Who Should Lead In The Worship Service

Do's and Don'ts of Praise and Worship – Part 2
past Philip Renner

Worship leader, award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and producer, Philip Renner became involved total time in worship ministry at the age of 15. Today, aslope his wife Ella, Philip serves equally youth government minister for the Moscow Practiced News Church, founded and pastored by his parents Rick and Denise Renner. Together Philip and Ella are passionate about seeing people connect with their purpose in Christ and developing a real relationship with God. The couple resides in Moscow, Russia, with their immature daughter Emilia.

Click here to savour ane of Phillip's music videos.

Click here to read Phillip'due south expanded bio.

In Office One of this article, I shared about the value as a worship leader of maintaining a steadfast walk with God personally, of agreement the part of praise and worship, and of valuing his or her unique consignment as a worship leader or music minister. Praise and worship is a supernatural experience; information technology'south not entertainment or even art. And to aid others in that feel — to create an atmosphere where the Spirit of God can move among the people and do a piece of work in their hearts — requires diligence and commitment, non just "showing up" each week to government minister! In other words, leading worship is something you do on purpose and with purpose.

This calendar month, I'm sharing more "do's and don'ts" principles of leadership in the area of music ministry that I pray will enrich you and the people you pb and minister to in worship.

1. In your prayer time, enquire God what He wants to say during the worship.

When choosing songs, resist the temptation to select songs just based on their audio — whether they're energetic or mellow. Instead, inquire God to give you a vision for what He wants to practice in the worship service. Write it down and prepare for it simply as seriously as yous would if you were preaching the sermon. Lead every worship service as if it's the greatest opportunity of your life!

Similar to preaching or didactics a message, there'southward and so much more to leading worship than just standing on the platform leading the congregation and a team of musicians. Ane thing I continually remind myself of as a worship leader is that I'yard starting time singing to Jesus Christ, not to people. So as I prepare and do, I practise that "behind-the-scenes" part of it unto the Lord also (run across Colossians 3:23).

2. Use the Scriptures during worship.

The Bible is the foundation of our faith and should therefore non be neglected during worship. I slap-up manner to employ the Scripture is at the kickoff of the praise and worship segment to bring a word of encouragement to people. In doing this, y'all're directing people's attention to God and His Word. Their minds may be burdened and total of feet and care, but as they brainstorm to expect at Jesus, their focus is changed, and it'southward easier to atomic number 82 them into the presence of God in worship.

Yous tin apply the Bible to amplify the indicate or message of the song. Reading from God'south Give-and-take brings unity to the worship portion of the service. Even if people don't know the particular song you're singing, they tin always relate to and connect with the Give-and-take of God.

3. Atomic number 82 the people in worship.

When people come to church building, they have a lot of things on their minds: paying bills, obtaining their bones needs, mending relationships, etc. For many, worshiping God is the furthest affair from their listen. The task of a worship leader is to exhort and encourage people to plough their attention toward God where it needs to exist — to bring honor to Him to whom honor is due and to prepare the way for Him to motility in and on the behalf of people as He desires.

It's okay to requite directly, simple suggestions, such equally, "Let'due south enhance our easily," or, "Allow's close our optics and concentrate on Christ and His cross," or, "Allow's sing in other tongues." No matter how great the worship is, people volition non ever do all of these things automatically. They need to be led.

4. Choose songs that are easy to sing.

Loud music, guitar riffs, and artistic arrangements tin be great, but if the music is besides loud or in that location's been too much arrangement that yous tin no longer focus on the words, the song becomes distracting. You simply can't lead people into the presence of God if they can't sing the songs. Therefore, the melody should be like shooting fish in a barrel to sing — easy enough for everyone to participate in, not just those with an ear for music.

Even secular songs that hit the top of the charts are usually those that have an easy melody and are easy to sing. One unproblematic rule is that if information technology takes the worship team an entire week to larn the words and music to a new song, the people in the congregation probably won't pick it upwardly in three to 5 minutes! Merely put, praise and worship should be sweet and simple. In this sense, "less is more." And recall about information technology: Songs with few words that are easy to sing tin can live for generations. So having piece of cake melodies with as few words every bit possible should be what we strive for as we choose and write our worship music.

