Unfortunately, I'm seeing many church members frustrated but hanging on because they have put their time into building up that church and waiting until the new ego leaves. I'm sensing this new worship leader in his mid-20's cannot relate to anyone older than about 30 or 35, which says he is too immature to accept opinion and guidance from anyone older than he. It's a shame but this is a trend I am seeing all over the area. Young worship leaders coming in and not being able to relate to older, more mature members who try to offer advice and guidance in a very constructive way, but are shut down by the "My way or the highway" attitude of the new kids. It's not just me, I've have several musicians make contact with me and tell me their horror stories of having to deal with massive egos and arrogance from kids just out of school or by only several years. It's sad. THIS is the state of things in Praise and Worship music nowadays. There is a trend and it's not a good one.
I will like that one and add...Ultimately, it's God who qualifies His servants for their roles. Licenses and documents by men are fine enough, but if God's hand isn't upon them for their ministry it's just a piece of paper.
Also, it seems you're pretty upset about all this. It sounds like you need to forgive this guy from the heart, especially if you're to be ministering together.
If you're only using the New Testament, musical instruments would need to eliminated. That's the reason some churches that don't allow them - or that's what I've read. Or is that what you're suggesting?
I know there are people like that - have had the dubious honor of leading some of them in worship as a guest.... but I don't get why they think it's unBiblical - there is no mention of "sermon" in any discussion of church meetings in the New Testament....there are believers who think that unless there's a sermon, the service is out or order, unBiblical.....
I was raised in a fairly large moderate Baptist church in D/FW, where all the ministers on staff did have their ministerial license granted by a board. The senior pastor held a PhD and most associate pastors held a masters. All had to answer to the board of deacons. Those two qualifications provided a good amount of assurance our ministers were 1) educated with an RE degree or M of M, and 2) vetted by a ministerial board who believed in them enough to grant them a license or certification. They were completely and totally dedicated to ministry. (Unlike some of the CCM worship leaders I have known.) Personally I wouldn't want to raise my family in a church that I wasn't assured the ministers either held advanced degrees and licenses, or at the very least a bachelor's and had been practicing ministers with years of experience in the field and had been licensed for many years. Granted young ministers need to start somewhere, but I firmly believe they should be monitored, coached, counseled, and mentored and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they perform up to expectations and do NOT have an ego that is out of control. In other words, leave the ego at home. Better yet, keep it in check at all times.
I've witnessed young ministers fired or severely reprimanded because instead of following directions from a senior minister who has years of experience in the profession, these young egos thought they knew better and decided to do it their own way. Sad this happens in the ministry profession but it does.
As far as a contemporary Worship Leader leading the band and congregation, even if I am in the band or not, I would insist the WL has some type of religion or ministry degree or degree in church music or MM and a license granted from an official licensing board mandated from whatever denomination they are members. I believe it's okay to be a lay worship leader participating in that Sunday's service by reading scripture or as a guest musician or singer, or giving witness testimony, which I have done before as have many others, but as far as on being on paid staff without the RE degree and a license or certificate, I wouldn't want to attend that church.
I've seen others, including myself here, that have been totally burned by inexperienced, unlicensed, non-RE degree holding or egotistical ministers that talk a good talk and "act" like a minister in front of people, and some buy into their routine, but when a difficult time comes to actually be a minister and serve the salt of the earth, these people fall way short and leave hurt souls in their wake.
Why would the WL be on "paid staff?"As far as a contemporary Worship Leader leading the band and congregation, even if I am in the band or not, I would insist the WL has some type of religion or ministry degree or degree in church music or MM and a license granted from an official licensing board mandated from whatever denomination they are members. I believe it's okay to be a lay worship leader participating in that Sunday's service by reading scripture or as a guest musician or singer, or giving witness testimony, which I have done before as have many others, but as far as on being on paid staff without the RE degree and a license or certificate, I wouldn't want to attend that church.
My son and I got to back Wilbur and Marc Chopinsky (who wrote much of his early material) on drums and bass respectively at a conference a few years ago.LOVE Paul Wilbur's music.
