-5 Things I Look for in a Worship Leader-

When I travel and speak away from Winston-Salem, the ministry organization usually books bands to play and lead worship throughout the event.  A worship leader at one of these events asked me what I look for in a band that plays at REVO or other events that I speak at.  Here’s my list:

-Personal Worship Before Corporate Worship 

You can’t take someone else to a place you’ve never been.  I think this is true with worship leadership.  I look for guys that have a strong practice of personal worship.  If guys are blown away by the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus in their personal lives, it exudes from their voices and actions when they are on stage.  Corporate worship is an overflow of your personal worship.  If the personal worship isn’t there, then the corporate worship is really just a concert.  The band is simply performing songs that have no meaning and truth in their own life.  All worship bands sing about the love and compassion and sacrifice of Jesus, but the really bad ones do it without passion, energy, or conviction.  Why?  Because the words they are singing stopped impacting their lives personally.

-Personal Worship & Worship Leadership. 

Worship leaders have a HUGE responsibility!  They use their voices and instruments to sing praises to God, and to lead God’s people in corporately worshipping Jesus.  I believe that their top priority on stage is to lead other people in worship, which involves good eye contact and good stage presence.  Think about it in the form of a conversation: isn’t it hard to follow and be engaged with someone that isn’t looking at you?  That’s why it’s tough to lead worship with your eyes closed or if you’re a “shoe-gazer” (guys that play their instruments and stare at their feet the entire time).  Look at the people and urge them on to worship through your body language.  Show some expression on your face and body to illustrate how pumped you are about the Good News you’re singing about.  Lead people in worshipping Jesus!  Don’t just stand on stage and have your own personal worship time by yourself.

-Followers First, Musicians Second.

I’m a rocker.  I love a good drum solo!  I’m all about a good face-melting, gut-busting, guitar riff.  Music is great, and incredible musicianship makes the experience powerful and moving.  Yet, that’s not my top priority in a worship leader.  I want the band to be strong followers of Jesus, to have the Gospel massaged into their bones, and to be inundated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  If I had to choose between super talented people or good musicians that were radically following Jesus, I’d go with the second string band every time!  Why?  Because I’m more interested in what the Holy Spirit can do through our band than what our band can do with their instruments.

-Everything With Excellence.

Despite the argument above, I’m not downplaying musicianship.  In fact, if you can’t play the instrument with excellence, then the band is not the right place for you to get plugged in.  Excellence is bigger than simple musicianship though.  Transitions, planning songs, and arranging music are also important.  Set lists are unified and lead people through an intellectual journey of worship, not just an emotional ride.  Excellence has to be consistent as well.  In worship leadership, there are no “throw-away” Sundays. Easter weekend is just as important as Labor Day weekend!  Excellence also attracts other quality musicians.  Good musicians want to be a part of a quality band that has a high standard of excellence.  So in a way, excellence breeds more excellence.

-Symmetry Over Individualism.

A great worship band plays as a unit.  I’ve seen bands that are made up of 5 great musicians, but their lack of symmetry made the music sound like 5 singular instruments instead of one united sound.  An important aspect of a worship service is eliminating distractions so that people can hear from God and respond to Him.  A good worship leader knows how to manage egos, and make the band as a whole a higher priority than individual musicians.  A “team first” approach helps to weed out Divas and keep egotistical musicians off of your team.

Thoughts?