Do you sometimes feel that you are so concerned about getting everything to flow properly and leading others in worship that you sometimes feel like you missed worshipping God? This seems to be a common problem for worship leaders.

Reasons that it is hard to worship while leading:

• Lack of familiarity with the music. It is difficult - at best - to concentrate on the Lord when you are concentrating on your music. To help this you must work at the music on a consistent basis. This means practicing the songs (in the various keys you will be using, including modulations), practicing chord progressions, performing technical work with your instrument and voice, etc. There is no way around this technical aspect.

• Lack of preparation. As a worship leader you need to have a plan - in conjunction with the pastor - as to the direction of the service. In this way your leading will be more focused. Remember: it's perfectly alright to plan ahead. God can guide and direct you just as easily - if not more so - before the service as He can during it. Nowhere does Scripture suggest that spontaneity is a guarantee that the Holy Spirit is leading.

• Lack of personal worship in private. You cannot do in front of people on Sunday mornings what is missing from your private life. If you worship God on your own Monday through Saturday, your worship will flow more easily on Sunday. Seeing praise and worship as a lifestyle is a real key to effectively leading praise and worship. That includes consistent Bible study and prayer and seeking the Lord and His guidance for your life, business, family, and ministry decisions.

• Lack of connectedness to the moment. Seek God's guidance for you as you perform your part of the worship service with a humble heart. Keep in mind that it is worship, not a performance.

• Lack of team building. It is a good idea for those involved in the worship ministry to spend time together praying before the service. This may include:

  • Praying for each other's needs and concerns.

  • Lifting up the service you will be leading, that you will be able to flow together as a unit and that God will be glorified through you.

  • Interceding for the congregation to be prepared to meet with God and open to what He wants to do.

It is vital that the worship leaders actually worship while leading, but if they become so completely lost in God that they forget about the people, then they have missed part of their responsibility. On the other hand, if they are so focused on the people that they miss worshipping the Lord, then they have also missed a major part of their role.

From The Worship Leader's Handbook by Tom Kraeuter. Copyright (c) 1997 by Training Resources, Inc., Hillsboro, Mo., 314-789-4522. Used by permission of Emerald Books, Lynnwood, Wash., 1-800-922-2143.