Distractions

[windbag]

What are your biggest distractions during worship? Are they external, physical things or are they internal, spiritual or mental things?

We have an early service, attended by about 40-50, people. It's a very intimate, coffee shop-type setting. Typically, we don't have a drummer. If I forget to disengage the snare, it rattles throughout. Drives me up absolutely up the wall. The tambourine player in the congregation doesn't distract me, but that snare does.

[milepost13]

Because we're in a resort community, during the summer, about 50% of our attendance every Sunday are out of town guests. It's a HUGE distraction, the way our building is set up, when people come in late, and, for some reason, about 40% of people come late (the vast majority are tourists). We've recently made changes to help limit that distraction, but it's something we can't completely get rid of unless we lock the doors at the start of the worship gathering, which we won't do, for obvious reasons.

I'm continually amazed that people will go on vacation, make the decision to attend church, and show up, sometimes, 40-60 minutes late...why even bother?

So, if you're on vacation, please, either show up on time or just sleep in and enjoy the beach, because nobody wins when you cause a distraction by coming in so dang late...

Nate

[NewCreation]

The "words" can be distracting. Our worship team is actually really good, I think, and so there are rarely musical distractions, but my church hasn't really figured out how to do the words well. Little things, like putting the first verse up the second the music starts, instead of just before we start singing. Or cycling through the previous 'slides' to get to the chorus or a previous verse. That kind of stuff bugs me...

[Mike Darley]

I hate to say it, but some of the congregation is what I find most distracting. It seems like every Sunday there are those who couldn't care less about the music. I've got the be honest, it's pretty upsetting when the music is good, I'm engaging in worship, and I look out in the congregation and see a bunch of disinterested faces. I'm not sure exactly what to do about it except pray. The pastor will address it from the pulpit as some point. Until then I'll just keep praying, trying to do the best with what God has given, and when I look at the congregation look at those who are engaged in worship.

[stephen_can_man]

We have a door in the back of the sanctuary that slams shut. We also have a sign for our information table that never gets turned on, and, always gets refered to in the service. Peeves me.

[skyescraper]

We have a couple of elders who appear to hate the music - no matter what we do. They stand with arms crossed and don't sing, and one of them constantly writes notes on his bulletin. (He told us once that he rates the songs we do each week on a scale of 1 to 10.) I know you can't please everyone, but it's distracting to see these people absolutely refusing to participate in corporate worship, and they are church leaders, to boot. Interestingly, they aren't all that old - early 50's, maybe.

[skyescraper]

The "words" can be distracting. Our worship team is actually really good, I think, and so there are rarely musical distractions, but my church hasn't really figured out how to do the words well. Little things, like putting the first verse up the second the music starts, instead of just before we start singing. Or cycling through the previous 'slides' to get to the chorus or a previous verse. That kind of stuff bugs me...

I know what you mean - this is so annoying. If anyone knows of a good way to motivate the projection people, please start a new thread on that. I have explained this to our people many times and it is still a problem.

[lytesource]

My insecurity is major for me. My husband always sits right in front of me. That alone is a distraction but add in that he's also the pastor and ugh!, I get all self concious if I look at him. Then I choke during a song and sputter for a few chords..... Gotta keep my eyes on Jesus :o

[russhutto]

one thing is a constant distraction...

me.

[sicstrings]

Ha,
To be distracted is human, right? :p

The way our stage is set-up the glass front doors of our building stare me in the face and as the sun is rising and cars are moving in the parking lot, the sun glare comes right at me and almost blinds me.

Other than that, the people, the music, the people, myself, the team. It's almost like I have A.D.D. :D

[milepost13]

I know what you mean - this is so annoying. If anyone knows of a good way to motivate the projection people, please start a new thread on that. I have explained this to our people many times and it is still a problem.

I started a thread in the "For Leaders and Teams" section.

Nate

[mikeymo1741]

Do broken strings count? :D


I get distracted when I can't get my tone the way I like it. Or when the younger of our drummers is on rotation, and he misses a fill or varies the tempo between verses and chorus. Doesn't happen all that often.

What really messes me up is when the sound folks don't pay attention. I switched to my acoustic for one song Sunday, and could not hear anything in the monitors. I was looking right at the sound booth the entire song, and he never looked at me. :mad:

We have one woman who will literally walk onto the stage to grab a tambourine, no matter where we hide it. She once got into a tug-of-war with the conga player over it, right during a song! :eek:

[skyescraper]

What really messes me up is when the sound folks don't pay attention. I switched to my acoustic for one song Sunday, and could not hear anything in the monitors. I was looking right at the sound booth the entire song, and he never looked at me. :mad::

I know exactly what you mean!! What are they doing back there, if not watching and listening for problems?!? It would be one thing if they were so involved in worshipping that they didn't notice their services were needed, but that's never been the case in my experience. Our people just fiddle around with things, or whisper to each other, or ... well, I don't really know what they do back there, most of the time.



We have one woman who will literally walk onto the stage to grab a tambourine, no matter where we hide it. She once got into a tug-of-war with the conga player over it, right during a song! :eek:

Yikes!

