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The Gospels don’t make space for revealing Jesus’ musical influences, but they present us with the only person who lived a complete life of full worship and obedience to God. If we want to be Christ-like worship leaders, we can take principles from observing how he lived. The first thing we’ve noticed are his actions are like those of humble servant.
Are worship leaders the rock stars of the Church? Would you ask a famous worship leader for their autograph? If you’re a worship leader, how do you know if you’re a successful one - is it about recording a CD or leading worship at a big festival?
These are very real issues for teens and adults as they embark on leading in our contemporary context. It is well worth sitting down with your group, or a few close friends, looking at some of the following Bible passages, and asking some hard questions about our attitude towards service in worship ministry. For example look at the temptations in Luke 4:1-13. Jesus is struggling with issues of identity in his calling too - what does it mean to be the Messiah? Should the svon of God prove himself by making bread out of stones, or throwing himself off the temple wall as Satan suggested? Every time, in each of these difficult crossroads, Jesus chose the right path; he did not play into the all-powerful ruler expectations, but chose to act with humility.
Or look at Luke 9:18-26. The moment Peter declares that he is the Christ, Jesus immediately explains that he is not going to be the military liberator that the Jews expected, but instead the Messiah who will die for his people. He goes on to say that if we want to follow him, we need to deny ourselves and take up our own crosses. What does this kind of self-sacrifice look like as we approach leading worship?
Jesus chose to define himself differently to the mould the world tried to fit him into. He was the anointed one, who chose to get on his knees and scrub the disciples’ mucky feet (John 13:1-15 is another great passage to discuss). He was the great high priest who got down and dirty with the sinners and the outcasts of society. He was the son of God who chose to go the way of a painful death on the cross. He did not choose an easy life, rich in rewards and praised by the high and mighty, but the life of a servant.
As you wrestle with these issues, you may want to ask some of these kinds of practical questions:
• Do I pray more in public, in front of a crowd, than in the secret place?
• Am I willing to serve in the less glamorous jobs; filing the music after the service, stacking chairs or playing the hymns for the seniors’ fellowship?
• Do I choose songs that I like and make my voice sound good, or do I listen to other people’s preferences?
• Do I have a heart for the poor and needy?
• In all honesty, do I really want all the glory to go to God, or would I like a little of it myself?
• Do I put others before myself when I plan or lead worship?
Practical ideas
In some ways, worship itself can be defined as a humbling of ourselves. It is putting someone else above me, acknowledging that there is someone greater, and quieting myself before he who is greater (‘God is in heaven, you are on Earth, so let your words be few’ as Ecclesiastes 5:2 puts it). Here are some ideas to help you explore this attitude in worship:
Kneeling
Kneeling is a weekly occurrence in certain church traditions. For those of us from so-called ‘non-conformist’ backgrounds, kneeling may seem awkward and alien, but perhaps ‘awkward and alien’ is just what your worship life needs sometimes! The posture of kneeling or bowing is expressing humility in a stronger way than words can, by making our physical bodies lower and more uncomfortable. Perhaps suggest to your group that you read a passage such as Psalm 95 out loud together while kneeling (but be aware of physical limitations of the members of your group and find a way to be inclusive).
Jesus is Lord
Of the earliest creeds of the early Church, ‘Jesus is Lord’ is possibly the most ancient. It is a good statement to speak or sing, to remind ourselves of Jesus’ status and to humble ourselves before him. There are many songs that state this truth, but our favourite expression of this comes in the form of a simple repeated and dynamic prayer, based on Philippians 2. Find it on the links section of the Youthwork website.
Identity in Christ
Ultimately, humility is not about devaluing ourselves, but knowing that we are infinitely valuable in God’s eyes and therefore not needing to prove anything. In Searching for God knows what, Donald Miller quotes Nobel-Prize winning author Toni Morrison, who was asked what her secret was to being able to write great books - was it the other books she’d read, her method and structure of writing, or something else? Apparently she laughed and said:
‘Oh no, that’s not why I’m a great writer. I’m a great writer because when I was a little girl and walked into a room where my father was sitting, his eyes would light up. That is why I’m a great writer. That is why I’m a great writer. That is why. There isn’t any other reason.’
Morrison felt secure and loved by her Dadshe knew she was special and accepted and complete - so that meant she could have the confidence to write without trying to prove herself, making the most of all the gifts she had been given. Think of ways that you can underline people’s identity in Christ during worship; for example, read out a list of truths from the Bible about who we are in Christ, and allow them to sink in as you play quiet music and reflect. You can find such a list on a Bible study, downloadable on the links section of the Youthwork website.
