Three Big Mistakes Worship Leaders and Church Musicians Make

Worship leaders are given a special role in the body of Christ — to lead others into an encounter with Christ through worship. However, many times us worship leaders and church musicians fall into these traps…

1. Making it about performing.

I’ve visited many churches as a congregant, and have witnessed some AMAZINGLY talented church musicians. I’ve witnessed the most amazing performances you’ve ever seen. But the sad part is that many times these great pieces of art plateau at that—a performance. Music is meant for far greater uses than just a performance. Music has the ability to touch the heart, to move us, to inspire us to bring us closer to God. Don’t get me wrong, performing is not a bad thing in the right context. But the reason we meet on the Lord’s day, to draw close in community and do as Christ Himself instructed us to worship, is for far greater than a mere performance. Sometimes worship leaders themselves forget to WORSHIP. We become so focused on the song, the music, the lyrics, the chords, the congregation that we forget to worship God. Before anything else, a heart of worship is critical — no matter what style, genre or instrument.

2. Giving in to ego.

Following up with these AMAZING performances, there is nothing worse than an incredibly gifted musician who is overly aware just how good they are. Many times church musicians start thinking that THEY are the originators of their gifts, rather than our divine creator—the supreme artist. When we start fooling ourselves, thinking we deserve a certain amount of personal recognition, and seek this from our congregations, we have missed the point. We aren’t acting out of a heart of service and humility, but are motivated by pride and ego. We become church ‘celebrities’ and continue to seek this recognition. If this attitude persists, many times we start considering ourselves ‘better’ than everyone else in the body of Christ. God doesn’t find this mentality pleasing and it certainly isn’t worship.

3. Only serving themselves.

Many times I’m just as guilty of this as any other leader. We all have a preference as to what key we like to sing a particular song in. We all want to sing the most recent Tomlin tune rocking on Christian radio this week. The problem with this type of practice is that we are not meant to be serving ourselves, but rather the congregation. What’s the goal—to lead them to an encounter with Christ. Serving ourselves tends to hinder that goal. We need to consider what will enable these people to better engage and interact with God through worship. Perhaps that might mean lowering the key, choosing a simpler song, starting by teaching them just the chorus, considering which type of instrument arrangement will help best communicate the design of the song. When we forget who we are there to serve, we tend to not be as effective leaders as we’re called to be.

Finally, ask God, the first artist and gift giver, to shape you into who He wants you to be. Be ready and willing to continually nurture the gifts He gives and let every action in your life be an act of worship! What an honour we have as worship leaders to serve the body of Christ is such a way. Let’s do the best we can to worship God and lead others to Him!