by Chris Lieberman correspondent
As pilgrims in a faith journey enduring the highs and lows of a Christian walk, the Moody student body weekly approaches chapel’s musical worship sessions with all sorts of baggage. Some enter these times with a heavy heart, others with great joy and others with dry spirituality. Tasked with formulating a time of worship to accommodate all of these needs are the members of Moody’s chapel worship team.
For leadership members of the chapel worship team, such as senior biblical studies major Atsen Murry, the task of forming a worship set to meet the needs of the Moody student body is a responsibility taken very seriously. Preparing to lead worship for chapel is more than simply choosing two or three songs that flow well together.
Murry said, “I spend time with the Lord to feel the collective weight of what the Lord wants the chapel to be about. When I sense God leading me to one direction, then I would start looking at Scriptures.”
From this time in God’s Word come the songs played and Scriptures read in chapel. The members of the band and instruments used are selected only after this process is complete.
In a campus with no shortage of musical talent, it is difficult to narrow down the many gifted students. Of the many chapels each semester, only about thirteen have their musical worship time organized by the chapel worship team. According to Murry, this is one of the biggest limitations for the worship team.
In selecting musicians, Murry and the rest of the worship leadership team look for those serving in smaller capacities, such as their floors or local churches, believing that those who are faithful in the little things rather than those who only desire to perform on the “big stage” will best serve the body of Christ through music.
Murry is pleased with the results of this search. “There are a lot of servant-hearted musicians [on the worship team] who are willing not only to do the on-stage work, but also the offstage work,” he said.
The purpose of Moody’s worship team is built on a solid theological foundation. “I think there is a place for musical worship in Scriptures right from the Old Testament,” Murry said. “Wherever there is worship, there is music. Ever since God revealed himself to his people, there has been singing and exaltation.”
Murry realizes that leading worship is not about him. “For me,” he said, “it is an opportunity to bring them to the throne of God. If rightly done using Scripture, [worship] is a powerful vehicle to come before the Lord.”
Murry urges the student body to remember that worship is not about them either. He said, “My challenge to the student body would be, ‘Are you okay with seeing the student body worship even without you [and] without your participation?’”