Take it or Leave it
I was leading worship, and I felt like the congregation could take it or leave it. 💔
I mean, several people were deeply connecting with God, but I couldn’t shake this feeling like American consumerism had taken hold.
One woman stood there singing pleasantly, holding her cup of coffee.
And that’s pretty common. I’ve done it myself.
I’m not judging folks. I don’t know what’s going on in their hearts.
But when people are having an encounter, you can tell. I know how to read body language.
I get to lead worship in 10-20 different churches a year, so I see a pretty broad spectrum. And a fully engaged congregation is…a refreshing experience every now and then. But this just felt different, starker. I felt…caught off guard.
But what to do?
I was processing this with one of our overseers, and he said very plainly, “Disciple them in worship.”
See, I was serving at a historically “obviously worshiping” church, but we’d had lots of transitions and a ton of new folks. It was time to sprinkle some teaching into our leading.
And I’m certainly not complaining. It’s our job as worship teams to disciple our congregations in worship. If they aren’t learning to be a worshiping congregation, it’s our fault.
Here’s the response I’m suggesting:
Be a worshiper in your private life
See it as your role to disciple others in worship
Don’t settle for a typical Sunday morning
Show up prepared
Be a worshiper in your private life
Get the full story in Fertilizer #216, but nothing has a greater impact on your effectiveness as a worship leader than the health of your own worshiping life. Nothing.
See it as your role to disciple others in worship
You’re not a filler, an entertainer, a rally-er, a singer. Your role isn’t to warm up the congregation in preparation for the sermon. If anything, you’re a trainer, a discipler. But this isn’t an add-on to your identity. It’s not another hat you have to wear. Discipler is your core role. You must see everything you’re doing through this lens.
Don’t settle for a typical Sunday morning
Don’t settle for engagement when you can have encounter. Actually meeting with God and allowing Him to transform us through His gospel and Spirit is our primary goal for gathering. No ear-tickling, please. (2 Timothy 4:3 NASB)
Show up prepared
You’ve planned your songs, but did you plan your bombs? (Dan Wilt explains what I mean here… it’ll keep you from sermonizing.) I spend lots of time on Saturday evenings and early Sunday mornings thinking about what I’m going to say to help the congregation “get it.” How will I activate them? What scripture will I read? How can I convey my message so the congregation stays engaged and off autopilot? What will I bring that actually disciples them in their worshiping life, by experience and understanding? How can I cooperate with the Holy Spirit and align myself with what the Father is doing?
So declare the WORTHship of the LORD, lead your congregation to actually meet with God (Psalm 42:2), and reignite your passion to disciple your congregation in worship.
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
Take it or Leave it (Nº 219)
Five Faders w/ Dave Helmuth
Don't be another passionate, unhealthy leader (who doesn't know they are unhealthy) who misses their calling, has a moral failure, burns out, or burns others. (dang, that's dark!)
Be a Five Faders leader who is the best version of yourself and helps your team to do the same!
We'll explore the motivations we each have:
Artists notice nuance.
Shepherds consider the individual.
Priests overflow with simple love and pure devotion to Jesus.
Educators bring out the best in others.
Producers plan, in order to exceed usual limits.
The Five Faders model is not just a tool, it's a game-changer. It will help you understand your motivations and those of your team, paving the way for healthier and more effective leadership. The good news is that a Five Faders team is fantastic! The bad news is that if we don't know what motivates us, our passion often blinds us and we are an unhealthy expression of our Fader.
In this small group, we'll not just learn about the Five Faders, but also put them into action. We'll explore how to apply the concepts to our teams in a practical way, and learn from each other, which is one of the best ways to grow in your lowest Fader.
DATES AND TIMES
Mondays from 9 to 10:30 AM Central, from January 6 to February 24 (8 weeks)
BUY THE BOOK
https://amzn.to/4mWlA6a
WHO IS DAVE HELMUTH
I'm a coach who leads Ad Lib Music, the worship coaching organization I started in 2002. We have coaches in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, and South Dakota. I'm the author of the Five Faders book. I serve as a missionary in Costa Rica, where my family of nine and I have lived since 2019.