"Worshipping in Spirit & Truth"

Relevance
Worship has always "played" a key role in the church, even now more than ever.  It is my job as the worship pastor to help lead us into the throne room of God - to the place where we go to our Maker and give back to Him His honor due.  For only "He is worthy, to receive glory and honor and power." Revelation 4:11b

Purpose
This verse goes on to say, "...for You created all things, and by Your will they were created, and have their being."  That's the whole point in understanding what worship is all about.  We were intentionally created to worship our Creator. Here at Harbor Trinity Church, we worship God in prayer, tithe, Scripture, fellowship, communion, and in song. 

Style
However, worshiping in song has caused division in thousands of churches around the world.  It has been said that my job as the worship leader is one of the most difficult jobs in the church - as different people like to sing in different ways.  Every church at one time or another has struggled through this, but the struggle teaches us a valuable lesson.  As we argue our case to sing one particular style in the name of worshiping our Lord, we steer away from the true purpose of why we are singing in the first place.  Does worshiping God in the purest form, really involve how "I want" it to be done?  "It's not about us" Psalm 115:1 writes - "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name be the glory."

Balance
Whether it is contemporary music, hymns, or classic praise, the purpose of worship is the same – to glorify God.  I believe in a healthy balance between these styles, so we sing to God in a mixture of ways.  I believe our Supreme Creator has created every one of us in a variety ways so that we can worship Him in a variety of ways.  Each week, Harbor Trinity incorporates up-beat songs, mixed with classic praise, hymns, and maybe a new contemporary song.  There's an old hymn that says it best - a hymn that calls out to the One we worship, asking Him to teach “us” how to worship Him better…

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise His name I'm fixed upon it
Name of God's redeeming love