Lessons in Worship Ministry Leadership Part 1

I've learned a few hard lessons about worship teams in my short time as a worship pastor and the last couple of weeks have brought those lessons back into focus.

Why did I ever think it was okay to allow just anyone who asked to join the worship team? I'll tell you why. Because I have been (still am to some degree) the consummate people-pleaser. In the past someone would come to me after a worship service and either ask how to get on the worship team, or ask if they could come to rehearsal and I, in order not to hurt their feelings would politely agree to let them come aboard. I even agreed on the spur of the moment one Sunday morning before the services to let someone "fill in" who then became a permanent fixture; no audition, no application, nothing. I didn't even know if they could sing. I assumed they could sing (and they could), and I assumed their character was consistent with a Christ-follower (which it was, for the most part).

I think another reason we think it's okay, is because we are desperate for band members and vocalists and we'll take the first person that says they play guitar or sang in all-state choir in high school for four years.

One scripture paraphrase from Proverbs says "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways." Ouch. I learned and have changed my ways.

I have recently had two different people approach me about joining the worship team vocals. I no longer have difficulty saying "We have an application/audition process that you'll need to go through." It's really not that hard to say. And it gives you an out to say later "I don't think we're a good fit for your giftings." After doing a little research on the first "applicant", I discovered that they were living with someone who was not their spouse. To be honest, I find it difficult to believe that someone can claim to be a Christ-follower and hold to the belief that there's nothing wrong with living together out of wedlock (that's what they used to call it back in the day). But these are the days we're living in folks. An epidemic of biblically illiterate "believers".

Will it be difficult to tell this applicant the truth of the matter? That I have a calling and responsibility to protect the integrity of our platform with the tenacity of a bulldog? Yes, but I have learned that I would rather suffer for a moment, than regret my people-pleasing, moment-of-weakness decision for years.

The other applicant was invited to rehearsal by a current vocalist and when I talked with her about becoming a part of the team, I didn't hesitate to tell her that living "above reproach" was one of our core values for becoming a "platform personality." You're up there for the world to see and you have to ask yourself, "Is there anyone who might attend our service who, upon seeing me on the platform, could mutter under their breath 'What in the world are they doing up there? That's not right!'"

And she got that. I explained that it wasn't about anyone being "perfect", but rather living a life "so as to preclude any possibility of criticism." She agreed. And she has a beautiful voice to boot!