A Brief History:
Ever since I could remember, I love to listen to music. I learned my first English song "Country Road, Take Me Home" when I was four, and I fell in love with "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Bad" at the age of 6. Memorizing lyrics has always been my habit of listening to music.
Enough about childhood memories. After playing classical music on the piano for more than ten years, I encountered worship music after I accepted Jesus at the age of 15. Suddenly my heart was drawn to worship so much that I decided to drop classical music at once and turn my focus on playing piano to worship this God who is worthy of my everything.
I moved back to SoCal and started to be more involved in worship at my church, Impact Harvest Church. It has been a good two years, and I have learned so much about corporate worship and what worship means, what worship carries, and most importantly, what the role is of a worship leader. Let me quote Bob Kauflin, author of "Worship Matters", a book from which I have been gaining knowledge regarding to worship lately.
What's the greatest challenge you face as a worship leader? You might think it's deciding which songs to sing, getting along with your pastor, receiving feedback from church members, or leading a team of unorganized, independent musicians.
Nope. Your greatest challenge is what you yourself bring to the platform each and every Sunday.
Your heart...
It all comes down to the matter of the heart. Despite the dreadful rehearsals and unorganized arrangements and tiring spirits, I have to examine my heart before I set foot on that stage: Is there a war going on inside of me? Do I love other idols in place of Jesus? Do I care more about the arrangements and the tightness of the band more than the presence of God? Do I have pride and think that I am superior than others?
Bob also writes, "[You] could lead others in worshiping God and be worshiping something else in [your] own heart."
"Genuine worship is the worship from the heart. Worship is an act of love, it's a fact that what we love the most will determine what we truly worship."
So how do I know what I love the most? By looking at my life outside of Sunday morning. What do I enjoy the most? What do I spend the most time doing? Where does my mind drift to what I don't have anything to do? What am I passionate about? What do I spend my money on? What makes me angry when I don't get it? What do I feel depressed without? What do I fear losing the most? Our answers to those questions will lead us straight to the God or gods we love and worship.
That's why as worship leaders our primary concern can't be son preparation, creative arrangements, or the latest cool gear. Our primary concern has to be the state of our hearts.
I'll end on what Isaac Watts, a great hymn-writer, once wrote:
The Great God values not the service of men,
if the heart be not in it:
The Lord sees and judges the heart;
he has no regard to outward forms of worship,
if there be no inward adoration,
if no devout affection be employed therein.
It is therefore a matter of infinite importance,
to have the whole heart engaged steadfastly for God.
Lord, let my heart beat with Your heart, and let Your heart be in place of mine. I do not wish to be blinded by superficial and materialistic things of this world when it comes down to worship. Unveil my eyes to see Your works and open my ears to hear Your voice. I want my heart to be completely and indefinitely set ablaze for You and You alone, Jesus. Take 100% of me as I offer up my heart as a sacrifice of praise. Here I am, Lord.
Johnny
good sharing. i feel inspired and reminded once again.
always run a quick check-up before leading others into worship.
:-)