Worshiping As A True Team

I put together a "ladies only" praise team this week at my church in Chicago. We had a great service tonight and I was excited about how well they worked together. They are all fine singers, but I saw in them tonight was the spark of leadership that can go beyond singing a song. Singing a song is far removed from authentic worship leading. I have spent a fair amount of time trying to get them to embrace their personalities and be free to be who God made them to be. They have embraced that concept to varying degrees.

It is counter-intuitive to think that the more we use our personalities the more we draw people's attention to God in worship leading, but it is true. God gave us our personalities to use them to attract people through us to Him. If we stand there self-conscious and lacking confidence in ourselves, we actually distract people and hinder them from entering into worship because they're wondering if we're going to have a coronary before we finish the song. Think about your favorite artist. They are unique, confident, light years ahead of most of us in their ability to capture the attention and imagination of their audience. Then it is up to them whether or not they direct the praise and glory to God. We must learn to use our God-given personalities, including humor, to capture people's attention and imagination in worship leading and then focus them completely on God's redeeming love.

Shalom. Live. Love. Lead.