Ministry, Intimacy and a Disrobed Disco

I don’t like to admit this, but when the red letters go on for a couple pages in the Gospels, my mind tends to wander. I know--they’re the very words of Jesus. I’m a bad Christian, I get that. My right brain dominance deals better with the stories and quick pace of Mark versus the conversations and teachings contained in John. Fortunately today I found one of my better angels at the helm while reading John 5. The latter half of the chapter finds Jesus dressing down the “Jews” – most likely meaning the Pharisees and their followers. They had been giving him crap for healing on the Sabbath. At one point in the rebuke he said this to them:

³⁹ You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

You refuse to come to me to have life.


You refuse to come to me to have life.

Usually I skim over those hammerings that Jesus gives the Pharisees – I mean, sure I have my moments, but those guys were head-of-the-class hypocrites. But verse 40 cut me. I kept re-reading and knew that was standing among those Pharisees being indicted.

For the Pharisees it was studying the scripture and keeping the law. For me, it’s doing ministry. I wrap myself in the robe of pastor and musician instead of the arms of Jesus.

I do ministry instead of intimacy.

It’s not even 10AM and I go from that reading that scripture to Mark Batterson’s new book, Soul Print.* In Scene IV “Alter Ego” Mark’s writing about David’s loin cloth disco. Aside from the story of Michal’s disgust and sarcasm, he points out a subplot in this scene that we often miss:

Royal robes double as his status symbol...David doesn’t find his identity or security in his royalty. David finds his true identity and true security as a worshiper of God Almighty.

Disrobing symbolizes his naked dependence on God.

(Soul Print, by Mark Batterson Kindle Location 1261-70)

I think Jesus is trying to tell me something.



* Not an affiliate link - just making it easy to buy a great book.

LIDs

Every new adjustment is a crisis in self-esteem. ~Eric Hoffer

I had the privilege this Sunday to introduce a new worship leader to our congregation. We didn't hire him. Nor did he transfer from another church. He's been here for a while--I just dusted him off and gave him a chance. He's a much better singer than I am. And with his confident yet easy-going stage-presence, I have no doubt that for many in our church he will become a their favorite worship leader.


And I'm stoked about that.

A few years ago it's was easy for me to talk about leadership development. But when faced with it, I found reasons (read: excuses) not to move people beyond a supporting role. I had LIDs. Leadership Insecurity Disorder.* And it does exactly what it spells.

I first heard a worship pastors Nathan LaGrange & Erik Cooper from Lakeview Church (Indianapolis) use the term at a Seminar4Worship at in 2008.
 

After a self-diagnosis of LIDs (which the Holy Spirit likely had something to do with), I was determined develop leaders. Before I made much headway, the financial axe fell and my full-time position had to be eliminated for the church to survive. The worship ministry there hasn't digressed to where it was when I first started. But in a lot of ways, it's close.

While I raised the bar there, I didn't raise a sustainable future. It was my job to grow leaders. Instead I grew my stock--I built a solid musician team, taught new songs, led good worship gatherings. No one wanted to cut me. They liked me--I did a decent job and worked downright cheap. Just not cheap enough for the early days of a recession. God taught me a tough lesson about the real work of the worship pastor.

Christ-centered leadership is about pouring out and giving up. It's good and right to pour my life into developing others. But eventually I need to give up something so they can take the next step.

Step away from my mic so she can lead a verse. 

Watch from sound booth as he leads a rehearsal. 

Let them choose the music. 

I have to give up leadership more often than just when I go on vacation.

Here's the ugly side of LIDs: The more infected I am with it, the more I relish in their failure. Not in a "laughing fiendishly while rubbing my hands together" kind of way. More understated: "They need me. Now, they know that they need me." Sick, isn't it? But true.

I came across the Eric Hoffer quote around the time I was told by my senior pastor in my current ministry that the services went much better when I wasn't the upfront worship leader. That's not a good thing to hear when your job is to lead worship. Talk about a "crisis in self-esteem." But my pastor was right. God had me in a place where, for a number of reasons, I couldn't hold together the band with my guitar and lead the congregation at the same time. What worked in my last church wasn't working here. So couple that revelation with being the sole worship pastor in a multi-campus church and I needed to tear off my LID quick.

I still lead a couple times a month at one campus, but now there are people at the other campus who probably wonder if all I do is play guitar and occasionally nod my head to stop the band. But I'm in a place where the pouring out and giving up gets me excited.

Did I tell you I just introduced a new worship leader at my church on Sunday?

And I'm stoked about that.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Surrendered, Part 2

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1) 

Submission, Subordination and Other Things that Suck

Submission is one of those words that make people bristle. Cringe. Wince. Barf. Or otherwise react adversely. I’m not going to make a case for mutual submission and submission to authority because scripture already does that, a little too well for most of us. If a key element for us is submission to Christ, then we have to look at submitting to the spiritual authority He places over us.

One of the tough lessons I had to learn is that God’s delegated authority comes from the position, not from the leader’s ability to lead. I once worked for someone who I thought I could “out-lead.” This man’s ability to lead was NOT the issue God was concerned about for me, but my willingness to submit to the authority above me.

What does it look like for volunteer worship musicians to submit? It doesn’t mean never suggesting changes. Or challenging decisions. But the attitude and manner in which suggestions/challenges are delivered is what causes us to cross a line. Another way to detect subtle rebellion to God-appointed leadership is how I talk about a leader or his/her decisions to others.

If you find you can’t in good conscience submit, quit.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Surrendered, Part 1

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent)

Surrendered To God

No doubt you’ve heard about the challenge given to D.L. Moody: "It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly unto Him." (or some variation of…) And Moody’s answer was basically “I’ll be that man.” And he was. We usually hear this exchange in a sermon about surrender. The problem is the preacher doesn’t tell us that this falls in the category of “WAY easier said than done.”

A mentor once said to me, “one of the beautiful things about following Christ is that it’s daily. And one of the most frustrating things about following Christ is that it’s daily.” The new mercies (Lam. 3) of God can’t be experienced fully without a new day’s surrender. (1 Cor 15:31/Rom 12:1) Sure, there are a few things that I’ve surrender once for all (by God’s grace), but I have to give up my pride, agenda, sin, etc. every day.

This isn’t exclusive for worship musicians. But consider that the responsibility of worship musician as a leader/teacher. But it’s ultimately about loving Jesus more than music or ministry. And the surrender into Jesus’ arms each day is a real good start.

Next installment: Surrendered, Part 2