been invited to minister at their conference and they always show us such amazing love and respect. It’s admirable. It’s the model to be followed.

Now, it’s time to start getting ready for C.A.T.S. It was a challenge getting my songs condensed into a 3-minute format, but it’s done. Now, I just have to practice, and practice, and practice so that when I take the stage, I can relax and just worship God.