We have a "baby comfort room" in the back of the sanctuary, and if I stand in a certain place onstage, I can see myself in the reflection of its window. It's VERY distracting to me.

[windbag]

Interesting trend emerging here. Most of our distractions seems to be people.

[Singer4Christ87]

one thing is a constant distraction...

me.


same here.

[chrisjane]

I can relate to almost every single post on this subject!

How about this though... When someone else is leading worship and the music is good and the atmosphere is great, and the leader decides to just preach a sermonette on whatever topic comes to them between every song... I mean I'm with them for maybe the first 15 or 20 seconds but after that I find myself struggling to ignore them and keep focused on God and His presence.

That bothers me more than almost anything. I mean a segue is a necessary thing and can be quite meaningful and moving, but they should only be used as a smooth transition into the next song. Unless God is laying something on your heart of course. But if God is laying lengthy messages on your heart every few minutes, you shouldn't be in the music portion of worship, you should be a preacher!

Maybe I am being a little harsh here but it is so distracting to me that I sometimes have to excuse myself to clear my head.

[maydavidj]

[/Negativeness] I'm distracted by bad monitor mixes and missed cues from my musicians. I'm a drummer, so when the drummer plays something I don't like that's distracting...when our electric guitar player decides to play "lead guitar" through a whole song and just makes it sound like "deno dedo deno dii diid di dii"...when our keyboard player uses sheet music and will play something weird that doesn't agree with my charts to be musically correct...when the bass player goes in and out & can't seem to keep a solid line going...[Negativeness/] Lol :rolleyes:

[milepost13]

What?

Nate

[stephen_can_man]

[/Negativeness] I'm distracted by bad monitor mixes and missed cues from my musicians. I'm a drummer, so when the drummer plays something I don't like that's distracting...when our electric guitar player decides to play "lead guitar" through a whole song and just makes it sound like "deno dedo deno dii diid di dii"...when our keyboard player uses sheet music and will play something weird that doesn't agree with my charts to be musically correct...when the bass player goes in and out & can't seem to keep a solid line going...[Negativeness/] Lol :rolleyes:

Hmmmm, sounds like every thing I deal with too. But, it is incredidible when it all clicks, it makes it all worthwhile.

[Singer4Christ87]

Yeah I can second with both of you.... I'm not a drummer, but a singer and its pretty distracting when timing's off...or someone's playing too loud..And you can't do anything about it.. :/


Originally posted by: Stephen_can_man But, it is incredidible when it all clicks, it makes it all worthwhile.
Yes it is! :)

[maydavidj]

What?

Nate

I don't know I guess I just get frustrated sometimes when it doesn't come out as good as I hope for. It distracts me and I think it affects people's ability to worship...I mean I would rather have acoustic guitar and djembe and do it with "excellence" than have a whole band and suck. But as Stephen said, it is worth it in the end when it all comes together! I try NOT to be negative like my earlier post a lot lol but sometimes you just have to complain to somebody!

[windbag]

it affects people's ability to worship

The distraction of the congregation not worshiping typically prompts one of these questions: what is wrong with them? or what is wrong with me? This morning, singing "Lord, I Give You My Heart" I was playing it way too fast. Now, that's a preferencial thing. I don't like to drag it, and I interpret it as more of a declaration than a slow, worshipful ballad. The congregation was way, way behind, so I had to bring it down a few clicks, and we were able to press in.

Let me rephrase the last sentence and take the pride out it: I had ran so far ahead of the congregation, that I had to stop and chill out, so that we could travel as a group into the presence of God.

[windbag]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought that this might fit into this one.

Do any of you ever break down during worship? We were singing "Knowing You, Jesus" this morning, and I got choked on the chorus, but played through. I thought I had it together, but the second time through the chorus, I lost it. Couldn't play or sing. The band carried for a couple of measures, then I came back.

It's odd, because that is not a song that moves me every time I sing it. It was one of those moments. Is there a song or line that grabs any of you? Usually, it's the line "nothing compares to the promise I have in You" from "Shout to the Lord."

Does anyone have a strong opinion (or proof) that a temporary breakdown either hinders or enhances worship? Maybe neither?

[skyescraper]

I think it's a strength when you are able to be real with your congregation - to let them see your joy, sadness, enthusiasm, and everything in between. It's not a sign of weakness at all that you broke down during that song. Our people need to see that we are moved by the lyrics (or by the Holy Spirit!) as well, and that the worship experience we are leading truly means something to us - it's not just words we are singing or notes we are playing.

[NewCreation]

Yeah, I would definitely agree with skyescraper. I think it is a great encouragement for the congregation to see their worship leader moved by the music, or a pastor moved by the Word of God, or a youth pastor moved by a story of God doing something great in the life of one of their teenagers. It shows that we actually care about our ministry, and that we are putting our whole hearts into it. I know that when our worship leader gets choked up, it focuses me. I think to myself, "Why is he crying? Did I miss something? Is God moving and I'm so distracted that I don't know it?" Then I press in harder. If only more people would allow themselves to be moved by the Spirit like that...

[milepost13]

I get choked up every couple of weeks, and everyone knows it. I figure it's a good thing to be real in front of people and God.

Nate