Brown and Columbia Student Leaders Reflect on Worship
By Erin conner, writer and communication associate
Christian Union Universities, a Christian leadership development ministry at ten highly secular and influential educational institutions in America, aims to provide training and growth opportunities for students to lead others in devotion to God in their spheres of influence.
One area of leadership that students develop during their time with Christian Union is worship. The following thoughts from Christian Union ministry team leaders at Brown and Columbia University reveal the power of worship on their campuses and in believers' lives.
Abieyuwa Otote, Brown University
My journey to joining worship leadership began with Christian Union itself. I came onto Brown's campus seeking a Jesus-loving, disciple-making community, and found that and so much more at Christian Union. So when the worship team leader at the time asked if I would be interested in leading after she graduated, I joyfully said yes.
To me, worship means to exalt the living breathing Lord we serve. Music is like air; it is atmospheric and has the ability to fill hearts and move spirits. Worship can take many forms, but I find something so special in celebrating the wonder that is Jesus Christ via song. Worship, like prayer, is definitely a gift from God through which we grow closer to Him and bear fruit in our lives. Worship is humbling; the act of praising Him and lifting my hands reminds me that like all humans, I was nothing until He saved me. Worship has allowed me to lead a life free from the weight of worldly expectations or feelings of inadequacy because He is more than enough, and that is where my identity lies.
I personally think public worship is so important in changing the culture for Christ! It serves as an undeniably bold expression of faith that is powerful for both worshipper and observer. It takes courage for a Christian to sing praises to the Lord in spaces where they may face judgement or ridicule. In fact, it requires a fearlessness that cannot be mustered up by the flesh, but can come only from the Holy Spirit.
Daniel Amadi, Brown University
As someone heavily involved in the church orchestra and choir in high school, I have seen how a dedicated time of worship lays the foundation for a powerful message for a speaker. It was critical for me to find a group of believers on campus that also believe in strong worship, so I became involved in Christian Union Libertas my freshman spring semester, and I fell in love with the way they prioritized worship music.
Being a college student trying to meet the academic demands of school along with friendships and relationships on campus or back home is incredibly taxing and can make us end up putting our relationship with God in the background. My goal with worship is to take a break from the stresses of the world and embrace the love of God through voices and instruments.
Worship is a time to praise God for the work he does in our lives, whether we see it or we do not. Expressing that joy, thankfulness, and contentment together is such a wonderful introduction and tunes everyone's hearts and minds into what the speaker is about to speak about and puts God at the forefront of our hearts.
Anthony Chen, Columbia University
At Christian Union Lumine, worship centers the heart of our ministry around Christ. Worship serves as a whole-hearted response to Christ for his mercy and goodness in our lives as Christians. It brings us back to a thankful and penitent heart as we recognize our lowliness before His throne of grace. Beyond the praises that we sing with our voices, worship is a lifestyle, encompassing every aspect of the way a Christian lives.
By the end of my first year at Columbia, I was asked to become a worship leader for Christian Union Lumine. I almost said no. I did not feel ready to take on such a role, but the Lord was showing me this had much more to do with Him than me and He would provide everything on the way.
One of the most treasured experiences I have as a worship leader is hearing how it has impacted others. My first semester as a ministry team leader, I was prayerful about the songs being chosen every week. Two months into the semester, one of our first-years at the time, Olivia, came up to me and shared how for a month straight songs that have been on her heart would end up on the setlist on Illumina night. She mentioned how these songs made her feel seen and loved in her time of transition to college.
As a worship leader, I cannot reach the depths of people's heart, only God can and that’s the power of worship. To declare and proclaim what is good and true–the life and love of Jesus Christ, His death,and resurrection–is to bring people to contemplate how great our Lord is and draw our eyes to what happened on that cross. Public worship allows anyone to participate in experiencing the love of God, to see His face in the midst of our lives.
At Christian Union Lumine, we use worship to help people draw close to the heart of God in remembrance and gratitude for what Jesus has done. Worship is singing truths of who God is, surrendering ourselves to Him, and yielding ourselves to His will. Worship brings the human heart to recognize God’s faithful and steadfast loving character despite our human emotions. Both the good and bad days can end the same: worshipping God.
In worship, we are welcoming God to fill the atmosphere with His Holy Spirit and do whatever He pleases. My biggest hope is that as leaders, we create that space for the Holy Spirit to come and rest on us, and change lives.
