Poll: How important is the worship leader in setting the tone?
Poll, Worship Leading — By Keith on October 12, 2009 at 7:13 am
How important is the worship leader in setting the tone for the entire worship assembly?
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18 Comments
Well, as a worship leader, I’d like to say I’m significantly important to many aspects of “setting the tone.” Ultimately I’m finding out as I’m growing in leading more people to be worshippers- that the people set the tone more than I can control.
Anyone could create a false tone, but until the hearts of the individuals in the assembly become daily worshippers, our acts of worship on Sunday morning are not going to be that affected, unless we create some environment where they feel a certain way in church than out of church- which isn’t healthy.
I would say that while our worship leaders are usually hired to spend much of their time on creating excellent music, I think a better place to start would be to encourage the hearts of those in the church to live out life as Jesus would have us. It will lead to worship that is overflowing because our lives will be overflowing with God’s goodness, love, mercy, grace, compassion, adoration, everything we look for in our assemblies and talk about will come if we can create a community of those who are daily worshippers in many ways.
So- yes the worship leader can have an impact, but not as great an impact as if we had pews full of daily worshippers who gathered together on Sunday at their local meeting place.
Amen!
The Worship Leader is vital! I makes a huge difference in energy and the flow of the service and in everything about the service!
It’s a tricky thing because it’s a “public” thing. No one can make me nor prevent me from worshiping in my heart, but poorly executed leadership can sure put a damper on things. Whereas a skilled, sincere, and worshipful leader can definitely fan any flames that may be just below the surface.
I totally agree with Andrew.
To put it in slightly different terms…
I do believe that the worship leader has a great influence in setting the tone of the assembly…but I think that influence is based on the long haul by living out the Christian life together with the congregation much, much moreso than their particular demeanor on stage on a certain day.
That’s why I find it much easier to lead worship at my home church than on the road or at a big event. I have a relationship with these friends – we share victories and struggles together, thus I feel like our worship is much more authentic collectively.
I’m sure I didn’t say that well. Hopefully it makes some sort of sense.
I want to say that the worship leader is vital, but … well we have a guy that leads our worship and on a scale of 1-10 he is probably around a 4 or 5. He struggles to keep the right pitch and tempo. But we still have great worship. It seems to me that we meet early and fellowship and stay late to fellowship and worship happens in the midst of it.
There are times that I wish we had a dynamic worship leader, but I am constantly amazed at what people can do when they want to praise God.
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It is the two wings on an airplane: one is a great leader, the other is a crowd that is doing what they are supposed to do all through the week. If you have both, you will fly high. If one or the other is imbalanced, you can still fly, albeit in a circle in the direction of the short wing. If you have neither, you can get some good ground speed, but no flight.
This is much like the elder/congregation relationship. Elders should be shepherds, but congregations are also to make the elders’ job easy. Worship leaders should lead well. Congregations should do everything they can to make that easy for him, including paying for training him, if necessary.
A great worship leader has the desire to bring all people into the throne room of God with him as he goes – even those that are so down, they just barely made it to the assembly at all. This is more than musical training, it is spiritual training, well beyond “song leader”. Unless we do that well, we’re missing out on joining with heaven as an assembly.
Great comments Brad. I like the airplane analogy, as I have seen many congregations that seem to be flying in circles, or worse, not even “getting off the ground. Thanks for sharing.
Brad, that’s a great way of looking at it.
This is a reminder to churches that the leader can’t do anything magical if they aren’t doing what they are to be doing.
It’s a reminder to leaders, that if things aren’t going like “they should” then maybe it’s not your fault, possibly it’s the people you are leading.
It really comes down to everyone doing their part, whatever their part actually is. Paul was pretty good at explaining this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-18.
As a musician, when I go to events and see people using their talents for the world… I always have a sense of “mourning” that their gift isn’t sanctified (set a part) for the glory of God.
Good point, Andrew. We need our very best, leading God’s people.
Hi Andrew.Wow,you definitely made that so clear.I hope everyone reading this let these thoughts soak in.I feel the same way you do on all mentioned and would hope to continue in good health to always encourage my brothers and sisters to find out what they can do for the Lord, then do it.At our assembly we have a group of people that lend support in all harmony parts.This has really helped many who at one time thought that their voice of praise didn’t matter to God.That has changed.Almost everyone let go and give up the songs to God as it should be done.Thanks for your comments.
I’m intrigued by all the people who voted “extremely important” on the poll, but have yet to put “why” it’s so extremely important.
We all know that leading the worship is important, but if we follow the money at most congregations, we find out the ministry from the pulpit is the most important to many shepherding or financing groups. We don’t have money set aside for training young men for leadership or for scholarships to singing schools or leadership workshops. Seems to be secondary or third-ary, in the scheme of things. I’m glad that singing schools and leadership workshops are enticing enough for people to pay their own way just for their love of worship and singing.
If by “worship” we mean singing, the leader will set the bar for the musical aspect. The leader will show the assembly the expectations of what normally is done within the time together. And, the leader will set the energy level of singing.
If by “worship” we mean life, the leader exists to give people the Story of which the community will be called to sing for the remaining 6 days and 23 hours. The participant can only echo the story authentically in song during the assembly if he or she has worked within that story all work. And, the leader can do very little about that. In regards to authenticity, the assembly can sense when the leader (however well he or she can sing) is not living within the Story of God.
In the words of very wise men, “You cannot lead where you will not go, and you cannot teach what you do not know.” (If you know music, you can have great singing. But, “worship” is another matter.”)
I’m not sure I understand equating the song leader during worship service with “worship leader”. I guess maybe being in a small rural Oklahoma town has put me out of the loop, but I agree with Robert….I think.
Hi Robert.I had the blessing of attending the WLI in Nashville and took with me not only more knowledge of what a worship leaders role is but also a renewed determination to live victorius and with no fear of Satan but also not to become prideful and haughty because of the many talents god has blessed me with.Singing right requires living right,living right only comes from wanting and maintaining closeness with God.”As the deer pants for water so my soul longs after you.”In our family of God we all struggle from time to time within ourselves to say and do the right thing.We don’t do the right thing all the time.Yes we all still sin.However,the closer we get to God and the sunset in our lives we realize how much we take for granted and just how important it is for us to praise God as much as we can. Everyday!We lead by obeying in love.
In response to a couple of comments shared by brethren,I must say that sharing in the role of leading the church in worship is very encouraging.I always look forward to Sunday.All day.We come back on Sunday nights and share life stories with one another and learn a variety of songs from old to new,bridging the gap of age and having a greater love for each others’ needs to be met.Having an encounter collectively with God helps us to respect one another in the task that we have planned in the worship time alloted.We give consideration for sermon time so that we get the message God meant for us to get all the while staying focused on God.He is the Audience.Looking into the faces of each other as we turn and face each other from time tome helps to remind us that we are not in this earthly struggle alone.We have God and each other.Being prepared to make adjustments without being distracting is also an asset to the church.I highly recommend WLI for young and not so young that are willing to apply what God has given them to help us worship in Spirit and in Truth.
Just a correction in my comment “Looking into the faces of each other from time to time helps to remind us that we are not in this earthly struggle alone.”