For about 30 years, I led worship somewhere, at least twice a week; these are my confessions.
Let’s start where I stopped. I was in my late 40’s at a church that had grown from about 600 to 2500 people and recently completed a big new building.
My last few years were difficult, I was no longer doing what I believed and loved. (DO-BE-LO) At age 50 I left Professional-Christianity to follow Christ.
It all started for me when my neighbor Eric asked me to sing with his band, Dawn Treader. That opened the musical floodgates, songs started playing in my soul and I started playing the guitar. Two years later I went to Bible College to prepare for ministry (The M-Word) That’s when I started leading worship for a youth group in Sunnyvale Ca.
After I graduated, no church wanted to hire me so I went home. I was into Love Song, Daniel Amos and Randy Stonehill, my home church didn’t know what to do with me. My friend Paul asked me to lead worship for his youth group. I did that for eight years. During those years went to 6 countries and led worship. Still no one knew what to do with me.
At 31 I married the perfect woman, we had three children. I painted houses and continued to lead worship for another eight years as a volunteer. Then a guy asked me to lead signing at a lunch meeting, he said, “lunch is $12.” That hit me like a gut-punch. “No thanks,” I said.
That was moment I decided to stop paying to play. Six months later my friend Gene asked me to lead worship at their church, they paid me $1200 a month. 18 months later we moved to Denver and I started leading worship full-time, I did that for eight years, (4 services a weekend) then spent two years as the missions and community life pastor. Then I stopped.
Because Of My Friends, I’m Starting Again.
Over the years I’ve been involved in thousands of worship services, many of them up-front singing and playing. I’ve have been there, done that have the hat and T-shirt but, they no longer fit. For the last 15 years Christ has led me in another direction, that is the what I’m sharing in the MOVO.
According to my friends, I have something that is needed, and I want to share what Christ has given me. About the music, all things technical and performing with people and what is most crucial and valuable, my spiritual journey into truth as a worshipper.
My “Theology” Of Worship Leading
I have never been comfortable with the “worship leader” designation. It necessitates a rank & file, manager & worker hierarchy over all the participants. What do I prefer? A band of brothers & sisters who have all things worship-service related in common.
Some of my transcendent worship moments have been on a common stage with that band. Many of my toughest moments have been off stage, as a professional leader attempting to broker that “commonality” with those I serve with.
Go Vertical ASAP.
When one is with other believers, the most important thing is to gaze together at God. That might be with music, with food, with words, or in nature. Beautiful music, fine food, loving words and nature do not require explanation or coaxing to enhance their appreciation. “Let your words be few…”
If you’re a singer, let the song speak. If you’re a player, let your instrument talk for you. If you’re a tech person, be the ears and soul for everyone. When you’re on stage, be sonicly, humanly, spiritually and completely present.
Do Outside – Be Inside
When the body gathers, and you are scheduled to offer your gift, settle any squabbles outside before you serve inside. God is seeking worshippers with true spirits, you cannot lead others to be what and who you not. The altar makes the gift sacred. Leave you gift at the altar”
All bands, church staffs, volunteers and congregation members have hurts, offences and lingering situations. But worship teams have access to something no else in the building has; the music and the moment.
Music is the interaction of harmony and synergy. Harmony is two or more notes or people blending and creating a beautiful melody. Synergy is two or more people agreeing on how to share and expand the reach of that harmony. Commonality is when the people performing share the fruit of their love for God and each other.
That commonality is entirely pleasing to God and to everyone else concerned and involved
We Build The Models – Christ Builds His Church
There is no scriptural description, or sacred designation that validates our (Music – Message – Ministry) model of conducting church services. His Church is his body, when he is at the head any model can work wonderfully.
Our default model is a human-head on a spiritual body, that method has some compatibility issues. Still Christ works his ways within what we give him. The question I like to ask is, can we give him more to work with?
How about a spiritual-head on a human body? Christ is the head, and we are very real humans attached to to him is every way, shape and form. The possibilities are imaginable and the practicalities are attainable.
For example, without changing anything you or your local church are doing, imagine adding a monthly evening of song. The band, tech-team, and other connected artists and friends would gather to share and incorporate a new song into their body of work/work of the body.
My Three Worship-Leading Axioms.
- Know Your Value-Add To The Occasion.
- Bring Something Beautiful, Original & Eternal.
- Only Do What Is True.
Defining Your “Value-Add”
Each person is gifted to contribute in one or a combination of three ways: Originate – Facilitate – Participate.
To Originate:
One example is doing what I’m doing in this confession; creating and offering original and useful content. Something I have/know that others want and need. Origination requires completion, presentation and application.
Presenting an actionable idea or timely inspiration to those who can facilitate its application. (2 out of 3) Could pertain to the monthly evening of song, that would add participation to the mix. (Trifecta)
Another example could be adding visuals to a performance, or re-configuring existing technology or assets to more beautifully facilitate the participation of everyone involved. (yes, I just tied all three together in one example…)
To Facilitate:
Servant-Leadership, expert-musicianship and deep-relationships all reside and thrive within the “Value-add” gift of facilitation. When what you do best frees other people to do what they do best. The gift of recognizing what is available and crucial to the optimal presentation of other peoples VA. (value-add)
To Participate:
The gift of being present in real-time when your moment arrives. You don’t create the moment, you offer your creativity in cooperation with everyone else in that moment. This is how the human body connects to the head of Christ for the good and benefit of everyone who shares that moment*.
*Moment is my way of referring to an “Ah ha” a “revelation” a touch of the Spirit of God, or even a great laugh and the pause and grin that lingers.
The endgame is a heaven full of worshippers, not to fill heaven with worship. Like finding your mark on a spiked- stage, worshippers need to the discover the place they were created to share their gifts.
When I was a minister I attended a worship-performance seminar at Glyn Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs. It was cold and snowy weekend, only one speaker, Tom Jackson was able make it before the blizzard. That weekend was the single most valuable workshop of my life. (and I’ve done a few…)