Photo by Daniel Gutko on Unsplash
The word “worship” has become such a narrow word in recent years. What do you think of when you hear that word? Most people think of the musical portion of the church service that typically is at the beginning. For many Christians it is a genre of music. In fact, millions of dollars are spent every year on “worship music.” Churches even spend large amounts of money each and every year licensing these “worship” songs that are to be sung to the Lord. Your church probably even has someone with the title “worship pastor.” Besides being the coolest person on staff, it is generally their job to lead the congregation in corporate songs of praise to the Lord. But have you ever wonder what a worship pastor really is? Many just blindly assume that it's someone who leads the music of course. Or is it? What if worshipping God isn't merely about the songs that we sing? What if music is only a small aspect of worship but not worship itself? What if worship is not defined as music, but something much bigger? What if music equals worship, but worship does not equal music?
As a tech director you probably see yourself and your ministry as a support to the pastor and the worship pastor --- kind of a sub-ministry of sorts. I am guessing that you probably don't classify yourself as a worship pastor. But what if you are a worship leader after all?
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1)
This verse tells us that giving our bodies to God is an act of worship. How do we give our bodies to God? Sometimes it's just by showing up. You could be anywhere else on a Sunday morning from the bed to the golf course, but you decided to show up. You decided to lead a team and serve God through serving the Church.
The Greek word for “worship” in this verse is actually translated elsewhere as “servant.” You see, worship is just as much about serving other as it is about singing songs. Jesus challenges us that if we want to be great in His Kingdom we need to be the servant of all. When we serve others we are actually worshipping God. If you are gossiping, speaking ill of your pastor or another person, or if you are putting your own needs above others we are not worshipping at all. Maybe we are worshipping ourselves but certainly not God. We worship when we put Jesus first and serve those that are around us.
This is a quality that should be reflected throughout your ministry, but first you need to model it in your own life. Does your ministry have an attitude of serving each other or is there an attitude of pride and superiority? As you model service to your team you are actually leading them in worship in much the same way that the “chief musician” in your church stands up in leads the congregation in songs to the Lord.
Although you may not have the title of “worship leader” you are actually a leader of worship nonetheless. Worship is always about taking ourselves out of the way and putting God as number one. It is as John the Baptist said, “that I must decrease and He must increase.” Jesus needs to be the one that is lifted up in all that we do.
So even if you can't play a lick of music you are called not only to be a worshipper but to be a worship leader. Maybe that is through song, generosity or serving, but realize each is an important aspect of worship.
