It’s one of the tensions of being a worship leader.
Every day, every conference you attend, every recording you listen to, you will find someone who is better than you.
And you’ll also encounter those who are not.
When we encounter someone who is better, we experience jealousy. “Why was I not given a voice like that?” (no, I’ve never said that before).
When we’re better, we envision the angels patting us on the back. “Well done, good and faithful, butt-kicking worship leader. You’re WAY better than him!”
In the business world, competition is inevitable and encouraged. It presents a standard of something to beat.
In the church, competition is frowned upon. But that makes sense, right? Pioneering a new conference, “Battle Of the Worship Leaders” might not replace Catalyst in the coming years. Or “American Worship Idol”? Not so much.
If competition isn’t a good motivator for church leaders, what is?
What inspires us to achieve, to make a difference, to serve week in and week out for a potentially less-than-ideal pay?
Why Full-Time Ministry?
What is it?
It’s calling, my friend.
My calling into ministry was unmistakable. I knew that God set me apart to serve God’s purpose in my generation. I wasn’t concerned with 401k’s or paychecks or business plans. I was concerned with fulfilling the call.
I remember saying things like, “Jesus, whatever the cost, I’m all in. All. In.”
That passion is easy to lose, simple to forget. But we must rediscover the innocence of when we were called.
There’s nothing wrong with business or practical matters of making money. Actually, that’s another discussion entirely. What I’m proposing is that we can’t forget our calling.
The all-consuming passion.
The pouring out of our lives.
The spending of ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.
For the young leader in the 21st century, life takes many twists and turns. Passions morph and develop. What was once a passion – a sermon you preached, a fire in your bones, is now a distant memory. What happened?
3 Tips for Rediscovering Your Calling
I don’t promise to know everything, but allow me to help you – to think through how to get back what was lost.
1. Remember
Think back to when you were called. Think about the feeling – the taste, the sound, the smells. Maybe look through old journals. Oftentimes paying a simple visit to your past can awaken the sense of calling again. You won’t always feel called or feel passionate, but knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re called will make all the difference.
What was your call to ministry like?
2. Do the Things You Did at First
Oftentimes a loss of “calling” can be traced back to a set of habits you once had that you no longer maintain. I’m reminded of Revelation 2:5 – “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
What habits do you no longer maintain?
3. Get Around the Right People
No matter how strong you think you are, you need people. You need a close circle of friends who challenge you and inspire you. Friends who are doing ministry. Friends who are making a difference. Friends who are using their time wisely.
Who is in your inner circle?
Don’t allow your passion to fade, your calling to be forgotten. Rekindle the fire that God placed in your heart. We need you.
Question: In a few sentences, tell us the story of your call into ministry. What was it like? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
My calling is to write music to glorify Christ. And to lead his people into his presence with thanksgiving in their heart. to teach them to worship and praise the most high God who is like no other!
Bro, that’s awesome. When did you sense the call?
This is a very good article which I think applies (not only) to serving in the full time ministry. Sometimes the long wait for something to happen can be discouraging. It could be waiting for a dream to come true. (Dream as in aspiration.) At times we tend to chuck it aside and forget it because it’s easier to give up than press on. However, I find that every now and then, God would send little reminders to keep that fire going.
Well said, Mei. God is who He says He is and His promise will come to pass!
My parent’s were pastors kids, and we were in church a lot. There was constant abuse at home with a lot of emphasis on appearances and service in public. I was 10 years old when God found me, held my heart and challenged me to Live or Continue dying.I promised myself to Him and took it back many times in need and selfishness and anger and pain. He has never let go and never stopped being who He is.He continues to work through things, in and out of man made church walls. In Him I am becoming who He made me to be. I am not to fix my family or my world. I get to serve Him and that is a lighter(not easy and happy serious) yoke than the ones that seek to destroy. I love being old enough to look in Scripture and say “yes that IS what He is like!” I think He works in all lives all the time and all who belong to Him are ministers in his Kingdom, whether they make a living being a vocational Christian or not. I think it is harder for those who are vocational Christians in many ways. And He helps us, His calling is easy and hard for everyone in different ways. The way to keep the passion, it is much like remembering how and what your relationship was based on and filled with before you had children and other things from your marriage. That consuming joy and interest and response to and for each other is what created the children, home, results of the relationship, so it is good to keep the relationship based on what it was built upon instead of second things. We deal with reality and results as we go along, but the results of our bonding to Christ (or wandering from Him) is never a replacement for Him. He is what fills the gaping God hole in our souls.
Thanks for writing this post. I was 36 and God downloaded an anointing to write and lead worship. He was always my Lord, but sharing His Presence became my consuming passion. I would have preferred to stay in the music business and do worship on the side, but it didn’t work out that way. On a very dramatic day very clearly He said, “if you follow Me, I will make you a fisher of men”. The costs have been very high, but the rewards have been so meaningful. I have no regrets.
David – where is your answer to the question? DETAILS bro!