Rev. Sandy Yu, founder and CEO of the Stream of Praise Music Ministries (SOP), called for unity among churches, worship leaders, and worship team members during the Hong Kong 2024 Worship Revival Summit.
Over 1,500 worship team members attended the summit on August 4 at Evangelical Free Church of China (EFCC) Yan Fook Church.
The summit was divided into four sessions of learning and worship. Andy Chen and Tiffany M. Cheng led the first two worship learning sessions, while Sandy Yu led the final two. Over more than three hours of worship and study, 17 well-known hymns were interspersed, touching on different subjects.
All Worshipers Are on the Path to Fulfilling God's Calling
To encourage the worshipers, Andy Chen stated that while there are obstacles and difficulties in service and the need for growth and learning, it is crucial not to doubt God's calling because each person is on the path to fulfilling God's calling.
Sharing his personal story, Chen said that during high school, he was a member of the track and field team and had to run several kilometers every day as part of his training. After training for a long time, just before the competition—a time when he was eagerly anticipating winning a prize—he discovered that his foot was injured, and he had to give up track and field.
After injuring his foot, he joined the school choir, which influenced his later career choice and led him to major in viola in college. God's work exceeded his expectations, as he came to know God through music and now serves using his professional skills. Thus, a free-spirited, lively "music prince" emerged on the stage of the SOP, where he has served for over ten years.
Entering Face-to-Face Worship with God
Tiffany M. Cheng shared her experience of intimate worship with God, face-to-face worship. Immersive worship involves entering the inner court, where worship comes from a heart of longing. It is a dialogue with God, as well as a process of asking, listening, and walking with God, where this walking means constant conversation with God. Whether in good times or bad, worshiping God is a part of our lives. If one is in struggle, they should worship God in the struggle; if in hardship, they should worship God in hardship. When worshipers frequently experience an intimate relationship with God, they can also lead the congregation into such a relationship.
How to Remove Personal Flair and Achieve Unified Worship in a Worship Team?
A worship team needs cooperation and unity among its members. In a worship team, people often focus on the worship leaders. However, Sandy Yu said, "Musicians make up 70% of the team's importance." At the summit, she introduced each musician in SOP, explaining how different instruments could achieve unified worship.
The drummer is the heartbeat of the band, and if the "heartbeat" is not in sync with the metronome, it will often result in an "irregular heartbeat." Drummers need to practice with a metronome. The drummer of SOP, who has been involved in the ministry for six years, is professional. When he first joined SOP, he struggled with "why I was asked to play such simple things," but he "humbled himself when he realized his calling." For him, it is more important to do what is appropriate than to show off. He believes that anointing is greater than skill and technique, and "technology is not unnecessary but should be used at the right time."
The bass is the low-pitched electric guitar, and its role is to maintain the bass and act as a bridge between rhythm and melody instruments. When a person plays the bass, "there's no need to play a lot, just follow the rhythm of the drums."
The keyboardist has served with SOP for over ten years. Yu testified that she always worships while playing, with great anointing. The keyboardist shared that the key to playing is to cooperate with others, so "playing more or less is not a matter." As the music director of the team, the keyboardist instructs the worship team through in-ear monitors during worship.
The band also plays instruments like electric guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, and viola. Yu encouraged attendees to learn different instruments to worship God, reminding them that the violin is not suitable for accompanying the lead singer because both the violin and lead vocals are main melodies, which can cause "disasters" when played together.
Additionally, she demonstrated unified worship through the vocal collaboration of the lead singers, including the cooperation between lead and backing vocals, maintaining consistent breathing, avoiding extended vibrato in praise, and restraining personal showmanship.
Yu believes that a worship team needs to focus on both skill and spirituality; "If there is only skill without spirituality, it becomes a concert; if there is only spirituality without skill, it becomes a 'horror show.'"
Sandy Yu Calls for Unity Among Churches and Worship Teams
In the Old Testament, there were many Levites and priests, whose duties were to manage God's temple and handle the affairs of the Tabernacle. Levites and priests worked together despite their large numbers.
The worship teams participating in the summit came from many different churches, each with its style of worship. Some churches only use piano accompaniment for worship, while others use every instrument during worship. Yu said, "It doesn't matter; we can still worship together. What is important is 'working together and worshiping together.'"
Yu explained that the reason for hosting the summit was to gather worship leaders to worship together. "Worship teams are all from the tribe of Levi, and we are so few in number that we cannot afford to be divided." She urged, "When worship leaders and worship teams can unite and worship together, it is incredibly powerful."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
