How did you know you were called into full time worship leading?

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Permalink Reply by Stevo on November 14, 2011 at 4:47am

I always wanted to do it and God eventually presented the opportunity. I didn't look for a calling, God has too many things in front of me that I already know are His will and calling that I don't have time to look for any special calling. And interestingly enough, I had to watch and wait for 5 years while other folks tried to lead the effort. When my time came, I filled in and over time, the confirmation was clear from our leadership that this was the right fit.

 

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Permalink Reply by Vic Salt on November 14, 2011 at 8:24am

I'm not a worship leader.  I'm a teacher in a college.   I was given a prophecy at Soul Survivor that explains on my job now. At the time it did not make sense.  I was working for very large financial organisation on their database systems.   If I 'd know what it would entail to get to this point I would have run a mile.   I thank God that he lead me into it gently to the point were like the disciples I can say where else can I go. 

 

Regarding the worship leading if God puts a desire into your heart,  it does not go against his word and you've prayed constantly about it, then push on the door lightly.  

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Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on November 15, 2011 at 5:15am

If you are full-time in a church, it will be primarily because of your leadership qualities -- the church who can afford a full-time worship leader will be a large one with lots of programs, sound people, planning, follow-up and meetings, meetings, meetings, and all sort of things that YOU will coordinate.  Your personal abilities as a worship leader will be secondary. Your love of God and people and ability to function in all the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) will be first.

I myself served as a full-time pastor of "Music and ____" for 35 years.  The churches were mid-sized (from 250 to 350 people) and family-style, and needed lots of personal ministry from all staff.  Not able to justify a full-time salary for music, they hired me for Visitation, Christian Education, and even Church Secretary.  I've noticed that the vast majority of churches that are currently advertising seem to be going for a part-time person (that way they don't have to pay insurance, which is 20% or more of a living wage these days).  That's actually how I started -- they hired me for eight hours a week ("the service time doesn't count, because you'd be in church anyway"); but as I showed devotion to the entire church body, not just coming to "do music", they began to look at me as a pastor and actually changed my title from music director to associate pastor. 

How one actually gets called, how it works, how it happens, is a complete mystery.  God works it out and puts a bug in Pastors' ears to look for a worship pastor.  So pray a lot -- God bless you much in this Adventure He is leading you on.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on November 21, 2011 at 4:03am

Sub-note: 

My wife and I, early in our marriage, felt this sense of "calling" from God together, to be "used" in music for His glory.  At the time I was a piano teacher, and a volunteer in church.  In both of these I felt that the work was part of the fulfilling of this call.  When ultimately we were literally phone-called to a church for full-time ministry, once we arrived it did not take long for the call "as a musician" to be transformed into the call "to these people."  We make pretty sounds, but mostly the Call is to be like Christ as much as we can, teaching, training, exhorting, being by bedsides and coffee tables -- the same sort of call that a certified public accountant must feel when the Lord would like him to be a deacon.  The music just makes everything special.

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Permalink Reply by Clifford Sylvester Cruse on November 18, 2011 at 3:25am

Dear Brother Damon,

I have been a worship leader for about 15 years. i remember my calling to be a worship leader. The lord revealed to me that he has chosen me to lift up people into his presence through worship. i had no talent or skill to do this but the Lord equipped

me and anointed me for the task further he spoke to me on the calling of moses to deliver the Israelites who were in slavery

to and bring them to worship God. (Exodus 3:12). Since then the Lord has helped me to serve him as a worship leader. not by my strength nor by my power but by his holy spirit.

Clifford

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Permalink Reply by Damon John Wade on November 21, 2011 at 12:38am

Thanks all for your thoughts and experience. I like the idea of "lightly pushing on the door". My wife and I have been praying and putting ourselves out there to test and see where God wants us. It's been a wonderful learning experience. We have learned that God does not think like we do!:)

Thanks again,

Damon

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Permalink Reply by Junjie on November 29, 2011 at 7:56am

Hi, Damon!

 

One very important factor - do you receive the confirmation of other people, especially your spiritual leaders? That's one factor I'll always look out for, especially when the stakes are high. And to me, a full-time position in church are high stakes. :)

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