INTRODUCTION
Worship is at the heart of God, and
it is the heart of the church. The church will only be as dynamic as their
worship, so having an authentic worship leader is very important. We serve a
God who is worthy of all our praise and worship. The worship leader should be
able to draw the congregation into the throne room to worship the living God.
The Word says that God inhabits the praises of His people, and if we draw nigh
to Him, He will draw nigh to us. We are told that if we lift Him up He will
draw all men to Him. It is through worship that we lift Him up.
The
worship leader should understand the nature of worship, because worship must be
God-centered and recognize God’s worthiness “to receive glory, and honor and
power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have
their being” (Revelation 4:11b). Standing in His presence refreshes the Spirit.
The worship leader should have these sixteen attributes: Worshipper, Disciple,
Theologian, Evangelist, Professional, Artist, Musician, Servant Leader, Pastor,
Staff, Administrator, Producer, Teacher, Mentor, Counselor, and Family Person.
Worshipper
Pray! The Word tells us how
to worship God. We must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. A worship leader
must have a personal experience with Christ. He needs to have come to Him and
received Him as his Savior. There is no way to lead people in worship of someone
you do not know or trust. “Try as they might, the Hebrews could never escape
the haunting rebuke of Elijah, “How long will you waver between two opinions?”
(1 Kings 18:21). Of course, Jesus later instructed his disciples on the folly
of attempting to give allegiance to two masters (Matt. 6: 24; cf., 4:1o).” [1]Giving
mouth service to God is unacceptable to Him. We can only truly praise and
worship when we have experienced our Savior, and know firsthand what an amazing
God He is. The Worship leader should be devoted to Christ, so genuine worship
flows out from his heart. “Music is a meaningful component of worship, but
other elements, such as corporate prayer, ministry of the Word, and communion,
have always been important components of worship, and it is a mistake to reduce
the whole to one of its parts.”[2]
The worship leader should be well versed in all these areas of worship.
The
worship leader must have love for the people. They depend on him to lead them
into the very presence of God where they can lift their hands and heart in
worship to the Almighty God. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,
the one who loved them so much that He died on a cross taking their sins away,
so that they can enter the presence of God.
The
worship leader should have come to the point of being a living sacrifice to
God. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to
offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your
true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1 NIV). A worship leader should be totally
surrendered to Christ. He needs to be in love with his Savior, because it is at
this point that he can stand in His presence redeemed and sanctified by the
blood of the Lamb.
God
uses humble people. A humble person realizes that without Christ there is no
hope. Without Christ he can do nothing, but through Christ anything is
possible. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians
4:13). God will strengthen the Worship Leader to live a holy life given to
Christ work. He will live the lifestyle of one devoted to God’s service which
will bless the people of God as he leads them in praise and worship. “We have
seen the New Testament vision of the body of Christ involves corporate love,
compassion, identity, purpose, nurture, service, discernment, forgiveness,
reconciliation, authority, submission, worship, and prayer.”[3]
The Worship Leader must be a true worshipper of God as he walks the walk and
talks the talk.
Disciple
Pray! When we think of the
word disciple our mind automatically leaps to the twelve disciples of Christ.
Each one of us can be a disciple of Christ as we grow in our knowledge and love
for Him. No one ever knows so much that they stop being a disciple or a student
sitting at the feet of Christ learning more and more about Him. The Worship
Leader needs to be a disciple always in the Word learning more about Christ, so
that when he stands before the people to lead them in worship he is teaching
them how to worship in Spirit and truth. The Great Commission is always before
our eyes and in our hearts. “The Great Commandment relates to the vertical dimension
of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to the
horizontal dimension of loving our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).”[4]
We are to bring souls to Christ. Christ sent out His disciples to preach the
Gospel, but He never missed an opportunity to help them grow and become.
The Worship leader has
the responsibility to stay in the Word, but to also make disciples. Paul was
very active this way. When someone received Christ that was just the beginning.
He would train them to work for God in whatever their calling was. “The
spiritual life may not be purely emotional, but surely it is a combination of
mind and heart.”[5]
Emotion is part of who we are, and we feel overpowering love for our Savior,
but when leading a person to Christ they need to grow and mature in the Word.
