With all the technology available to us today, it is easy to keep adding and adding to what we do in worship each Sunday. All of the sudden, a 5-piece band is no longer enough so we add backing tracks...and then another keyboard player...and the vicious cycle begins.
Do I have anything against backing tracks? No. I think they are great, especially for churches that struggle to assemble a full band.
The problem comes when we start adding stuff because everyone else is doing it. Then, at some point down the road, you end up frustrated and burned out because you can't keep up with it all.
As worship leaders, it is important that we take time on a regular basis to evaluate what we are doing. We should be asking ourselves questions, such as:
Several years ago, I let myself come to the point of complete burnout. Completing my weekly tasks for the church became a hassle and I was just ready to give it up.
Just like yesterday, I can remember sitting in my church office with my head on my desk wishing the work would complete itself. Then, that still small voice spoke up inside me and said, "Make a list of everything you are doing for the church." I was pretty excited to do this, because I knew it would be impressive (hence the first problem at hand...).
So, I jotted down about 20 things, including: leading worship, preparing budgets, updating the website, etc. Considering we were a small church, I had my hand in a little bit of everything.
Then, the Holy Spirit said, "Now, mark off everything on the list that could be eliminated or someone else in the church could do." This left about 3 things. Now, I knew it was time to delegate everything else and focus on the three.
It is time to find the things that bear little to no fruit in your life and kick them to the curb. It is time to delegate the things that someone else could do better than you.
Why? It is simple. Delegating allows others to serve in their gift. If you are hogging all the tasks, you are stealing their blessing!
So, should you add backing tracks or more musicians to your team? There is really no right or wrong answer. I would suggest giving it a try. If it makes worship more effective and efficient, stick with it. If it becomes a burden, get rid of it.
Bottom line, don't get caught up in feeling like you have to follow the masses. Let God lead you in your own unique call for your church. We are all different for a reason!
Kade, I'd like to see your list and what you ultimately determined was essential, and then how you went about delegating other tasks to volunteers or other paid staff members.
Thanks for the comment, Heather. It was several years back that I made the list and don't quite remember everything that was on it. However, most of what I was doing was essential to the operation of the church, so it was mainly a matter of delegating. I simply sought out those that I thought would be a good fit for the job and asked if they were willing to give it a shot. Then, I did some training and reevaluating down the line. If it turned out to be a bad fit, they knew it just as well as I did, so I would just seek out someone else and go from there. Hope this helps.
Right on man. "Let God lead you in your own unique call for your church." That is the key. If Jesus is kept the focus of worship, it will a lot easier to know what you should or shouldn't add to your environment.
Excellent advice! Thank you and God bless you!
Spot on Kade! Thanks so much for articulating!
Yes this is so true. A leader delegates just iike Jesus who trained His disciples to do work for His kingdom.