The Crossing:
Worshipping God With Passion, Honesty and Relevancy

I had the opportunity to worship at the Crossing in Sioux Falls, SD and connect with Jon DeGroot the worship pastor to hear his thoughts on worship, discipleship and the values they put in place in their worship environment.   The Crossing is committed to provide a relevant and meaningfully worship experience for their worshippers primarily targeted to the post-modern, young adult community. You saw evidence of that throughout the service in lit candles, laid-back dress, emphasis on doing community in small groups but even greater than that was a great spiritual vulnerability, openness to God’s Spirit and the leaders’ attitude of getting out of the way so God can do His work and see Him in His full glory and majesty.  
            Jon had some great thoughts to share with me as he lead’s and equips his fellow worship leaders.  One of his values is the need for personal worship in preparing to lead worship publically.  A mentor of his said, “Never let your private devotion become less then your public anointing.  The minute you start drawing on “old wine” in worship is the minute you start to rely on our gifts and talents instead of the Spirit of God”. He also shared the thought that worship leaders need to be in the prayer closet regularly and lead out of their relationship with God or they will be helping to create people wanting to be entertained rather than healed.  
            Another value of Jon’s is his priority on discipleship and mentoring.  Jon has and still is intertwined with others that are mentoring and pouring into his life.  In his leadership of people, knowing he had someone supporting him “backstage” gave him confidence to use the gifts and abilities God gave him.  Jon hopes to do the same for the others on his team working with them in the ministry skill areas but also personally and spiritually.
            In closing I want to share with you a few of their worship team values:
To worship God in Spirit and in Truth…….by being honest before God and each other in everything we do….not fabricating our passion or watering down the Truth.
 ….…. .Keeping the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit the center of our worship, and only singing
 songs, praying prayers, and exhorting material that is in line with the Word of God.
To lead people in worship………………… by having everyone on stage purposed for the task of creating an environment that allows people to freely express themselves to God in a corporate manner.
 ………………….  being a servant leader, living by example.  It means putting our needs aside and serving both God and one another.       
To create a place where people can enter into worship……..by embracing God’s creative character expressed in His Word
  ………striving for excellence because God deserves our best  
 
 
May we all too continue to press on in worshipping God with passion, honestly and relevancy………..
Pam Kimpson