Worship leaders often get the acclaim and praise of many people who have never gone up on stage. However, what many do not understand is what the worship leader does. At times, even worship leaders fail in this undertaking.
What worship leading is
The term "worship leader" is often misunderstood. Some have this wrong idea that worship leading is leading people in worship. Thus, these people think that worship leaders have to start the singing or be the ones who sing the most. No, this is wrong.
The term "worship leader" is composed of two words, "worship" and "leader." His job is first and foremost "to worship."
In the Old Testament, we see the full-time worship ministry instituted by King David, where there was 24/7 worship in the temple. These "sons of Asaph," as they were called, had their needs provided to them since their sole purpose in life was to worship God and praise Him non-stop (see 1 Chronicles 16, 25).
Their job was to minister in the temple through singing and playing music in the presence of God. It was their role to worship God, to praise Him, and to take care of all things related to worshipping (such as the instruments).
The word "leader," on the other hand, means "one who leads or commands a group." This is the secondary role of a worship leader who is already worshipping God: to point people to the Lord.
What worship leading is not
Knowing that worship leading is simply "pointing the congregation to the One we worship, Jesus Christ," there are a lot of things that we know worship leading is not.
For starters, worship leading is not about us. It's not about having a cool-sounding worship song, an excellent group of musicians, or a voice that will make the heavens cry. No, it's about us throwing down our crowns to honors and worship the One who is worthy (see Revelation 4:9-11).
Worship leading is not about having many church members take photos of, be friends with, or try to get close to the worship singer and the band. No, it's about all of us falling prostrate before the King of kings to shout, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty — the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come." (Revelation 4:8)
Worship leading is not about one's ability to make crowds shout "Jesus!" or "Hallelujah!" or "Amen!" It's about praising God for what He has done for us eternally through Christ.
As worship leaders, we worship Him and point others to Him so that they will worship Him, too.
A humbling privilege
My friends, being a worship leader is a tremendous privilege. If you are a worship leader in your church, you should always remember that first and foremost, you are there to worship the Lord, and second you are to point your church to Christ so that the people will worship Him.
It's an honour to worship God and point people to Him. Be humbled by it.
