[This post is part of a series on Leading Your Team & Congregation Through Worship Tensions. Check out the rest here.]
When was the last time you were desperate for God?
When was the last time you lost track of time worshiping?
When was the last time you cried in the presence of God?
When was the last time you talked about Jesus, rather than just your favorite songs?
This is a tension I feel pulled by all the time. I’m a worship leader. I pick songs all the time. I listen to songs all the time. My job revolves around learning, writing, singing, organizing, performing, and leading…songs.
I’ll confess.
I’m a worship songaholic.
Glad to get that off my chest (as I race to go sing yet another song).
Songs are important, but are they taking the place of you actually worshiping? Do you love your favorite songs more than just being with Jesus?
Do you hide behind songs as a way to mask the barrenness of your heart before God?
I remember early in my worship leading journey, I could linger in God’s presence for hours. I could sing, shout, dance, lay, and cry my eyes out for a long time.
Sometimes I wonder if I’ve lost that innocence. Could I still do that and not be bored out of my mind?
Could I handle the withdrawal of not singing a pre-written song?
I sure hope so.
I’m not advocating we abolish songs in the church. That would be disobedient to God, to say the least.
But as worship leaders, how do we balance this tension of songs and yet engaging our hearts in raw, messy, pure worship?
Cultivate a worshiping heart apart from music
Worship leader, you need to step away from music. It’s not what defines you. Learn how to cry out to God with your voice. Learn how to read Scripture aloud and spontaneously bless the Lord. Learn how to observe the wonders of God in nature and worship.
When I sense myself getting bored with worship, I’ll get desperate. Go on a fast, go for a walk, pace, challenge yourself to recapture what it means to lift your voice unto God.
Don’t reserve your most passionate worship for songs and a stage and a service.
Cultivate a team of worshipers
When you’re with your team, use songs as a catalyst for deeper conversations surrounding truth. Teach them to thoughtfully interpret what songs are saying.
Plan a segment of your rehearsal around crying out to God loudly. Take your musicians on a journey of worship that involves more than just singing, playing, and performing.
Not only will your musicians grow closer to Christ, you will develop a culture of desperation for God.
Beware of raising up an army of other songaholics around you. Teach them what it means to simply cry out to God.
Whenever you lead worship…worship
It’s possible to sing songs as passionate as ever but have a heart far from the Lord. Don’t just bust through your songlist like a passionate madman.
Make sure your heart is engaged.
Rehearse well with your band. Know the songs. But when it’s game time, worship your guts out. Relentlessly focus on Jesus.
Cultivate expectancy not for how your sweet arrangement will blow people’s minds, but for how the glory of God will come.
Question: How do you balance the tension of singing songs AND truly worshiping?
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I have not been part of a large worship team for awhile, just do the senior center and sing with kids and friends and family current day.
It occurs to me reading this that I spent a lot of Sunday mornings and practices focused on what the congregations mood and response was or might be, or feeling fairly self conscious about my own walk, or outfit, or wondering why many of them looked mad or sad or….
I worship best alone and in nature, at least I feel His presence most there. And I feel it when I am in the congregation at my church and sometimes in circles playing music with other believers.
And it occurs to me again that the “feeling” is not the act of worship either.
Thanks for the reminder of who we worship, as well as the how and why it does not need to be boxed in or by rote.
So many passages in the bible have hard times followed by worship of God, with so much blessing coming from that heart before Him. I try to remember that now, especially when it is sickness or grieving or oppression we are up against. The attitude of praise for who He is makes a huge impact in it.
Hey, My name is Austin R. Rush, i am a sixteen year old worshipper, and i just wanna say i love this post. I sometimes find myself as a worship leader feeling strained because i’m constantly listening to the same kind of music. I forget the truth behind the words and think the songs in themselves hold the power. I’ve found fasting as a powerfull way to focus again. <3. However, it is the our hearts longing and crying out for God. Wanting his presence and seeking his face. This is where the spirit comes and the power of the LORD fills the room. It's not the songs in themselves and i must agree with you by stressing how important it is not to worship the songs as Idols in themselves. Thanks,
Austin.R.Rush
Thanks Austin! So true. Hope to see you around here again!
Another insightful post David. It is humbling, because I too can be a worship songaholic.
Keep encouraging us to …and to worship GOD, not worship ‘music’. If you are on the platform, you have the opportunity of leading hundreds, maybe a thousand people, and it would be a tragedy to get them lost!
“With great power comes great responsibility” 🙂
Love it. Thanks!