Any worship leaders here?

billywhitebread · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:52 am Post subject:

man thats just too funny.....i've been serving the call as a worship leader for 5 years now....its me a 12 string, a drum machine and a vocalist....but others are interested in joining....as far as getting a job as a worship leader, its more of a calling and direction from God than it is a profession. I am purely voluntary, unpaid, and enjoy every minute of it....mostly Confused

George E · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

I can share my path to becoming a worship leader.

I had been a Lay Assistant for several years, assisting with some of the liturgy and distributing communion.

I submitted an application to my church leaders indicating that I felt the call to serve as a Lay Worship Leader. This included my explanations of how I discerned my calling, and a test of my scriptural knowledge. I was accepted into the program, and underwent a month's training under an ordained pastor. After the training, I lead my first service and preached my first sermon. I received more formal and informal training over the years, and will continue to get more training. I filled in for pastors on vacation, and at congregations that had no regular called pastor, leading traditional music worship services and writing and preaching sermons.

At the same time, at my own church our praise band from our Contemporary music service wasn't able to perform for an entire summer, so I filled in with the music and put together the liturgy. My pastor lead the liturgy, preached the sermon, and presided over conscrating communion.

At one of the churches where I did supply leadership once a month, they had no music at all, except a karaoke machine to accompany the hymns. So, I combined my worship leader ministry with my music leader ministry, and now lead both the spoken and musical parts of the service.

If you want to start being part of a worship ministry, it would help to get over the idea that you have to lead it. Look for opportunities to participate in worship. Many congregations that offer a mix of contemporary and traditional services have a difficult time finding musicians for their contemporary services. I know if a band came knocking on our door looking for a chance to play at our worship services, they'd have a gig!

If you want to attempt something more free-lance, then I'd suggest hooking up with a good preacher. If you want to do a traveling evangelical road-show, there's nothing wrong with that.

My wife and I like to go camping. At most campgrounds around the country, especially the family-oriented ones which means most of them, they like to have some sort of Sunday morning or Saturday evening worship service for their guests. So they're always looking for someone who can come in and lead one.

And the acoustic coffee-house circuit is often a good venue for performing a mix of Christian and secular music as well as witnessing by inviting people to come to whatever worship service you're leading on the weekend.

markm2553 · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:59 am Post subject: