When someone asks what kind of music we do I usually tell them Prophetic Worship. Generally, people don’t know what this phrase means. So I want to define what I mean by Prophetic Worship. But first some history.

Most of the church today does 1 of 2 kinds of music on Sunday morning. One kind is traditional hymns and the other kind is contemporary praise & worship or what is commonly called modern worship. Modern worship has been around for about 30 years and grew out of the Charismatic movement. Most independent and denominational churches do modern worship. For the first 8 years of our church we did modern worship.

About 10 years or so ago our church started doing some prophetic worship mixed in with our modern worship. It was a new area for us and it is one we are continually trying to grow in. So what is prophetic worship?

1. Prophetic Worship is Spirit Led Worship. Prophetic worship usually starts out the songs singing the words and chords on the song sheets. But many times the leaders feel the Lord wants to emphasize a particular song phrase or instrument section so they will continually sing that section of music and even change the words as the Spirit leads. If the Holy Spirit decides to change the song list entirely the team will do that. This requires greater flexibility and skill on the part of the worship team. It’s hard work to be spontaneous!

The Father is looking for those who can worship Him in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23-24).

2. Words are Not Always Necessary. A worship leader will sometimes understand that the Holy Spirit is on a particular sound or even instrument. So he will stop singing and let the music and instrument just play as long as there is an anointing on it. The worship leader realizes the Holy Spirit can move on people with just music.

3. Worship Can Prophesy Too. The prophetic worship leader realizes the words can be used to prophesy and declare things in the heavenlies which manifest themselves in the earth. This requires that a prophetic worship team is not just playing but also listening to the Holy Spirit on what is happening now and how they might ought to change things going forward. Music can give a Now word just like speaking can.

Some people don’t like prophetic worship because it seems random and unpredictable. The truth is it is often random and unpredictable, but so is the Holy Spirit. Any spiritual gift is random and unpredictable.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8

I like prophetic worship because of the freshness it brings to my walk with God. What is your opinion?