Portrait of a Worship Leader

Authenticity. I have seen several who put on a good show, but that is all it was. If you are not in a position with God to lead worship, don't.

Humility. I have seen too many who act like they are the fourth member of the Godhead. Lead the worship of Christ, not your talent or personality.

Faith. A life of faith lived out before any and all, without hiding the heartaches and stumbles along the way.

Those are the main ones. Talent is not even in the top ten.

 

Theologically astute first and foremost.
Able to judge the accuracy and propriety of words and forms of words.
Able to judge the propriety of musical styles in view of the holiness of God.
Conversant with issues in worship throughout church history rather than simply knowledgeable about today's trends.
Someone who understands that worship is not perfomance and does not treat it as a chance to show off his own personal abilities or his own personality.

 

There you have it. :thumbs:

 

I give this response a B+.

It would have received an "A," but since I didn't think of it.....





:laugh:

 

You need to add something a little personal, otherwise it just sounds cold. Art is partly about sharing something of yourself, and in the process, identifying with others.

love,

Sopranette

 

Since when did worship become an art? And about ourselves? Isn't that the problem with worship today? We have made it about ourselves ...

 

Music is art, by definition. It's not about ourselves, but it is about putting some heart into it. I remember singing as a child just going through the motions, striving for a perfect imitation of what I had been taught. I felt nothing at all during those times, the words had never been explained to me. That's cold worship.

love,

Sopranette

 

But worship, by definition, isn't.

You are the one who said it was about sharing something of yourself and identifying with others. Worship is about God, not anything having to do with self.

But that's not the fault of the worship leader really. And it's certainly not because he didn't put his own personality in it, and "share some of himself" with you.

 

Okay. You win. The end.

love,

Sopranette

 

Music Article

Just getting the opportunity to exercise your callingas a music leader can be a challenge. One of the greatest difficulties facing all Christians including Music Ministers is that of Idolatry.
In order to gain a broader picture it’s important to have a basic understanding of idolatry itself. Simply put, idolatry is the act of placing your self worth in anything other than GOD. If how you feel about yourself goes up and down based on how someone else feels about you, then you have idolatry toward that person. Idolatry towards people does not serve them, but rather it feeds off of them. It demands that they make you feel good. This is a very dangerous thing because you are placing your self worth in the hands of someone else other than Jesus.
idolatry is one of the primary operating systems of the world. We search for self worth any place we can get it, we put our security in our girlfriends, boyfriends, jobs, money, looks, anything but GOD.
(Habakkuk 2:18-20)

We don’t just idolize people. Many get caught up in idolatry towards the things of GOD. Seeking the anointing rather than the one who anoints. Seeking the miracles rather than the miracle giver. This is nothing new. Jesus ran into it all the time.
In the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he called all men to Him, preaching the good news of the gospel. Thousands came excited to hear and see the wonders of the Kingdom of GOD. He fed them all, and did many miracles. (Mat. 4:23-25) He then began to separate those who really wanted GOD and those who wanted the fishes and the loaves. He taught them in parables that those who had ears to hear would hear. (Mat. 11:15, 13:34,35) He asked hard questions to check their motives. Many left unable to handle His straight forward approach.
When the rich ruler came to Jesus, Jesus standing in the Kingdom, looked into his heart and saw only one thing standing between the rich young ruler and God. He told him to give away all that he owned and follow Him. Did Jesus rightly see his idolatry? He must have, because the scripture says the young ruler walked away sorrowful for he was a wealthy man. When the Kingdom of GOD is manifest the intents and motives of the hearts of men are exposed. (Mat. 9:2-7)
Our ministry really is only a job. The ministry is what we do for GOD not who we are in GOD. We cannot look at our ministry as a source of our self worth. Lots of people are in the ministry for reasons that are not pure. Many people put so much emphasis on the ministry that they forget about relationship with Jesus. The seperation between the laity and the clergy was never intended to exist. The first century church did not have it. We are all called to be high priest of our faith. Jesus paid the price that we might all enter into the Holy of Holies and have full and compleat access to relationship with God.
The ministry should be an out flowing of our relationship with Jesus. The deeper our personal relationship with Jesus, The more He can trust us with his power and the more stable and pure our ministries will become. Often times I have seen very young Christians receive some power in God only to see it diminish at a later time. This is easily explained. God often gives us a taste of something that is completely beyond our present development to inspire us to go deeper. Just because a person has been used in healing does not mean they have a resident “gift” of healing. Unfortunately quite often these young Christians, full of zeal and good intentions run off to pursue the ministry without being fully prepared. Later they become very disillusioned because God’s power seems to have left them. In truth it has. He now requires them to grow into the position they tasted. I know what I am saying will step on some toes but truth is truth. Jesus often stirred things up with His words. “Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth; I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10/34) If my words upset some then they are perfect candidates for the following test.
How do we know if we have idolatry?
Here is a good test to see if you have idolatry toward your ministry.
Please be honest and answer these eight yes or no questions.

