A Plea To Those Who Lead Worship

I'm standing with Bill Burton, an elder under whom I served in Virginia, the most enthusiastic song leader I have ever known.Neal Pollard

From the man who gives the announcements before worship to the man who closes the worship in prayer or song, each has a serious responsibility and a stewardship entrusted to him.  The worshippers each have a personal accountability for worshipping in spirit and truth, but by the very nature and definition of leadership those who lead have even greater accountability.  We expect the preacher to have prepared his sermon in worship.  Should we expect less from the others who lead in that period of worship?  To those who lead us, please pray, put forethought and planning, and maintain an appropriate level of zeal and reverence in carrying us through the various acts of worship.  Please consider the following suggestions, humbly submitted to those men who lead us in worship.

• Be equipped–prepared and ready to lead whatever part of the worship is your task.
• Be enthusiastic, and hopefully your “face will really show it” (Ps. 122:1).
• Be encouraging, remembering to focus on those who are there and not those who are not (Heb. 10:24).
• Be energetic, not frivolous or “over the top,” but alive with passion for praising God (Phil. 3:3).
• Be engaged, knowing not only what you are doing but what you are doing next (1 Cor. 14:15).
• Be earnest, a sincere, heartfelt worship leader whose main objective is to worship God himself (Jn. 4:24).
• Be empathetic, having a fellow-feeling with your fellow-worshippers that causes you to be attuned to them as well as attuned to the joy of worshipping God (Heb. 10:24-25).
• Be edifying in your words, your tone, and your every effort in leading (cf. 1 Cor. 14:15).
• Be educational, knowing that you teach and admonish, too (Col. 3:16).
• Be emotional, not sappy or pseudo-pious, but one whose heart is clearly into leading us in worship (cf. Ps. 42:4).

Each opportunity is precious and God-given.  Each time is an appearance in the very throne room of heaven.  Each moment is directed to the Divine.  Let us lead reflecting that we understand that!