SHEPHERD TO SHEEP
CHURCH LEADERSHIP SERIES LESSON FOUR: WORSHIP LEADER
One of the things we love so much
about gathering together as Christians is the time we sing praises to the
Lord. From the old hymns to the new
praise songs it’s a glorious time that warms our hearts and gives us the glow
of the Spirit. (Psa 147:1) Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. And how we appreciate our worship leaders who
are so talented with their instruments and voices. But can anyone just go up to the microphone
and lead a group in worship? What does the
Bible say about what it takes to be a worship leader in the church?
- TALENT: (Psa
33:3) …Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
It would be nice to say that just anyone is able to lead worship in the
church but that is just not so. You don’t
have to be a professional but you do have to possess a certain level of proficiency
without being a distraction by being offbeat, etc. A worship leader then has to practice and
strive to be the best he or she can be for the Lord. Some are self-taught while others will need
music lessons.
- CHARACTER: (1 Cor
11:1) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. Worship leaders must keep in mind that they
are in front of others and therefore need to be an example to the believers both
at church and out in public. They are to be humble as they use their
talents and avoid the pride that comes with being in front of people playing music. Remember Satan used to be the worship leader
in heaven before he fell. The old quote
says it well: “When Satan fell out of heaven, he fell into the choir loft.” In other words the devil seeks to puff up
those leading worship. This tendency
must be resisted since we are to be servants, not celebrities.
- SUBMISSION: (1 Pet
5:5)…Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with
humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Worship leaders are to submit to the
leadership of the church and not be resistant to direction. They are to open minded when the pastor or
leader directs them in a way that they don’t agree with. For instance, if a leader says to play a hymn
when the worship leader doesn’t really like hymns, he is to yield to authority
and do it as unto the Lord.
- COOPERATION: (Psa
133:1) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
in unity! Musicians can be moody and
independent of spirit. But when you lead
worship with others you must be open to other people’s ideas and be willing to
yield. Don’t be a know it all when it
comes to music. There is a lot of give and take in worship
ministry.
A note to pastors: Always place character above talent. It is better to have an average musician who
is humble than a gifted and charismatic worship leader who is proud.
Verses to ponder: 1 Sam 10:5; 1
Chr 25:1; Psa 96:1, 150:1-6; John 3:30, 4:24; Eph 5:18-20.
Louie
1 comment:
Amen Louie. Good word.
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