15-5

My Life: What Do I Model?

When we start talking about the great worship leaders of the Bible, probably the first name we would mention would be David. I'm not sure we would even mention Paul's name. I mean after all just about the only singing he did was a hymn-sing that he lead in prison after getting a beating! So why even bring that up? Because Paul modeled how to be a worship leader with his life. He showed us how to live like a worship leader. "Leading worship starts with the way I live my life, not with what I do in public. It's inconceivable for us to see ourselves as worship leaders if we're not giving attention to what we do every day." You see it doesn't matter what we're doing. Glorifying Jesus should be our goal whether we are in our car or on the platform.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in faith, in love, and in purity." We are supposed to be setting examples for people. Make no mistake about it, people are watching you, not only on Sunday but throughout the entire week. Too often as worship leaders we focus so much on how we act on Sunday and completely forget about the rest of the week!

But we have to set an example in our speech. "Every word we say has potential to either confirm our example of genuine worship or take away from it. If our words our foolish, sensual, or sinful during the week, it's hard for people to take us seriously when our mouths are suddenly filled with God's praise on Sunday morning." That doesn't mean that we can never joke around or talk about things that don't have anything to do with church or God. However scripture says that we will be held accountable for "every careless word" we say.

Worldly musicians can play well and live crazy lives and no one thinks twice about it. Worship leaders don't have that option. God wants us to set an example for people in the way we live our lives. We have to understand that it isn't what we sing or play that defines our worship, it is our lives. That being said, God doesn't expect us to live perfect lives. That has only been done once (by Jesus). But we should display a consistent lifestyle of godliness.

We have to set an example in the way we love. "God describes love as being 'patient,' 'kind,' humble, polite, thoughtful, forgiving, hopeful, and enduring. Are those your attitudes after a worship service where the mix was bad and the vocalists were out of tune? When members of the church criticize you, do you respond with blame-shifting and accusations, or do you respond with patience and humility?" God wants our words of love that we preach on Sunday morning to be backed up by our deeds.

Our faith should be an example to others. "Every Sunday morning I'm seeking to point people to God. My role isn't to direct people's eyes to me, but to the God in whom I trust. The primary way I do that is by making sure I'm looking to God myself." What is faith? Faith is confidence in things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. If we are worried all the time and our lives don't show that we trust God, how do expect to lead others to do so?

We have to set an example for the believers in purity. "Purity is the quality of being undefiled, unmixed, and undiluted, free from evil or contamination. The first area this applies to is our motives. God calls us to guard against being 'led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.' Leading worship for financial gain or public recognition dishonors God. God wants our worship to be sincere, not hypocritical; willing, not forced; wholehearted, not distracted. In other words, pure." This idea applies to all areas of our lives. We worship a Savior who died to purify us from our sins, let's worship Him with pure hearts.

We need to understand that worshipping God is an eternal occupation. We won't stop worshipping God when we die here, and as we've said many times everything we do here is worship. "If we aren't exemplifying a genuine yearning to bring glory to God that touches every aspect of our existence, then we have no business leading worship on Sundays." We, like Paul, need to set an example of worship...with our lives.

Enjoy the Journey