In this week’s Sunday Vlog, Brian talks about the idea of worship leaders having a ‘shelf life’. Let us know in the comments – do you feel like worship leaders in modern contemporary church have a shelf life?
Footage from August 13, 2017 at Newhope Church, Durham Campus
My church: http://www.newhopechurch.org
don’t tell Paul Baloche, Graham Kendrick, Darlene, and even Tomlin that their shelf life has expired!
Ha we’ll keep it quiet 🙂
I feel left behind, or like I’m chasing the caboose from behind. I think about the subjects you touched on in this video all the time. I am presently the worship leader/pastor at a very small church. I was placed in the position about 15 months ago when the worship leader/pastor and his wife (the head pastor’s son and daughter in-law) decided they were moving to Texas. I was mainly the drummer that would lead on acoustic guitar when the worship pastor and his wife would go on vacation or a weekend conference. I went to WorshipU at Bethel July 2016 at what I thought was the leading Holy Spirit. I had no clue why I was to go, but I strongly felt I was supposed to go, and God provided everything I needed to make the trip. I learned some cool things that I was excited to share with the rest of the team that I thought would enhance our worship experience. But almost immediately found out they were leaving and that I was taking over. No one asked me, it was automatically assumed that I would do it cause I was the only other musician in the church. And now here I am a over weight, middle aged, gray bearded old man attempting to lead worship at 57 years old, and believe me I feel like I should be on the shelf! I keep trying to tell God I am to old for this. That just an old broken construction worker, and I pray that He brings some else along all the time. You said about trying to stay relevant. I struggle with that constantly, so, I feel ya bro! 😀
I will say though. I very much appreciate what you put out there, the resources you make available. The instructional videos, the pads etc.. I don’t know you personally, but you truly seem like a very down to earth, honest, Christ centered man, and I wish I could sit under your ministry for an extended period of time. JUST TO LEARN! I have no formal training in any area, and it seems like so many people in the same capacity, or like capacity has some type of training along their journey. Bethel was great! But it’s virtually impossible to cram all that they put out in 10 days. IT MAKES YOUR HEAD SPIN LOL!
Sorry for such a long reply, but I really have no one to bounce this stuff off of that understands.
Thanks for listening, and may the God of our Lord and Saviour continue to bless you beyond your wildest dreams!
Thanks Brian as always for the resources you provide. In regards to the shelf life, my situation is probably different than yours in that I have a full-time job and on the side am a unpaid worship leader for our Youth Program (middle school and high school). So in that regard, my shelf life ending might just mean moving on another chapter of ministry. But for the last 16 years, I have been working with youth on leading worship, serving God, and to do so in a worthy manner. At 36 years old currently, I do feel I am now at my best musically than where I was when I was younger as well as I have vastly improved in training the youth of our church. I have been fortunate the last few years to see our youth band go from mostly adults with a few students to the exact opposite (currently 4 student singers, a student electric guitar player that can play anything you throw at him, a student keyboardist, and we now have a student-in-training on drums – so it’s only me now on acoustic, an adult bass player, and the adult drummer until the one in training takes over). With that said, I have taken a step back this year to not sing/lead and allow the students to lead the services as much as possible. I have wondered over the years as I’m also approaching 40 how much longer of a shelf life I have, but I feel like as long as I am able to train and equip the younger generations with how to create an effective set list, how to know when to build a song and when to quiet it down, how to strive to play the best music and sing the best that they can, work on stage presence, and how to serve God humbly, then I can quietly take the background approach and see these students surpass my own abilities and watch them lead present and future churches. So again, that is my situation and it has been very rewarding and I can still feel relevant as long as I am called to work with students to use their talents for God. I will say to end this that I think you do a great job being relevant with praise and worship music -the songs you choose to play through and do tutorials for are often the ones that we are working on or about to work on. So keep on with the good work and staying relevant for those of us called to lead worship!
I am still leading worship in a “contemporary” style church. Playing latest Hillsong, Jesus Culture, etc. I stay physically fit and culturally relevant. I am constantly reinforced by church leadership that I’m where I’m suppose to be. God’s presence is there and with years of wisdom and ministry I lead a team with high schoolers, college, and older. I’m told by the “youngers” that I rock! God is good. I’m 69 next month. ~just sayin