Keys to Becoming an Effective Worship Leader Chapter 1

In this chapter, Kraeuter starts by saying that his main purpose for leading worship was to thank God for saving him. However, he says that it is very easy to lose focus and worry more about how great worship sounds or about if you are playing the right part. It is easy to judge how good worship is based in the congregations reactions instead of what God wants to say through worship. As worship leaders we worry about if transitions are smooth and if our electric guitar player is playing the right solo. Eventually, the quality of worship deteriorates and instead of playing for God, we are playing for ourselves. It is most important that worship leaders focus on growing in their relationship with God instead of relying on the gifts God gave us to lead worship. Eventually, if we are not leading for God, we are simply wasting talent and time because God can take our abilities so much farther. If we are not filled by our relationship with God, how can we expect to give any genuine worship when we lead. Therefore, our anchor must remain in God.

My favorite part of this chapter was that we can all relate to being caught up in how great or how bad worship sounds. We fall into the trap of focusing more on technique and talent then on the one we should be worshipping, God. I agree that the most important thing a worship leader can do is focus on our relationship with God. I have often been told that you can only lead as far as you have been. How can we expect to lead someone in worship when we are faking a relationship with God? Instead, it is better to be genuine, grow closer to God, and let him be the center of our worship.