sp_moodey12
From Christ Church, North Finchley, London
Hey folks,
I'm a 21-year old student and have only started leading worship at my CU in the past year or so. I really enjoy it and feel quite passionate about getting more involved both at uni and at my local church. However, I've got a slight nagging issue. Now that I'm getting more involved with music in my church/CU context, whenever I'm NOT involved and just in the audience/congregation etc, I keep on thinking about the musicality of the worship(chords, harmonies, volume, bridges etc). I sometimes find it difficult to really grow closer to God and meet with him during these times when all I can think about is how the band are leading the worship and what I would do differently/similarly if I was up at the front.
Just wondering if any more experienced worship leaders had any practical tips they could offer that would help me to forget about the musicality when I'm not leading and just focus solely on God!
Thanks
Sam
Well done for being honest as its something that most people deal with on a regular basis.
For me, in the church where I first became a Christian we had a lovely old lady called Winnie. Winnie was one of the most genuine and passionate worshipers at the church and a real servant too but actually her's wasn't the most tuneful of voices... in fact sometimes it was a distraction. Nevertheless she was definitely a worshipper.
Over the years, I've discovered more and more that the music is just a the vehicle, the carrier. It's never meant to be the thing and you will find yourselves from time to time in places where the music helps and sometimes it distracts. Partly some times its a choice to focus on the Lord, but seek the Holy Sprit's help - He's good with that sort of stuff!
Hi Sam
Yeah, agree with the guys above. Common problem!
How many worship musicians does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one, and all the others stand at the back thinking, "I could do it better..."
It's funny because it's true...
Ok, I guess it's partially however you're wired as a person. My parents are both teachers, i'm a relentless "Mr Fixit" and very much a truth-speaker in my character type, so I always want things to be done in the best way possible. It means my brain quite often just keeps revolving and trying to work out how it's best done. It also means that when people want honest & objective feedback, they usually ask me... it's sometimes helpful and sometimes not, and is something I keep on trying to work out!
For worship, if you find yourself thinking, "why are they doing it that way?" etc, the way i've approached it is to remind myself that it's for God's benefit, not mine and to focus on worshipping however I might feel. We've all stood in worship services where someone's out of tune, or the leader's having a bad day, but if you get caught up on it, you won't be able to worship.
We've got a pithy saying in Vineyards... "fake it until you make it." Whilst it sounds subversive, the suggestion isn't that you fake things, but rather you keep persevering out of obedience even if you don't feel like doing it, and it eventually becomes something you love doing and are able to do.
Anyway... hope the ramblings helped!
On a practical note, the best advice I have in this context is not to do too much, because then from experience it becomes harder! I used to be in a place where I was much more often than not either on sound or in the band, and then it really does become very hard to turn off and think that singer x needs a bit of a 1k dip on the EQ and guitarist Y has his mic placement wrong, the violinist is slightly flat and the keyboard really needs the ground lifted on his DI to stop that buzzing in the background...
Other than that, I find really making an effort to think about the lyrics helps. Of course it's something I think we should be doing anyway, but I find when I think about and really try and mean what I'm singing the other types of distractions tend to fade into the background a lot more, it helps shift the focus from the practicalities to the spiritual side of things.
I think I notice things like that a lot more - I've always been interested in the music / sound side of things, I've played instruments from a young age and for better or worse, I have perfect pitch. There's some things that will always get me the same as they would in any situation, and I don't think if you notice something out of place that's necessarily a bad thing at all, as long as your main focus is on God and worship, not the mic placement of the guy in the back of the band!
I do that.
far too much.
As a hobby guitar maker, I want to get up on stage and study the instruments during the sermon too, so I'm even worse!!
I was recently at the mandate in Belfast with Robin Mark leading. I have back problems which mean I can't stand for a long time, so I sat where I could see the screens for the words but not the band. it REALLY helped me to stop looking at the bassist really interesting custom bass that I STILL want to get a closer look at!
Hi Sam,
Thanks so much for having the courage to post this! I think it's something we all struggle with at some point... I know I certainly do! There's the other side of the coin as well when there's someone who's "better" than you at a particular aspect of worship leading. You can find yourself trying to validate yourself and comparing yourself to them. But that's another story for another day.
For good or bad, most muscians and particularly worship leaders tend to veer towards perfectionism (well, that's my experience at least). With the best intentions, we want the music to be the best it can be so people find it easier during the times of sung worship. That's great when you're leading and you can use that drive for excellence during your prep times and practices but when you find yourself being distracted by someone else not playing, singing or leading in the way you would have done it (better or worse), that can be difficult.
Honestly, I don't think there's a quick fix for this. It's something I've wrestled with for years and just when I think "I haven't done that for a while!" then, WHAM, it happens again. Trying to focus on the lyrics does help me greatly but also I've found that just saying a quick prayer of "Lord, help me to focus on you and tell you how great You are" is good.
Like most things in leading, it comes down to the position of your heart. The fact that you've noticed and want to do something about it shows that you're definitely going about it the right way! Let me know if you do ever find a complete solution! :-)
Cheers,
Daniel
Hey Sam,
Yeah been there, done that!!!
Let me assure you that it does get easier over time.
I have been leading worship now for nearly 10 years, in fact I started leading worship about 3 months after I became a Christian back in 2001 and I can honesty say that i have led worship more times than I have been in the congregation!
The simple answer is just focus yourself on God and as a worship leader consider yourself an example of worship whether you're up front or not.
Now I love my occasional weeks off just as much as leading because I just get to be me worshipping God and not worrying of how to get from one chord progression to another!!
In short God knows you better than you know yourself and if you ask Him for help He is more than happy to give it to you.
Hope that helps a little.
New Song
Forum Latest
Hi Sam,
Well done for stepping up and leading worship at CU! I've just graduated myself, and I had a lot of fun being in the worship band at Nottingham CU :)
As for trying to switch off musically, it can be hard, can't it? There is a bit of irony in being distracted from worship by music... Switching the musical brain off can be hard. I guess what can be done first and foremost is to pray! We all need God's help to worship Him, whether that's by way of the big theological truth of being made acceptable to Him through Jesus, or in smaller niggling distractions. What I've found helpful in the past when I've been tempted to think too much about harmonising (so that I think more about the notes I'm hitting than God) is making myself sing the tune.
Remembering that what's more important than the music is the fact that we are worshipping God Himself is quite helpful too. When we sing together to Him, we join in the eternal song of Heaven! And He delights in the worship His children give to Him. Our heart attitudes are important when we worship - whether we give Him the attention He deserves. It's worship when we choose to make our attention fix on Him, even if it's an effort. Or think about the words you're singing - what do they mean?
I hope that's helpful :)
Kathryn