Part 2 - Prophetic Culture, Prophetic Worship

Prophetic Culture, Prophetic Worship - Part 2 - 2/28/20 - Pastor Rich Kao - FSI (Org. 2/28/20. Re-edited & published 1/8/24)

* Worship is an organized ministry and a spontaneous ministry (free-flowing) - I Chr 15,16, 25. * What King David did was unprecedented in its implementation (in contrast to Moses tabernacle) and a prophetic foreshadow of praise and worship music as we see it today.

I. Worship is an organized ministry.

A. Worship ministry has “departments.”

1. Ministry of singers - 1 Chr. 15:16-24,27; 25:1-7 1 Chr. 15:16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

- No singers ever sang in Moses tabernacle 2. Ministry of musicians - 1 Chr. 15:16; 23:5 1 Chr 23:5 “…and 4,000 were praising the Lord with the instruments which David made for giving praise.

1 Chr. 15:16 16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

- No musical instruments were ever played in Moses tabernacle.

3. Ministry of song writing - 1 Chr. 16:4; Ps. 33:3, 96:1; 1 Ki. 4:32 Ps. 33:3 Sing to Him a new song.

Ps. 96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

I Ki. 4:32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.

4. Ministry of recording (sound and audio) - 1 Chr. 16:4 1 Chr 16:4 (KJV) - 4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel.

5. Ministry of visual arts (PPT, lighting, staging, dance, painting) - Ecc. 3:11, Gen. 1:3

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Ecc. 3:11 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Gen. 1:3 “Let there be light” (glory) Mandate of sound booth team: Making the platform team look beautiful.

- As sound and lighting and presentation team in the booth, you have a job to make the “priests look good.”

- Like stage managers, make the actors look great when they go out on stage -- clothes fitted, wigs on straight, shoes tied, dresses zipped, no dangling threads, props in hand…

- When you make the platform team look good, you lift the details off their minds, and allows them to lead as best as possible, which leads to a great worship experience, which leads to people getting closer to God, which brings glory to God! - How do you do this as SVA team?

- PPT: 1. Make sure song slides properly loaded. (Watch out for songs with same titles).

2. Listen to songs during the week, so know flow of song. Don’t wing it.

3. Ask worship leader if anything special in how song will be sung.

4. Check for spelling errors in slides.

5. Check for verses or chorus’ or bridges left out that will be sung.

6. Check formatting is consistent; size of fonts, center-justified, upper half of slide 7. Bring up slide BEFORE they are sung. Don’t let congregation lag. Need ear piece of lead singer?

8. Moving slide backgrounds chosen to accentuate words (great job).

- Lighting: 1. Match lighting schemes to words, mood.

2. Don’t flash lights past stage so gets in people’s eyes.

3. Match lighting to graphics on TV’s screens.

- Graphics: 1. Coordinate uploads with Gillian (she does a great job - fresh and fun).

2. Display slides as announcements being made (as are doing!)

3. Make sure overall look of graphics keeps consistent excellent quality (e.g. one bad slide will really look out of place).

- Sound: 1. Everything tuned, EQ’d properly for room; compensate for voices - so sing better in higher registers, some in lower, so bring out strengths and dampen weaknesses.

2. Arrive before hand so system already set up!!!!!!

3. Worst thing is everyone is waiting for sound guy to set up - wastes everyone’s time and practice time.

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4. Know singers, musicians strengths so can tune system to them.

5. Know how to trouble shoot system!

5. Goal: eliminate all distractions so SEAMLESS experience (hence willing to spend $1000 to put a cord into overflow room to prevent delay) 6. Leave channels on for hand-held and head-set; so no unnecessary delay and hand-waving needed.

7. Make sure batteries fresh in handheld and headset.

8. Make sure sermons get recorded.

- Sermon time: 1. Get slide up before being prompted. Don’t get distracted by intermission time.

When service leader dismisses kids to church; that’s cue to put up sermon slides.

2. Make sure laser pointer activated and set to go.

3. Load slides from USB before service and test it presents properly.

- These are pointers on how to make the platform team look great.

