Worship: Are You Really Prepared for Ministry?

Comment by Wulf Forrester-Barker on March 10, 2010 at 11:30am

I think I can tick all the boxes, although spread out over more than 20 years and in all sorts of contexts. A lot of it has been self-directed, combining personal study with teaching sessions from a range of sources and getting on and gaining practical experience.

I'm not sure I'd tick any boxes if I had only stuck within worship groups and relied on other people to provide the direction. Having also seen things from the other side, leading things like worship groups and other ministries, it is often frustrating trying to provide opportunities for people to develop. From all of that I take the principle that it is vital to be someone who actively seeks to learn and grow rather than expecting it to come on a plate.

Wulf

Comment by Yvonne Mason on March 10, 2010 at 12:47pm

The vast majority of the training I have received as a worship leader on both a spiritual and practical level, was while actually doing the job! I started in worship ministry knowing I was called to it, so read books about it and learned all I could about singing, worship, and playing my instrument, but have rarely had the opportunity to attend formal training courses. However my husband and I spent eight years as part of the
team supporting a well known worship leader/ songwriter. He mentored us personally and as worship musicians, and learning on the job from him was the best training we could possibly have had. Indeed for us it was life changing, and formed the basis of the way we now train others, again in a mentoring relationship.
So I don't think one necessarily has to be able to tick off a list of courses etc in order to be qualified for the worship ministry. One needs to be in a position to be willing to learn from others in whatever way we can. As I said earlier, growing in North Wales meant that I was usually miles away from the nearest training events and courses, and back in the eighties there was relatively little formal training for me to access anyway. However, God in His grace made sure I would have the teaching and training I needed. All I had to do was be willing to learn and He took care of the rest.
Be blessed
Yvonne Mason

Comment by Lorraine Doswell on March 10, 2010 at 5:01pm

I can't really tick any of the boxes, l am learning as I go along and will probably never be a perfect worship leader - I am not sure there is such a thing. I feel the Lord has called me to worship, not necessarily to lead, but to worship. I prayed and prayed about this, I didn't understand how it would happen, but just kept singing and playing at home, getting more and more frustrated. I guess I thought I was ready, I wasn't - when the Lord knew I was ready, He opened the doors. I am willing to listen to good advice (alot of it from here) but like Yvonne, the Lord has equipped me in all areas of worship - I trust Him totally in this, and when leading worship I am worshipping my heart out with everyone else. Oh, I mess up with the best of them but am so blessed to be able to serve God in this way and continue to thank Him.

Comment by Lorenzo Heighway on March 11, 2010 at 3:26pm

I don't know if we are ever really ready lol. I would add character training and prophetic worship training to the list and also training in the most intimate kind of worship including learning to be comfortable with holy silence!!!

Comment by Kev Plant on March 11, 2010 at 6:08pm

Hi,

I am not sure that we need training anyway...supposing that you are sure that you are doing what God would have you do to serve the church and or community. Jesus didn't say to the disciples 'now you lot...before you 'go' you need to go on the 'how to effectively make disciples of the world traing course'...they were told to just go. You could argue that being with Jesus for three years constituted their 'training' and I would say yes...that's the kind of training that we need...be with Jesus...listen...question...move...be flexible....gracious...mercyful...loving.
Maybe that's just a bit simplistic but I'm not for complicating the Good News anyway :-)

blessings

Kev

Comment by Lorraine Doswell on March 11, 2010 at 6:40pm

Kev, what you have just said makes so much sense, about the disciples.......be with Jesus....... that is so right. Sometimes we try to overcomplicate things that needn't be complicated - like you, I am all for simplicity, but when I read all about training etc. it can throw me and can make me feel below par. Of course I know it's not about how I feel, but it sure is nice to know I am not alone in my thinking. God Bless you and your worship Kev.

Comment by Wulf Forrester-Barker on March 11, 2010 at 10:25pm

Training can be a waste of time and training can be a way of procrastinating and putting off getting down to action. However, remember that the original word used for disciple in the New Testament, "mathete" (transliterated from memory - assistance with someone with better NT Greek welcomed!), means learner. If we are going to be diligent as disciples, we should constantly be seeking opportunities to grow and develop, and to be stretched and challenged.

Wulf

Comment by Lorraine Doswell on March 12, 2010 at 5:05pm

Wulf, I agree we should constantly seeking opportunities etc. but that doesn't necessarily have to be the kind of formal training mentioned above. For me personally a diploma in the Holy Spirit is much more valuable, as the training is ongoing, challenging, one to one and doesn't cost me a penny.

Comment by Dionne Shand on March 12, 2010 at 6:26pm

Thanks for your comments so far..

Interesting comments.

It's funny that as worship leaders we feel we do not need any 'formal training', and only a 'diploma in the Holy Spirit' will suffice, yet we would expect our church leaders (ie pastors, vicars etc) to be suitabley trained and well versed!

The idea of listing those subjects was precisely to challenge this type of thinking.

Really, i am not surprised to hear this train of thought. Perhaps that is why most infighting can often be found in the worship team.

The point made about the disciples being with Jesus by Kev, is not as simplistic as it reads.

The disciples were mentored directly by Jesus; face to face, eye to eye. They witnessed everything he said and done. They could reach out and literally touch and ask questions of Him.

We on the other hand have the Holy Spirit, who bore witness of Jesus, who we cannot reach out and physically touch, who we cannot see eye to eye and He exhorts us to study to show ourselves approved.

Not only this throughout the Bible there sense was a need to study, learn and be mentored. You can see examples of this from Old testament to New. For instance Samuel studied and was mentored, Elisha studied and was mentored, Prophets studied(ah Prophets. A lost cause?) and so on

Yvonne and Wulf raise some good points. Wulf in particluar noting that a willingness to learn and develop is diligence.

Some of you already know from my other discussions Worship and Preaching is equal, so if diligence is expected as a church leader ie well versed, studious and accomplished, why is the same not equally required as a worship leader.

I am not sure i understand what Wulf means by '...training can be a way of procrastinating....'

Who is procrastinator: the church or the worshipper?

I think we undervalue the role of the Worship Leader and Team, when we suggest that we simply learn as we go along. No battle was fought without the singers and dancers leading the army out.

As worship leaders we still lead in the battle....

Comment by Lorraine Doswell on March 13, 2010 at 3:14pm

I think we undervalue the role of the Worship Leader and Team, when we suggest that we simply learn as we go along. No battle was fought without the singers and dancers leading the army out....... surely worship leading is like becoming a nurse or a teacher for example, in the sense that, a person can have bags of formal training, but it is not until you get out there and do it, that you learn to grow, through hands on experience (including mistakes) as you go along. Ok, you may need extra training to keep up to date, but that still doesn't substitute putting it into practice. It has to be remembered that the disciples knew Jesus, and were mentored by Jesus for three years only, many of us are blessed to know Him and be mentored by Him for much longer.........

You mention battle, what battle are you talking about here?

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