The
goal of the church should be exponential growth. You win someone to Christ and
then they do likewise, and before you know it the church is full. The Worship
Leader should be engaged in both sides of it. He should be a disciple who is
also a disciple maker. Jesus is both the receiver of worship as a member of the
trinity, and the offerer (or leader) of worship as humanity’s representative
before God.”[6] Christ was our example, and He always had time
to Talk to people about His Father, but He also took time to help people who
were in need. It is impossible to imagine Christ telling a needy person to go
away He was too tired to be bothered.
Christ was always had time for the people, and he was compassionate and
moved by their issues. The shortest Scripture in the Bible is “Jesus wept”
(John 11:35). He saw the sorrow of Mary
and Martha and the people gathered to mourn the death of Lazarus, and he felt
compassion and He wept. A Worship Leader must always be a learner, growing in
His relationship with Christ, and letting Christ be his example as he works
with the people. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who
mourn” (Romans 12:15).
THELOGIAN
Pray! It was under the
Mosaic Covenant that the tribe of Levi provided for the spiritual welfare of
the people. Musicians were responsible for the worship that took place. The
High priest was the primary leader of worship, but musicians would lead the
congregation. “When our worship is the best of which we are capable, we’ll know
the joy and satisfaction of helping ourselves and others worship God-a joy
unmatched by satisfaction of any other human undertaking.” [7]
Today the pastor is
the primary worship leader, and the Worship leader leads the congregation. The
Worship leader may be called different names like cantor, choir master, pastor
of worship, etc., but he or she leads in corporate worship.
It is not possible to separate worship from the Word of God for this
reason it is important that the Worship Leader be a theologian. Worship is lead,
designed and fashioned by the Word of God to do this in a way that is pleasing
to God would demand knowledge of the Word. The worship of God is closely associated
with the character and truth of Christ as well as the richness
of God’s Word. The Worship Leader needs an intimate
knowledge of the Word to be able appropriately use it for corporate worship. Theology
is the study of God’s nature and actions, and this is needed as Worship Leaders
prepare for corporate worship. It is also necessary as they perform other
duties as Worship Leader. Worship begins with God, and God revealing Himself to
man which brings forth praise from the heart of man. The goal is to bring forth
meaningful praise which creates a connection between God and man. “Worship
requires a contextual quality that will invite and encourage the active
participation of the congregants.”[8]
Theological training is important if the Worship Leader is to accomplish this.
EVANGELIST
Pray! The very nature of the worship leader
creates opportunities to be an evangelist. An evangelist is someone who desires
to reach others for Christ through public avenues as well as day to day
meetings. Art, liturgy, hymnody are each deep wells of possibility, for
encouraging, and when they are woven together in a service of worship, an
individual can be invited to participate emotionally, intellectually, and
aesthetically as well as spiritually.” [9]The
worship that we have on Sunday brings us into the presence of God which should
give each Christian a passion for the lost. Never let us be so comfortable that
we lose sight of the lost souls without hope. Christ gave the Great Commission,
and it was to every believer. Praise and worship services uplift us, but praise
and worship should be a lifestyle. We go out into the world each day. The
places are numerous, and the people our lives touch are also numerous. We were
once in their condition lost without Christ, but now we belong to him. Can we go blindly through life leaving the
lost souls to die without hope? Can we leave them to face separation from God
for eternity?
It
is the mission of the church to take the Gospel to every creature. Just look at
one normal day of your life, and try to count all the people that you had even
a minute of contact with multiply that number by seven days. How many of these
people did you help or present the Gospel too?
We
need to walk in the Spirit. And listen to what He says as He guides us through
the day. We need to practice listening and being sensitive to His voice. We
must remember that obedience is better than sacrifice. Worship connects to
discipleship and evangelism. We are the body of Christ, and everyone is part of
the whole. When we all do our part, and work together we can reach the whole
world.
PROFESSIONAL
Pray! A Worship Leader is a
processional artist and musician. As a professional it is important to have
integrity. As servants of the Most High God integrity should be so that they
bring honor to God in everything they do. In dealings with individuals or
groups they should always be done in a godly fashion with objectivity. This
requires honesty as well as impartiality. The work done should always maintain
its integrity.
A
professional must always work to see that their skills are honed, and that they
have the necessary knowledge to use their skills to bring glory to God. They
need to be able to recognize the limit of their knowledge, and not be so proud
that they cannot enlist others with the knowledge to give assistance. It is
important to continue to learn and gain in wisdom and knowledge as God leads.
