Campus Ministries: Worship Team
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” (Psalm 95:6, ESV)
There are many amazing parts of Campus Ministries at Regent. It is such a blessing to be in a place that allots so much time, energy, and space to the spiritual fulfillment of its students, faculty, and staff. One incredibly fruitful and beautiful part of Campus Ministries is its worship team. While worship led by a worship team is common to churches and Christian schools, it holds a special role unlike any other. To explore further the heart and the goal of Regent’s worship team, I sat down with Sage Thomas and Starr Weiss (two members of the team), and what I learned was both illuminative and encouraging.
One of the best ways to gain a better understanding of the worship team is to look at the heart behind the part that each member plays, as well as the team as a whole. While I did not have the opportunity to speak with every member, Sage and Starr both provided me with such heart-warming explanations that cannot be unique to their own experiences. Starr said something in particular that struck me as so valuable. She said, “For the team as a whole, the thing has been unity. And I think it’s even unity between us as a team, because it is very important, and then also the campus itself.” This was such a comforting and encouraging statement. Unity is so important, not only just in our current situation socially, politically, and relationally, but also at a multi-denominational school such as Regent as a whole. To have a team leading worship that is so intently chasing the Father’s heart for unity is so important.
Another beautiful statement made in the time I spent with Starr and Sage was made regarding worship as a lifestyle rather than something you do on stage. Sage said, “You have to learn to worship in the place God has you right now. And I think that’s been huge even for all of us being on worship team; but in our day to day lives, what does it look like for me to worship God with my life?” This statement really gives those who may not be familiar with the worship team at Regent a look into the deep passion they have for worship. Worship is not something they do a few times a week on stage and at rehearsal, but rather it is a lifestyle, constantly seeking to glorify God with their worship and with their lives.
It is difficult to decide how corporate worship should look in these unprecedented times. The last thing I discussed with Sage and Starr was why they thought it was important to still make time and space for corporate worship, even though it may be scary. We discussed that when two or three are gathered in God’s name, believers can rest in the fact that He is there with us. If we know God is with us, then, as Sage said, “that’s the safest place you can be.” Not to say that we shouldn’t be careful in the time of this pandemic, but we know that if God is for us, nothing can stand against us. Starr added to this by saying, “Why would we stop now?” This was really a thought-provoking question. We know that our praise is so powerful, and that God is in our midst when two or three are gathered in His name, as it says in Matthew 18:20, and when so many are struggling with things like sickness, mental illness, and much more, praise is so needed. When we rely on God and praise Him in the midst of everything we may face, we stand firm on the truth and knowledge that He will prevail.
The time spent with Sage and Starr gave just a bit of an insight into our worship team here at Regent, but an important bit too. By knowing the heart behind what they are doing, not only can we be encouraged and inspired, but we can also rest in the knowledge of what God is doing in and through the leaders on this campus.
