On Saturday, I challenged you to "linger" in worship. That meant taking time to simply stay in the place you are in instead of rushing from one song to the next to the next.

To LINGER means to stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave. And there really isn't any other place we should be more reluctant to leave than worshiping with our church on Sunday morning.

So, how can you implement this concept of lingering in worship to your church?

Here are 5 steps to lingering in worship:

1 | Plan the moment

If lingering is something YOU are not used to, you have to be intentional about creating moments to make it happen. Determine where there might be a moment to pause in your worship set and embrace the silence. Then, tell your team about it and plan it out ahead of time.

2 | Lead your church in the moment

If lingering is something YOUR CHURCH is not used to, it's important to lead them in that moment. Chances are, if you've never done it before, people will not know what to do. So, give them some direction during that time. Guide them through the process of praying in those moments.

3 | Model It

Now that you've explained it, make sure your team models it. If your team looks like they're eager to move onto the next song, your church will be too. So, practice lingering at worship rehearsal and allow your team to flesh out what that looks like for themselves before they lead on Sunday.

4 | Gauge the room

When you linger, it's important to keep an eye on the room. You are, after all, not just responsible for leading yourself in worship but also your church. Gauge where the room is at. If they don't quite get what you're doing, explain further. If they're into it, pause a little longer. Read the room and react accordingly.

5 | Give it time

Your church will not be used to lingering when you first start. It may be awkward at first. But, give it time. Through teaching, modeling, and explaining they will eventually embrace it. Start small. Take it one step at a time and allow those extended moments in worship to become a powerful catalyst for deeper worship in your church.

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