“While we cannot see God’s Spirit, we can sense His presence. And just as His
Spirit moved across the waters, His presence today proves that He is still
moving about, ever working, fully involved and carrying out His plan to be with
His created.”[10]
It is important to remember that worship is of utmost importance to God. A
worship leader needs to be the best he can be through Christ.
They
should always treat others in the way they would want to be treated. That
brings us back to the command, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you.” It is important to build a relationship of trust and confidence with
their team, and with the people within the church. They depend on them.
Confidentiality is of the utmost importance. There will be times when people
will come to them for prayer or guidance, and it is up to them to maintain
confidentiality.
Worship
leader is a very important position, and with it comes a lot of responsibility.
They must be prepared to do what is required of them, and be professional in
dealing with the people of the church, because some of them will also be
professionals, and expect to be treated as such.
ARTIST
Pray! Worship Leaders have the heart of
the artist, and as an artist they want to find new ways to keep worship fresh
and exciting and pleasing to God. The varieties of artistic expression mirror
the diversity of God’s creation.” [11]God
is an artist as well. Look around you at the wonders that He has created. The
tall mountains, and the colors of autumn. He created the sounds of the bird’s
song, and the breeze rustling the leaves. All the colors and sounds that we see
depending on the season came from the heart of God. No artist has ever been so lavish with their
use of color and sound. “Since we are created in his image, we to have the
ability to look at what God has created and declare with the Lord, “This is
good.”[12]
David danced before
the Lord, and not with decorum. God inhabits the praises of His people. People
very often get set in their way of doing things, and it is difficult to do new
things without getting a negative response., and yet it very often is that new
thing that brings us into the presence of God. “C.S. Louis wrote, “The perfect church service
would be one we were almost unaware of: our attention would have been on God.”
We dare not let the means of worship intrude on the experience of the sacred.”[13]
It is challenging to bring anything new to worship, but if used wisely it can
awaken the heart of the people to the wonders of God. The Worship leader should
be wise in the way he uses creativity. Anything new should be offered in small
amounts with a return to the comfortable. The Worship Leader must be sensitive
to the people.
The Worship Leader
should always be prepared. He will be there ready to go. He will have spent
time with God, and is guided by the Holy Spirit. The people will see some new
and wonderful facet of their majestic God.
MUSICIAN
Pray! The Worship Leader as a musician should be skilled. In the Word,
we find that a skilled musician was important, but there is one thing that goes
beyond being skilled, and that is being anointed. The anointing will make all
the difference in the world. We know that we should bring God our best, and
that might well mean practicing.
He
needs to be competent at what he does. It is important to have the ability,
knowledge and skill to do the job. A musician is working with a group, and
having the flexibility to be able to blend with the group to bring forth
worship to the Almighty God with beauty and majesty is important. Being
practical is also a worthwhile trait. There are many elements in a worship
group. There is the leader, and the singers, and instruments. There is much
that goes into the making of a church services. The topic of the pastor’s
sermon should be displayed within the music, and the different sections of the
service which need to flow together to create a worshipful whole. The Worship
Leader needs to be able to organize it all so that its flow is natural as the
Spirit moves within the service.
A
musician should be people oriented, because a good share of his time will be
spent with people. Not just the people within the group, but the people of the
church. Their maybe times when he is called on to listen to someone who is
having issues and needs an ear to listen, and pray with them. Being a musician
and worship leader can cover many areas. Kevin J. Navarro reminds us that “musicians
attract musicians.”
You
have heard it said many tines that worship is a verb. That means it is active.
As a Worship Leader, it is good to remember that worshipping can take the form
of singing and clapping, or the bowing of heads, the lifting of hands, kneeling
or even prostrate before God. The music should fit the mood of the worshippers.
The goal is that it flows. “Music is one key to the “heart dimension” of
worship, whether we are gather in a stadium, large church, hundred seat
sanctuary, or home Bible study, singing has the power to help us freely express
our feelings for God.”[14]
In
discussing flow, we need to remember all the technical devises that are used to
enhance the worshippers experience such as the lyrics being projected on the
screen, and this must be done in a non-distracting way. The microphones used by
the singers and the instruments need to be adjust so it blends, and does not
leap out at the congregation. This way flow is achieved. The Worship leader,
musician, singer, technical producer. There are a lot of titles that he could
easily claim that fit neatly in the title Worship Leader. Communication is of
utmost importance especially with so much going on.
