Home Worship & Creative Leaders Articles for Worship & Creative Choosing a Worship Leader – Worship First; Technical Excellence Second

Choosing a Worship Leader – Worship First; Technical Excellence Second

choosing a worship leader

Choosing a worship leader means more than assessing tech skills, or even music skills.

One of the most fruitful worship leaders I know is a 58-year-old mediocre singer who’s DEAF in one ear. He leads a racially diverse worship ministry of over 100 volunteers in a church of 2,500 people.

Another worship leader I know is 65. He’s taken a very dated service to a well done, technologically savvy worship expression with one of the best social streams I’ve seen. He rarely leads a song but has developed dozens of young worship leaders in a church of 500.

Choosing a Worship Leader

I know worship directors that don’t play guitar or piano, yet they lead the whole worship ministry from a soundboard or drum set, in churches of more than 3,000 people! Most senior leaders think too small when when it comes to choosing a worship leader. Their goals are typically someone young with exceptional stage presence, high anointing, and low cost.

It’s been my joy to help multiple churches in choosing a worship leader. I received probably 100 phone calls in the past five years, pastors asking for help to expand their idea of “I need a worship guy.” What if I told you your next great worship leader would be a much better worship pastor than a worship performer? What if I told you they might do things that build God’s kingdom in ways that don’t translate well to YouTube or on live streaming? What if I told you they would need to be paid a significant living wage, but in return might produce disciples tenfold?

I appreciate that each church has a unique journey and this advice might be something for 5 or 10 years down the road. This very well might be the time you need a solid chief musician on stage, but consider the idea that the right person may not fit the persona of a typical worship leader.