Rev. Sandy Yu, founder and CEO of the Stream of Praise Music Ministries (SOP), called for unity among churches, worship leaders, and worship team members during the Hong Kong 2024 Worship Revival Summit.
Over 1,500 worship team members attended the summit on August 4 at Evangelical Free Church of China (EFCC) Yan Fook Church.
The summit was divided into four sessions of learning and worship. Andy Chen and Tiffany M. Cheng led the first two worship learning sessions, while Sandy Yu led the final two. Over more than three hours of worship and study, 17 well-known hymns were interspersed, touching on different subjects.
All Worshipers Are on the Path to Fulfilling God's Calling
To encourage the worshipers, Andy Chen stated that while there are obstacles and difficulties in service and the need for growth and learning, it is crucial not to doubt God's calling because each person is on the path to fulfilling God's calling.
Sharing his personal story, Chen said that during high school, he was a member of the track and field team and had to run several kilometers every day as part of his training. After training for a long time, just before the competition—a time when he was eagerly anticipating winning a prize—he discovered that his foot was injured, and he had to give up track and field.
After injuring his foot, he joined the school choir, which influenced his later career choice and led him to major in viola in college. God's work exceeded his expectations, as he came to know God through music and now serves using his professional skills. Thus, a free-spirited, lively "music prince" emerged on the stage of the SOP, where he has served for over ten years.
Entering Face-to-Face Worship with God
Tiffany M. Cheng shared her experience of intimate worship with God, face-to-face worship. Immersive worship involves entering the inner court, where worship comes from a heart of longing. It is a dialogue with God, as well as a process of asking, listening, and walking with God, where this walking means constant conversation with God. Whether in good times or bad, worshiping God is a part of our lives. If one is in struggle, they should worship God in the struggle; if in hardship, they should worship God in hardship. When worshipers frequently experience an intimate relationship with God, they can also lead the congregation into such a relationship.
How to Remove Personal Flair and Achieve Unified Worship in a Worship Team?
A worship team needs cooperation and unity among its members. In a worship team, people often focus on the worship leaders. However, Sandy Yu said, "Musicians make up 70% of the team's importance." At the summit, she introduced each musician in SOP, explaining how different instruments could achieve unified worship.
The drummer is the heartbeat of the band, and if the "heartbeat" is not in sync with the metronome, it will often result in an "irregular heartbeat." Drummers need to practice with a metronome. The drummer of SOP, who has been involved in the ministry for six years, is professional. When he first joined SOP, he struggled with "why I was asked to play such simple things," but he "humbled himself when he realized his calling." For him, it is more important to do what is appropriate than to show off. He believes that anointing is greater than skill and technique, and "technology is not unnecessary but should be used at the right time."
The bass is the low-pitched electric guitar, and its role is to maintain the bass and act as a bridge between rhythm and melody instruments. When a person plays the bass, "there's no need to play a lot, just follow the rhythm of the drums."
The keyboardist has served with SOP for over ten years. Yu testified that she always worships while playing, with great anointing. The keyboardist shared that the key to playing is to cooperate with others, so "playing more or less is not a matter." As the music director of the team, the keyboardist instructs the worship team through in-ear monitors during worship.
The band also plays instruments like electric guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, and viola. Yu encouraged attendees to learn different instruments to worship God, reminding them that the violin is not suitable for accompanying the lead singer because both the violin and lead vocals are main melodies, which can cause "disasters" when played together.
Additionally, she demonstrated unified worship through the vocal collaboration of the lead singers, including the cooperation between lead and backing vocals, maintaining consistent breathing, avoiding extended vibrato in praise, and restraining personal showmanship.
Yu believes that a worship team needs to focus on both skill and spirituality; "If there is only skill without spirituality, it becomes a concert; if there is only spirituality without skill, it becomes a 'horror show.'"
Sandy Yu Calls for Unity Among Churches and Worship Teams
In the Old Testament, there were many Levites and priests, whose duties were to manage God's temple and handle the affairs of the Tabernacle. Levites and priests worked together despite their large numbers.
The worship teams participating in the summit came from many different churches, each with its style of worship. Some churches only use piano accompaniment for worship, while others use every instrument during worship. Yu said, "It doesn't matter; we can still worship together. What is important is 'working together and worshiping together.'"
