I don't know about you, but "it's not all about you" is a sentence I find myself saying to my teenage daughter a lot.
But a post I read this morning (thankyou Leah) got me thinking...it's not about me either!
As a worship leader it's pretty easy to fall into the trap of thinking it is about you. I stand in front of the congregation on a Sunday, using my talents to serve the Lord. Well, that's how it's supposed to be. People come up to me after the service and thank me, congratulate me, and tell me I'm doing a great job. And that's where it would be really easy to fall into the self indulgent trap of self gratification.
There are a few in our congregation who love to listen to me sing, which is very flattering! They often comment that I don't always use the microphone while we are singing. I tend to only sing into the microphone when we are learning a new song, or to alert people when to start singing. I feel that if we are singing a well known song they don't really need me. Afterall they aren't there to listen to me.
Which is all very well....except I'm a singer. I love to perform. I enjoy being the centre of attention. And sometimes I find myself singing more new songs than well known ones and that's when I have to question my motives.
A church service is not a concert. We are there to worship our Lord, as one, as a family, not to listen to a worship leader who loves to perform....
I don't think there is anything wrong with loving to perform. There is just a time and a place for it.
Here is a quote from Charles Swindoll, that I read on Leah's blog this morning. It really spoke to me and reminded me that worship leading is exactly that. Worship.
“Humble yourself. Rather than racing into the limelight, we need to accept our role in the shadows. I’m serious here. Don’t promote yourself. Don’t push yourself to the front. Don’t drop hints. Let someone else do that. Better yet, let God do that. If you’re great, trust me, the word will get out. You’ll be found…in God’s time. If you’re necessary for the plan, God will put you in the right place at just the precise time. God’s work is not about us; it’s His production, start to finish. So back off. Let Him pull the curtains and turn on the stage lights.”
"If you are necessary for the plan, God will put you in the right place as just the precise time". Wow. There's a piece of humble pie Sharon. "IF" you are necessary.
As Michael W Smith says in one of my very favourite worship songs "It's all about you, it's all about you Jesus".
Lord, thankyou for giving me the gifts you have to enable me to lead worship for your glory. Please help me to remember that it really is all about you.
6 valued opinions!:
Hey you changed your design. I almost didn't know where I was. Had to double check. LOL.
I am so glad God gave some a love to be in the limelight. I don't much care for center stage. It makes me too nervous. Of course there are many times when I THINK I want center stage.
He gives us all a desire for the thing He gifts of for. We all have to learn to keep it for His Glory. Sometimes we all need a reminder.
Great Swindoll quote! I thank God for the gifts (and gifted people) He's given to the Church. Your church is blessed to have someone in leadership who recognizes that worship isn't a concert. The congregation isn't an audience. It's NOT about "us"! Keep near the cross. Let Jesus, crucified and risen, be your glory always! Me, too.
That makes me think about the choirs at a few of the different churches I have been to.
I am a Lutheran. We do a lot of standing and sitting and kneeling and are very somber at church. (Along with alot of repetition) (I actually like that as it makes it easier for me to focus, lol)
Oh yeah, my point. Well, when the choir is done, there is silence and they sit. At some churches everyone claps. The first time I experienced that I was really surprised.
At my church you don't clap because the singing was to praise God and not being done for "show". But as Chatty Kelly pointed out to me, as long as you are clapping in the spirit of the beauty and how it makes you feel good about God it is different....and different is ok.
I was going somewhere with this comment but am so far off track that, well, let me re-phrase....
Great Post!
I am glad the Swindoll quote spoke to you. When I spoke at A Woman Inspired there was a lot of chatter on the chat feature after I read that quote. Seems it spoke to a lot of people....myself included.
Have a great day!!
Leah
Love this post, Sharon! Great comments by everyone... I love the Michael W. Smith song you referenced ~ another one of my favorites.
It's not about us, but it also is about us ~ being reconciled to Him, being in a love relationship with Him, loving others as Christ loved us, being His hands and His feet, sacrificing His Son - because He loved us so much, spending time in His presence, worshiping Him, being good stewards of all He has given us... But this can all be meaningless and self-fulfilling if it's not ALL for Him. (You're so right that this is absolutely tricky.)
I'm thrilled that The Church has so many different expressions of worship, because we are all uniquely created by God! (And ~ some to lead, some to sing in choirs, ensembles, dance, some to worship quietly and others to be more expressive.) I'm learning to appreciate our commonalities and our differences more and more ~ and finding His presence in the midst of His people everywhere. I so appreciate those who lead worship ~ those who have sought Him for the song choices and prepare the congregation to hear His Word shared; who enable us to enter into His Holy place and praise His wonderful name ~ and who remind us it's "All about You" and I'm invited to participate!
Thank you for being His vessel and sharing your giftings for His purposes...
Thanks everyone for your great comments...
Edie, I'd never really thought of my pleasure in singing as a gift. I knew that the ability to sing was one, but never really thought of my love of performing as one. Which is silly as they do go hand in hand...
Rebecca, our church is particularly blessed. We have a lot of talented people, which is why we "go on the road" from time to time to help other churches out in our parish.
My ADHD, I totally get where you are coming from. We are officially a Uniting church but we have a few Lutherans, a few Baptists, and a few Church of Christ's. Which is pretty amazing when you think about it because we all come from different backgrounds but we are all able to come together for one purpose.
Leah, I'm glad you didn't mind poaching that quote from your blog! It struck me to the core.
Joanie, you make a really good point. We can let it get really complicated can't we? It's simple really. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Not exactly the correct quote but you know what I'm saying!
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