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How to Be More Present During Your Services

Four Areas to Focus On

What holds you back from being aware of God’s present work in a corporate worship environment? I could think of a few things:

1. Hurry—We are always in a rushed state, aren’t we? We suffer from what psychologists call “hurry sickness”—always stressed, always on the move to something else. This sense of hurry carries over into our leading. We want to cross worship off our “to-do list,” and miss the miracle of what’s happening.

2. Preparation—When our worship team isn’t ready, there is a tension between where we are and what God wants to do. We want to flow with what God is doing—we want to be present—but the music seems to be getting in the way. Or, maybe our personal leadership is ill-prepared. We’re all at different levels, but simply acknowledging where we are and working on improving is a great step.

3. Maturity—If you aren’t actively seeking God and practicing the art of listening off the stage, don’t expect to hear anything on the stage. Worship leading confidence is built by seeking the face of Christ in your personal life. I can tell in any given moment when my passion for music and songs is greater than my passion for the presence of God. That’s a sure sign that I need to adjust my gaze once again.

4. Connection—A huge part of presence is knowing whom you are leading. If you lead in the same local church every week, you should make it a priority to connect with your people and absorb their stories. Their stories will influence how you lead and help you be an effective pastor of worship in your corporate singing environments. Even if you are a traveling worship leader and don’t know whom you’re leading, make it a point to hang out with people before service. Ask questions of your host as to who will be there. The more you know whom you’re leading, the more effective your leading will become.

So what’s the next step? Turn all four of these points into action:

  • Acknowledge your “hurry sickness” and ask God to help you be present in every moment.
  • Prepare yourself and prepare your team to be present. Don’t let your skill level distract. Make this an area of constant improvement.
  • Get comfortable and consistent seeking God off the stage, without an instrument, alone. This is the stuff that heroes are made of.
  • Connect with your congregation. Listen to their stories.

Friends, let’s talk. How have you learned to be more “present” as a worship leader?