Q: How has this season impacted you as a worshiper and worship leader?

Marcus admitted that it was something that he thinks about a lot since there hasn’t been any in-person engagements for him and his wife to attend. “We hate the fact that we haven’t been able to worship corporately – it’s such a big part of our lives,” he said, as he depicted the switch to a virtual platform as “fun, but not what they are used to.” More than ever, the realization that worship is more than a Sunday thing was validated, as people were forced to seek worship on their own without the help of a curated worship atmosphere.

Q: So, what does it look like to cultivate and atmosphere of worship in private without having someone there to lead you?

Marcus stated that everything he does is an overflow of his time in the secret place, saying, “Nothing I do on stage or in front of people would be effective if I didn’t have that time alone with God. If the only time I worshiped God is on stage, then I’m not worshiping God, I’m worshiping the stage.” He quoted Psalm 91 which states, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,” noting that the word “abide” in that passage means to remain in the presence of God for an extended period of time. He added, “It all starts and ends in the secret place.”

Q: What does abide mean to you?

Marcus asserted, “To abide is to behold God in His beauty and in His splendor.” He gave the example of how art enthusiasts travel long distances to be in front of great works of art, such as the Mona Lisa, just to stand there and gaze at its magnificence. He remarked how much more of an appropriate response it is, when we behold God, to remain and abide in His presence.

Q: What would you tell people that have been so attached to the building called “church” that now they are having a hard time cultivating a home worship environment?

Marcus referenced his mentor, Jason Lee Jones, who told him, “The true knowledge of God will always lead us to worship.” To Marcus this meant growing in the knowledge of who God is and how much he loves us. Furthermore, God created us with the intention of being with Him, and the more we understand that, the more we will want to worship Him. Marcus added that although we come together to worship God corporately, in reality worship is a lifestyle.

Q: What does a lifestyle of worship mean to you?

Marcus stated that worship is simply our response to God’s love and goodness. To have a lifestyle of worship is to continuously remember what the Lord has done for us. From the small blessings, such as a fresh breath every morning, to all the other things God continuously does for us in our day to day lives, thankfulness and remembrance of such things allows us to live a life of worship. 

Q: When you think of fresh worship in a season of a global pandemic and civil unrest, what comes to your mind, and how would you define that?

Marcus shared the personal struggles him and wife went through as she battled with Endometriosis. After having endured multiple surgeries, his wife Carolina had one of her most challenging years in 2019 when her pains were the worst she’d ever faced. Marcus had a hard time coping with his helplessness for his wife’s suffering, aside from being present. He said, “What kept me sane was the fresh encounter that I was having with the Lord.” He said remembering those moments are what enables him to endure through this year. Today, Carolina is pregnant for the first time, as God has given her relief from her pain and suffering.

Lastly, when asked how he would encourage those who may be struggling with all the distractions that this year has brought, Marcus recommended to disconnect from all the distractions around us and draw near to God. He said that we can’t live off of yesterday’s worship and that we need a fresh daily encounter with the Lord. As his last words of encouragement, he stated, “Just like the circumstances of life does not dictate God’s goodness, the circumstances of life should not dictate your worship. You should give the Lord everything that you have in every season.”