SERVANT LEADER
Pray! Being a servant leader is to
follow in the footsteps of Christ. Christ showed us how to walk humbly before
God. He was God incarnate, and he washed the feet of his disciples, and touch a
man with leprosy and healed him. What an amazing thing that must have been to
him. He had to cry unclean as he went through the streets, and people would
avoid any contact with him, but Christ reached out and touched him where he
was, and cleansed him and made him whole. The human touch of Christ. Christ
reaches out to touch each one of us just as we are, and he cleanses us with his
precious blood.
The
Worship leader will need to be a servant leader as he interacts with all the
people within the group and within the church. He must be dependent on God, so
he must be a man of prayer. “As worship leaders, we must demonstrate the
intricacies of worship such as a generous spirit, a worshipful attitude, a
person who worships God with body as well as with heart, and a life totally
lived for Christ.”[15]
A
servant leader needs to be a good listener. When a person really listens then
they can make better decisions as to what the people want. As good listeners,
they are more apt to hear the still small voice of the Spirit. Being a good
listener can lead to the ability to empathize with people. He will build a
deeper understanding of those around him, and appreciate them for who God made
them to be.
The
servant leader cares about the growth of the people on both a personal and
spiritual level, and does what he can to contribute to this growth.
PASTOR
Pray! The Worship Leader is to care for
the people of God. He must be a shepherd to the people of the church. He is a
spiritual guide for them. He is also a moral compass as he discerns between
right and wrong. The life of the Worship Leader should be an example to those
he works with. Worship should be a lifestyle. “It is what they believe enough
to emphasize.”[16]
We live what we believe. It should flow naturally in his life every day.
Walking in the Spirit living an exemplary life.
He
is a caregiver which means that he is concerned with the needs of the people he
serves. He should visit those that are in the hospital or shut ins who
appreciate the company of a caring person. It might be that he could administer
communion in the home for those who could not make it to service.
There may be times
when music is needed for a funeral or a wedding that is happening at the
church, or he may attend to share in the grief of the family over a lost love
one. He could rejoice with the newlyweds at a wedding. As worship leader, he is
part of the church community. It is important to be genuine. He must never say
negative things about people. If there is an issue go to the people prayerfully
to talk to them. Intentionality is very important. Building relationships is
very important. The people should know that they can trust you completely.
Sincerely caring means
so much to people. Christ was always caring. Send a birthday card or sympathy
cards. Be aware of what goes on in the church community. Be enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic people who have that smile or that
pleasant word can make a difference in the flow of the persons day. .
RELATIONSHIPS should be capitalized.
Because of its importance. Building a relationship is so important. Visit the
people in the church, and above all be a forgiving person. Unforgiveness is
detrimental to the person holding the grudge as well as damaging the person it
is leveled at. It is a very destructive thing. It can get into the spirit, and
cause a well of bitterness to rise, and destroy you and the person.
As a worship leader or
pastor or just a Christian we must be humble. We are a sinner saved by grace.
Everything we are or have comes from God. Without Him we are nothing. “The Son
can do nothing of Himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things, so
ever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19). Christ is our
example. “Worship is a profound experience of God that will only be fully
revealed in eternity.”[17]
STAFF
Pray! As a member of the staff you will want a person who is
humble, and will work well with the pastor as well as the other staff members.
He needs to have good communication skills and the heart of a servant. The
worship leader should be surrendered to God, and so he is a servant of the Most
High God. He will be working closely with the pastor, and will need to build a
strong relationship with him. “A worship leader who understands the pastoral
calling (In both thier life and the life
of the other pastor(s)) take seriously Scriptures encouragement that members of
Christ’s body should submit to one another in general (Eph. 5:21)and submit to
their leadership in particular (Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5: 12-13; 1 Tim. 5:17).”[18]
He will need to collaborate with the
pastor, so it will be a partnership. There will be times when they will visit
the sick or the bereaved together to bring comfort and strength to these
people. Christ sent out his disciples two at a time. They could be supportive
of each other.
You will want a person
who is energetic, positive, and flexible. These three characteristics can go
far in building a partnership. A lot is expected of the worship leader, and a
lot of it is dealing with people. Evangelism is an important aspect of the
position. Christ gave us the Great Commission, and the church must move forward
with it.
Organizational
skills are a must. The person will be organizing time, finances, social events.
seasonal music, as well as administrative work.
ADMINISTRATOR
Pray! As administrator, he will be responsible for management.
