New isn’t bad, by any means.
New songs, new instruments, new systems, and new gear may be on your worship team agenda for 2015. That’s great. But there’s something cannot be forgotten.
But I’m not just writing this article to give you tips and tricks. I’m writing this to stir up a passion. Not a passion for something new…but a passion for something old, heard over and over, mentioned thousands of times.
The Best Worship Leaders
One of the most important roles at my church is discipling younger worship leaders. We have a value of not just recruiting new musicians but raising up the ones we have – the people right in front of our nose.
The best worship leaders, by a mile, are not always those with the greatest talent. It involves leadership. And not everyone is a leader.
If worship leading involves leadership, what is leadership as it relates to worship? When most of us hear leadership we think of John Maxwell books or corporate executives.
Leadership as a worship leader is about uniting people around the glory of God. It’s about spotlighting a beauty outside of one’s self. A worship leader is one who feels the glory of God deeply and helps others feel it as well.
When you leave the presence of a worship leader, you might be impressed with their talent. But moreso, you’re left with a deeper hunger for God. The immediacy of His presence is on your mind. You leave worship services with a sense of responsibility to love Jesus more, worship more often, and orient your life around His presence.
An effective worship leader should leave you homesick for heaven.
You can sense the difference. You can tell when someone is leading from a passion for their gift or a passion for their God. You can tell when it’s merely a love for music or a passion for truth, presence, & depth.
We need to be reminded of our foundation. A passion for songs, leading a team, and musical innovation is of minimal importance compared to knowing Jesus.
What Happens When You Read These Words?
The cross.
The resurrection.
The return of Christ.
Grace.
Mercy.
Love.
When these truths land upon your mind, they should light a fire in your heart. It’s not enough to learn songs, practice your instrument, and arrange music. Know the King. Become more familiar. Increase your awe. Stand amazed.
We Need More of This…
You know what’s more exciting to me than better songs? Tighter production? Stronger bands?
More tears.
Tears that flow from hearing about Jesus again.
More compassion.
Compassion that flows from seeing how the Master sees.
More fascination.
Fascination that flows from an insatiable hunger for God’s Word.
More prayer.
Prayer that arises from the truth that without God we have nothing.
More weakness.
Weakness that spotlights the beauty, strength, and perfection of God.
More brokenness.
A happy brokenness that arises when we see ourselves in the light of Christ’s perfection and we cry out, “He must increase. He MUST increase.”
So as you enter 2015, look forward to the new ideas you want to try. Sure. But don’t put your own personal worship on the backburner. Light a bonfire in the center of your life.
The great commandment to love Jesus with all your heart wasn’t meant to be heard once and checked off the todo list. This old reality was meant to be new every morning. See it fresh. Ask God to open its truth to your heart more and more every day.
That’s my prayer for 2015. Are you in?
Question: Let’s talk about this. What are you most looking forward to in 2015? What practical changes do you want to make in your team? How are you planning to feel God’s greatness on a deeper level? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
I’m with you bro! I too pray for more tears at remembering and proclaiming the gospel. For me… for my team… and for my church family. Further still for our community that desperately needs to be reconciled to Jesus.
The past year has been a journey deeper into the gospel for me. God has been “taking me back to elementary school”–bringing me to tears and moving my heart at the miracle of my own salvation. I’ve bumped into many experiences this year (listening to “Forever” by Kari Jobe over and over, the Doxology & Theology conference, etc.) that have opened my heart even more to being moved deeply by my savior, Jesus Christ who has washed away my sin.
My conclusion for 2014, as many others have spoken over me is this…
Before you can lead your team or congregation in worship… you have to be a man or woman who has been/is being transformed and moved by the gospel.
Thanks for reminding us again, my friend! 🙂
– Christian
Christian I love that so, so much: “Before you can lead in worship…you have to be a man who has been/is being transformed and moved by the Gospel.” I would add – “every single day”. Thanks for that! Hope you’re well!
Well said and Amen. Thank you for pulling me back into focus. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to focus on the music more than the heart. In the coming year the goal for our team is to “make the main thing ,the main thing.” Our focus must turn more to the Father.
Thank you again.
Curtis, that is an awesome goal. Praying this is an awesome year for you. Where is your church located?