Today, I’m going to do something different. I’m starting a new tradition of sorts that I’m going to call, “Worship Leader Woes.” One note: I have to give some credit to my wife and our first interns from a couple summers ago for this concept, that was created in one of our sessions with them (Drew, Abe, & David – you guys rock!).
Notice, I said “woe” not “whoa!” In the spirit of transparency, I’m going to use this series to share instances where I’ve totally messed up, and what I’ve learned. All of us have “woe” moments in our lives. I hope that the stories I share encourage you, and hopefully, provide a lesson for you to learn from! Please be nice…
Here we go. My first edition of Worship Leader Woes.
Let me set the stage. It’s my first time leading worship at our church. I was about a month on staff, if that, and I was still getting used to my new job. We were in the middle of a staff change (including my addition), a music change (incorporating more contemporary music), and a lot of team changes.
To give you some background, I grew up in predominantly black churches, singing and playing black gospel. Shouting, wailing B3s, hats with feathers, and three-hour services were the norm. I was used to a congregation that didn’t need a leader. They would sing three part harmony, lead vocals, and ad-lib all on their own.
My first experiences at our church were different for me. I wasn’t used to the sound, or feel of most of the contemporary music, or having to stick to a melody line. I also wasn’t used to the fact that every church didn’t jump around and move like I was accustomed to. Finally, I had rarely seen that many different kinds of people in one service (we have like 80+ nations represented in our church)!
Imagine this: The new guy (me). First time out of the gate at the new church. Almost leaning off the edge of the platform. I was hopping and moving around while everyone else on stage was basically standing in a pretty reserved straight line with a “sway” or two. I even had a “mic-to-the-crowd-’let-me-hear-you-sing-it’” moment. My heart was in the right place, and I was leading with all of it. Yet, one word can sum the experience up:
Awkward.
I had a fair amount of participation from the congregation, but mostly jaw-dropped stares of disbelief. Even those that were singing with me had this “bless his heart” spirit about them. There was nothing wrong with what I was doing; it just wasn’t my church’s identity.
Afterwards, my senior pastor, being the incredibly gracious man he is, took me aside and gave me a few constructive pointers. Needless to say, I didn’t lead out for a while after that. I had to take some much needed time to adapt to my new surroundings. It was the first of many worship leader woes for me.
Weekly sessions like those continued for at least the next year and a half.
My behind-the-scenes nickname was “jumping bean”, and I was often reminded to keep at least one foot on the floor at all times. Five and a half years later, things have changed quite a bit, in me and in our church. We’re not afraid to passionately display our love for God (thankfully in less awkward, more appropriate ways for us). Along the way, I have grown, thanks to great people that have poured in to me. It has paid off in great ways, and I’ve learned a lot through the experiences.
The Moral of the Story:
Know the culture of the congregation you lead. Don’t try to force them to assume another church’s identity, “passion,” or engagement. Be patient in leading them, and when you fall off the horse (or almost off the edge of the platform), don’t be afraid to get up and try again.
O.K., its your turn. Do you have a “woe” moment that comes to mind? Take the opportunity to share it in the comments below. Let me know I’m not alone. =)