He will be managing people, and scheduling meetings and practices, as well as
budgeting finances. He will also have to be aware of the resources that are
available to him, and plan the best way to use them. He will plan and then talk
about it to everyone so they are aware of it, and on board with it.
It is important to
nurture the staff. Be there for them at special family events like weddings,
births, deaths. These are important things. Graduations are mile stones in
their lives. He should be an interested caring person.
He should have strong
values, and walk the walk and talk the talk. People are watching to see if he
is genuine. Always be an honorable person. Never take credit for something
someone else did. People will begin to be distrustful of him if he should do
that. “Actions speak louder than words. Words are fine as far as they go, but
sometimes the most important experiences of life are too deep for words.”[19]One
needs to walk in the Spirit, and let Him guide and direct actions and words,
He will have to plan
music for the weekly services, and see that all the people involved have the
necessary music, and that the practices are done in a timely fashion. He will
also have to find the singers and musicians to make up the team if there is a
shortage. If it is possible have two teams that can be on a scheduling rotation
to avoid burnout.
TEACHER
Pray! A teacher is one who imparts knowledge to someone usually
through lessons and instructions. The worship leader imparts knowledge to the
congregation through the words of the songs that are sang. Many of the songs
sang are Scriptures. The people sing the songs at church and then they run
through their minds during the week as they meditate the lyrics, and receive
instruction in theology, Biblical principles, worship. There are many different
themes that are put to music. They can be taught without the worship leader
being aware of teaching or the people being aware of learning. “That I can
receive a blessing from the Lord is a welcome prospect. That I can both be and
give a blessing to the Lord is even more thrilling.”[20]
The people are edified
through worship. “…from a biblical point of view, the worship of the living and
true God is essentially an engagement with Him on the terms that He proposes
and in the way that he alone makes possible.”[21]
Their mind and spirit are lifted in praise and worship to God. This is how the
body of Christ is built up. Congregational praise brings the body of Christ
closer together, and strengthens them to go forth and to evangelize. They go
out to fulfill the Great Commission which is the heart of the church. “Let the
Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in songs, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
heart to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).”
PRODUCER
Pray! The producer is the person who “sees the big picture”. He
has a plan. Effective planning can include having a vision, goals and an
outcome. When a plan is created it gives direction to the project, and
eliminates indecisions. It is important to have an upbeat group of people. When
people have a goal, and a plan to achieve that goal; they are bound to be more
successful. When creating a plan, time should be set aside for prayer. Guidance
from God and His blessing on the project is very important, because everything
we do is to bring glory to God.
It is important to be
a strategic thinker. A strategic thinker thinks critically, and can define their
objective with clarity. They are good listeners. This means that they are
taking in what the speaker is saying, and will be able to use the information
effectively. Balancing creativity with common sense is very important.
Being a good steward of the materials and
funds available is very important. There are the weekly services that must be
planned, and there are seasonal events that take time and staff to plan and
present. The producer must plan the seasonal events six to eight months ahead.
Waiting until the last minute creates stress and unwilling volunteers, and an
unorganized project. The joy is gone, and the event becomes burdensome which
does not bring glory to God. There are
publicity schedules to be made, and production scheduling calendar to be
created. Without organization and delegation of work the producer would find
himself suffering from burn out. Team work and an early start brings glory to
God.
The weekly services
require planning. Music must be chosen prayerfully, practiced, the instruments
and vocals must flow together to bring glory to God, and the music must
compliment the readings, and the sermon. It is important for the pastor and the
worship leader to meet early in the week. Topics to be discussed: “What is the
target of the service? What are the givens? What resources are available?...
What sequence of events would give the service a logical progression, and be psychologically
sound? What titles or captions would integrate the
MENTOR
Pray! A mentor builds a relationship in
which an experienced person helps a less experienced person gain knowledge. It
is a partnership between a person who has knowledge that another person would
like to gain. Mentoring requires a relationship and communication. The
knowledge is generally imparted to the individual in an informal way.
A
mentor sees the potential in the person, and is willing to share their
knowledge. They are willing to meet the person where they are and make a
commitment to help the person grow and develop in the position they would like
to achieve. The mentor listens to what the person says. By listening it means
that they are focused on what the individual is saying, so the person can share
their vison. They will spend time together, and the mentor will find
opportunities to teach.
The
mentor brings perspective, and direction to the person. He must be tolerant,
patient, and flexible. It is a huge responsibility to build up and encourage
the person. Eventually to co-minister so they can get on the job experience.
Being a mentor can be extremely rewarding.