6. Ministry of training (to become skillful; otherwise ark stumbles) - 1 Chr. 25:7 1 Chr. 25:7 7 Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skilful, was 288.

B. Worship Ministry has an “org. chart” and rank.

1. Singer and musicians are appointed / selected - 1 Chr. 15:16, 19 1 Chr. 15:16 16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze 1 Chr. 25:1 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals.

2. Singer and musicians are put in various ranks - 1 Chr. 15:17-18 1 Chr. 15:17-18 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, 18 and with them their relatives of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

3. Singers and musicians had a director - 1 Chr. 15:22,27

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1 Chr 15:22,27 22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skillful. 27 Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers.

4. Worship ministry has an org. chart - Kevin Connor, p. 185, The Tabernacle of David I Chr. 6:31-32 31 Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark rested there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and they served in their office according to their order. (Heman, Asaph, Ethan - I Chr. 6:34,39,44)

Key Takeaways: - Worship ministry represents heaven, thus has great authority.

- Worship ministry has order so as to properly channel God’s presence.

- Lucifer got out of order - filled with pride and arrogance (p. 182, Connor) Lucifer the worship leader - Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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Ez. 28:1-2 1The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.”

Is. 14:12-14 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!

13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

Lk 10:18 - Jesus said, 18“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Rev. 12:9 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

- Authority and order keeps things in harmony and unity, with checks and balances to provide freedom for team to move with the Holy Spirit (next section).

II. Worship is a prophetic ministry, planned and spontaneous (flowing with the Holy Spirit) to help people experience God’s manifest presence.

A. Planned Worship - Three general kinds of worship settings 1. Ministry to Lord - Vertical emphasis (extolling God; He is your main audience; e.g. intercessors meeting) - Elisha - Getting word of the Lord - 2 Ki. 3:15 (no audience but God) 15 But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

- Antioch leadership - Acts 13:1-2 (no audience but God) 1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

2. Ministry to the Saints - Horizontal emphasis (congregation is your audience; edifying the saints; e.g. Sunday worship) Is. 51:11 So the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads.

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They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

3. Ministry to Non-believers - Outward (evangelistic; aiming at non-believers; special songs - Easter, Christmas) Acts 2:43, 46-47 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles…46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

B. Prophetic (Spontaneous) Worship - Three Kinds - 1 Chr 25:1-3 1 Chr 25:1-3 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king (pastoral involvement). 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

1. Prophetic worship through instruments - 25:1 1 Chr 25:1…who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals Application: Using instruments to prophesy (e.g. drums; guitar, piano - new interludes, improv moments - “making a statement”); stir the people through modulation, intensity, rhythm, speed, melody; people can feel the inspiration; I do this regularly at intercessors; my guitar is a weapon, not an accompanying instrument anymore.

2. Prophetic worship through leadership involvement - 25:2 1 Chr 25:2 2…under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king (pastoral involvement).

Application: Pastors provide unscripted real-time direction / interruptions for ministry moments, lingering, prophesying, revelation-giving, interpreting what Holy Spirit is doing / wanting, emphasis of a chorus, verse, song; congregational response solicited.

- Seers and singers get involved - 1 Chr. 25:5-6

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1 Chr. 25:5-6 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. 6 All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the direction of the king.

C. Prophetic worship in song and acclamation and exhortation - 25:3 1 Chr. 25:3 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

Application: using voice and singing to reflect Holy Spirit’s movement - e.g. spontaneous “hooks”, phrases, new harmonies, timely “acclamations”, encouragements; upward responses to God, calls to response, mini-prayers, devotional moments, “pastoring the people” through worship.

Again, “seers and singers” under Spirit get involved - 1 Chr. 25:5-6 How do we cultivate this prophetic dynamic? How does this prophetic spirit come?

We must be modern-day Levites.

- Only Levites carry the ark - 1 Chr. 15:2 - vs. “non-levites” - 1 Chr. 15:2 2 Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.”

- Worship leaders (Levites) are called to be carriers of the glory, the burden (massa) of the Lord. They are not just song leaders, they can sniff out the glory.