I ingredient found in songs that are easy to sing is a primal that's advisable for a majority of the congregation — not too high or too low. As a worship leader, I don't choose the primal for myself — instead, I choose information technology for the people I'll be ministering to and leading into worship and also for the back-vocals section of the band or choir.

A worship leader obviously must possess vocal talent, nevertheless equally he or she leads worship, information technology'south not about impressing the congregation with that talent. In fact, if the worship leader is the simply person who can sing the songs at the right tempo and key, what was intended every bit a ministry to lead others into God's presence becomes null more than a concert!

five. Honor the Holy Spirit and the pastor.

The worship leader has a lot on his plate. He must follow what God wants to practice, accolade the leadership of the pastor, and lead the musicians as well as the congregation in worship. There take been times when I've concentrated so completely on God that I actually missed out fulfilling all of my responsibilities as a leader. I'thousand a creative person, so sometimes I'm in the clouds! I lead worship in the youth services in our church as well as in one of the developed services in which my dad ministers. One time, I was leading worship for my dad, and I had my eyes closed — just worshipping God — while Dad waited about x minutes for me to "wake up" and then he could have the pulpit and preach!

As I said in Function One [LINK]of this commodity, a worship leader must take a well-developed personal life of worship. Nonetheless, when he'due south leading worship, he must constantly be aware of what's happening around him. That ways he should never shut his eyes for long periods of fourth dimension in public worship. It's possible to get so defenseless up in worshiping God that you become unaware of your surround and miss your cues from the pastor and others who are involved in the service.

When my dad had to wait on me for such a long fourth dimension before he could take the pulpit, it wasn't that my centre wasn't correct. I was sincerely worshiping God, but I wasn't thinking about the worship I had been called on to lead. I was in my own world, and then to speak, until Dad finally walked over, put his arms effectually me and whispered, "I've been waiting about ten minutes. Are you going to permit me preach today?" I knew I had made a mistake, only being the wonderful father he is, Dad smoothed it all out by thanking me for leading worship and for my heart of worship before God.

I have a great father, who taught me how to accolade the Holy Spirit also as the pastor. The Bible teaches that we are to laurels those who are in authority over the states (run into Hebrews 13:17). And then if Dad — or any pastor I'm leading worship for — tells me not to sing a specific vocal, I won't sing it, even if I like the song and want to sing it. I cull to submit to the authority given to the man or woman of God in accuse of the service.

Unfortunately, churches often dissever because the pastor and the worship leader see things then differently. For instance, a worship leader might think a particular vocal is anointed, but the pastor doesn't like the song. Maybe the song is too hard to sing or information technology doesn't follow the direction for the service — or for the church — that the pastor desires. Yes, the vocal may be all-powerful, but if the worship leader goes against the wishes of the pastor and sings it anyway, it volition no longer be anointed because it is sung in an act of rebellion.

I of the issues that all musicians must bargain with is pride. Satan, a God-gifted musician himself, was kicked out of Heaven considering he thought he could be greater than God. The root of sin is pride. And the attitude that says, I know improve than you is rebellion. The Bible is crystal articulate when it comes to this subject. Nosotros are to humble ourselves earlier God, and in due to time, He volition elevator the states upwards (see James 4:ten). If we stick with the style God has fix upward the principle of submission and authorization, we volition ever end up on the top. We must honor God, and nosotros must honor our pastor and the authority figures in our lives. This kind of attitude positions u.s. for favor and promotion. As nosotros humble ourselves under God — and under the say-so figures in our lives — He will lift usa up.

half-dozen. Don't let obstacles to remain.

There are many obstacles that can hinder our progress, but the biggest one we must deal with is sin.

Sin is a blockade Satan uses to try to get you off-rails and keep you lot from reaching your God-given destiny. As a worship leader, if you're practicing wrongdoing, your praise and worship will not exist equally anointed every bit it should be, you will non exist able to hear God's voice clearly, and you lot simply won't exist able to lead others in worship in the best style possible.

Sin tin bring feelings of condemnation and can prevent you from experiencing the honey God has for yous. Don't allow the enemy to condemn you! Receive correction from the Holy Spirit, have a penitent center, and push forrad. Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23). Give it completely to Jesus. Read your Bible, pray continually, and make God your superlative priority — you will never go wrong if you do these things! God will protect you and guide you through every obstacle and difficulty, including the temptation to sin or the guilt and condemnation that comes from sin.