COUNSELOR
Pray! A counselor a person who gives
guidance on personal, social, or phycological problems. “Added to the twin
characteristics of authenticity and empathy are the twin requirements of
knowledge and skill….”[24]
These are needed to be an effective counselor.
Before
we talk about counseling we should talk about listening. Listening means the
person has your undivided attention. You listen not just with your ears, but
also with your spirit. So many times, people do not really listen. They are
looking at the person, but thinking about something unrelated to what the
person is saying. There is no way to give assistance if you have only half an
idea of what the person is going through.
A
good counselor is empathetic, and able
to put themselves in the other persons place without being judgmental. They
show warmth so the person feels cared about, and not alone. Warmth can only be
achieved if the counselor is truly interested in the concerns of the person. Before
any counseling session there should be prayer. The Bible tells us to walk in
the Spirit, and we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit every day, but when
counseling the Holy Spirit should be allowed to guide and direct. A counseling
session should begin with prayer and end with prayer. A humble Spirit on the
part of the counselor is important.
FAMILY PERSON
Worship Leaders should have a
lifestyle of worship which means they are walking the walk and taking the talk.
The way you live should be a testimony to the love and power of God. It is not
always easy to pace yourself when there seems there is always something that
needs to be done or a meeting or practice to attend. It can make a day seem
endless. Therefore, having a morning meeting with God is important. His
guidance and blessing through the day keeps our eyes and mind focused on Him,
so the words of your mouth are words of exhortation. The family should be a
part of the life of worship. Deuteronomy 6:1-12 tells you: “These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as
symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” The greatest inheritance
your children can receive from you is the heritage of the Lord.
Your families are the
most important people in your life accept God. God must be first, and then the
family. God will guide you in the care of your family. If you show respect to
God they will learn this is a priority. Speaking about God daily should be a
natural flow. Your children should hear about God from your mouth, and see Him
by your life. You should always maintain a private worship. It is in this time
spent with God that he will give you the wisdom needed with your family, with
your ministry, with your work/job, relationships, health and finances. All
wisdom comes from God.
Spending
time with the family in devotions is very important, because it gives time to
talk about God, and His work in individual’s life, and in the family unit. They
hear the Word of God, and talk about how it relates to the family and to them.
It can be a wonderful time of sharing. If it is done from infancy it will be a
natural flow. We started with our children from day one. Even our first one.
There was our little darling being held as we read the Word and talked about
it, and prayed over Him. It was never over looked even if we were traveling or
had a difficult day. Before bed we read the Word and prayed if nothing else.
Sometimes they would be longer, and sometimes shorter, but always we spent time
in God’s presence. They are grown with their children grown, and the great grandchildren
are still being read the Word and prayed with daily. The heritage of the Lord
is passed from generation to generation. “These
commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as
symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them
on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Duet. 6:6-9).
CONCLUSION
Every person old, young or middle
aged needs to experience the presence of God. A worship leader who is walking
in the Spirit will be guided by the Holy Spirit to lead the people into the
presence of God through their creativity. We can talk about the glory of God,
but when we experience it, when we feel His presence it changes things. His
Spirit flows through us, and we experience worship of the living God. The God
who created the universe, and yet loved us so much that he was willing to go to
the cross and bear our sin and shame so that we can have life, and that more
abundantly.
The worship leader is the overseer
of theology. He creates a liturgy through the language of the music sang. Music
that expresses the greatness, and the wonder of Almighty God. Worship
transforms the heart of the people. The words of the songs bring Him to life.
He is no longer a story, but a reality. In a moment of time He can change a
life, and turn it into something so beautiful that even the person is
surprised. The music moves the heart. l but God makes disciples. What a
wonderful thing to have a worship leader who through His surrender to God can
bring mothers to the cross, and guide them making disciples who will win
others, and make more disciples until the church grows and grows, and we can
truly say that we have been obedient to the Great Commission to go into all the
world and make disciples.
That should be every Christians
desire, but the desire comes when we can grasp the eternal. It is through
worship that we come to the throne of God. Israel had their worship leader that
were appointed by God to lead in worship.
