It has been a while since our little corner of Christianity watched a worship leader self-destruct. But that doesn’t mean we should be complacent. Here are four blind spots that are all too common among us today. Some will make sense, others will wash over you. I'm praying that they help where help is needed, that's all.
Envy
It might sound archaic and out of date, but envy is thriving today. Social media allows us to display a version of ourselves that is designed to leave others feeling jealous, and worship leaders are not immune to the temptation. Posting about who we know, how many people follow us, even what our latest gadget or travel arrangements look like can all be signs that we’re trading in envy. We need to stop.
The remedy? Use social media wisely and sparingly. If you find that looking at Instagram, Facebook or Twitter makes you feel slightly unhappy, then perhaps it’s time you detoxed from it all for a season.
Wrong Focus
We can all be guilty of concentrating on the appearance rather than the heart. We can dupe ourselves into thinking that it’s the size and quality of the production, the reputation of the worship leader or the quality of the songs that entice God to ‘show up’ at the meeting. It’s not. Those things can all be positive ingredients - as well as negative ones, come to think of it - but the simple truth is that at their best, our big events, anointed leaders and great songs are the symptoms of lives of worship, not the cause. Let’s not get distracted and become masters of worship karaoke. Instead, let’s remember what’s at the heart of worship; the sight and sound of a life lived in devotion to God.
Commit to working on your own attitudes and habits. How much time do you spend in prayer right now? Double it. How much money do you give away? Boost it. How much time do you spend worshipping God without the lights, the crowds or the screens? Triple it.
Arrogance
It’s easy to believe that what we’re doing is special. We’re not. God is. Our clever little four point articles aren’t the works of original genius that we might like to think they are. Our songs in and of themselves are not even that significant. It is God, by His Spirit, that moves through these clunky melodies and half-cracked voices. God, not us. God belongs at the centre, not us.
How to deal with an over-extended ego? Get out of the ghetto, away from the comfortable clique. Stop living in the bubble and go and do something unrelated. Volunteer your time to help the type of people Jesus chose to be around. Get in touch with the ones who really are facing life and death issues. Get to know them by name and let God recalibrate your heart.
Fear
There’s too much fear around these days. Fear of being seen as irrelevant, of missing the boat, of being the guy with the ‘wrong’ message, of not being honoured, of not being known, of not being called upon to share our lifetime of wisdom.
Too often our fear also becomes a distraction from the real work at hand. The odds are heavily against you having a calling to an international ministry, so why worry about whether your song wins a competition or whether you get asked to lead at this national event or not? Like everyone else you’re made for community, and like 99.9% of worship leaders the community you’re called to serve and lead is already on your doorstep.
Rededicate yourself to your community, remind yourself of its needs and the way that God is using people to do amazing things. Keep your focus on what your hands and feet have contact with, not what your phone tells you to crave.