Leading worship is a lot more about serving people, and a lot less about our cool musical chops.
Worship leaders with a servant’s heart are usually the best ones—not necessarily in music/singing, but in prayerfully engaging people with the Lord.
Here are four right practices that I believe can help us get there.
4 Essential Practices of Highly Respected Worship Leaders
Practice 1: Putting on the mind of Christ
We need to see people the way God sees us.
Our human minds see tall people, short people, fat people, thin people, dark people, fair people and so on. When we put on the mind of Christ, we will see the image and likeness of God, the image and likeness of God, the image and likeness of God, the image and likeness of God… real human persons, not another statistic in the crowd.
The mind of Christ enables us to treat people fairly, without discrimination. We will seek what Christ desires, and love what He loves!
A worship leader who practices putting on the mind of Christ is always the more congregational worship leader.
Practice 2: Joy
One of the most beautiful promises of Jesus is to fill us with joy—a joy that is fulfilling and complete (John 15:11). This joy needs to be expressed when we lead worship too—let go of anxiety, stage-fright, doubts, and just dive in with joy! Let the oil of gladness of Christ (Hebrews 1:9) overflow out of us—that will draw people closer to the Lord in worship.
Worship should also be a joyful celebration among other things. A happy worship leader who practices joy is always the more welcomed worship leader.
Practice 3: Conviction of the difference between
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Pushing on with our limited willpower vs. moving in the limitless power of the Holy Spirit
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Banking fully on past experience vs. humbly depending on the anointing despite our experience
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Working to ‘earn’ spiritual marks vs. ministering out of a deep love for the Lord
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Reading scripture mindlessly vs. hearing His voice in silent contemplation of the Word
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Using music to score emotional highs with the congregation vs. desiring to see Christ present and glorified in our worship
I could go on and on, but you get the idea: A worship leader with authentic conviction of the things that really matter is always the more believable worship leader.
Practice 4: Zeal
There are few things more convincing than genuine, fired-up, passionate zeal for Christ! Zeal overcomes personal preferences, self-interests, and wrong motivations. Zeal moves us to live in love. Zeal causes us to minister for the glory of the Father, and for the good of others.
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Jesus first
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Others next
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Self last
People love to follow those who are selfless and passionate about serving others—and passion is a magnet for people. A zealous worship servant is always a more evangelistic worship leader.
