Worship leaders, isn’t it easy to simply “dial it in” and get services done?
I mean, the more you lead worship, the more you just know how to lead worship. Profound, right?
It’s not quite on the mindless level of riding a bike or brushing your teeth, but it’s easy to simply go through the motions and “check out” of what God is doing in the moment.
Both beginners and experienced worship leaders are prone to this.
You may be lacking “presence” if:
- You sing worship songs, but don’t “lead.”
- Every service is the same.
- You’re more aware of the music than what God is doing.
- Most people watch you instead of engaging.
But do you know what’s interesting and exciting about corporate worship?
God is doing something unique in every gathering. Never before and never again will this particular group of people be together in this particular place at this particular time.
It’s a unique moment in history. Are you prepared for that?
Are you ready for heaven to touch earth?
Practicing Presence
Presence is a skill that needs developing. It’s not a personality trait some are born with and others aren’t.
Let’s develop a working definition of presence:
Presence is thinking less about what you’re doing and more about what God is doing in the moment.
Let me say that again. Presence comes when, as a leader, you can think less about what you’re doing and more about what God is doing in the moment.
Think about that. In your everyday life, how do you think less about your daily tasks? Through practice, right?
When you first learned how to drive, you were scared out of your mind to the point of annoying everyone on the road. You would drive 10 mph below the speed limit. You would stall out with your Dad’s stick shift. You’d stop a mile in front of a stop sign.
Now, you probably don’t even realize you are driving. It’s second nature motor skills. You just do it subconsciously (hopefully still not annoying everyone on the road).
In a similar way, “presence” is developed through practice.