Yu explained that the reason for hosting the summit was to gather worship leaders to worship together. "Worship teams are all from the tribe of Levi, and we are so few in number that we cannot afford to be divided." She urged, "When worship leaders and worship teams can unite and worship together, it is incredibly powerful."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
8月4日，在香港恩福堂聚集了1500多位敬拜团成员参加赞美之泉2024香港“复兴”敬拜团高峰会。赞美之泉团队负责人游智婷牧师，在高峰会上呼吁主的教会合一，敬拜领袖们合一，敬拜团员合一。
当日的高峰会分为四个部分的学习和敬拜；陈麒安传道、郑懋柔传道分别带领了前2场敬拜学习，游智婷牧师带领了后两场。在长达3个多小时的敬拜和学习中，按照不同的主题，总共穿插了17首大家耳熟能详的赞美诗。
所有敬拜者都在成就神荣耀呼召的路上
陈麒安传道鼓励敬拜者们，在事奉的过程中，会遇到障碍和困难，也需要提升和学习；但重要的是，不怀疑神的呼召；因为大家都在成就神荣耀呼召的路上。
陈麒安传道分享了亲身经历：在高中时期，他曾参加了田径队，每天的训练都要跑十几公里。这样训练了很久，快比赛之前，也是他内心期待得奖的时期，他发现脚受伤了，他不得不放弃了田径运动。
在脚受伤之后，陈麒安加入了学校的合唱队。这个经历也影响了他后来的专业选择，他大学选的专业是中提琴。神的工作超乎他的想象，他通过音乐认识了神，也用自己的专业在做事奉。于是在赞美之泉台上，多了位自由、活泼的音乐小王子；他加入赞美之泉事工至今超过十年了。
进入与神面对面的敬拜
郑懿柔传道分享了个人与神的亲密式敬拜——与神面对面的敬拜。沉浸式敬拜是走向内院，内心有渴慕的敬拜；是与神的对话、求问、聆听、与神同行，这种同行是时时与神的对话。不论得时不得时，活着就要敬拜神。若落在挣扎中，那就在挣扎中敬拜神；若处在患难中，就在患难中敬拜神。敬拜者们能常常经历到与神亲密的关系中时，也能将会众带入这样的关系中
在敬拜团中如何去掉个人色彩、合一的敬拜？
敬拜团需要注重彼此之间的合作和合一。在一个敬拜团中，通常大家会容易看到的是敬拜主领们。但游智婷牧师说：“乐手在团队中的重要性，占70%。”游智婷牧师在高峰会上介绍了赞美之泉团队的每一位乐手，以及用不同的乐器在敬拜中如何合一地敬拜。
鼓手是乐队的心脏，若心脏和节拍器踩点不一致，那么这个心脏会常常“心率不齐”；鼓手们需要跟着节拍器练习。赞美之泉的鼓手是一位参与事工6年的弟兄，这个弟兄也是专业的鼓手。刚到赞美之泉的时候，他曾纠结于“为什么让自己打这么简单的东西”，但“当知道我的呼召的时候就谦卑下来了”。比起炫技，更重要的是做合适的事情。他认为恩膏大于技巧和技术，并且“不是不能复杂，是在对的时候复杂”。
贝斯是低音电吉他，需要做的是保持低音，并且做节奏和旋律乐器的桥梁。贝斯弹奏的时候“很简单，不用弹很多，只是弹与鼓一致的节奏。”
键盘手在赞美之泉团队事奉超过10年，游智婷牧师见证他每次都在边弹琴边敬拜，“弹得很有恩膏”。键盘手分享说，弹琴重要的是和别人的配搭，因此“弹多弹少都很自由。”赞美之泉的键盘手也是团队的乐团总监，在敬拜中通过耳返告诉敬拜团的人要做什么。
乐团的乐器还有电吉他、木吉他、小提琴、中提琴等。游智婷牧师鼓励大家多学不同的乐器来敬拜神，并且提醒小提琴不适合给主唱伴奏；因小提琴和主唱同时发出声音会发生“灾难”，因为两个都是主旋律，不和谐。
此外，游智婷牧师也通过领唱团的声乐合作现场演示了合一的敬拜。包括主唱伴唱的合作，保持断气部分一致，不用拖长的颤音来赞美，并且收起个人炫技。
游智婷牧师认为，敬拜团需要同时注重技巧和灵性；“如果只有技巧，没有灵性，这样的音乐会是演唱会；如果没有技巧，只有灵性，这会变成‘恐怖会’”。
游智婷牧师呼吁教会、敬拜团要合一
旧约中利未人和祭司人数很多，利未人和祭司的职责是管理神的殿以及办理会幕的事务。利未人和祭司是同工，是一起合作的，即便他们人数很多。
参加高峰会的敬拜团来自很多不同的教会，可能不同教会敬拜的方式不一样。有的教会敬拜只用钢琴伴奏，也有的教会在敬拜时什么乐器都用。游智婷牧师说，这些都“没有关系，我们还是可以一起敬拜。重要的是“一起，一起同工，一起敬拜”。
游智婷牧师解释说，聚集敬拜领袖一起敬拜，这就是举办敬拜团的“复兴”特会的原因。“敬拜团都是利未支派的，我们人这么少，不能再分离。”游智婷牧师呼吁：“当敬拜主领和敬拜团能和在一起，一起敬拜的时候，是非常有能力的。”
赞美之泉2024香港“复兴”敬拜团高峰会：游智婷牧师呼吁合一
Rev. Sandy Yu, founder and CEO of the Stream of Praise Music Ministries (SOP), called for unity among churches, worship leaders, and worship team members during the Hong Kong 2024 Worship Revival Summit.
