Once again, I had the privilege of returning to India in February 2017 – flying into Delhi and on to Lucknow and ultimately to Midway at the RB Clifford Conference Center there. I was met by all the students for this year’s International School of Worship. What a great group this year! Lots of talent lots of passion and very eager to learn all about music and worship.
Monday begins with getting to know each other with worship prayer and exhortations. Every year I teach the students about speaking, singing and praying the Psalms. So we worked on Psalm 20 and let that Psalm inspire them in song and prayer. They responded really well. I shared my Vision of Worship workshop (revealing Jesus; releasing Holy Spirit; believing in the songs; healthy relationships; breaking barriers) challenging them at every point to see a bigger picture of worship in their lives and in their services. After an afternoon break, we came back and started a series of classes on songwriting for worship. I love teaching this and they started on a journey of writing that could make for a lifetime of fulfilling songs for each one of them. That night I taught my vocal warmup class and got them singing with clarity, strength and in parts! Good group. After that each night we have a wonderful session of worship and flowing together. Great start to a great week!
Tuesday started with worship, prayer and working Psalm 23. It’s pretty powerful when we get them to sing a Psalm prophetically over each other. I then taught on Biblical Worship – with the two main words for worship: Shachah in the OT and Proskuneo in the NT. It’s wonderful to see the lights going on in their minds as they begin to understand true biblical worship being so much more than singing a great song. As they bow and worship and delight in Jesus, the moment becomes a holy moment of God’s presence and our awareness of His majesty and beauty. Holy, holy, holy… That afternoon I taught a music theory workshop so they could better understand the mechanics of musical worship. It’s amazing how a little understanding in music theory can embolden and release the musician and worshiper! After that we spent some time on the guitar both chords and strums. Good group. We ended the day with another great time of worship lead by some of the students. They are starting to implement things they are hearing and being taught during the day. Exciting!
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were spent in much more teaching (Worship Leading, Worship Teams, Prophetic flowing, more Music Theory and Songwriting, keyboard instruction, Creativity in Worship and more vocal workshops) The one that really stood out this year was the songwriting class since we had 4 sessions and went more in-depth than before. By the end of the week, many songs were being birthed and perfected in lyrics and I guided them through how to match a good melody with the words (prosody). Every day started with worship, prayer and a Psalm, and then ended with a powerful time of worship and release as they gained confidence in what God was doing and saying among them. This is so important for them to get ahold of true worship for them personally and not just vaguely for some broad concept. As they started stepping out individually, they became bolder and bolder in their own expressions of faith and love towards Christ and each other. Equipping them simultaneously in both musicianship and spirituality gives them a strong footing for their worship, and especially leading worship in their own churches.
Saturday, the final day of teaching, was so powerful as I finished up the week with speaking over their lives through songs and exhortations. The Bible is so complete as a songbook for the believer, touching every area of our lives. We went through some of the main ones (Song of Moses, Song of the Singers, Song of the Barren, etc.) and then ended with the song, Trading My Sorrows. I had them write down on a piece of paper, limitations, barriers, sorrows, pain in their lives that have influenced and held them back from God’s best. Then as we sang the song, I had them share their pieces of paper with each other by tearing them in half again and again each time they gave it to another person. By the end, all we had was confetti that we tossed into the air and then danced on it! Powerful time of release as many wept, releasing their pain and sorrow to Jesus. We ended the time in prayer and then I had them pray prophetically over me – strong and passionate prayers that remain with me today!
The final day we drove into Lucknow for a great service with the main Assembly of Believers Church there (Bishop Augustus Anthony – Brother Tony) They had us lead the worship and share a dance number. It was a powerful end to a beautiful Spirit-led week. So proud of this batch, knowing that God will do great things in and through them now. The seeds are deeply planted that will bear great fruit throughout India! Bless you all as you bless India with God’s presence everywhere you go!
in Him,
Dr. Tim Smith, director of Worship Without Borders timsongsmith@gmail.com