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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.

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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.

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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[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.

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:

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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?

What other questions help prepare your heart for worship?