A worship leader in the 21st Century is much more than a lead singer, or a choir director working out of a well-worn hymnal. When I started leading worship in the late seventies, we were on the cusp of a worship revolution that would take the church by storm, and hymns would eventually be overshadowed by the worship chorus, the hymnal with lyrics being projected on a screen.
In the process, a worship leader's skill requirements have dramatically increased over the years in order to accommodate leading worship bands, technical advancements in sound and lighting, and the use of computers. Still, there is a basic core of traits that have always been present in effective worship leaders through the ages, and they continue to be essential, regardless of denomination or style of music.
When I attempt to break down these traits, I choose 9 essentials from an historic point of view--one that doesn't necessarily take into consideration a building, technical aspects, or congregation size. Here, in Part 1 of two posts, I list the first 5 of 9 traits:
Trait 1: Serves the local church with excellence
Charles Dickens, in the classic novel David Copperfield, wrote, “My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.”
The Free Dictionary defines the adjective earnest as ”With a purposeful or sincere intent; serious; determined.” As believers, we must earnestly give God our best, not our leftovers. In Colossians 3:17, the Bible says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (NIV)”
As professionals, we want to always do well at our game. As Coach Pat Riley once said, "Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." Not only do we strive for excellence as a personal standard, but it shows honor and respect toward our congregation and most importantly, God.
Trait 2: Is a servant leader
Jesus is the archetype of servant leadership. Through His example we learn how to love, encourage, correct, cast vision, pray, focus and obey God, among many other qualities. Jesus never asked a disciple to go where He wouldn't go Himself. Ultimately, Jesus was willing to go to the cross on our behalf. He endured physical pain and suffering, rejection, loneliness, and taunting from his executioners and fellow condemned prisoners alike. He was willing to fight to the death for us. Through that example, we must not only lead, but we must serve others with their best interests at heart, even when it costs us greatly.
Sometimes leaders must ask others to do tough, challenging things. But on the other hand, we must also be willing to make personal sacrifices as servant leaders, sometimes to the point of washing feet, if that's what God calls us to do. Stephen Covey said it well: "What you do has far greater impact than what you say."
Trait 3: Follows the direction of the Holy Spirit
I've made many mistakes in my life and career by doing things without first asking the Lord . I operated on impulse rather than trust in God, and in doing so, always missed the “best” that He had for me. Thank the Lord for His grace by eventually getting me back on track!
The direction of the Lord is found in His Word, through prayer, through the wise counsel of His people. Sometimes when God asks us to do something that seems illogical or out of the ordinary, it's always good to be patient and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. If the prompting of the Holy Spirit leads us away from a worship plan during a service, it's good to follow. I've seen God move in incredible ways when I have obeyed and moved away from my preset plan.
Trait 4: Helps Christ-followers encounter God personally
As worship leaders, it's easy to think of our work as a service to the whole congregation, not as much to individuals. It must be understood, though, that as shepherds, we help lead the flock together, en mass, but that happens by moving one sheep at a time. We are not only charged with ministering to those in the general congregation, but also to those in the teams that we lead. We help our congregations to encounter God personally by:
- Designing weekly services to draw the individual into a one-on-One encounter with God.
- Choosing songs that teach Scripture and spiritual concepts to the congregation.
The term entertainment is usually misunderstood in relation to worship. To entertain, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary is: “to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind.” The Free Dictionary definition is: “To hold the attention of (someone) with something amusing or diverting.” Using techniques to hold the attention of an audience has been used by teachers and preachers all the way back to Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount. The stories told by Jesus helped the audience better understand and remember difficult spiritual concepts, just as good story-telling does today.
The goal of the worship production staff in planning the weekly service is to facilitate a God-focus for the congregation. Today, we use music, preaching and the Arts--with the help of video, sound and lighting--to tell our stories. The result, though, must be a focus on God and not on the techniques we use.
I will list the final 4 traits in the next post. Thanks for reading!
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