Who is your worship team?

I am a worship leader (at least this is the title they call me) for a very young (almost 2 yrs old), spirit filled church, and have served under worship leaders. After reading a few of the posts, I know the pains of conflict within worship teams, hymn music vs. contemporary music, and power stuggles of 'performers on the move'.

I am blessed beyond belief to have been enlightened by the Lord as to who was really on my worship team: It is every single person who sings with you - Your team is the entire congregation and, along with them, together you sing a joyful noise unto the Lord. Your worship team, whether it's one or eight or five thousand, the entire group is your worship team.

Sure, there are a group of you (or one of you) that leads music of some sort on Sunday morning. When leading a team, I have found it's not about 'the right person' playing instuments or singing; it's more about fellowship and unified praise. So what if your bass player is not the best, or your back up singer keeps taking the lead; if you think about it, the congregation is singing songs all the way through, why not the back up singer?

Every Sunday morning, or even when I am placed in a position of singing / 'performing' in front of other people, I have found it critical to coorperatly pray over the ENTIRE worship team (your audience) leading them into their positions of worship while reminding our own team that we praise our Lord together! When a group of people know they are ALL involved in the entire experience, they respond.

As for us, who play the music and sing in the microphones, the conflicts in the music department has dicipated. We are now relaxed and free to worship. No one person leads, it is the Holy Spirit who guides our team. Sure, we practice to perfect notes and melodies, but keeping our perspective of who is really on our worship team has really worked.

And yes, the tension was broke in an instant... Even the congregation sings louder, many more have risen to their feet and lifted their hands on Sunday mornings now. The spiritual freedom to worship is increasing.... Glory be to God!

Peace and love be with you who read and may Jesus be your center!