“Morris, please teach us microphone techniques…”
“I cannot sing in that key, it is too high for me…”
“I cannot sing in that key, it is too high for me…”
“I am not able to sing as backup while he/she is
leading worship… their key is too high, er, guys, can you please tweak that key
a little… just a little?”
“This is how I am used to singing, if you don’t like
it that is your own problem. I just
can’t sing in the manner you are recommending… I just cannot…”
“That keyboard player/instrumentalist/drummer/guitarist
ain’t playing what I want the way I want it… they ain’t bringing out that hook
as it should… they are making it too hard for me to sing…”
If you are a leader in a worship team, the above concerns
from team members are as common as it can get. You probably have heard it from
your team members hundreds of times (depending with how long you have been in
charge of singing in that given congregation.) It is also likely that whenever
these team members bring up these issues, they actually are not so much
interested in making corrections or improving in the art of worship and
singing, and in the area of their complaints.
Today, in a short but very direct way, I want to
help us differentiate between so-called singers
and lead worshipers with reference
to a worship team and a church congregation of any size.
First things first though…
I describe singers as anyone who can sing. They sing in the bathroom, while doing
laundry, while cooking, while out with friends partying… they just can sing. They
may sing with or without order and may or may not be committed members of a
worship team. That is what they are.
On the other hand, worship leaders (and not
necessarily worship team leaders)are
members of a singing community or team that are able to lead and teach others how to sing, and can interact with a crowd
(or congregation) and make them (through conviction, gentle persuasion or whatever
way) on how to sing whatever they want them to sing – how to sing anything. One
unique thing about them (worship leaders) is that they command the stage and everyone
falls in tune with whatever they are directing or guiding them to do.
Inasmuch as there are these differences, it is good
to note that there is a close resemblance between the two (singers and worship
leaders) because they both sing and are both involved (in one way or another)
in standing before an audience while singing.
Notable quote: Everyone can
sing, but not everyone can lead others in singing. (Especially a congregation full
of diversified people from different classes – okay, classes shouldn’t be in
Church, or should they? – and cultures.) Everyone knows a song or two, but not
everyone can teach that song to everyone else so that they may come out knowing
it as much as they should.
So you may be asking yourself, “Morris, why in the
whole good world of music are you talking to us about such obvious things…?”
Obvious things, huh?
Well, note the following…
The definition of music and worship in the Church
has changed a lot over the years. Since the times of The First/Early Church, corporate/congregational
worship has changed exponentially. You will agree with me that our differences
in denominational upbringing have not only influenced our doctrinal inclination
within the Christian community, but that it has also affected the manner in
which we worship God. The way we structure our services (on whatever day we
have chosen to worship God), the tools and instruments we use, the manner in
which we display acts or worship, the stance of our worship leaders, the kind
of songs each congregation sings, the way we include others in our
singing/worship, the way we incorporate Scripture in our singing/worship
services etc… have influenced and redefined the general aura of congregational
worship in every church across the world.
Of course, the centre of argument within most worship
leaders and pastors in the Christian fraternity around the world will be that
we are all seeking to worship God in
Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24), but notably, the truth is that while seeking to
worship the Creator in spirit and in
truth, we have formed for our own selves differing views on corporate worship
and the fruits thereof. This in itself has changed how (or has helped redefine
how) members of a given worship team interact with each other and afterwards,
with the congregation. This also defines how well they will rehearse and
practice before presenting the aftermath of this to the congregation.
For instance, a worship team that cares less about the quality and
influence of the music they produce before God and the congregation will have
more singers than worship leaders. It will have a greater
number of its team concentrating on performance than on a relationship and
intimacy with the God that is being worshipped. This team will practice less,
mind less about knowing their strong and weak points while working as a team
and will neither pray for a better presentation and the movement of the Spirit
of God nor about the people being ministered to during the worship service.
You probably have also heard of the emergence of the
so-called commercial worship leaders/singers or worship-rock-stars found
within many “mega churches”. They have a tendency to not submit to authority
and they lack spiritual fervency while “ministering” in those “mega churches”
or the spontaneous crowds they are given to “worship” with. They move from
place to place “ministering” and “preaching” to these oblivious crowds/congregations
and have little or no commitment at all to wanting the impartation of something
new and something from God, within the people they “minister” to. This also has
contributed to the increase in the number of singers in our worship
teams as compared to the number of those who can actually lead worship.
In the preview I read of a book by Stephen Miller called Worship Leaders, We Are Not RockStars, he reiterates that the manner in which a worship leader chooses to
worship God even at an individual level, is very determinant of how well they
are going to interact with their fellow team members and the congregation that
awaits their ministry. He also adds that as a member of a worship team, the
central thing should not be to compete on who strums the guitar best, who plays
the piano best, who sings best or who
knows best but on how
much as a team, you are positively moving your church/congregation towards worshiping God in spirit and in truth.
The table below summarizes what I am talking about
(Singers vs Worship Leaders);
No.
|
Singers
|
Worship
leaders/Lead worshipers
|
1
|
They can only sing and have fun. They care less about the
influence their singing has on the
audience.
|
They can sing and lead others in
worship as well. They enjoy the singing yeah, but are also keen on making the
congregation meet with their Creator.
|
2
|
They claim to have difficulty in
singing in set-up groups with other singers within the worship team. They are
oblivious of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
|
They can sing, lead and back-up. They
interact well with team members and can point out strengths and weaknesses
within the team.
|
3
|
They have no understanding of their
vocal or voice range.
|
They understand the whole concept of
where their voice or vocal range is and can alter it at any time.
|
4
|
Have a high affinity to blaming others
when things go wrong and would rather teach than be taught.
|
Are reluctant to lead and think
themselves as imperfect and still need to do a few things with their skills
before they are ready to lead.
|
5
|
They concentrate on performance rather
than on intimacy and a relationship with the One being worshipped.
|
They concentrate more on a
relationship and intimacy with the One being worshipped rather than on performance.
|
6
|
They are more of people-pleasers than
they are God-pleasers. They therefore seek excitement and “a feeling” first
before the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit through their
singing.
|
They are more of God-pleasers than
they are people-pleasers. They therefore seek the manifestation of the power
of the Holy Spirit through their singing before excitement and a sense of
“feeling”.
|
As a warning to most of us who care less about
worship as a ministry that plays an important role in the spiritual growth of a
church, and one which cuts across all the major offices of the church, Christ Jesus
our LORD said the following in Matthew 15:13 (NKJV) “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant
which my Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They
are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will
fall into a ditch…’”
Till next time,
Bonface Morris.
