Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

When Creativity And Church Collide: Helpful Advice From 5 Creative Leaders

You may have experienced the feeling before.

Choked. Shot down. Misunderstood. Not sure if your art has its place within the local church. But just because you feel that way doesn’t mean it’s time for you to give up on it.

The local church is the place your art can find its greatest fulfillment – in building up the body of Christ and reaching people with the Gospel in unique ways.

Don't you just sense the creativity here? 🙂

Today I have the privilege of featuring the brilliance of some amazing people. These six creative experts have graciously agreed to offer their wisdom and insight into this issue: the creative working in the local church.

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7 Questions Worship Leaders Should Ask Their Senior Pastor

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There is no more important relationship in your ministry than between you and your senior pastor. I believe if that relationship can be built on trust, respect, and friendship, there’s no telling what can happen.

It’s typical for there to be a more controlling, task-oriented senior leader with a semi-lazy, yet gifted, artsy worship leader. Many times the relationship just doesn’t jive. It can go a long way for you to humble yourself and seek the input of your pastor.

In a previous post I talked about how important it is to own your senior pastor’s vision. Today I wanted to take it a step further and give a simple blueprint for making that happen. It’s so important to have open and honest dialoge with your pastor. Hopefully these questions can help guide those conversations.

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Is Your Worship Environment Excellent?

Maybe that’s not a question you’ve considered before. But it may just revolutionize what you do. Consider how a great waiter makes your dining experience all the more enjoyable. When the service is poor, you have no desire to return. Even if the food was great, all you can talk about is the poor service.

I’ve found this to be true for worship as well.

Doesn't this just put you in a good mood?

A couple months ago my wife and I stayed at a local ski resort for a night. Inside our room when we arrived was a $25 gift card to a restaurant on the premise. Due to the kind gesture, we decided to try it out. A shuttle picked us up and dropped us off at the door. We were greeted by some very happy people. So far so good.

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The 10 Step Guide To Being A Rockstar Worship Leader… At Home

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How is your worship leading…at home? You know, where you’re not known as “Worship Leader” or “Pastor” or “Reverend”. Maybe that is not something you’ve thought of before, but I think it’s more important than anything else you invest your life in.

Home is God’s highest priority for your life. If you can’t be a worship leader in your home, I question whether you can do it effectively in a church.

Not sure who is providing the leadership here

My wife and I recently started a weekly Bible study together where we are discussing Emerson Eggerichs’ Love & Respect (affiliate link). This has got me thinking about the importance of not only improving what we do as worship leaders in church, but also as worship leaders in our homes.

Sounds like a nice idea, doesn’t it? I’m not gonna lie. It’s a tough process that takes intentionality and discipline.

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How To Pursue Excellence AND Authenticity in Worship

[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]

Imagine with me. The sound is perfectly mixed. The lighting mood is sublime. The band is grooving. The crowd is enraptured. We all idealize the perfect worship environment.

But how do we pursue excellence in our performance while remaining authentic in our worship?

I’ve been in too many worship services where the worship leader and band performed well, yet their heart for true worship was seriously lacking. Quite a turn off, in my opinion.

Definitely a sweet atmosphere here with the DCB

First of all, what is authenticity? I define it as the ability to blur the line between WHAT YOU DO and WHO YOU ARE. As worship leaders, we have a lot to do. We need to prepare the band, worship God, engage the congregation, sing on key, play the right chords, stand up straight, sing the right words, brush our teeth, etc.

An authentic worship leader does those things but also displays who they are – a worshiper of God. Singing well is not enough. A tight band is not enough. Their own heart is hungry for God and they long for his glory to be seen, experienced, and cherished in the heart of every person in the room. I crave that sort of authenticity.

I remember experiencing a worship service with Matt Redman for the first time. I think Matt is a very authentic worship leader. He’s anything but flashy, borderline boring to watch. He wept, jumped, knelt, and shouted to God in a way that impressed me and drew me into the presence of God. He practiced what he sang. I left that service thinking about God.

So how can we pursue a deeper authenticity in our worship? I think there are at least 5 things we can implement TODAY:

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