To be honest, no one has asked my opinion on this, so I’m not really sure who I’m writing this to or for. But I’ve been thinking about this a lot. So here we are.
I’ve been on a few worship teams, I’ve lead a few. I’ve been on a worship team since I was 15 years old (I’m now 36 for reference). It’s been a wonderful way to use my gifts and talents; to give them back to the Lord for His glory, His honor and His purpose. None of it has ever been for me, honestly. Everything has always been from Him and for Him.
And I guess, if someone were to wonder, that’s the key. You want to be a member of worship team? You want to lead worship?
Let me help you.
It’s easier than you think. In today’s church, there might be all sorts of core values and priorities that frankly can distract from one very simple focus. I’ve sat through more collective moral failures than I can count. Sorry for the brutal honesty. It’s frustrated me, even nearly jaded me at times. Forgive me, but it is tiresome to watch leader after leader, team member after team member, fall to immorality and sin.
There is a simple answer for your worship team, your worship leader, and yourself.
It has to be a singular pursuit.
Let me explain. If you are on a team, or platform or stage for any reason other than to honor God, to submit your will to Him, and give Him glory and praise, you will fail. If you are on a platform for yourself, for your own visions, vain imaginations or desires, you will fail. Your secret desire that you mask and hide and manipulate so no one sees it will find you out. It will be seen. Of this we can be certain, because everything that is hidden will be made known. He sees your desire, even if you think no one else does. God will not be mocked. He will not accept your worship when there is an idol in your heart.
So how do you avoid this? Tough love time: Give up yourself. Give up your desires and your demands. Pick up your cross* - and follow CHRIST.
I know this is an unpopular idea. An ancient one. It won’t satisfy flesh. But spirit will mature and grow and become more like Christ.
And isn’t that what we want, CHRISTIANS?
The purity of your heart. I don't mean just from immorality. That shouldn't even have to be said (although, believe me, it does). Pride. Your belief that you know better than God. Trust me it's there, in little subtleties, that often go unnoticed. I mean purity of heart, and focus and pursuit. This is what matters. Not a stage. Not a spotlight. That will all disappear. Your precious earthly accolades won’t be with you in eternity. Every step of quiet faithfulness, obedience, humbly yielding your will to the Lord’s, THIS. Every moment we denied ourselves for the sake of Christ, to pick up our cross and follow Him, THIS.
This is what will stand. And after all, He has set eternity in our hearts.** This is the light in which we live.
Make HIM your singular pursuit. Now. Before there is anyone watching or noticing. Before anyone is impressed. And when there is, make HIM your singular pursuit*** again and again. No more, no less.
*Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matthew 16:24-26
**He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]--yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
***or the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts says this, ‘I am the First and I am the Last; And there is no God besides Me.
Isaiah 44:6
