It had been a while since I last sang those familiar words, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.” Yet, there I was at a worship event, guitar in hand, as Paul Baloche led us in that very song. It took me back to my early days of leading worship, a time of pure, uncomplicated devotion.
“I didn’t know anything about ‘leading worship,’ but I loved to sing, I loved to play my guitar, and I loved God, so I said yes.”
My journey began when my youth pastor discovered I played guitar and asked, “Do you want to lead worship?” Leading worship? I was just a kid with a guitar! But I loved to sing, I loved the guitar, and most importantly, I loved God. So, despite my inexperience, I said yes.
Back then, there were no stages, no fancy sound systems, no bands. My worship setup was incredibly basic: an old, red Ovation electric guitar, played unplugged. The sound was raw, just the twang of electric strings accompanying my voice. But in that simplicity, something profound happened.
God was undeniably present. I vividly remember feeling His presence during those Wednesday nights in our small church’s youth room. Our worship was heartfelt because we didn’t know any other way. We sang from a place of genuine desire, not performance.
I want to see You. I want to see You.
That simple chorus, “I want to see You,” became our anthem. It was easy to play on guitar with basic chords, and everyone could join in. We’d repeat those few lines, over and over, lost in the moment. These were the days of learning basic guitar chords for worship, focusing on connecting with God rather than complex arrangements.
“I was just a 14-year old kid. There was so much I didn’t know. I didn’t have any experience. I didn’t have any training. I didn’t have a theology of worship.”
Looking back, I realize how naive I was. Just a 14-year-old, armed with a guitar and a heart for God. I lacked experience, training, and any formal understanding of worship theology. Sometimes, learning new guitar chords was my biggest challenge just to play a new worship song! I’d arrive early, flipping through a binder of chord charts, picking out a few songs for the night. We projected lyrics using an overhead projector – simple, yet effective.
But God was there. I remember moments of overwhelming emotion, tears streaming as I sang and played, my voice trembling with feeling. It wasn’t about perfect guitar chords or polished vocals; it was about raw, honest worship.
To see you high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory.
Years passed, and my musical skills and understanding of worship grew. I moved beyond the simplicity of songs like “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” exploring more complex musical and lyrical pieces. I learned about service flow, transitions, sound mixing, and vocal techniques. I learned how to engage the congregation, when to raise my hands for effect, and how to create dynamic worship sets. I even learned the art of communicating with drummers (slowly and clearly!) and mastering capos to play in any key.
Paul Baloche leading worship with an acoustic guitar, embodying heartfelt musical worship
Yet, ironically, as my expertise in music and leading worship deepened, my personal connection with God seemed to weaken. God was still present in church, but too often, I left Sunday services feeling like I had performed a duty rather than truly encountered Him. I was proficient in leading worship, but my own worship had become stagnant.
“I was getting better at leading worship, but I was getting worse at worshipping God.”
Pour out your power and love, as we sing holy, holy, holy.
When was the last time I genuinely felt God’s power and love poured out during worship? Had I drifted so far from the innocent faith of my youth that I was now satisfied with merely executing a worship setlist, missing the manifest presence of God? Could I play the right guitar chords, sing the right songs, make the right gestures, say the right words, and still walk away untouched by the power of God’s love?
“I realized how hungry I was just to see him, to have the eyes of my heart opened once again, to return to a time when I didn’t know anything about leading worship, but I knew God.”
As we sang “Open the Eyes of My Heart” that night, a profound realization hit me. I was hungry – hungry for God to pour out His power and love on me, on those I was leading. I longed to see Him again, to have my heart’s eyes reopened, to return to a time when worship wasn’t about skill or technique, but simply about knowing God. It was a yearning to rediscover the beauty of simple guitar worship, focusing on easy guitar chords that allow hearts to connect with the divine.
Tears streamed down my face once more.
And in that moment, God was there. I truly saw Him.
Holy, holy, holy! Holy, holy, holy!
My heart sang, even when my voice was silent.
Holy, holy, holy! I want to see you.
This experience reminded me of the power of simplicity, especially in worship. Sometimes, stripping away the complexity and returning to basic guitar chords and heartfelt lyrics, like those in “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” can reignite our passion for God and allow us to truly see Him again. For guitar players leading worship, remembering the essence of connecting hearts to God is more vital than technical perfection.
