Worship Leader Profile
by: Billy Petty, Chair of Worship Ministry Leadership at NPWI.com
Worship/Technical: “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout to the Lord.”
Psalm 33:3
The final goal of a Praise Team member and as a Worship Leader onstage is to have your brain engaged in both of these categories at one time, Worship and Technical pieces. You have to have both sides of your brain engaged as much as possible. Letting go and holding on at the same time…interesting concept.
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WHAT DOES A WORSHIP LEADER LOOK LIKE?
A worship leader is someone who has the ability to humbly, and outwardly express their relationship with the living God (unbridled worship to God – letting go) and can take others with them by skillfully using the tool of music to usher them into His presence (bridled to the congregation – holding on).
1. HUMBLE - Isaiah 66: 2
First and foremost, a worship leader here must be a Worshipper. Worshipping God out of a humble/broken heart is a necessary requirement for God’s standard of a worshipper.
2. EXCELLENT - II Timothy 2:15 / Psalm 33:3
Secondly, a worship leader must be Skilled. Leading people into worship is an immense responsibility and one must be excellent in the demonstration of their knowledge of the Word and in music.
a. Spiritually first
b. Musically second
Many worship leaders today are very gifted in both of these areas. It is very important that the worship leader leads worship with both of these aspects moving in tandem, much like two rails on a railroad track; one rail being Humility (letting go and worshiping God freely) and the other Excellence (holding on and intentionally guiding people on a journey). The two must go together and move forward in their distinct definitions and functions in order to achieve its goal for the kingdom’s cause in someone’s life.
Some worship leaders lead well in humility, but lack in excellence due to the lack of preparation, lack of skill, lack of concentration, lack of giftedness, or many other reasons. As a result, the congregation suffers. Even worse, some worship leaders lead well in excellence, but lack in humility due to the lack of spiritual preparation, lack of brokenness, lack of confidence in abilities, and many other reasons. As a result, the Holy
Spirit can only accomplish so much through that leader in corporate worship and again, the congregation suffers.
How does one achieve Humility?
- Be a student of the Word.
Let the truths of God’s character inspire and sharpen you like a sword going into battle. Let it bring you to the point of your salvation and remind you that you are in constant need of a savior and The Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Let the Holy Spirit fill you with encouragement, confidence, and knowledge of your calling and His purpose.
- Demonstrate a Teachable Spirit.
This is a very important quality in a God follower and in a leader. Show your leadership and other volunteers that you are growing and willing to grow more in the Word, in your musicianship, and under the leadership of God and His church. People follow someone who has met with God.
How does one achieve Excellence?
- Be a student of your craft.
Continual study of your craft promotes more understanding and
excellence. Know your instrument inside and out.
- Demonstrate your skill.
It is very important for the congregation to be led from the skilled. When excellent music happens, an atmosphere is created that is “Distraction Free”. If done in the right spirit, a worship leader can cause the congregation to have the desire to connect to the Lord through the tool of beautiful/excellent musical sounds in a way that they may not have done, unless through the model of the worship leader. EXCELLENCE
ATTRACTS EXCELLENCE!!!
Song Leader & Worshipper
A Worship Leader does not actually lead worship. They song lead while they worship. The key to being a successful Lead Worshipper is that they can song lead while worshipping at the same time. Calling out the verse and or chorus a few measures before it comes is one, of many, great tricks of leading in song well. Planning and telling the band and vocalists how many measures before the next verse or chorus is another great technique, as well. I have found that the best worship leaders are the ones that worship with an outward expression of praise and that they lead the band, vocalists and the whole congregation in song by giving plenty of verbal direction, non-verbal direction, instrumental direction or even physical direction ahead of time for everyone to know what’s coming next.
Other Characteristics of a Worship Leader
This holds true for a band leader or a ministry leader. The worship leader must also know what it means to Encourageand Affirm God’s people; Encouragement is a wonderful way to lift the spirit of the team members, Affirmationreestablishes and reminds the servants of their calling to the ministry. These two aspects are essential in continuing to inspire and remind people of God’s greatness. They are also wonderful opportunities to build trust, character, and a very healthy spirit of worship in and around one another.
Also, the worship leader must know when and how to Speak the Truth in Love(Ephesians 4:15). Sometimes this is the most difficult part of the job description. The “when” is certainly the more important of the two. Timing is everything and it can make or break a moment and destroy what God may be trying to accomplish. The “how” is very difficult, as well. Whether the worship leader is dealing with a behavior/spiritual problem or a musical problem, I have always found the Oreo Cookie method to be helpful:
-First, list the persons strong qualities (to be able to affirm their ministry)
-Second, list the persons weak qualities (to be able to raise their
excellence bar in their ministry to glorify God and His purpose. Also, whatever they are doing could be negatively affecting others around them and that may have to be dealt with immediately.)
- Lastly, follow-up with your appreciation for their heart, motivation,
and good intentions
A worship leader also Teaches and Challenges the worshippers within their care. This is a time for the worship leader to cultivate a place in all of our minds and to make the space for God to speak. This process of teaching and challenging helps create the atmosphere that welcomes the presence of God. In doing so with the reading of scriptures, teaching expressions of worship, and challenging people to go deeper in their life of devotion to the Lord, etc…the Holy Spirit is welcomed in a place where growing deeper is at the main heart of the worshipping community.
ENGAGING PEOPLE & TAKING THEM WITH YOU
What does that term mean mentioned in the beginning - Bridled to the Congregation? It means the ability to be “connected” to the congregation emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is so important to be prepared thoroughly, but it is even more important to follow the Spirit by sensing the moment and to sense what is happening in the body in a worship experience. It is important to follow you heart, but if the whole congregation is not there, you must decide if it is worth it to take them there or be where they are. This is where discernment is needed within the worship context. I am not talking about a charismatic experience here, but I am talking about sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s move in our worship to the Lord.
Have you ever seen a worship leader who is very gifted musically and is demonstrating humility in their worship to God, but they are in their own little world and not taking people with them in the experience? They are in their own “God-moment” and others are just not there with them. Have you ever seen a worship leader who is not gifted musically, nor are they showing much of a heart for God, but they are clearly engaging people and leading the group in song? Maybe this person is a gifted and/or natural born entertainer. I think you see what I am getting at.
The congregation wants to trust you. You need to connect with them. You have to be so comfortable on stage, and well spoken, that they just trust you. You may not be the best vocalist, the best instrumentalist, the best with stage presence, but… Are you real? Will people trust you? Have you truly connected with them? Some people call it that “thing”. Some people just say “I really trust that person”. Whatever that is for you to connect with someone and take them with you, make sure to always do that!
There are about three major things to think about when leading worship:
- Humility
- Excellence
- Engaging people and taking them with you
* much like a tour guide on a bus tour, a worship leader must meet people where they are and help them follow Jesus. There is a great deal of thought in creating the atmosphere of worship. It’s not at all manufactured, but it can be tailored to help people experience God in the most effective way possible.