The Values of a worship leader

The Values of a Worship Leader

1. Pursuers of God- The depth of God’s relationship with us is inexhaustible. Therefore, we seek Him and wait expectantly for His presence in all that we do. (Ps. 41:1)

2. The Bible- The Bible is our final authority over opinions, dreams, revelations, visions, any other authoritative source that we may look to for direction. At our core we are evangelical Christians. Our approach to life and ministry should be shaped by the counsel Scripture gives us. (2Tim. 3:16-17)

3. Unity- Our brothers and sisters are not our enemies. Therefore we relate to one another honorably, seeking to preserve the bond of peace. We will love what Jesus loves: the whole church. This means we will love those in our local congregation, those in the Association of Vineyard Churches, and Christians across denominational lines. (Eph. 4:3-6)

4. Compassion and Mercy- We desire to accept into our fellowship any sincere believer who is attempting to walk in obedience to God, is repentant of his or her sins, and is in submission to the authority of the church. God’s mercy always triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13; Jn. 8:1-11)

5. Equipping- God calls and enables believers to express the talents, gifts, and ministries that He has set aside for them. The orientation of all ministry is toward the integration of biblical truth into everyday living that impacts our community and beyond - not limited to individual improvement or self-fulfillment. (Eph. 4:11-13)

6. Relationship- Caring for people is our highest priority after submission to God, because the purpose of the cross was the redemption of men and women. To the best of our ability we will treat each person with respect, dignity, and loving patience - always seeking what is best for his or her life and growth. (Rom. 12:9-13; 1Cor. 13:4-9)

7. Family- We deeply value the building up of families and believe in the priority of children, while at the same time embracing and valuing all adult believers who identify with our church family. (Mt. 18:1-10)

8. Generosity- We are stewards of God’s gifts and resources (Mt. 10:8,39; 13:45-46). This means that when God directs, we will be willing to give away what we have, to risk the security of current success in order to advance the kingdom on earth in greater ways. We do not own our ministries, so they are not ours to keep. We “give to get to give.”

9. Simplicity- We want to be “naturally supernatural”, avoiding behavior that draws attention away from God and to ourselves. Simplicity affects our worship style, how we pray for the sick and minister to the poor, carry out discipleship, teach the Bible, and so on. (1Cor. 2:2-5; James 3:13)

10. Risk-taking- We are willing to let people make mistakes as they grow in their gifting. We know that gifting develops in an environment of trial-and-error, so we are willing to be patient with people’s weaknesses and failures while they learn. (Jn 21:15-19; Gal. 5:22-3)

Priorities

1. Worship - the act of freely loving God, responding to Him with awe, submission, and respect.

2. Fellowship - a sharing of the grace and blessings of God, a holding of our lives in common.

3. Ministry- the redemptive work of Christ lived out through the church on earth.

4. Training

5. Sending- The Great Commission: proclamation of the Gospel, personal evangelism, church planting, missions, compassion ministries.

Philosophy of Worship Leading

Integrity- Leaders are trustworthy, morally sound, pure of heart, godly in character, and vigilant to avoid bringing dispute to the Lord, the church, and their calling.

Anointing- Recognition of the Holy Spirit’s anointing, gifting, and calling are the primary qualifications for leadership in the church.

Biblical- All leadership practices, policies, and decisions are submitted to and shaped by Scripture.

Spirit-Filled- Leaders seek God for direction, expecting to hear His voice and lead the people in fulfilling His word. In other words, our strategy of ministry is led and empowered by the spirit of God. (Acts 13:1-3)

Service- Leadership authority is rooted in calling and service (Mt. 20:25-28). Titles are played down in recognition of servant-leadership function. You are what you are, not what you say you are.

Equipping- God fulfills His purposes through the whole church; a significant part of the leader’s task is to identify, train, deploy, monitor, and govern the body’s members. (Eph. 4:11-13)

Loyal- Leaders work together in committed teams, willing to listen to each other and defer to each other in order to fulfill God’s purposes. (Acts 15:1-4)

Humble- Appropriate self-disclosure, meekness, and submissiveness to God’s will close the gap between and among those in professional and lay ministry, and reflects the humility of redemption. (1Tim. 1:15-16)

Teachable- Leaders are willing to receive instruction, correction, and encouragement from others. (Prov. 9:9; 13:1)

Merciful- As recipients of God’s mercy, we freely extend it to the broken among us - especially the poor, needy, and imprisoned. (2Cor. 5:18-21)

Vision- Vision is the ability to see things that are not as becoming reality (Heb. 11:1). A vision of Christ and His kingdom is all-consuming; it gives leaders and the people they lead the meaning and purpose for which they all long. (Prov. 25:18; Acts 2:17; Heb. 2:2-3)

The Worship Leader’s Chief Duty

The duty of the worship leader is to provide the best opportunity possible for people to worship. If we have done our part in providing an excellent opportunity for the people to worship, it is then their choice to take advantage of that opportunity. It is not our responsibility or problem if they refuse to enter in. There must be a special anointing on our lives in order to create an atmosphere that is most conductive to worship, but once that opportunity to worship is there, it then becomes the people’s prerogative to avail themselves of that opportunity. The unspoken thinking of the worship leader could thus be: “I’m going to worship God. You are free to join me and the worship team as we enjoy God’s presence, but whether or not you decide to join us, we’re going to worship!” Some worship leaders get paranoid when the people do not join in. Never mind the people! If they decide not to worship, that is their business. Let them be, and join those who are willingly participating in offering up spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. We must get something straight here. In the final analysis, we are not the worship leader. The Holy Spirit is the Worship Leader - capital W, capital L! As a worship leader (small w, small l), each of us is simply a vessel through whom He operates. He alone can inspire worship in the hearts of the people. Only He can truly lead worship!