What I'm listening to: Casting Crown's Lifesong
Over the last several months I've been specifically thinking about the responsibility of a worship leader. Beyond the physical aspects of choosing music, organizing teams, planning the projection of songs, leading devotions at rehearsals, etc. I've been slightly erratic in my thought process - it seems to always be in the back of my mind, but I have yet to really sit down, write and think in a logical way. So this post is the beginning of that for me.
Beyond all that I mentioned above, I've been concerned that there aren't clear, established perimeters for me in the position I'm in- when I stand up front on Sunday mornings with my guitar and lead the worship part of our service. I posted a little bit about it here and looking back I'm wondering if I haven't been taking my position a little too lightly.
What is my responsibility? And the nagging question that popped into my head tonight: Is the lack of spiritual growth in a worship leader at all reflected on the lack of spiritual growth in the congregation?
I have no desire to elevate the level or a worship leader position to take on that kind of responsibility. We have to place a large portion of it on the individual person. But if I'm considered to be a leader in the church and I have no spiritual growth, is the congregation stagnant because of that? And likewise, with the others leaders of the church - elder, chairmen, sunday school teachers, etc.
I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact reason for a fear of moving forward in my church. It's there. Maybe not in everyone, but it's there. I think it might be because moving forward means vulnerability. And like the song I'm listening to now, it asks Are we happy plastic people/Under shiny plastic steeples/With walls around our weakness/And smiles to hide our pain? Is my church afraid to show who they really are for fear of judgment and behind-their-back whispering?
I'm so afraid that it is. And I don't know how I can fix it. Because I feel this way, I'm worried that it's in some way my responsibility to do so.
Over the last several months I've been specifically thinking about the responsibility of a worship leader. Beyond the physical aspects of choosing music, organizing teams, planning the projection of songs, leading devotions at rehearsals, etc. I've been slightly erratic in my thought process - it seems to always be in the back of my mind, but I have yet to really sit down, write and think in a logical way. So this post is the beginning of that for me.
Beyond all that I mentioned above, I've been concerned that there aren't clear, established perimeters for me in the position I'm in- when I stand up front on Sunday mornings with my guitar and lead the worship part of our service. I posted a little bit about it here and looking back I'm wondering if I haven't been taking my position a little too lightly.
What is my responsibility? And the nagging question that popped into my head tonight: Is the lack of spiritual growth in a worship leader at all reflected on the lack of spiritual growth in the congregation?
I have no desire to elevate the level or a worship leader position to take on that kind of responsibility. We have to place a large portion of it on the individual person. But if I'm considered to be a leader in the church and I have no spiritual growth, is the congregation stagnant because of that? And likewise, with the others leaders of the church - elder, chairmen, sunday school teachers, etc.
I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact reason for a fear of moving forward in my church. It's there. Maybe not in everyone, but it's there. I think it might be because moving forward means vulnerability. And like the song I'm listening to now, it asks Are we happy plastic people/Under shiny plastic steeples/With walls around our weakness/And smiles to hide our pain? Is my church afraid to show who they really are for fear of judgment and behind-their-back whispering?
I'm so afraid that it is. And I don't know how I can fix it. Because I feel this way, I'm worried that it's in some way my responsibility to do so.
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