4. Style Has Become an End in Itself, Not a Means to an End
Your style of music and service should serve the mission. It is not the mission.
Once again, this nails all of us: traditionalists, innovators and everyone in between.
Our goal is not to arrive at a particular worship style. It’s to accomplish the mission Christ has given us.
I love how our church does music.
But 40 years from now, I don’t want to be sitting around in a retirement home with my friends complaining that young people today don’t sing enough Hillsong Young and Free, play cover tunes at church or make pour-over coffee.
The church should always change, and it needs to change on your watch.
What to Do
Be committed to constant change. Don’t rest.
Your style as church helps you achieve the mission. It is not the mission.
5. Older Leaders Make Decisions That Belong to Younger Leaders
Far too often in the church, I have seen older leaders make decisions that rightly belong to younger leaders.
There is a role for middle-aged leaders and older leaders. They bring wisdom to the table and a seasoned viewpoint almost impossible to find in someone who is starting out.
I’m not slamming others. I am almost the oldest person on our staff team.
Even though I’m fairly up to date on culture, music and technology, I’m no longer the guy who should be calling the music, design or cultural shots at our church. I’m not sure most leaders over 40 should be. Not if you want to impact the next generation.
Sitting around the table at our service programming meetings are leaders who are 10-30 years younger than I am (we almost always have a teenager in the mix). I trust their judgment more than mine when it comes to how our services will connect with the people we’re trying to reach.
I have just seen too many leaders in their 40s, 50s and 60s make decisions that alienate younger generations and then sit around and ask where all the young people went.
Don’t be that leader.
What to Do
Ensure you have younger leaders around your leadership table and empower them to make the decisions that drive your organization.
It’s really not more complicated than that.
What challenges do you see around worship wars in your church?
This article on worship wars originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