1. If GOD chooses to lift His anointing from your ministry, do you feel like giving up?
2. If GOD comes as a loving father to correct your ministry, is your self worth threatened?
3. If GOD asks you to step down for a period of time and not minster, do you find yourself having a hard time complying?
4. Do you subtly manipulate to get complements about your ministry?
5. Do you need constant reassurance concerning your ministry?
6. When asked who you are, do you answer with a title? I.E. Apostle, Prophet, Music Leader, Worship Leader.
7. Do you compare your ministry with what others are doing?
8. Is your self worth less when other ministers are more successful than you, or seem to have more blessings then you?

If you answered yes to any of the questions you have idolatry toward your ministry. This idolatry will not go away until you take all of your security out of your ministry and put it in Jesus. Remember it’s not what you do for GOD it’s who you are in GOD.
I am sure some will now say “What about the great commission? Isn’t it a commandment of God to minister to others?” Yes it is! He also said “If you love me you will obey my commandments” In otherwords if you develop a love relationship with God you will be obeying His commandments. Not out of obediance but out of your nature being changed by that relationship.
Jesus, and Jesus alone, must be the source of your self worth. No one or nothing can carry the responsibility of your worth other than Jesus. After all who should know better than Him? He’s the one who paid the price for you.

The time has come when GOD is looking for those who want to do more than play in His anointing. GOD is looking for a people who are mature and can handle the deeper things of the Spirit. Jesus is coming back to see his people’s work. He is examining each man’s talents. He is asking, “What did you do with the anointing and the talents I gave you?” (Mat. 25:14-30) He is looking at us to see if we used His Spirit for an occasion for the flesh, or have we used it to grow into the image and likeness of GOD, serving and supporting His body. (Gen. 1:26)
As music leaders we should be lifting up the rest of the body. Being a leader does not put you on the top of the pyramid. it puts you on the bottom supporting all others. Jesus was called the chief corner stone (Acts 4:11, Luke 20:17), the first one laid on the bottom, by which all others are measured. The twelve apostles are called the foundation stones onto which the church is built. (Rev. 21:14) Jesus said, “If you want to be great in the kingdom of God be a servant of all.” (Mat. 20:26, 23:11, Mk. 9:35, 10:43) Let us all be the servants in His Kingdom. Love slaves of Jesus Christ, our soon to be Bridegroom. Let us bring all things into the captivity of Christ, lifting Jesus, the lover of our souls, on high and promoting His People and His Kingdom.

All scriptures and quotes taken from The New American Standard Bible


Peace and Grace.

 

Scripturally, the pastor is the worship leader. Whatever the Scriptural criteria are for the suitability of one for the pastorate is what makes a good worship leader.

Nothin' in there about musical "talent," and no such thing as music ministry.

 

I would have to ditto Trotter on this one.

 

I would be interested in seeing your scriptural proof that a pastor is the worship leader or even leader of the church

 

He's not a leader of just any kind, more of a director. And he should have the final say in the choice of music. But he can be a leader in general worship. Since women can often be "worship music or music ministry leaders", that tells me this is not a position of leadership. That would be forbidden in a Baptist church for a woman to take a leadership role.

love,

Sopranette