牧者心聲

記得當年中學畢業後前往加國留學，就讀一所聖經學院附屬的寄宿學校。每週一次的早會皆由不同年級的同學或神學生帶領唱短詩，每次敬拜皆有完整的樂隊伴奏。對於當年在北宣少年部成長的我而言，這是初次接觸截然不同的唱詩風格。我不太懂唱當時的英文詩歌，但那種敬拜風格讓我耳目一新。當我越加認識他們，知道他們每次敬拜前皆花上許多時間預備；那份認真的態度至今仍深印在我腦海中。後來，我轉到另一城市繼續升學，參與當地一間華人宣道會，更開啟了我在敬拜隊服事的年月。

歷代以來，不同地區、種族和文化的教會，其敬拜風格都在不斷發展。然而，在如此廣闊的文化特色中，卻始終保持著最重要的核心：以上帝為中心的敬拜。

北宣家除了英語崇拜和少年崇拜多年來以敬拜隊為主力帶領外，以敬拜隊作為固定帶領群體的，其實也只從十多年前的 SATpoint 崇拜開始，後來亦有 TC5 崇拜和 SUN＋崇拜。縱然敬拜和詩歌風格與正堂的崇拜有所不同，各崇拜卻依然保持著北宣家一貫的崇拜理念——以上帝為中心的敬拜。這些年來，認識了更多熟悉不同音樂風格的肢體，看到大家都樂於委身，彼此配搭服事。

過去 20 多年的崇拜和音樂事奉中，自己深深體會到敬拜風格是一個管道，引領我們到神面前。無論是事奉的角色，還是參與崇拜之中，我們都祈求神保守自己的心思不致偏差，將榮耀歸於上帝，並非歸給人。

保羅勉勵我們：「當用各樣的智慧，把基督的道豐豐富富的存在心裡，用詩篇、讚美詩、靈歌，彼此教導，互相勸戒，以感恩的心歌頌神。」（西三 16，和修版）敬拜的目的，是讓敬拜者的焦點定睛在耶穌基督身上。無論是敬拜隊的主領者、樂隊中的樂手，或是風琴師、詩班員，崇拜音樂帶領者的職分，都是藉著運用上帝賜下的恩賜在崇拜中發揮出來，從而拉近人與神的關係。

對會眾而言，每週參與崇拜，即使崇拜程序好像大同小異，但因著詩歌和講道的內容，我們仍求神賜下那份敬畏和尊崇的心。崇拜的音樂事奉群體每星期盡力預備，奏出美妙動聽的音樂，藉此反映上帝的榮美，也讓人的心靈得著激勵，叫我們更願意與神連結，讓祂帶領我們的生命。

Different Styles, the Same Goal
Rev. Philip Chow

  I remember that after graduating from secondary school, I went to Canada to study at a boarding school affiliated with a Bible college. Once a week, during morning assembly, students from different grades or seminary students would lead us in singing short choruses, with a full group of musicians accompanying each time. For me, having grown up in the Youth Ministry of NPAC, that was my first encounter with a completely different style of singing hymns. I did not really know how to sing the English worship songs at that time, but that style of worship was fresh and eye-opening to me. As I came to know them better, I learned that they spent a great deal of time preparing before every worship session. That serious and dedicated attitude remains deeply impressed on my mind to this day. Later, I moved to another city to continue my studies and joined a local Chinese Alliance church, which opened the way for my years of service in a worship team.

  Throughout history, churches in different regions, ethnic groups, and cultures have continually developed their own worship styles. Yet amid such a wide range of cultural expressions, the most important core has always remained the same: God-centred worship.

  Apart from the English Worship Service and the Youth Worship Service, which have for many years been led primarily by praise teams, the use of praise teams as a regular leading group in the NPAC family actually began only more than ten years ago with the SATpoint Worship Service, followed later by the TC5 Worship Service and the SUN+ Worship Service. Although the styles of worship and music differ from those of the worship services conducted in the main church, each service has continued to uphold NPAC’s long-standing worship philosophy—God-centred worship. Over the years, I have come to know more brothers and sisters who are familiar with different musical styles, and I have seen how they are all willing to commit themselves and serve together in mutual partnership.

  Over more than twenty years of worship and music ministry, I have deeply come to understand that worship style is a channel that leads us before God. Whether we are serving in a particular role or participating in worship, we pray that God will guard our hearts and minds from going astray, so that glory may be given to God and not to people.

  Paul exhorts us: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16). The purpose of worship is to fix the worshiper’s focus on Jesus Christ. Whether one is the praise team leader, a musician, an organist, or a choir member, the role of those who lead music in worship is to use the gifts given by God in the worship service to draw people closer to Him.

  For the congregation who participate in the worship service each week, although the order of worship may seem similar, we still ask God to grant us a heart of reverence and adoration in accordance with the content of the songs and the sermon. Each week, the worship music ministry teams do their best to prepare and to offer beautiful music to reflect the beauty and glory of God. This also encourages our hearts, making us more willing to connect with Him and allow Him to lead our lives.