Some churches love the sound and anointing of prophetic worship but can’t make room for it in their meetings.  Perhaps they have multiple services on Sunday mornings and have to watch the clock.  Perhaps they have a seeker-sensitive mission and feel they need to stay with contemporary but otherwise traditional worship.  Do they have to go without prophetic song?

The answer to both questions is no.  Here are a few ways to use prophetic song, inside the church and out, and God will give you more ideas.  Ask Him to lead you, and expect Him to be creative.

In The Church

Sunday morning may or may not be the best time for your church to use prophetic worship. To fulfill your church's God-given mission, prophetic song may fit better in another meeting. Here are a few things to consider:

1.  Worship Services. Prophetic worship calls for a flexible schedule.  If your church has two or more worship services on Sunday, the first service(s) can be more traditional but the final service can be open to the spontaneous flow. Church members will naturally gravitate to the worship style they feel more comfortable with.

2.  Altar Calls. Prophetic song can flow well with personal ministry at the altar, and it can provide a background that enables prayer warriors in the congregation to back up the prayer team as they minister.  Generally, the worship team will need to play and sing softly enough not to drown out the prayer team as they minister to those who come forward.

3.  Prayer Meetings. The church is learning to mix prayer and worship.  Generally the worship team leads the congregation into God’s presence, then steps back so others can use the “prayer microphone” to lead the church in prayer. The meeting can go back and forth between prayer and praise.

4.  Soaking Meetings. It can be in a worship service or it can be a special meeting, but sometimes the church needs to gather and soak in God’s presence while the worship team ministers in spontaneous prophetic song.  This is an excellent way to train the church to listen for God’s voice.

5.  For Equipping. Prophetic worship is useful if the pastor is training the congregation to hear from God, to learn to let the Holy Spirit worship or pray through them, or to become sensitive to the anointing.  By singing in the Spirit or using a loop, the whole church can speak or sing, all at one time, as they learn to get into the flow.

Outside The Church

6.  Home Meetings. You can invite people to your home for a time of free worship, and there can fulfill any of the ministries listed above for the church.

7.  Regional Prayer Meetings.  Like prayer meetings in the church, worship and prayer work well together in unity meetings.  With participants from a variety of streams, it’s important to keep the music simple enough that all will find it easy to participate.  That said, sometimes God pours out His richest blessing in unity meetings.

The Commanded Blessing.  Psalm 133 says God commands special blessing when brethren dwell together in unity.  Prophetic worship can be an opportunity for churches to flow together in prayer for regional revival.

8.  Street Meetings. Take prophetic song to the streets.  You can use it in worship, in giving testimonies, or in singing fictional songs that describe the need of an imaginary person and how God meets the need. 

The Fictional Song.  Psalm 107 is an example of this style, as the Psalmist described four groups of needy people and how God brought them into a relationship with Him.  Your spontaneous songs about needy people can touch hearts; God will sometimes give you words of knowledge that will lead to ministry opportunities after the singing. 

9.  Coffee House Ministry. You may want to use worship music, or the venue may call for the “fictional song” as you reach out to unbelievers.  You can use the chorus with verses to find a way to involve the audience.  Or you can launch spontaneous songs as a bridge connected with other songs you already know.

Sing Ballads.  They might tell a Bible story; they might be a parable.  Either way, a story will sometimes connect with a secular audience more than straightforward preaching will.

Expect An Atmosphere Of The Spirit As You Play Instrumentals.  This calls for prayer backup, but an unusual atmosphere of peace or conviction often will create ministry opportunities after your set.

Provide Other Ministry Materials.  Augment your performance at a coffee house with printed materials or CDs.  Aside from any extra money you might make through sales, your materials can provide ongoing ministry.

10.  Drum Circles. Build a team and practice the principles of I Corinthians 14.   Your goal:  to be led by the Spirit, not just by the rhythm.  This can be an excellent interactive opportunity with unbelievers as you allow them to participate with you.

Do the work of an evangelist.  The drum circle itself may not lead anyone to Christ, but it can cause unbelievers to become open to what you have to say.  As most evangelists learn, part of their job is to develop relationships that cause people to let their defenses against the gospel down.

 

At Home

11. Accompany Yourself As You Sing.  In your personal devotions, play along on guitar or keyboard.  It can become prophetic as you engage with God; sometimes you will receive fresh revelation as you worship.  Let God give you new melodies and musical styles as you worship.