Working with the body

You don’t have to do it all on your own.

 

God has gifted His church with leaders who have diverse talents and gifts. Very few of those leaders can do everything. As 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 says, we are all part of the body, and we all have a function that allows us to do what we have been called to do.

 

Too many leaders think they have to do everything on their own. God has gifted us differently, and I think it is time that we allow others on our teams (or some who aren’t part of our team) to use their gifts so we can serve our congregations more effectively.

 

When I was a young worship leader, I felt confident that I could lead the congregation as well as play and rehearse music with my team. I knew that I was not an organizer. I asked a friend, who wasn’t actively part of the worship teams at the time, if she could be the manager. She organized schedules for musicians, reminded me to have leadership team meetings, and helped in many other little ways. I wouldn’t have succeeded without her support.

 

I have worked with great congregational leaders who have a gift for sensing what the Holy Spirit is doing in the hearts and minds of those during a service and can communicate with the band what to do next but were not very strong at rehearsing a group. Having a worship leader (or band/music leader) assist the congregational leader allows each person to focus on the area that is their strength. Having a competent musician in your group that can give direction for arrangement, balance, and other vital aspects of playing will help the rehearsal be more efficient and allows everyone to be successful.

 

Having an intentional assessment and evaluation of your worship set is vital to improving how you can better serve your congregation. Perspective from someone who is outside the group provides a healthy and informative role so you can make improvements. It helps us to gain perspective from someone who isn’t on stage where we are hearing the sound. It helps us assess ourselves as leaders and get feedback on what is working well or what needs improving. It is valuable feedback that helps you serve your congregation more effectively.

 

Using the gifts and talents of the body of Christ to compliment our own leadership gifts will help us be better leaders and ultimately will help us serve our congregation to the best of our ability.