Home Worship & Creative Leaders Articles for Worship & Creative 5 Ways to Keep Yourself From Going Full Rock Star

5 Ways to Keep Yourself From Going Full Rock Star

When I was a kid I did not want to grow up and be a music minister.

I didn’t want to stand behind the pulpit and wave my arms back and forth directing the pianist and choir and congregation as we sung “Crown Him With Many Crowns.” Mr. Beaver did a fantastic job, but no thank you.

But what I did want to be was a rock star.

And I didn’t want to have to read music either …

Lo and behold, look what happened!

Evangelical church gave thousands of kids their dreams and made up this new staff position called “Worship Leader.”

Now kids across the world can achieve their dreams of rock stardom AND working on church staff.

I kid.

Kinda.

I actually connect and LOVE leading worship with fantastic production and bands to rock you.

It is part of my life, what I regularly get paid to do, and I’m really good at it.

But I think there are ways to do this worship leading thing while bouncing any glory you may feel back onto the face of Jesus.

And to be honest, it’s not always easy.

1. If you lead worship for the adults, you also lead worship for the kids.
When kids get second best in churches it fires me up. The best worship leaders should be leading worship for the 7-year-olds and 12-year-olds as well as the 27- and 77-year-olds.

2. The lobby is the new green room.
I’ve said it before … if the only time the people see you is on stage, then you are a performer, not a minister.

3. Replace yourself.
Let’s face it. You are not always going to be “IT.” Thank God. Because you don’t want to see me at 70 trying to dance like I was 30.

The truth is that God has given us gifts and talents to not only use on stage but to pour into the next generation of worship leaders.

There is a 13-year-old kid who is gonna be way better than you. Find them. Pour into them. And watch them shine.

4. Be authentic on stage.
If I have had a bad week, or me and the wife have had a huge fight and it has affected me emotionally, I’m not scared to tell the crowd. I weave it into the transitions when appropriate, but it makes me human to them and not perfect rock star worship guy with no problems.

5. BE IN THE WORD.
Let’s face it. When a worship leader reads the Bible, you can tell. There are less stories about their kids and more about Jesus. And being saturated in the Word of God creates humility and reflects Jesus.

This alone takes the rock star out of worship leading.