This is a great list. While I had not seen it before - those are all points that I intentionally avoided during my term as WL.This is some of what I have unfortunately witnessed recently. Points 1,2,5,8,9, and 10 are what I have seen lately in the new worship leader.
From a blog by T.J. Addington - Leading from the Sandbox. Ten marks of Ego-driven leaders:
In an ironic twist from the humble and servant leadership of Christ there are many in Christian leadership in the church and elsewhere (lay and professional) who are driven more by ego and personal success than by a desire to see the Gospel advanced. The Gospel becomes the means by which personal success is achieved rather than the Gospel being the primary objective of their leadership. As a psychologist lamented to me recently, "Why are there so many ego driven and narcissistic leaders in Christian ministry?"
What are the signs of ego driven ministry?
First, it is obvious to those around ego driven leaders that it is about "them" and that the relentless drive for better and bigger is about their leader's success rather than the accomplishment of the mission or serving their team.
Second, ego driven leaders often drive their staff rather than serving and growing their staff as they are the means to their success. When staff feel used, it is a sign that this is about the leader rather than about the mission.
Third, ego driven leaders take credit for success and blame others for failure. They may not do this overtly (that would not look good) but they find ways to inflate their own effectiveness and deflect responsibility for failures.
Fourth, ego driven leaders often exaggerate the actual results of their ministries. Any time the stated results don't match the actual results there is eqo inflation going on. This is ubiquitous in missions!
Fifth, ego driven leaders don't empower their staff but rather control them. After all, it is about them and they want to ensure that it stays about them. Empowerment means giving responsibility, authority and therefore credit for results away.
Sixth, ego driven leaders don't often cooperate with other ministries. If it is not their idea it is not worthy of pursuing. They guard the ability to say "we did this," or "this was our idea."
Seventh, ego driven leaders are highly territorial. There is competition with other ministries as if there were a limited amount of gospel results to be had. Further, they actually believe that they have a corner on the market of how they do what they do.
Eighth, the actions and attitudes of ego driven leaders often do not match their spiritual language. Outsiders may not know the gap but insiders are well aware and the gap breeds cynicism.
Ninth, ego driven leaders give little attention to the contributions of other people to the cause of the kingdom. Their attention, focus and energy is all focused on themselves and their ministry. When talking about other ministries they often find subtle ways to denigrate the strategy and results of others. The putting down of others allows them to inflate themselves.
Tenth, ego driven leaders are not open to criticism, dialogue or feedback regarding their own behavior or leadership. Because it is about them they are not open to the feedback of others if is deemed critical. There is a high defensive mechanism. This means that strong leaders around them do not last long because their input is not welcome. Those who will cater to their egos, however, are always welcome.
My advice for those who work for ego driven leaders? Consider finding another leader to work for whose true focus is the advancement of the kingdom rather than the advancement of themselves and their ego's. Why? because using the gospel as the advancement mechanism for ourselves is anathema to everything Jesus taught about leadership in His kingdom. It is never about us. It is always about Him. Something for every leader to think about.
Well - you might be pleased to learn that my classes in music theory and arrangement were taken in Texas - Waxahachi to be specific. It was at the A/G college there for a summer music camp put on by the Southern Gospel quartets JD Sumner and the Stamps and the Blackwood Brothers. That was the summers between my freshman and sophomore hs years for the first class, and between my junior and senior hs years for the second level class.@davew - From reading your post it is very impressive. I'm sure you are very good and well sought after as a WL. And I am glad to see you intentionally stayed away from "the list". The church and denomination we belong to pays their main staff. We attend a fairly large church in D/FW and the congregation size can support having a paid senior pastor, youth pastor, children's pastor and worship leader. It also supports a preschool with paid staff and several church office positions. The churches I have been members of, except for a small one consisting of less than 50 members, have all had paid staff and office positions. Most, if not all, have the staff positions as holding some type of religion or music degree. The senior pastors all held advanced degrees or PhDs. The old saying, "everything is bigger in Texas" applies here as well. Grin
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