Worship Leadership - Who’s Following?

As a Worship Leader, sometimes it’s difficult to lead.  At a conference just weeks ago I heard Ed Young, the Senior Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Houston, say that in order to be a leader, you must have what?  Followers.  Sounds simple right?  It’s not as easy as some would hope sometimes.
 
Expectations.
 
If your like me, you can listen to or watch live Worship Projects and feel like you are experiencing what was going on in that moment.  It’s easy for me to wake up in the morning, and as I prepare for my day, listen to some good ole’ fashion Hillsong Live or Stanfill and get pumped for what lies ahead that day.  As a Worship Leader in the local church, I want so bad for the congregation God has set me in place for to worship like that.  I want them to feel the Spirit moving about them.  I want to be able to step away from the microphone and hear them sing out with all that they are, “You’re all to us!”.  These are my expectations.

Reality.

But what really happens a lot of times?  We get up to lead and it’s didn’t go quite like we had planned.  No one is singing.  No one is lifting their hands.  No one is responding like we thought they would to this powerful song.  This drives me nuts sometimes if I’m completely honest.  On the other hand, it can be amazing!  You had felt the Spirit move as you were leading your heart out and could see lives being changed just feet in front of you.  Those days make our “job” easy.  For me, it’s easier to look at the difficult times leading, and let it beat down on me.  It’s easy to be bothered and feel like I’m not leading well.  In those times I have to ask my self several real questions:

Have I worshipped God in a personal setting before I leading corporate worship?

Have I spent time in prayer and meditation for the people I’m leading?

I’m asking to “ascend the hill of the Lord”, so do I have a pure heart before him? (Psalm 24)

Have I prepared for that time of corporate worship?

Am I actually leading out the songs from the platform?

Who’s Following?

So if we’re supposed to be leaders, we’ve got to have followers right?  Right now I’m trying to get to know our congregation.  I’m trying to understand where we’re at as far as  corporate worship is concerned and understood in our church.  Do you know your congregation?  How do you respond to feedback from members of your church?  Are you listening to them?

Final Word.

Don’t give up, even when it seems like worship in your church is not where you want it to be.  Our wise, Senior Adult Pastor told me just minutes ago regarding this topic that impatience is sometimes our worst enemy.  He said, “Give it some time.  Even I might start clapping my hands.”  Finally, get to know your members.  Love on them.  Listen to their feedback.  Most importantly, pray continually for them.  

Continue to love your church.

Zeke

What are some other things to consider doing when struggling with the fact that no one is following your worship leadership?

Romans 7

Romans 7. ^Fuse College Bible Study

Last night we decided just because a few of us showed up a College Bible Study, that we would just do both our studies on chapters seven and eight..  Last night before I went to bed, I realized I wasn’t necessarily glad I made that decision.  Meetings in small numbers can become some of the sweetest and intimate times with God.  This morning I’ve decided to go over my notes for what we were supposed to talk about.

For those of you reading this, our College students that are back from school this Summer have been going through the book of Romans.  Last night (Tuesday) was supposed to be Romans 7.

Romans 7

In my reading of these verses, this is what I gathered:

Nothing but the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, can make the sinner free from the law of sin and death.  Believers are delivered from that power of the law which condemns for the sins committed by them.  We are under the covenant of Grace, no the the covenant of works or the law.  Our good works should come only because of our oneness or unity with Christ.  It’s like the fruit that comes from the vine.  The fruit can only grow because of the vine, or the root.  The apple cannot grow out of thin air.  It must be grown from the tree.  Fruit is a product of unity with the root.  

Last night, before I went to bed, I was reading the Facebook wall of a friend of mine who had been in a tragic motorcycle accident.  He suffered major neurological damage that restricts him from speaking and moving his limbs.  I read his wall just about everyday just to see what is happening in his life and to be encouraged by his great improvement.  One of his posts yesterday was a quote that said, “I don’t do works to be saved, I do works because I AM SAVED!”  What a beautiful story. I remember just weeks ago at the Westfall’s house we began to pray that we could find joy in living by the law because we are called to live by it, yet we know that it is only because of the grace of God that we are able to be saved.  Paul, later in this chapter states that it was impossible for him to COMPLETELY live by the law.  That is where the importance of grace of comes in. 

In verse seven, Paul addresses the issue of law being a sin.  He says, “By no means. Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet’.”  

I think Matthew Henry’s commentary in this chapter says it well:

 “But though the evil principle in the human heart produces sinful motions, and the more by taking occasion  of the commandment; yet the law is holy and the commandment, holy, just and good.  It is not favorable to sin, which it pursues into good but a corrupt and vicious nature will pervert it.  The same heat that softens wax, hardens clay.  Food or medicine when taken wrong, may cause death, though it’s nature is to nourish or heal.  The law may cause death through man’s depravity, but sin is the poison that brings death.  Not the law, but sin discovered by the law, was made death to the apostle.  The ruinous nature of sin, and thesinfulness of the human heart, are here clearly shown.”

I love the comparison of food and medicine to the law.  Both are meant to bring life, but when consumed wrongly, they can be fatal.  The same with the law.  This law can bring about great things but when sin is brought about because of the law, it can be fatal.

So chapter seven of Romans has to do with law and sin.  As does the previous chapters of Romans.  I’m looking forward to chapter eight.  

A preview for next Tuesday:

There is life only through the Spirit of God.  We are Heirs with Christ.  The Everlasting Love of God.

Zeke