I’ll never forget when I first found out you could audition to be on the worship team at Blue Ridge. I didn’t even live in Lynchburg at the time; we were here visiting family and I saw a slide advertising the auditions. I immediately thought to myself “if I lived here, that’s what I would be doing!” I wanted to be a part of the team so badly, and I hadn’t even met anyone yet!
As it so happened, God moved us here the next summer, and the first thing I did was find out when the next tryouts were. Even though I had never auditioned for anything in my life, 6 months later, I nervously stood in front of the amazing vocalists I admired so much and sang a shaky song. I was elated when they prayerfully chose to accept me onto the team.
In the 10 years since then, I’ve never been sorry I that I followed God’s prompting to join the team.
I love that we value excellence in all we do, but now we have learned that worship is so much more than singing; it’s our response to who God is! If you ever walk by the Auditorium on a Wednesday night, you’re just as likely to hear stories being shared, prayers being spoken, or Todd giving us a challenge than you are to hear us singing. Instead of coming to a night of “practice", God has brought us to a night of worship together, in community.
We’ve gone from a team to a family, and I think it shows.
Being a part of this family has helped me to let go of past insecurities, old belief systems, and the way I view God and Scripture. I have learned that worship is a part of who I am, in every thought and action, and it makes me want to be closer to Jesus and follow after Him, so that people who are watching me will see Him in all I say and do. We recently spent the better part of a year memorizing God’s Word and sharing it with and over each other. What an amazing experience that changed us all!
This year, we’ve been talking about compassion and watching as God has led different people into new territory as they take in orphans, foster and mentor kids, travel to other countries, provide for the needs of those who are less fortunate, and walk beside others in times of crisis.
I’ve watched people step out of their comfort zone and go first, even when they’re not sure where God is taking them. I have made close, true friends that edify and encourage me and hold me accountable — something I never had before.
I imagine some people think being on the worship team is all about getting up and singing on stage, but it’s so much more than that! It’s about true worship- the way we live 24/7. It’s about leading others – whether from the stage or not – into a life of worship. And it’s about doing it all for the glory of God.