Ever feel like you’re all alone and no one understands?
It’s impossible to serve and labor in the local church and not be discouraged at times.
I feel there is a unique discouragement for worship leaders due to the nature of combining art and ministry.
Are we artists or are we pastors? Are we creatives or are we managers?
Do we make art or do we lead and mobilize people?
For most of us, the answer to these questions is “yes.” We juggle numerous identities in one multi-faceted job description.
But there’s also the danger of discontentment. We want what others have.
- A congregation that worships like Bethel.
- A budget that rivals Elevation.
- A creativity that flourishes like Hillsong.
- Talent that is stacked like Gateway.
- Awards, recognition, & success like Chris Tomlin.
But you don’t live in that world. Matter of fact, it seems like a different universe. You are so far removed, so alone, and dealing with struggles that are embarrassing to admit.
Maybe you don’t have enough musicians. Every week is a struggle to to find a drummer. Most of the time you go without.
Maybe your musicians aren’t very skilled. They don’t have time to study worship music during the week because they have kids and work and a mortgage to pay.
I’m afraid the worship industry doesn’t serve us well in the local church. The industry of songs and stars isn’t where we live.
Local Church Success
Our ministry is to people, one at a time. We are worship leaders. We worship God, love God, pursue God. We also lead – effectively lead our congregations, not the inflation of our egos or simply the pursuit of more creativity.
We lead – pulling people by the hand, guiding, directing, spotlighting a glory outside ourselves.
I know it can be discouraging. Where you live not much encouragement, fame, or praise resides. You feel like the furthest thing from a superstar.
But what you’re doing week in and week out is changing lives. You’re creating an environment for people’s unanswered questions, unrelenting pain, and distracted hearts to find purpose.
You haven’t been called to make a difference from a distance. You’ve been summoned up close and personal – to lead God’s people, His children to pursue Him.
When you feel discouraged, know that influencing stadiums isn’t the only successful ministry. Influencing one life is just as celebrated in the halls of Heaven.
You, my friend, are a superstar in God’s eyes.
Keep loving. Keep serving. Keep doing the next right thing.
I’d love to hear from you. I know this is a world we all live in.
What are your current discouragements?
What is God doing in your local community? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
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Great article! Thanks David!
Thanks for checking it out, Alex!
Since you asked…
My minor discouragement is our awful building design and sound equipment issues.
Poor acoustic building design + aging sound equipment + volunteer sound tech staff = a difficult situation.
My major current discouragement is that I can’t meet people’s expectations….
Some want something new and creative every week. They want to be surprised.
Some want something old and familiar every week. They want to experience what they’ve experienced before.
Some want me to lead our worship ministry to be something new and fresh.
Some want me to get us back to where we used to be.
Some want to worship.
Some want to see a great production.
Doing all of these is hard, but I understand that this is the gig
…. and I love it.
Man, I totally feel your struggle! I love how you ended the comment. You realize the struggles and tensions and continue to serve. Keep it up, Shawn!
Then there is the head sound tech whose brother plays the bass. The tech turns the bass up so loud it vibrates the foam in the chair backs and also can be physically felt vibrating my chest. I ‘m not a un trained amateur. My mentor has been nominated for 5 Emmy’s and won one of them. Tech will not take ANY advice, just brags about the sub power and how loud the subs are run. There are 3 flying and 2 on the floor. He shure likes to show them off. My mentor said ” if a sound tech causes people to leave the church they will have to answer to God.
Thank you for this ON TIME Word! Everything you wrote today was what I was feeling the last few days…I was doubting God’s calling as a worship leader because my expectations didn’t line up with the promises God spoken over my life many years ago. I’ve been leading teams for 10+ years and recently was feeling bad because I felt/expected to have achieved more but haven’t. I was thinking about how others (whom you mentioned–Bethel, Gateway, Jesus Culture, etc) have made major impacts in ministry and comparing that to my own ministry made me feel insignificant. Just last night, I was doubting God’s calling on my life and needed some confirmation that I should not call it quits. Thank you for the timing of your message and thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through you because if your message was for no one else, it was for me! God heard the silent cry in my heart and responded through your anointed words. Thank you!
Great article David!
From the shoes I’m standing in, it’s not the discouragement of a big venue or large band (which I have neither). Mine comes from a lack of guidance from church leadership. One week it’s this then next week it’s that. I guess you could say the biggest discouragement is from a lack of organization and team conhesiveness at the leadership level. I feel when a new idea comes in from either me or someone else, it’s shrugged off because our pastor doesn’t have time to entertain. What guides me currently is God’s provisions and knowing that He is who we worship, nothing more! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
You just keep in love with Jesus; get to know Him better through daily regular time the word, remain obedient to his call on your life and his commands , pray for those who lead you, love those whom you lead and humble yourself under God’s mighty hand.
He is good and does what is Good, and you are not abandoned. Stay in love with Jesus!
Shawn – I totally understand your struggle. My struggle comes from people’s expectations and not a lack of any equipment. Our Senior Pastor resigned over the summer and the music responsibility was handed over to me. I have a full time job (I am a teacher) and am really struggling with the expectations of people. Many of the congregation let the worship team know on a weekly basis that we are not doing things they way they think we should do it. Yesterday, after singing Matt Maher’s version of Holy, Holy, Holy (God with us), someone told me that they were simply not able to worship because the melody went down instead of up like the hymnbook has it written. Another member of the worship team overheard someone say “They are ruining a perfectly good Christmas song” after we practiced Joy to the World (Casting Crowns version). Much of my team is so discouraged because we pour our heart and souls into practice and into music believe to be God honoring, but we constantly have people telling us they want us to go back to the old hymns. How do people over come criticism? Because honestly, most days I so badly want to walk away from it all and let them have what they want.
I need this reminder on Monday mornings!
Thanks David.
I will need to re-read this regularly. I have a home church, but also serve as a volunteer leader in a small church that wanted to start a Contemporary Service as their Traditional Service had become mostly people over 60. They positioned the new service at 9AM, provide none of the “Perks” of the Traditional Service like childcare, and generated little in the way of publicity in that they have no website and just put a tiny sign on top of their regular sign that says “Modern- 9AM”. I pulled together a few novices from their congregation. I taught a young guy who could strum cowboy chords on guitar how to play basic bass roots. I taught their pianist some chord/pad techniques on keyboard and even brought in my own drummer friend from a previous music ministry to assist. People visit and complain about the early start time or no childcare. The novice musicians invest no time to improve their skills. None. Their attendance runs around 35. People that visit who don’t complain about the previous things I mentioned express that they will likely not be back because the congregation is “so tiny”. I have come close to giving up many times including as recently as this week. It is exhaustive. Thank you for this encouragement. I will be back on Sunday!
This is exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Thanks for your encouraging words.
Your post is so timely to my experiences. Thank you for the encouragement to keep serving, loving and giving. Oh how sometimes we want to move a mountain that seems too big to move. Still, God is pleased with our daily / weekly sacrifices, and blesses our genuine efforts. Thank you again. God bless.
Please send this article to me once every year…..lol!