As a worship leader I spend time thinking about how to help people have a meaningful corporate time with God. There are a thousand factors that come into play in this endeavor, of which many books are written.
This week I had an image come to mind that is helping me to define the role of the corporate worship leader.
I was watching the movie Slumdog Millionaire that tells the gripping story of a pair of brothers who, through tragic circumstances, find two very different paths in life through the slums of Mumbai. The youngest of the brothers finds himself on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, staring opportunity in the face, for the first time in his life. As the young man advances through the stages of the game, gaining more and more popularity among viewers, the gameshow host becomes more and more threatened by him. At one point off-set he angrily screams, “It’s MY show!”.
I started thinking about the role of worship leader as a tv show host. Now, you may not think of David Letterman, Oprah or Bob Barker as being good role models for our leaders of worship. Maybe Alex Trebek is. However I think there are some interesting comparisons.
The idea of host has implications of hospitality. The tv show host engages the audience, the participators of the gathering. He or she invites them into the experience with their body-language, their tone, their inclusivity. They are the ones who are the voice, the face, the personality facilitating what is happening throughout the crowd. Their thoughtfulness of their audience make it easier for those attending to feel “at home”, like they have a place there. Worship leaders need to recognize they are operating in a “we” experience and go to lengths to make everyone feel like a part of “we”. Hospitality says “us”, not “you guys”.
The host comparison also implies that there have been preparations beforehand. Whether the show host is interviewing a celebrity or asking the participants to “spin the wheel”, they are prepared. These preparations guide the direction of the entire experience, and in a sense lead everyone participating toward some kind of outcomes. The talk show host prepares good questions that people care about. The worship leader’s preparations should be intentional and have outcomes that are relevant to the people they are leading.
The host knows that they are secondary to the guests. If Jay Leno interrupted Bono to talk about his own thoughts and opinions on AIDS in Africa, everyone would wonder how he had lost the plot and want Conan O’Brien back. In the same way, the worship leader knows they are only there to stimulate attention toward the real star, Creator God. They should avoid grand-standing at all costs, because even though they are the face of the experience, they aren’t the reason people have come.
Worship leaders should think about their role in terms of hospitality, thoughtful and prayerful leadership/ preparation, and elevation of the real Guest and reason for the occasion.
Now go get some tips from George Stromboulopoulos.
chadlangerud 