The Pastor and The Worship Leader

There are a lot of things a pastor would like to say to his worship leader of his church. There are plenty of times where a pastor might want to strangle his worship leader to the ground. There are many different reasons for this relationship to be quite complicated. Most worship leaders have a hard time knowing it is not about them and what they envision for the church. If worship leaders and pastors don't see eye to eye on things, communication breaks down and nothing is accomplished. Communication is the key. Therefore prior to a pastor chooses a worship leader, he must communicate to potential candidates clearly what they must be. And worship leaders will either humbly mold to what the pastor wants, or be prideful and want to do things their own way.

Worship leaders need to understand that we work under leadership. In 1 Chronicles 15:16, David tells the Levites to appoint a man to lead them in congregational worship with music. David hires a worship leader here. The point is that worship leaders serve under the leadership of their pastor. Honestly, worship leaders need to be knocked down off of their high horse. The pastor really is the man who is the true "worship leader." He is the one who shepherds and teaches God's people. God has given pastors the responsibility of caring for their churches and creating a vision and a plan for them. Pastors can be thought of as the architects because they create the blue prints and vision of what their church will be. Worship leaders are merely builders, helping hands that the architect uses in order to see his vision come to existence. Worship leaders must realize that it is not their church and it is not their vision. God has not bestowed that responsibility on them, the church belongs to the pastor. 

So it takes humility for the worship leader to come under the leadership of the pastor, but it is essential. When this is the foundation of that relationship, the pastor and worship leader can become a great team in fulfilling this vision. Pastors need a worship leader that is committed to the common goal of the church. They are looking for a worship leader who is committed to the church family and will be there for a while, not someone there only for a gig then leaves. No, the worship leader must be willing to be part of the church family and with integrity, be a leader for the church. 

If the relationship between pastor and worship leader isn't strong, there will be nothing but trouble ahead. The pastor is not looking for someone that he will constantly have to butt heads with. He is looking for a partner to build and raise up a kingdom for Christ. He is looking for someone who will be a friend, not a cold and distant employee. Worship leaders will need to understand that the pastor is "the" worship leader. The pastor is looking for a partner not a project. They are looking for a worship leader that they can pastor and will allow them to pastor and shepherd the church. Pastors are also looking for leaders who will protect them from fire, because pastors are imperfect people trying to do the perfect will of God. And they will come under fire of the enemy, so worship leaders must be there to defend them and fight the good fight beside them.