David understood the full impact of worship. David danced before the
Lord, wrote beautiful Psalms of worship to God, He had a heart for God. “As the
deer panteth after water so my heart longs after thee.” David expressed his
longing for God. Each of us can express that longing to be in God’s presence by
letting Him use us with the creativity that comes from within us combined with
the creativity of the worship leader with in the church setting. It is through
worship and the blood of the Lamb of God that we can enter the Holy of Holies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abernethy,
A. D., Rice, B. E., Rold When creating the, L., Kurian, K. R., Grannum, G. D.,
& Jones, H. (2015). Corporate worship and spiritual formation: Insights
from worship leaders. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 34(3), 266-279.
Retrieved from
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Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan, 2001.
Clinton, Dr. Tim and Dr. Ron Hawkins. Biblical Counseling. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2009.
Hayford, Jack, John
Killinger, and Howard Stevenson. Mastering
Worship. Tree Sisters, Oregon: Questar Publishers, 1990.
Hill, Andrew E. Enter His Courts With Praise! Grand
Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 1993.
Hustad, Donald P. True Worship: Reclaiming the Wonder and
Majesty. Wheaton, Illinois: Harold Shaw, 1998.
Kauflin, Bob and Paul
Baloche. Worship Matters: Leading Others
to Encounter the Greatness of God. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2008.
Kraeuter, Tom. Keys to becoming an Effective Worship
Leader. Lynwood, WA.: Emerald Books, 2011.
Liesch, Barry. The New Worship: Straight Talk on Music and
the Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Bakers Books, 1996.
Navarro, Kevin J. The Complete
Worship Leader. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Bakers Books, 2001.
Peterson, David. Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of
Worship. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1992.
Taylor, Jack. Hallelujah Factor. Mansfield, PA.
Kingdom Publishing, 1999.
Tozer, A. W. And He Dwelt Among Us. Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Bethany House, 2009.
Walker, Alicia W.
(2010). The Voice of Art, Litergy, Hymnody in Mark: Resources of Worship. Review and Expositor, 107, 341-352. June
29, 2017.
Wardle, Terry. Exalt Him! Designing Dynamic Worship
Services. Rev. ed. Camp Hill, Penn.: Christian Publications, 1992.
Watkins, K. (2004). PERCEIVING AND PRACTICING WORSHIP: A REVIEW ESSAY.
Encounter, 65(3), 291-299. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/216766425?accountid=12085
Webber, Robert E. Worship is a Verb. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Publishers, 1996.
Whaley, Vernon M. Called to Worship. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas
Nelson, 2009.
[1] Andrew E. Hill. Enter His Courts With Praise!. (Grand
Rapids, Baker Books, 1993), 5.
[2] Kenneth Boa. Conformed to His Image. (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan, 2001), 435.
[3] Ibid., 436.
[4] Ibid., 368.
[5] Jack Hanford,
John Killinger, and Howard Stevenson.
Mastering Worship. (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 198), 90-91.
[6] Barry Liesch. The New Worship: Straight Talk on Music and
the Church. ( Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2001,142.
[7] Jack Hayford,
John Killinger, and Howard Stevenson.
Mastering Worship. (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press,1984, 145.
[8] Alicia W. Walker.
“The Voice of Art, Liturgy, Hymnody in Mark: Resources of Worship,” Review and Expositor, 107, 2010, 343.
[9]
Ibid., 343.
[10] Vernon M. Whaley.
Called to Worship. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, Inc.,
2009), 5.
[11] Andrew H. Hill. Enter His Courts with Praise!. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books,
1993, 220.
[12]
Kevin J. Navarro. The Complete Worship
Leader. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2001),
[13] Jack Hanford,
John Killinger, and Howard Stevenson. Mastering
Worship. (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1990), 104-105.
[14] Ibid., 50.
[15] Kevin J. Navarro. The Complete Worship Leader. (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2001),143.
[16] A.W. Tozer. And He Dwelt Among Us. (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House,
2009), 187.
[17]
Greg Scheer. Essential
Worship.( Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Baker Books, 2016), 40.
[19]
William H. Willimon.
A Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship.
( Philadelphia: Westminster
Press, 1984),39.
[20] Jack Taylor. Hallelujah Factor. (Mansfield, PA.:
Kingdom Publishing,1983), 85.
[21] David Peterson. Engaging with God. (Downer Grove,
Illinois: IVP Academic, 1992, 55.
[22] Barry Loesch. The New Worship. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2001), 84.
[23]
Ibid.,90.
[24] Dr. Tim Clinton and Dr. Ron Hawkins. Biblical Counseling. (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Books, 2009), 5.
Copyright 2017
Kathleen A. Hadley
Copyright 2017
Kathleen A. Hadley
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