Seminar Friday Afternoon 2:30: Building Bridges: Pastors and Worship Leaders

Bob Kauflin is leading this session and I’m anticipating it being good.

The Current Situation

A. Average Length of Employment For A Music Minister is 2-3 yrs. Why?

1. Change of occupation
2. Financial need
3. Relational issues remain unaddressed

B. Conflicts and confusion between pastors and worship leaders are not a new problem

1. Pastors tend to view worship leaders as temperamental, late, unorganized, non theological, trendy, unresponsive, proud.
2. Worship leaders tend to view pastors as controlling, angry, demanding, insensitive, out of touch, over detailed, non relational, proud.

C. We are called to glorify God not only to our public ministry but in our relationship with one another (Rom. 15:5-6)

What a Worship Leader Can Do

A. Serve Your Pastor

1. Pastors are ultimately responsible for a church’s direction and life (Heb. 13:17)
2. Focus on serving the priorities of your pastor and not your own. (Phil. 2:3-4)

B. Listen to Your Pastor

1. Publicly and privately (I need to let Sean into my heart and vision and passion. Let him get to know me well. This takes time and vulnerability on my part)
2. Make sure you’re speaking the same language
3. Clarify before responding

C. Initiate with Your Pastor

1. Encouragement.
2. Creative Ideas
3. Evaluation of Yourself. What can I do better? What are some things I need to be be doing? Am I creating tension? Am I joy to work with?
4. Willingness to step down

D. Grow Personally

1. Spiritually
2. Theologically
3. Musically
4. Administratively
5. Technologically

What A Pastor Can Do

A Recognize Your Role

1. The pastor is the primary worship leader, humanly speaking.
2. Pastors are responsible for the whole meeting, not just a portion.
3. Leading worship is a pastoral function before it’s a musical one.
4. Pastors need to study and teach on worship in the Bible.

B. Communicate What You’re Looking For

1. In Your Meeting

• a. Pursuing fads or biblical faithfulness?
• b. Motivated by pastoral care or preferences?
• c. Role of music in church gatherings
• d. Order and structure of the meetings

2. In Your Worship Leader

• a. Humility—desires to serve more than impress, willing to submit to your vision.
• b. Godly Example—devotional life, family, passions
• c. Values Good Theology—sees this as important
• d. Leadership
• e. Musical Skill—instrument, theory, technique

C. Equip and Encourage

1. Budget for books, music, and CD’s
2. Budget for equipment
3. Conferences—worship and otherwise
4. Encourage specifically—growth, responsiveness, creativity
5. Encourage privately and publicly
   

• a. builds faith in the people for following him
• b. not in competition
• c. don’t encourage beyond your faith level

D. Plan and Evaluate

1. Frequency depends on stage in relationship and maturity of worship leader.
2. Plan songs, but also meetings.
3. Evaluation shows you notice and care.
4. Point out patterns rather than nit pick.
5. Evaluate specifically and soon.

Dealing With Conflict

A. When considering filling or applying for a position, ask too many questions, not too few.

B. In conflict, determine what the issues are.

1. Methodology
2. Theology
3. Character

C. Don’t’ work with a pastor or worship leader you can’t or don’t trust.

D. Don’t bring your family to a church you wouldn’t otherwise want to raise your children in.

E. Get counsel from others you respect before you face a crisis or decide to leave.

Benefits of Being A Team

A More Gets Done

1. Give thanks regularly for the opportunity to work with your pastor/worship leader.
2. No one gets it right all the time. Be thankful that on days when you’re off, you pastor or worship leader is on!

B. You Have Multiple Perspective

1. No musical style or order of service is prohibited or singled out by Scripture as being preferable.
2. Work together to determine what is best for your congregation

C. God receives more glory.

Yet another very good session. Kudos.