“COVID-19 is really pushing worship leaders to step out of their boundaries and think differently.”
-- Golden Kang, Worship Arts at Trinity Western University
Golden Kang is a third year Worship Arts major at Trinity Western University. Alongside others, Kang is leading worship for TWU’s new livestream chapel services.
The unforeseen challenges of 2020
As 2020 became overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, among the many events cancelled were in-person worship gatherings. Kang remembers the effect on TWU chapel ministries and on local churches.
“When COVID-19 happened, TWU chapel got cancelled for the remainder of the spring semester, and my church stopped hosting services.”
Kang remembers that the changes were swift. “I went from being occupied with worship services and planning—to nothing. I was at an all-time low,” she admits.
Out of this challenging moment, Kang began to foster . “Instead of sitting in my room sulking, I spent hours in conversation with other pastors and fellow worship leaders. We were discussing what worship can look like, and how we can engage the audience and worship unitedly in one spirit—whether that means live stream services, special devotions, or prayer meetings over Zoom.”
Journey into worship leading
For Kang, leading worship has always been a journey of faith.
Kang has been singing in church worship teams ever since middle school. At the time, she had never played an instrument on stage.
In high school, she noticed a missing element in her youth group, where she had been faithfully attending for five years.“I saw a need for a time designated for worship in my own youth group,” Kang recalls.
Next, Kang made a bold move. “I had this burning desire to start it, and with no one stepping up to play, I suggested the idea to my youth pastor.”
Kang’s pastor was supportive. “He surprisingly just agreed to it and let me, a young ESL girl who had zero experience in leading, lead worship for youth.”
“It was a rough go at the beginning," Kang says of her early experiences, "but what kept me going was seeing the passion of the youths, and the need for an outlet to worship God.”
Kang would soon become a worship leader at her church, her school, and then, at TWU.
Facing a new season
It is a different season for Kang and other worship leaders to be ministering online. Yet Kang and her team's passion is infectious and shines through even on screen.
As the fall semester starts up at TWU, so has chapel ministries. Kang reflects on what this year has meant for her. “For me leading worship during this season has encouraged me to step up and be creative by using praise, prayer, scripture, confession, drama, and other means of expression.”
Kang shares about the meaning of worship in a time of social distancing. “Worship is more than just music and singing, even though that is the most familiar way we know worship to be. It really reminds us that ‘no singing’ doesn’t mean no worship.”
She continues, “Yet, that being said, singing is one of the many ways people pray to God, and being able to lead sung worship through livestream also answers that need from the community.”
Kang encourages freedom of worship and expression in any season. “So, I guess just being flexible and creative, engaging with all the arts and the ways we can worship God is what I'm trying to say.”
Everyone is welcome to tune in to any of TWU's weekday chapel services via livestream, or to watch the services on YouTube.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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