Confidence
The note ringing out from the bass in my hands was jarring and dissonant. I quickly stopped it and frantically tried to find out which key we were playing in. If you had been in my head a few moments before, it might have sounded something like this...
One, two, three, four… there’s the tempo. Then comes the piano with the melody line. Now get ready, here comes the rest of the band… and in with the bass. (Said jarring dissonance) Wait, stop! That note is not an F! We said we were playing in this key! Come on, Aspen, think quickly! Find the key!! Hang on, that note sounded right… This song is in G? Good, that’s it. Thank you, Lord!
Most of us who have served in worship know the trouble that miscommunication and unpreparedness can cause. When I climbed up on stage last Sunday, I was uneasy. I had only been told the songs two days before, and two of them had been changed on Saturday night. Our family arrived late, so I didn’t have time to rehearse with the team. I felt so unprepared.
Adding to all this, the key I thought we were playing the second song in was… just in my head. As the rest of the team launched into “Te Pertenezco” (“I Belong to You”) in G, I was all set to play in C, the key I had practiced in. After an unmusical first note, I struggled to find out which key the others were playing in without distracting everyone else with off-key bass tones. I could almost feel the quick glances the other leaders might be casting in my direction. I felt alone and incompetent. I found the right key after a bit, but felt unnatural and stiffly nervous for the rest of the set.
When we lack confidence or preparation in worship leading, it can be hard to peel our eyes off our own mistakes and triumphs to do what we’re there for – fix our attention on Jesus and praise Him for what we see! Far too often, when faced with a situation beyond our planning or control, we react under the lie that the outcome of this problem rests on us. We plan, strive, and miss walking with our Father in a dependent relationship.
Hebrews 12:2a (NLT) gives us the direction: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Jesus is calling us to fix our eyes on Him – He is with us, and He will not waste one moment of error, fear, or pride!
After the service, a fellow bass player with bulging muscles (whom I had just met) approached me. "You and I will have to figure out who gets to play bass in Heaven," he quipped with a smile, greeting me on his way past. I smiled back but muttered something about my playing being a little rough today. He whirled on me and lovingly confronted my lack of faith. "God will use it!" he said. Decades ago, he had been making music for Jesus with a small band of middle-of-the-road musicians. Despite their ordinary beginnings, he had witnessed God's extraordinary provision. Opportunities came to play on some of the largest stages in Central America, far surpassing what any of them had imagined possible. In fact, they pioneered the way for many of the most prominent worship leaders over the last twenty years. He saw how God transformed their humble offerings into something that brought glory and praise to our Father.
“Musicians are a dime a dozen,” he said. “This world doesn’t need more excellent musicians, it needs worshippers.” He encouraged me to keep growing my craft, but to remember that, more than anything, God would use my willingness to love Him. The musical excellence and confidence would come in time.
It is so good to be reminded of God’s sovereignty and grace. The Lord will not let any circumstance go to waste! He is faithful! “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 (NLT)
So, the next time that you walk into a position of leadership that you feel unprepared for, take heart! Nothing, not even your mistakes or pride, will be able to stop what your Father has decided to do in that moment – and He is with you in it.
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Thanks to my 19-year-old son Aspen, for writing this Fertilizer! And if you’d like a little laugh for bass players, check this out https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSoF5tqgYUm. Just before you do, set your alarm for 5 minutes so you don’t spend the next 3 hours scrolling.
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
Worship Leadership Confidence (Nº 467)
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.