I Am Not a Great Worship Leader

A couple Sundays ago I had the privilege, as I occasionally do, to serve as worship leader at my church. This was a regular occurence about 7 years ago as I helped a dear friend--along with a few others--to rebirth an old (literally dying) congregation, and it still happens from time to time when the cards fall just right and others are unavailable. And right now, we're in a season of transition as a worship team; the good friend that's served in that role for the last several years just got married and his wonderful new bride also held a staff position at another churh, so in order to be able to worship and serve together, he resigned to take on a new career. So, that morning I was called upon to take the helm.

And here's what you should know: I am not a great worship leader. I'm an average musician. I've been playing one or two notes at a time on the bass (primarily) for the last several years. I'm uncomfortable praying aloud in front of large groups. I don't know any sweet riffs on the guitar to fill in under myself as I pray. I'm mediocre, at best.

BUT

I know where to look for my everything. I know to whom we sing. I am filled with the Holy Spirit and am learning how to watch for what He is doing in and through and aorund me. I understand what it means to point upward. And these things enable me to be effective as a lead worshiper, despite all the quasi-negative statementst I made above.

Because I look to Him, He takes my brokenness and makes me complete and uses me as an example pointing others towards the Throne. The thing about being a worship leader is that it ought not be about the hour of corporate gathering on a Sunday morning (or Saturday evening, or whenever) as much as it is about living life to bring Him glory all week long. I try (and still frequently fall short) to spend time in the Word each day, hold my tongue, pray all the time, and serve others. It's not a process I'll perfect here on earth, rather that perfection is the telos (see what happened there?) or goal that I aim towards. He who is in me is greater than I, and able to take my meager offering and make it suitable for the King.

It also ought not be about outright skill or musicianship. Yes, excellence is honoring to God and we should strive for that, but not at the cost of distraction from offering our whole hearts. Some of my best memories of worshiping through song have been with some of the (objectively, and by their own admission) least gifted musicians simply because they were going after God with their whole heart and not being dragged down with obsession over getting every little thing just right.

And as we endeavor to find a new "lead worshiper," I pray that whomever he (or she) is, that they aso have an awarenesss of the fact that they are not a great worship leader, but that the power of the Holy Spirit in them speaks through them to bring glory to the Father.