Rick Muchow is the Pastor of Worship at
SaddlebackChurch. He has been serving faithfully at
Saddleback for 21 years and oversees the Worship Arts ministry which consists of
the Creative Arts, Technical Arts and Worship Leadership Teams at
SaddlebackChurch. Rick also serves as one of 7 Elders
which serve the ministry at Saddleback. Rick has recorded 11 albums and has 84
songs registered with CCLI. Encouraging Music publishes all of Rick’s music
including sheet music and companion resources for the Worship Leader and
congregations worldwide (http://www.encouragingmusic.com). Rick is the author of The
Worship Answer Book published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson and is a Contributing
Editor for Christianity Today’s Leadership Journal. Rick also writes a monthly
column called “Ask Rick” which is published by several magazines including
Worship Musician. His latest CD “More Than Music” is to be released
June 23 2008. Rick founded the music and tech team with the Slogan
“More Than Music- We’re a Family” and is tremendously proud of Saddleback’s
Worship Arts staff and volunteers for their sincere dedication to Christ, love
for each other, humble service and the fantastic results of their labor. Rick
has been married to his beautiful wife Laura for 24 for years and they have 5
wonderful children: Brandon, Logan, Jordan, Megan and Nolan. RICK MUCHOW: Weddings can be a great evangelistic opportunity. A couple of songs that I use consistently are “Your Name” by Paul Baloche and “Household of Faith” by Brent Lamb and John Rosasco
Choose your music wisely. Your music will speak louder than your words.
Three things to consider:
- The song itself – ask is this a good song? Will the people relate to the song? Are the lyrics supportive of or counter to the wedding message? For example, a love song might be a natural choice for a wedding, however the wrong lyrics or musical style could easily distract from the Christian ceremony.
- The soloist – he or she does not have to be the next American Idol, but they do have to be able to deliver the song without bringing attention to their flaws as a singer. Consider their range, nerves and memorization. Insist that the soloist is rehearsed, which leads me to. . .
- Rehearsed accompaniment – Wrong notes, poor tempo, the appearance that the song is sloppy or unplanned takes away from the beauty of the song and its message within the service.
Often overlooked but extremely important is getting to know the couple personally. Memorize the names of the parents, the Best Man and Maid of Honor, and of course the Bride and Groom. Don’t overlook the correct pronunciation of each of those people’s names.
The message at a wedding is “God’s love” and his commitment, sacrifice and promise to us. This is a natural time and place to share a message of what God has done for us. Share how the Groom needs to lay his life down for his bride as Christ did for the church. In return, the Bride needs to love the Groom just as the church should love Christ. The wedding is the message, much like the wedding is symbolic of the commitment the Bride and Groom are making for the rest of their lives, or like the way in which baptism is a great declaration of a believer’s commitment to Christ.
Weddings are also evangelistic in that you can minister to a felt need and offer hope. Take some time in every wedding to offer hope and a time of recommitment for all who attend, to trust the future of their marriage or their future marriage into the hands of the all knowing, all loving God who says “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” in Jeremiah 29:11.
Keep the ceremony joyful! Christians are often perceived by non-Christians as having kill-joy personalities. Your authenticity speaks volumes while also honoring the day as a sacred day: a day of celebration where couples commit their lives to God and to each other in the presence of treasured family and friends.