Kim Gentes

Be Faithful In God's Love

Can I just put this here? Worship leaders/worship pastors- just be faithful. I've been a Christian for over 30 years, and for much of that I have led worship/music and pastored people both on teams and in small groups. If I've learned anything, it is that God's love is the only valuable center for our identities and actions as Christians and ministers. But that reality takes time to sink in. You will see it in surprising encounters, but the weight of it doesn't always penetrate our lives deeply for years. The phrase "God's love" has become one of those overused terms that is so completely applicable and true it has become trite. Its reality has become obscured.

The long term antidote for this is faithfulness. Stay the course, and act on God's love even when it doesn't feel like it. This doesn't mean being unreal, just continuing to trust that God knows and loves you better than you can fathom. Over a lifetime, the truth of God's love eventually settles into our being, if we leave ourselves open to him. It becomes not only who we are, but who we see ourselves as- sons & daughters loved by God.

That being said, here are a few practical items from both "failures" and "high-five" moments in my journey. Perhaps these might help. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a start.

WORSHIP LEADER TO DO AND NOT DO

Things to do:

• Lead your communities in uplifted songs and lives to Jesus.
• Encourage and pastor folks in your fellowship through the leadership and musical gifts God has entrusted you with.
• Give away your ministry to those young and old around you. That means training others, equipping them, then releasing them to do ministry/worship.
• Get comfortable with public times of silence or "space"
• When it comes to music and people wanting to participate- find an opportunity for every willing heart to join in. It needn't be the Sunday morning stage, but try at least to make it a real opportunity.
• Take care of your life with God (soul care).
• Speak with your senior pastor about their heart for worship on Sunday morning.

Things not to do:

• Try to reach worship/music nirvana every service.
• Worry about comparing your church worship and ministry with others in your area
• Hope you'll get "noticed"
• Measure your value by the response of the people during worship in the gathered meetings.

If you're like me, you will have up/down days and likely run into a few of the above (on either side of the ledger). Don't let that discourage you. Keep going. Be faithful. God loves you. He doesn't just like you (though that is true). He loves you. You are His son/daughter. He's pleased with you.

Now, out of that love and knowledge, go do the things God calls you to in the kingdom.