9 Ways Deacons Can Be MVPs in Worship

Written by Matt Tullos

In this short article I want to give you, my fellow deacons, several ways that you can become an MVP (Magnificently Vital Part) of worship.

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1. Prepare the way
Take a prayer walk through the auditorium on Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

• Walk to the pulpit, and pray that God’s message will be presented in a powerful way. Pray for the pastor and the worship leaders.
• Move to the choir loft. Walk by each chair and pray for an anointing on the choir.
• Stand at the end of each pew, and pray for the people who will be seated in them in a few hours. Pray that the lost will come to understand God’s love and grace. Pray for the members who need transformation and recommitment.
• Pray for the children. Pray that they will learn how to worship. Pray that they won’t be a distraction to the pastor and the congregation. Pray that they will be able to grasp the truths that will be taught.
• If your church uses a counseling room, walk to the room and pray for those who may be entering the room during the invitation. Pray that the counselors will receive spiritual insight into the needs of those who are making commitments.

2. Turn off the TV on Saturday night
As a body, I believe our church has lost a great deal of power because we stay up late on Saturday night watching TV instead of helping our families prepare for Sunday morning. Start the Lord’s day on Saturday night.

3. Be there in Spirit
You can’t help your family enter into the presence of the Lord on Sunday morning if you are planning your vacation on the church bulletin during the sermon. Don’t let your mind become captivated by anything other than what the Lord is doing during the most important hour of the week.

4. Don’t make worship a mumbling lip-sync display
Men, we sometimes have a tendency to mumble our way through the music. We feel awkward and self-conscious about singing and worshiping. What a shame! Our sacrifice of worship through congregational singing is not for the ears of others. It is not even for us. It is for the pleasure of God.

5. Affirm your pastor
The more you affirm your pastor, the better preacher he will become. Affirm your pastor and you will see him live up to your comments.

6. Search out the island people
Island people are those folks who sit alone and keep to themselves during times of fellowship in worship. Our tendency is to greet the people we know. Make an intentional effort to search out the loners.

7. Be a buffer for the pastor
Sundays are so draining for your staff, especially the pastor. Is there a way you can handle some of the details for him? Here’s a small list of some things you could do to keep him focused on his work instead of details:

• Gather the deacons for prayer and debriefing.
• Shield him from minor crises. If the plumbing is in peril, be proactive without him having to ask you. Take ownership.
• Most importantly, try shielding him from petty needs after worship so that he can be free to reach out to critical spiritual issues.

Handbook for Planning Deacon Ministry

8. When you lead in prayer, direct your prayers to God and not to people
As deacons, many of us feel like our prayers need to be mini-devotionals. When you pray…

• Intercede for the church to the Lord.
• Pray for the pastor and worship team.
• Invoke God’s presence and His power.
• Pray for spiritual awakening.
• Pray for spiritual insight.
• Pray for the unsaved.

9. Treat God’s Word with honor and respect
If you are asked to read Scripture, remember that the Bible is worth your time. Practice your delivery. Be yourself, but heighten your enthusiasm for God’s Word.

Are you personally willing to commit to excellence in worship? Your help in worship and in ministry requires commitment. It requires creativity. It requires planning.

This article is taken from Deacon Magazine.

About Matt

Matt Tullos is the editor of Let's Worship Magazine and the author of Aha Moments CD-ROM: 200 Short Dramatic Plug-ins for Worship.

He is editor-in-chief of LifeWay's Leadership and Adult Publishing Department.