In this year I have had several opportunities to participate in a church service. It has been singing songs. I use the minutes before I sing to share my perspective on the topic I am going to sing about.
Usually, I share it as the story of how I came to a specific conclusion that is related to the song I am about to sing. I always start by saying that I am introspective and analytical in nature. Then I share what happened in my life that led me to understand something important about God. It tends to take about 5 minutes. Then I sing the song.
I haven’t always been talkative when I sing a song. Talking before a song has been something that has developed with time. I still make mistakes, but I am still learning.
There is another reason for me not talking much: I hadn’t had the perspective and experiences to really have something to say.
I am a 20 something musician that has lived more than half of my life as a Christian and have been more than half of that time in active ministry. This time has been filled with experiences and teachings that I have finally got the skill and confidence to share.
I have come to understand that my church needs my perspective because it is one that is not common. Because of the lack of examples of my more contemplative type of Christianity in my church’s public discourse, I think that it is a good idea to share how the God-approved use these traits can lead to increase your understanding of God, who He is, and how He operates. Because I am not given more opportunities to speak up, I have learned to take advantage of the limited time that I have.
Sharing my experience in my Christian walk is not natural. It means being open to criticism and rejection. But God didn’t give me my experience and perspective to keep quiet. My willingness to share something personal is a sign of my growth and my embracing of what God wants my new role to be.
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