so , anytime I get an opportunity to write with different people from different streams of the church , I ’ m always going to take it .
[ WM ] Well said ! I ’ m glad you ’ ve got some guardrails set up with some Godly counsel too . Alright , last question . Our readers are worship leaders , worship musicians and tech teams … they ’ re in the trenches week-in and week-out . Some are paid staff , and some are volunteers . What kind of advice do you have for fellow worship teams ?
[ Cody ] Well , first , I would say thank you for doing what you do . I would say that you are a part of helping people encounter the presence of Jesus in your community . And whether you ’ re a worship leader , whether you ’ re a musician , whether you are an audio tech … we ’ re all setting this atmosphere for people to meet with Jesus . To declare His truth , His scripture , to really lift praise to God … what we ’ re meant to do . And so , thank you for doing that !
Thank you for saying “ yes ” to where God has you . In the times in my life when those moments have gotten weary . When I ’ ve gotten “ weary in well-doing ” as scripture says . I ’ ve found that oftentimes what helps in those moments is to really find the stories of God in the people that we ’ re leading . And I think there was a time when I was helping plant a church ten plus years ago , and there was probably a threemonth season where I wasn ’ t really engaging with the people much before and after service . I ’ d kind of gotten lazy . I ’ d kind of let that slip in my routines on a Sunday .
And I started noticing that my heart started becoming disengaged with really understanding what was going on in a room . All I knew is that whether or not people were lifting their hands or whether or not they were singing , which isn ’ t really the best representation of what God is doing . And I started to become discouraged . And what I learned is that whenever I reengaged with people , whenever I got out after service and started meeting people and understanding their stories … and oftentimes people would love to share with me what ’ s happening in worship and what God was saying to them and the things that they were going through and how it was helpful . And I learned that was just so helpful for me , to just hear the testimonies of what God was doing .
I think it ’ s important to engage if you aren ’ t engaging with your community . Also , what that does , is the more that people get to know you , and the more that you ’ re engaged with them in conversations , the more that they trust you . And you must be trusted to be a great worship leader . People must trust you if they ’ re going to trust you to take them into the presence of God and follow you . You ’ ve got to have that relational equity there . And so , I would say , just make sure you ’ re doing that . Don ’ t be a Green Room worship leader . Don ’ t want your team to be Green Room worship leaders . Get out in the people , be a part of the community . Just really understand what God is doing and how He ’ s moving in your communities .
[ WM ] Cody , that ’ s golden advice ! We appreciate your time with us . Thank you so much !
[ Cody ] You are welcome !
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