Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

The Most Important Question You Might Not Be Asking

[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]

There is a question you should be asking that many worship leaders overlook. It’s a question so important that your ministry will rise and fall on it’s answer.

What is your vision?

  • To have cooler hair than Hillsong United
  • To laugh more than Kim Walker of Jesus Culture
  • To grow a sweeter mustache than Paul Baloche
  • To sing higher than Leeland
  • To be more creative than David Crowder
  • To write better songs than Matt Redman

Maybe those  points aren’t a part of your vision 🙂

The reason I say few worship leaders are asking this is because I notice a trend. Worship leaders pick songs, schedule the band, rehearse, lead worship, repeat. Not much vision is needed for that. There could be, but it’s also easy to adopt the routine and plow through.

It’s tempting to just “copy & paste” what is happening elsewhere without seeking God for your particular church.

I’m not trying to be arrogant and say we can’t use effective methods used by others. That is wonderful. But we shouldn’t just blindly do what is done elsewhere without seeking God for His heart. Let’s take it further. Why do you lead worship? What got you leading in the first place? Where are you leading your team? What messages are  you communicating?

It’s also important for your vision to reflect your senior pastor’s vision. God has anointed your pastor to lead your church. Work with your pastor to develop a vision that will support the overall vision. Before you can take your team to the next level, you need to define this.

My personal vision for leading worship is to serve the body of Christ, equipping them to glorify God, experience the manifest presence of God, and raise up others to do the same.

I want young worship leaders to be raised up under my ministry. I want to experience the manifest presence of God in my church. I want God to receive all the glory. Because this is my vision, I will only invest in what accomplishes that vision.

Your vision doesn’t have to look like mine. But you should have something.

Question: What is your vision? Let’s share them in the comments. I think we’ll all be inspired and encouraged.

Comments

  1. Brandon says

    Great post! I really like those funny examples! haha.

    But the vision God is showing me for my worship band is to continue to grow the worship (youth) ministry at my church. We even have opportunities to take the band on tour for a wk on our annual missions trip. This will add a whole new element to the tour! Please pray for that! We have a pretty young group…I mean I’m only 16, but God can do wonders through us we are willing. Pray for everyone to ctach the vision and stay committed!

    • David Santistevan says

      Good vision, bro. Your vision will continue to develop, but wanting to grow the worship team is great! Praying for you.

  4. Jerret Hammons says

    Defining vision for your team and making a part of your DNA is as equally important as the vision of the church. Otherwise, how can we define if we are successful or not? How can we determine if we are operating in the unique calling of our team? So good.

  5. Khamille Coelho says

    First of all, I just wanted to start out by saying, I’m so glad God led me to this Blog. I’m not much of a reader but I want to grow in every area of my lfe, so I decided to start reading.
    This is my “first” blog and let me just say David, you are truly awesome. I’m super excited to learn all you have to teach.
    My vision as a worship leader is to lead the church into a place with God where they can Love on Him and be filled with His Love. My vision is to see healings breakout while people to worship.
    Freedom to come forth and all lies of the enemy will have to flee peoples mind. I want people to experince the fullness of God and I know after that happens they will forever be changed.

  6. Reuben Joshua says

    Wow thank you, it’s been a blessing to listen to other more annointed worship leaders. I have Been struggling in leading worship, iam really young and living off past success can hurt. Thank you today is a day I state my vision… To glorify God, for his presence to fall, and To expierce the love of God myself. That is why. I lead worship.

Trackbacks

  3. […] “What is my vision?” is the most important question you can ask. If the extent of your vision is, “Crap, dude, I need you to drum tomorrow night. I can’t flippin’ find anyone else. Please come and play!” then you need some revision. The biggest dynamic that keeps people on a worship team is vision. How do you rally your troops for battle? How are you putting what they do in context every weekend? Andy Stanley is famous for his statement that “vision leaks”. Your vision can’t be reserved for once a year, or once a month, or when you recruit. It needs to happen ALL THE TIME. It will leak! Your band needs a framework for what they do. Think about it. We’re musicians. All we’re going to think about is how good we look, sound, and if anyone caught that mistake. Lead them. Make them feel that they’re a part of something huge every time, because they really are. Create an atmosphere of vision. […]