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Because if you do, you probably won’t be. Maybe 15 years ago executives and record companies were looking. But not anymore. I’m sorry.
If you want something, you’re gonna have to chase it.
Ever feel like everyone is passing you by?
Seth Godin wrote a great post on not waiting to be picked. This applies so perfectly to musicians, artists, and innovators who are waiting to be “discovered”.
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There is no more important relationship in your ministry than between you and your senior pastor. I believe if that relationship can be built on trust, respect, and friendship, there’s no telling what can happen.
It’s typical for there to be a more controlling, task-oriented senior leader with a semi-lazy, yet gifted, artsy worship leader. Many times the relationship just doesn’t jive. It can go a long way for you to humble yourself and seek the input of your pastor.
In a previous post I talked about how important it is to own your senior pastor’s vision. Today I wanted to take it a step further and give a simple blueprint for making that happen. It’s so important to have open and honest dialoge with your pastor. Hopefully these questions can help guide those conversations.
I had the tremendous privilege of interviewing two of The Oaks worship leaders, Clayton Brooks and Shane Barnard.
You may know Shane from the mildly successful 
band Shane & Shane. Their church, The Oaks Fellowship in Red Oak, TX, just released their brand new live album Lift Up the Light (iTunes link).
Maybe that’s not a question you’ve considered before. But it may just revolutionize what you do. Consider how a great waiter makes your dining experience all the more enjoyable. When the service is poor, you have no desire to return. Even if the food was great, all you can talk about is the poor service.
I’ve found this to be true for worship as well.
Doesn't this just put you in a good mood?
A couple months ago my wife and I stayed at a local ski resort for a night. Inside our room when we arrived was a $25 gift card to a restaurant on the premise. Due to the kind gesture, we decided to try it out. A shuttle picked us up and dropped us off at the door. We were greeted by some very happy people. So far so good.
Have you ever thought about the feminine, romantic nature of our worship songs? How do non-Christians (and men in general) feel when we sing songs of such intimacy?
Matt Redman has some great insights in this brief interview.
If you can’t see the video in your email or RSS reader, click here.
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How is your worship leading…at home? You know, where you’re not known as “Worship Leader” or “Pastor” or “Reverend”. Maybe that is not something you’ve thought of before, but I think it’s more important than anything else you invest your life in.
Home is God’s highest priority for your life. If you can’t be a worship leader in your home, I question whether you can do it effectively in a church.
Not sure who is providing the leadership here
My wife and I recently started a weekly Bible study together where we are discussing Emerson Eggerichs’ Love & Respect (affiliate link). This has got me thinking about the importance of not only improving what we do as worship leaders in church, but also as worship leaders in our homes.
Sounds like a nice idea, doesn’t it? I’m not gonna lie. It’s a tough process that takes intentionality and discipline.
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Aside from the fact that I may never see you in person or physically hear your music, I still may never sing one of your worship songs. To be honest, other worship leaders may never sing your worship songs either.
I wish that wasn’t the case.
Before you leave my blog, labeling me a total jerkface, let me explain. On the one hand, this is OK. We as songwriters should be writing for our local congregations and investing our lives there. That’s what truly defines success.
Faithfulness in the small things over time pays off in the end.
But that’s not what I’m referring to. Actually this post has nothing to do with that. Even if I was your captive audience for an hour and you shared your songs with me, I still may not lead them.
[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]
One of the best things we’ve done with our worship team is utilize a click track and play live loops. It improves the quality of your band while introducing new sonic textures.
In this post I’d like to introduce you to a few great online resources for making this happen at your church. I recently did a post on Creating a Click Track Using Garageband, which you may want to check out. Here follows some of the best resources I’ve found.
Anyone use an iPad in worship yet?
Here we go:
[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]
Imagine with me. The sound is perfectly mixed. The lighting mood is sublime. The band is grooving. The crowd is enraptured. We all idealize the perfect worship environment.
But how do we pursue excellence in our performance while remaining authentic in our worship?
I’ve been in too many worship services where the worship leader and band performed well, yet their heart for true worship was seriously lacking. Quite a turn off, in my opinion.
Definitely a sweet atmosphere here with the DCB
First of all, what is authenticity? I define it as the ability to blur the line between WHAT YOU DO and WHO YOU ARE. As worship leaders, we have a lot to do. We need to prepare the band, worship God, engage the congregation, sing on key, play the right chords, stand up straight, sing the right words, brush our teeth, etc.
An authentic worship leader does those things but also displays who they are – a worshiper of God. Singing well is not enough. A tight band is not enough. Their own heart is hungry for God and they long for his glory to be seen, experienced, and cherished in the heart of every person in the room. I crave that sort of authenticity.
I remember experiencing a worship service with Matt Redman for the first time. I think Matt is a very authentic worship leader. He’s anything but flashy, borderline boring to watch. He wept, jumped, knelt, and shouted to God in a way that impressed me and drew me into the presence of God. He practiced what he sang. I left that service thinking about God.
So how can we pursue a deeper authenticity in our worship? I think there are at least 5 things we can implement TODAY:
1. Have I spent time in worship offstage this week?
2. Is my songlist Biblical and true to who God is?
3. Have I submitted my plans to the plan of the Holy Spirit?
4. Have I prepared my team spiritually?
5. Am I rested enough for God to use me in my full capacity?
6. Is the Gospel still the best news in the world to me?
7. Am I loving my wife well?
8. Am I being the worship leader of my family?
9. Have I dealt with my besetting sins with God this week?
10. Have I actively spoken about and shared my faith this week?
11. Have I grown in my knowledge of God’s word this week?
12. Is Christ still the greatest treasure of my life?
13. Am I bringing to God a costly offering?
14. Am I pouring into others or simply promoting myself?
15. Am I leading worship in my thoughts, words, & actions?