- You feel and carry the weight of the Holy Spirit.

- Versus: - Uzzah and Ahio (non-levites) who transported the ark on a cart (2 Sam. 6:3; 1 Chr.13:7) - Uzzah and Ahio didn’t understand the prophetic responsibility to carry the glory (ark).

- They lacked prophetic understanding; not dialed into the Holy Spirit, so came up with a cart to “transport the glory.”

- God doesn’t want substitute methods.

- We are not called to “push the cart” but to get under the anointing.

- Our first responsibility as worship people is to be priests.

- 1 Chr 15:2d - for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.”

- Levites minister to God. - What is ministering to God?

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- 1 Chr. 16:4.7 4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel, 7 Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord.

- We are to praise God for who He is, regardless our situation or emotions.

- To behold his glory and majesty; to give Him His due.

- To extol and exclaim Him. - This is called waiting on our office.

- 2 Chr.7:6 6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord. (KJV) - This is our first responsibility.

- Out of this we lead the people.

- We can’t lead people to where we’ve not been.

- You’re not just a “song picker,” you’re a burden bearer (good kind, not bad kind).

- Carry the ark on our shoulders is a picture of God putting the mantle on us” (His glory draped on our shoulders); - God’s government is upon us; giving us authority and confidence.

- That anointing breaks the yoke of heaviness on people.

- Become changed after encounter God in worship.

- Experience life and freedom because we are carrying life and freedom.

- Pastor Todd Tilghmann video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hDuvlrJ2I8 - When you it, you can give it!

Moving the congregation to freedom and excitement - 12 aspects / expressions of freedom in the house / bringing the congregation into it.

1. Ministry of thanking, praising, exalting, rejoicing in God. 1 Chr. 16:4,8 4 He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel…8 Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples…9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders…

36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting.

- We need joy in the house!

1 Chr. 15;16 - 16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

3. Ministry of clapping hands.

Ps. 47:1 O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.

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4. Ministry of shouting.

Ps. 47:1 O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.

1 Chr . 15:28 28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting.

5. Ministry of dancing.

1 Chr.15:29 29 It happened when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and celebrating; and she despised him in her heart.

Ps. 149:3 Let them praise His name with dancing.

- We dance in culture; we can dance with our bodies to express our worship unto God. Gotta get the body moving!

6. Ministry of lifting up hands.

Ps. 141:2 May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.

Ps. 143:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

7. Ministry of bowing down and kneeling.

Ps. 95:6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

8. Ministry of seeking and waiting on the Lord.

1 Chr. 15:10-11 10 Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. 11 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

9. Ministry of spiritual sacrifices (worshipping irrespective of our feelings) Heb. 13:15 15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

- What is coming out of our mouth during trials and difficulties? Complaining or worship?

- We worship God whether we “feel like it or not.”

10. Ministry of saying “Amen.”

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1 Chr. 15:36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord.

- Power of agreement and unity (Mt. 18:19) 11. Ministry of war.

Ps. 149:5-9 Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand 7 To execute vengeance on the nations And punishment on the peoples, 8 To bind their kings with chains And their nobles with fetters of iron, 9 To execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord!

12. Ministry of singing in the Spirit.

Ps. 33:3 Sing to Him a new song Ps. 149:1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. (note congregational dynamic).

I Cor. 13:1 “..speak with the tongues of men and of angels.”

I Cor. 14:15 “…I will sing with the spirit” - Worship leader uses words; people sing in tongues to extol God. - Singing in tongues is to use heavenly language what earthly words cannot express in our adoration of God. Final Encouragements: > You can come filled with the Spirit and “ready to go” but then practice goes bad, get irritated, frustrated … hold your ground, hold your peace, stay strong with your burden. Carry the team. Or the practice goes great, and congregation doesn’t respond -- again, hold your ground, hold your peace, they will enter into your mantle, if not then, in the weeks to come as you stay strong. > Study these notes and get it in your spirit, and then take these notes and teach from them!

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