Perhaps you have heard something similar to that on a Sunday morning, when you aren’t leading worship from the stage. I mean, we really only work one day a week, right? We show up early Sunday morning, pick a few songs, give the band a little direction and then lead the congregation. Simple!
As experienced worship leaders know, that couldn’t be further from reality. In fact, I would venture to say that only a small percentage of our workload happens during the Sunday morning services. The bulk of our time goes to things like administration, meetings, communication and coordination of volunteers. And after all that is done, we carve out time with God to look at the scriptures and themes for the upcoming services. Then we select music that will support the message, songs that flow musically, thematically, and spiritually. And finally we have rehearsal, where it all comes together. There is sound, Lighting, media, chord charts, song roadmaps, and the list goes on.
I used to let comments like the one above, frustrate me. Now I am learning to see it as an opportunity. The fact is most people don’t really have a clue what really goes into a meaningful worship service. I’m learning to see this as a chance to educate them on what a Worship Director really does. What a great opportunity to reveal the work and the artistry that goes into a service; it’s a way to bring God more glory as people’s understanding of corporate worship grows.
Here are a few of the things I share with people:
First, we do worship in community. God never intended for us to be “lone rangers”. King David had a Jonathon and Nathan that he walked with closely. They had a tremendous impact on his life. For example, after Nathan confronted David, we see David’s deep repentance reflected in Psalm 51.
Second, we have a multi-team ministry. As the Worship Director, I don’t lead from the stage every week. This sometimes surprises people, because it’s not something they have experienced before. Ephesians 4:11-13 says…
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
What we see in the passage is that our biblical job description isn’t to just do the work we have been called to. It is also to “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” That is a major paradigm shift for some of us. Yes, I need to hone my musical abilities and become a better artist, but I also need to be investing in other leaders. I need to begin to find my success in their successes. I need to find my joy in their accomplishments.
This is not easy! It means letting go of control. It means creating a space for people to do things different than me. It means giving them the freedom to fail.
Thirdly, we seek to promote variety. The body of Christ is rich with style and diversity. If we are the only ones who lead each week, the church only sees one facet of the diamond we call worship. In a multi-team ministry, we get to enjoy many different styles from people with diverse racial and social backgrounds. I encourage my worship leaders not to feel like they have to lead worship like I do. I encourage them to be the person and the Worship Leader God designed them to be.
Ultimately, I think this approach gives us an expanded picture of what worship is and more importantly Who God is. He is a loving Father rich with creativity and diversity!
Originally posted on October 28th 2016 as a blog contribution to the Nashville based worship blog “Worship Views In The Round” https://worshipviewsintheround.wordpress.com
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