Tag Archives: Worship Leading

So Much More: Wisdom for Worship Leaders

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What does it mean to be a worship leader? We know it is not simply to sing songs or play music: There is so much more.

A worship leader sets themselves apart to minister to the heart of God and lead others to do the same when we gather as a Body. We serve others by pointing them to the One who gave His life for us and is worthy of our everything.

1. Pursue God above all else

The most important aspect of your life is your relationship with Jesus. The “more” that we long for in every aspect of life is found only in Him (John 17:3), for He only fulfills every longing of our hearts.

Ask yourself:

  • Do you set aside a regular alone time with God, cultivating a closer relationship with Him?
  • Do you feel connected to Him and have an increasing hunger to be with Him?
  • Do you give Him first place in your life and seek to live surrendered to Him?

For those whose answer is no or not really:  Begin by setting aside a regular time to talk with God daily and endeavor to keep the appointment with Him. Pray Scripture-based prayers and from your heart, then journal what you sense the Lord revealing to you. You will never regret building a personal history with God.

Some helpful posts on growing your relationship with God:

2. As you lead, maintain a dominant melody line that others can follow Continue reading →

Our Role as Worship Leaders

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What’s our role as the worship leader?

Matt Craig writes:

“[The worship leader’s] job is to bring order (when needed) and provide the best possible opportunity and environment for us to worship.”

In a previous paragraph, he reminds us that we as worship leaders:

  • Cannot lift the hearts of those taking part in the worship to God
  • Cannot refresh their souls
  • Cannot satisfy their thirst for God

Only each individual can do that with the Holy Spirit’s enabling.

As worship leaders, we must focus on what God calls us to do, but nothing more. No sense in carrying burdens we weren’t intended to carry. There is freedom in knowing and living that, praise God!

You can download the rest of Matt‘s document containing these quotes here. He also has other resources available on this page.

Share your thoughts here.

Amazed by His Spirit’s Leading

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I have a God story to tell today. :)

If you are familiar with the song Dance With Me, you know that the song comes from Song of Solomon and refers to God as “the Lover of our souls.”

Before we sang it this morning, our contemporary service worship leader had something to read to our congregation. As he began reading, I started to think that it was sounding awfully familiar and emotion began to flood my heart. I had written it! It was posted on my blog!

It turns out that our worship leader had no idea that it was my writing as inspired by the Lord. Later on, I shared with him and another friend in the car about how it blessed me that God used something I had written. It was then that he remarked that he didn’t know I’d written it, and  had “stumbled” upon it via a search engine.

I was blessed, humbled and loved on by God as part of this post was read to our congregation, and that God would use it in my very church, without myself or the other worship leader knowing it beforehand. What unity that is–totally a God-thing, uniting with our hearts! How amazing our God is!

I am greatly blessed that something God’s teaching me could be used by Him for others. It was just… that God would use something like that, the mere outpouring of one’s heart. I am humbled. And I am praying that God will bring us closer and closer to Him as a church, as His beloved children!

Early service:

  • O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Neale/Coffin, Plainsong adapt. by Helmore)
  • The Savior Is Waiting (Carmichael)
  • I Need Thee Every Hour (Hawks/Lowry)
  • Choir: All the Earth Will Worship (Bible/Fettke/Kingsmore)
  • Offertory: Holy Spirit, Rain Down (R. Fragar)

Contemporary service:

  • You Are Good (Houghton)
  • Rain Down (Martin Smith/Stuart Garrard)
  • Freedom (Bushard)
  • Dance With Me (Chris Dupree)
  • You Won’t Relent (Misty Edwards)

This post is apart of Sunday Setlists – click the link to see others’ setlists.

God Believes in You

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This post is apart of Sunday Setlists.

Some highlights from the message today:

  • Our God is a God of second chances! Just ask Jonah, and countless other Christians here today!
  • Hearing testimony through a song written and song by a woman visiting our church today who’s come out of addiction, and also a man who is a Katrina hurricane survivor.
  • God believes in us more than we believe in ourselves!
  • If you’re alive, it isn’t too late, no matter how far away from God you’ve gotten. He is a God of second chances!
  • God is in control of every single circumstance in our lives!

I think today God was doing some powerful things, though unseen to our eyes. God is working for sure.

Early service:

  • Lead Me to Calvary (Hussey/Kirkpatrick)
  • At the Cross (Hudson/Watts)
  • How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (Townend)
  • I’m Forever Grateful (Altrogge)
  • Choir: Calvary Is the Sea (Alexander/Clark/Wood, arranged by Sterling)
  • Ladies Ensemble: We Are the Body of Christ (Brown/Hampton)
  • Response: Cleanse Me (Orr/Maori melody arranged by Douglas)

Went speechless today especially after all of the songs reminding us of God’s love for us and Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Almost couldn’t pray prior to the offering time. Wow, God, I can’t believe You even care about me. I’m so not worth it–none of us are–but dang, You love us so!!

Contemporary service:

  • Mansion (Springer)
  • Freedom (Bushard)
  • Everybody Praise the Lord (Brewster)
  • Send the Fire (Booth)
  • Show Your Power (Prosch)
  • ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Kirkpatrick/Stead)
  • What Only You Can Do (Edwards)

Put Your Armor On

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This post is apart of Sunday Setlists.

Early service:

  • Children’s Choir: I Won’t Be Afraid
  • Near the Cross
  • Knowing You
  • In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend)
  • Choir: Hear Our Praises

Contemporary service:

  • Children’s Choir: I Won’t Be Afraid
  • Awesome Is the Lord
  • Everybody Praise the Lord
  • Sing to the King
  • Show Your Power
  • ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus

Worship was really hitting me this morning. It really was spiritual warfare for me because I wasn’t feeling the best physically or mentally. While we were singing of all God’s done via In Christ Alone, God reminded me that I forgot to “put my armor” on this morning (Ephesians 6) in addition to reminding me of His Word concerning His children.

It’s amazing how God uses us as worship leaders to choose songs to sing to Him and about Him, and this week He used those very songs to strengthen me as I worshiped Him! He also used the children’s song as they sang in both services, a song I didn’t know beforehand! I needed these reminders of all God has done for me through Jesus, and that it’s all about Him and His purposes, no matter how I feel, physically, mentally or both, and that I have nothing to fear! We’ve just got to turn to Him and His Word, and worship Him through everything! Bless His holy name at all times!

It was amazing today to see some hands raised during worship that I hadn’t seen (or noticed) before., especially during Awesome Is the Lord (“Raise your hands, all you nations…”) It touches my heart to see people worshiping God freely!

The message today on sharing your faith was right there with it, too! I needed that, and God is growing in me a greater passion to share the Gospel. Make me even more willing and bold, Lord; provide opportunities and don’t let me miss them! A gem from the sermon at church today:

It’s not about our abilities [in sharing Jesus], it’s about our availability [for God to use us]!