7. Don't terminate developing.

Do makes perfect. As praise-and-worship leaders, we must thoroughly know every vocal nosotros're going to sing in a service. Nosotros must know the social club of each service and even practice leading at home. Likewise, we must continually develop ourselves vocally and musically.

I encourage music leaders to e'er go on learning. The moment we think we know it all is the moment someone else will laissez passer us by and walk through the door of opportunity that nosotros were waiting for. Considering nosotros refused or simply failed to grow, someone else took that position (run across 1 Corinthians ten:12).

No one is irreplaceable. It doesn't matter how good we call up we are at something, if our hearts are incorrect and we're not willing to develop our gifts and callings, God can find someone else to accept our identify.

I encourage you to continually develop yourself as a worship leader by reading books and studying other types of materials well-nigh worship and leadership. Nourish every bit many conferences every bit you lot can. If you're non already good at playing a musical musical instrument, consider learning to play i so that you're not entirely dependent on other musicians.

Also, stay in the Discussion of God and maintain your personal passion for God. Retrieve, if y'all invest in your gift, it will abound, and God will able to apply you and promote you to feel all He has called you to practise.

8. Don't shun advice or criticism from your team.

Team-building is extremely important in praise and worship. As leaders, we need to value the opinion of every person on the squad. Members of the worship team need to know that their stance means something to the leader. The Bible says that where there are many advisors, victory is sure (meet Proverbs 11:fourteen).

I claiming leaders to view every team member as an advisor in some manner. Everyone tin can contribute something. Large decisions are still upwards to the leader, simply a piddling actress advice never hurts. A leader who makes every decision on his own, never asking for a 2d opinion, is a weak leader.

By asking the team's opinion in a matter, you lot build trust and devotion among your team. You can likewise see who has potential to atomic number 82 when you're away or when God moves you to another position.

A majority vote never rules: In the end, God volition hold the leader, not the whole squad, responsible for a job well done or poorly washed. It's a great privilege to be a leader, but there are besides many responsibilities, and a leader needs a squad to assistance him faithfully carry out those responsibilities. Then how a leader fulfills his leadership role is important — but as important is how well that leader builds and utilizes the squad that surrounds him.

9. Don't forget the ministry of the Holy Spirit in praise and worship.

God has assigned you lot as a worship leader to be His musical instrument to bring Sky'due south music to the people and to bring the people before His presence in worship. And in that role, it'southward important to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and then that He tin flow freely during praise and worship.

In fact, the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) should be able to freely operate during praise and worship as God sees fit. People should become saved, healed, delivered from addictions and oppression, strengthened, and encouraged in their faith. I encourage yous to pray for these gifts to operate equally you lead worship.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and since God's glory tin fall during the teaching and preaching of His Discussion, that same glory can fall — and God can saturate the people with His presence — as you lot exalt and proclaim His Word during worship. Then pray and seek to be yielded equally an musical instrument to conductor in His presence in your worship. God's celebrity can and will be manifested if we keep our hearts pure and our spiritual ears open up to hear what He wants to practice in every service.

This is true in the nowadays as it was in the Sometime Testament. When Solomon dedicated the temple, every bit the musicians played, the celebrity of God filled the temple (2 Chronicles v:13,14). The worship was so stiff when the temple was defended that the priests (in our day, we might say pastors and elders) fell down under God's power. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). What He did then, under the Former Covenant, He can practise today in your church as well as in your life, your family unit, your urban center or community, and even in a nation.

This is the message we must all go hold of as worship leaders: If we depend solely on our music, it won't be enough. If we're looking to the music, we'll barely go "ankle deep" in our worship of God and our experiencing His celebrity. Just if we'll wait to God, we'll become in over our heads! (See Ezekiel 47:3-v.) Our very lives are dependent on the Lord, and enough of Him is never enough! We were created to fellowship with Him, and one of the ways nosotros exercise that is through our worship. Our assignment every bit worship leaders is to help others in this feel and to fulfill that assignment and calling with excellence.