Sing, talk, and forget about it! (Chapter 4 of "the great giveaway")

Every tuesday night at 6:30pm, I find myself in front of a people ready to hear a Word from God. I've been in this position before. I learned how to play the guitar about 7 years ago, and although I'm not great, I've been able to manage enough to get up in front of people and offer what I can.
About 3 years ago, I found myself getting frustrated with what I found myself doing. To save this from being a long post, I ended up giving away my guitar and fasting from leading worship. This went on for 2 years. I knew that there was something deeper, something I was missing being a "worship leader".
At the end of last year, I agreed to start filling in and get my feet wet, hopefully changed and more effective. My effectiveness came in realizing that it wasn't me who had to be more effective, but the Holy Spirit needed more free reign over the service.

And now, as I lead worship, every Tuesday, I begin every service, not by asking people to stand and join me in song. I simply ask that they would be open to allow God to do what God wants to do through and in the service.
David Fitch articulates this really well in saying "as opposed to contemporary worship, which often begins by coming to God with our self expressions, liturgy demands that we first be confronted by God and then respond."

He offers up a question, which I felt was directed towards me, "In what fashion am I leading worship that forms people into an experience directed toward and formed out of the holiness of the God of Israel and the Lord Jesus Christ?"
My answer is this. I never ask people to join "me" in singing and raising hands and clapping. What is said before every service (just in case there are new folks in the crowd), is "if you need to sit and reflect on God's grace, His forgiveness, His love, then do so. If you need to sing as loud as you can out of tune, go for it! if you need to kneel in prayer before God, this place amongst other believers is here for the taking."
this was what developed in my little hiatus from leading worship. Shaun Groves once said on a CD, "if you come in here and raise your hands, but walk out that door and don't raise your hand to those in need, then you've only worshipped a song or a songwriter and not a God." That hit me pretty hard.
i believe God has blessed me tremendously by allowing me to use my greatest strength in leading worship, my heart. And my heart begs for anytime we enter a gathering of believers, for it to be a beautiful encountering of God and all that He offers.