For far too long, we've been coddling our congregations in worship.

It started off with good intentions: we wanted to remove barriers that would keep people from worshiping God.

So, we picked songs with simple lyrics - that repeat a lot - and then repeat some more. They've got simple melodies. And they talk about general aspects of God's nature.

And, don't get me wrong, there's a healthy amount of discernment in those areas. In fact, I've even encouraged leading with your congregation in mind and choosing simpler songs for corporate worship. I believe in that.

But, I want to balance those thoughts out with this challenge to you as a worship leader: Your congregation can handle more than you think.

Yes, we want to lead with our church in mind. But, sometimes, we belittle the abilities of our church so much that we take things too far.

Allow me to explain.

Here are 3 things your congregation can handle more of in worship:

1 | They can handle more complicated songs

It's true that the average church member is not a professional musician.

However, your church is more musically literate than you think.

Music is part of our everyday lives - especially with the ease of access that we have now with streaming services and our phones.

Your church knows music. And they can handle more complicated songs than a four chord song that repeats over and over.

Case in point: gather a room full of millennials at your church, turn on "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars, and watch them rattle off every single line perfectly.

Don't be afraid to push the musical envelope in your worship services.

2 | They can handle deeper truths

Your church is not afraid to go deeper - most of the time they're longing for it.

If we only ever feed our church spiritual milk, they will never mature.

Take a look at your worship song repertoire - is it all watered down baby formula? Or is there some meat in there?

3 | They can handle longer pauses

I know it's awkward when you're leading and there's some empty space. But, those moments of silence and reflection can be some of the most powerful for your church.

Don't be afraid to linger a little bit longer - your church can handle it.

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