Over 1,500 worship team members attended the summit on August 4 at Evangelical Free Church of China (EFCC) Yan Fook Church.
The summit was divided into four sessions of learning and worship. Andy Chen and Tiffany M. Cheng led the first two worship learning sessions, while Sandy Yu led the final two. Over more than three hours of worship and study, 17 well-known hymns were interspersed, touching on different subjects.
All Worshipers Are on the Path to Fulfilling God's Calling
To encourage the worshipers, Andy Chen stated that while there are obstacles and difficulties in service and the need for growth and learning, it is crucial not to doubt God's calling because each person is on the path to fulfilling God's calling.
Sharing his personal story, Chen said that during high school, he was a member of the track and field team and had to run several kilometers every day as part of his training. After training for a long time, just before the competition—a time when he was eagerly anticipating winning a prize—he discovered that his foot was injured, and he had to give up track and field.
After injuring his foot, he joined the school choir, which influenced his later career choice and led him to major in viola in college. God's work exceeded his expectations, as he came to know God through music and now serves using his professional skills. Thus, a free-spirited, lively "music prince" emerged on the stage of the SOP, where he has served for over ten years.
Entering Face-to-Face Worship with God
Tiffany M. Cheng shared her experience of intimate worship with God, face-to-face worship. Immersive worship involves entering the inner court, where worship comes from a heart of longing. It is a dialogue with God, as well as a process of asking, listening, and walking with God, where this walking means constant conversation with God. Whether in good times or bad, worshiping God is a part of our lives. If one is in struggle, they should worship God in the struggle; if in hardship, they should worship God in hardship. When worshipers frequently experience an intimate relationship with God, they can also lead the congregation into such a relationship.
How to Remove Personal Flair and Achieve Unified Worship in a Worship Team?
A worship team needs cooperation and unity among its members. In a worship team, people often focus on the worship leaders. However, Sandy Yu said, "Musicians make up 70% of the team's importance." At the summit, she introduced each musician in SOP, explaining how different instruments could achieve unified worship.
The drummer is the heartbeat of the band, and if the "heartbeat" is not in sync with the metronome, it will often result in an "irregular heartbeat." Drummers need to practice with a metronome. The drummer of SOP, who has been involved in the ministry for six years, is professional. When he first joined SOP, he struggled with "why I was asked to play such simple things," but he "humbled himself when he realized his calling." For him, it is more important to do what is appropriate than to show off. He believes that anointing is greater than skill and technique, and "technology is not unnecessary but should be used at the right time."
The bass is the low-pitched electric guitar, and its role is to maintain the bass and act as a bridge between rhythm and melody instruments. When a person plays the bass, "there's no need to play a lot, just follow the rhythm of the drums."
The keyboardist has served with SOP for over ten years. Yu testified that she always worships while playing, with great anointing. The keyboardist shared that the key to playing is to cooperate with others, so "playing more or less is not a matter." As the music director of the team, the keyboardist instructs the worship team through in-ear monitors during worship.
The band also plays instruments like electric guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, and viola. Yu encouraged attendees to learn different instruments to worship God, reminding them that the violin is not suitable for accompanying the lead singer because both the violin and lead vocals are main melodies, which can cause "disasters" when played together.
Additionally, she demonstrated unified worship through the vocal collaboration of the lead singers, including the cooperation between lead and backing vocals, maintaining consistent breathing, avoiding extended vibrato in praise, and restraining personal showmanship.
Yu believes that a worship team needs to focus on both skill and spirituality; "If there is only skill without spirituality, it becomes a concert; if there is only spirituality without skill, it becomes a 'horror show.'"
Sandy Yu Calls for Unity Among Churches and Worship Teams
In the Old Testament, there were many Levites and priests, whose duties were to manage God's temple and handle the affairs of the Tabernacle. Levites and priests worked together despite their large numbers.
The worship teams participating in the summit came from many different churches, each with its style of worship. Some churches only use piano accompaniment for worship, while others use every instrument during worship. Yu said, "It doesn't matter; we can still worship together. What is important is 'working together and worshiping together.'"
Yu explained that the reason for hosting the summit was to gather worship leaders to worship together. "Worship teams are all from the tribe of Levi, and we are so few in number that we cannot afford to be divided." She urged, "When worship leaders and worship teams can unite and worship together, it is incredibly powerful."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Rev. Sandy Yu Calls for Unity at the Hong Kong 2024 Worship Revival Summit
