I'm with you, Sally!  The idea that the people on stage leading worship are "better" than the people in the congregation is unscriptural and should repulse us as worship leaders.  Yes, it's true that (a) some of us are actually paid to lead and (b) God has gifted us in the area of the arts BUT that in no way means that we have this special connection with God that others don't have.  The performer vs. the audience mentality has got to go!!

I have seen instances in the African culture where, at a performance, you can't tell who is performing and who is watching because of the involvement of the listeners.  Involvement in the arts is encouraged and somewhat expected.

In the church I pastor, we sometimes practice collaborative worship in the following way.  Instead of preparing a sermon, l let the people know a week or two in advance that we will have a "spirit led" worship service.  I know they are all supposed to be spirit led, but we had to call it something.  What they are expected to do is come prepared to share from their own life and heart what God is teaching them or doing in life in and around them.  Maybe we could call it "testimony Sunday."  

What happens is the same basic liturgical format as every other Sunday with the following exceptions. There is an extended time in the middle for the congregation to select or request the hymns we sing, usually 3-5 in a row.  Next I invite those whom God is leading to come up to the mike, which, for  this day is placed at the front end of the center aisle on the floor.  Nothing theological about that, it's just the shortest distance to walk from the seat.  Some people just share from where they were sitting anyway.  (It makes me wonder what would happen if I spoke about the theological significance of having them come to the pulpit to share.)

Usually about 4-5 people speak.  It turns out there are about six regulars who probably would speak every time.  But there is occasionally the rare gift of a normally shy person.  These testimonies are powerful!  When no one else seems to be forth coming, I step up to the mike and share what I have observed to be the theme of the day.  There almost always is one!  That's why I call it a spirit led worship.

I would be happy to worship in this way every Sunday.  But I would feel like a slacker if I were not preparing sermons regularly.  Some people have expressed that they prefer sermons anyway. 

Here is another form of collaboration I am about to try.  I have picked up a book from Scripture Union called the "One Hundred Essentials."  The authors have selected 50 texts from the Old and 50 from the New that are supposed to represent a thorough overview of the whole Bible.  In spite of possible objections to such a book because of the decisions involved in inclusions and exclusions of certain passages, what I have is a list of one hundred sermons texts form which to preach for the next two years, sort of like a temporary lectionary.  I do intend to interrupt that schedule to observe the significant seasons of the liturgical calendar.  

Here is the collaboration part.  The one hundred essentials are presented in a book and I have promoted all of us reading that book together.  I am sure that Scripture Union will be grateful to know that about 18 members out of my congregation of 45 have purchased and will be reading the book.  We will discuss the week's chapter for our Thursday evening Bible Study, and then my Sunday sermon will reflect the collaboration of our input from the previous Thursday.

 Two more thoughts on collaboration.  I believe there is a perception that collaboration implies less structure and more disorganization.  I think the truth will be "different structure."

  I also believe there is a perception that collaboration implies less leadership and more disorientation.  I think the truth will be "different style" of leadership.  In which direction is discerned by the leader through the dynamics of the group rather than handed down to the group.

For the past year, I have led worship for a pilot program of a faith based pre-release initiative in our state prison system.  This initiative is under the Alpha umbrella, but includes several other faith based groups, and is a voluntary program for offenders in the last six months of the sentence.  Once these men become familiar with the songs, I just back off the mic, play guitar and let them lead their own singing.  It is an amazing sight to see +/-50 inmates standing, swaying and singing at the top of their lungs.  It is a wonderful place where these men have ministered to all the volunteers, and one in which we have all felt the Holy Spirit moving in powerful ways.  To me, this has been the ultimate collaborative worship experience

We have been working on ways to bring this kind of collaborative worship back to our church.  The concept being to let the congregation lead worship, and we on stage would be thier musical accompaniment, not performers.  One of the ideas that is being considered is to bring individuals out of the congregation to lead specific praise songs or hymns.  This type of thing might bring new meaning to 'making a joyful noise', but it also might help our congregation become more involved in creating a deeper feeling of worship that would benefit the whole church. 

I pray that all of you have a blessed Chritmas.

Rick

I agree as well. In discussion with a number of worship leaders a few weeks ago, we were reminded that the roots of our faith are eastern, yet we continue to apply western ideology, specifically, the use of "experts" to do certain "jobs". Worship Leaders worship, Intercessors pray, Prophets speak truth. Since we have been doing this, frequently the people in our congregations have forgotten how to worship one on one with God. In fact, I think one of our jobs as worship leaders now is to reteach people how to worship.

We have rather lengthy, by western standards, services in which there is extended time of prayer and praise and in which we as a worship team are responsive to the leading of the spirit in our congregation and allow the spirit song to rise up when it happens and step back from our mikes, playing and allowing the congregation to worship as God leads.