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Not a Lover of Money

(1 Timothy 3:3 & Titus 1:7)
A worship pastor does not do his job primarily for money. He provides for his family well, but his primary motivation is his calling, not his paycheck. He doesn't lead worship and write songs for the sake of money, but to express his love and knowledge of Christ. The motivation of a worship leader should be the good of the people he is called to serve, not his own gain.

Good Husband and Father

(1 Timothy 3:4-5 & Titus 1:6)
The home life of a worship pastor is the most important part of his ministry. The home is where church begins. If you're not leading your wife and your children well, you should not be trying to lead the church. The organization of the church is built on the organization of the home. The great commandment was first given to us to teach in our homes, not our churches. Deuteronomy 6 tells us that God gave the greatest commandment (love God most) to the husbands and fathers to teach their wives and children. Before you think about, pray for, and plan for your ministry for the church, do so for your family. Give your wife the greatest love story of all time; give your children the hero they deserve. They are your primary flock, and you are their primary pastor. Do that job well! The home of a worship pastor should be one worthy of admiration and should stand as a living testimony to the gospel.

Lover of Good, Upright and Holy

(Titus 1:8)
A worship pastor should be a man of joy. A joyful disposition and an infectious hope in God are essential for successful and qualified leadership. A worship pastor should communicate the joy and hope of God in song, prayer, and life. Our goal in meeting corporately is to "stir one another to love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:24), and the worship leader has to champion that cause and be "stirring." He should continually be growing in godliness and in his own sanctification, as he also calls the church to do so.

Conclusion

The role of a worship pastor goes much further than leading songs on Sunday. The worship leader is a culture-setter and champion for our affections to the Lord. He gives our souls the words we need to sing to God. Few people have the opportunity to affect people in the way worship pastors do. I have an elder who tells me that his favorite thing is when he catches himself on Sunday evening singing the songs that we sang Sunday morning. He judges the effectiveness of our service not by how he sang then, but how he sings later. His recollection brings him close to God all over again. Without a band, a stage, a screen or any people, he is again brought to the throne of God by the faithful service of a worship leader. What a great and profound privilege and responsibility! May this list of qualifications and exposition bring great challenge, conviction, and encouragement as we continue to grow together in biblical ministry.

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Not a Drunkard

(1 Timothy 3:3 & Titus 1:7)
Our worship pastors should not have un-battled addictions. This can be alcohol, drugs, pornography, or even fame or the praise of men. We must be driven by the Spirit of God and influenced primarily by him. Any addictions rob us of this connection and should be dealt with by confession and repentance.

Not Violent but Gentle, Not Quick-Tempered

(1 Timothy 3:3 & Titus 1:7)
A worship leader/pastor should not seek to get involved in arguments. Pastors teach and correct, but we don't "fight" (verbally, emotionally, or physically) if it can be avoided. Pastors should be known as men of peace. Our relationships and social leadership should imitate the peace of Christ. This peaceful countenance should be modeled by worship pastors for the worship team, church, and community for them to imitate and follow.

Not Arrogant or Conceited

(1 Timothy 3:6 & Titus 1:7)
Biblical worship is rooted in humility. No matter how gifted or talented a worship leader is, he must not be arrogant or conceited. The devil loves this sin and uses it to destroy lives, ministries, and churches. A maturing worship leader has a track record of winning this fight. That track record is seen in his genuine humility. Standing in front of people every week, singing, leading and helping them worship, can turn into performing and putting on a show in a second. The psalmist says, "In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 10:4). The prideful man is one who "does not seek him," and his heart refuses the presence of God. Pride begins with us thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. It is the enemy of worship because pride is an inaccurate assessment of our own worth, agenda, and desires. For a worship leader, not only is this personal sin, but it makes him corporately ineffective. Genuine worship and reveling in the presence of God is necessary to lead people in worship and teach them to also revel in the presence of God.

To be continued.

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Sober-Minded or Disciplined

(1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:8)
Many worship leaders are stereotypically labeled as "over-emotional." Many times this is not the fact, but when it is it needs to be addressed. Being emotionally-driven is not a personality type, but an immaturity needing repentance. Pastors should be driven by the Truth. You can be loving, gentle, soft, and caring, but not "driven" by emotion. James 1:6 describes it as being "like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." Worship pastors must be stable men who stake their lives, their joy, and their soul on Truth. The most effective worship leaders stir people's affections for God through being rooted and grounded in Truth.

Respectable, Well Thought of by Outsiders, Not a New Convert

(1 Timothy 3:2, 6-7)
The core issue here is the reputation of the gospel. This qualification draws a connection between a man's respectability and his spiritual maturity. The assumption is that the longer we walk with Christ, the more respectable we get and the more highly we're thought of by others. This means a worship pastor must be disciplined to foster respectability among the community. Letting his yes be yes and his no be no (James 5:12b) is crucial to people trusting him. Does this man do what he says he's going to do? Is he on time when he's supposed to be somewhere? All of these things, while they seem small to us, foster respect among those we minister to. Worship leaders should not be characterized by a persona or their "stage charisma," but by their spiritual maturity.

Hospitable

(1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:8)
The first-century idea of hospitality was hosting foreigners or non-believers. A worship pastor is called to be an evangelist. This type of evangelism should be practiced on- and offstage. Onstage, is our music Christ-centered? Do we sing correctly to God? Do we present the gospel regularly in our services? Offstage, do we intentionally befriend and invest in non-Christians? All pastors should be doing the work of an evangelist: leading people to Jesus through corporate worship services and through regular interaction with the lost.

Able to Teach

(1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:9)
Many worship leaders do not feel comfortable teaching or speaking. While this is not a requirement to be able to preach, it is a requirement to know and be able to communicate truth. Teaching pastors teach through preaching, and worship leaders teach through singing. Songs chosen for corporate worship services teach doctrine, theology, even methodology. Worship leaders must be able teachers in this regard so that the songs being sung in the church reflect the convictions the church has been built upon.

The mandate for worship leaders is to ensure the songs a church sings are faithful to the Scriptures. Worship leaders become a vital voice in the theological understanding of a church and should take this responsibility very seriously. Leading worship is a sacred trust and must be done under the authority of the Scriptures. If there are any questions to the content or nature of a song, they should be directed to the senior pastor for his approval and oversight. A worship pastor must be able to correctly handle and communicate the truth of God.

To be continued.

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A Worship Leader Is a Pastor

Understanding the biblical role of a worship leader in the local church is central to the health of a church body. While the task of leading people in worship is outlined in varying ways, the implementation and function of the modern "worship leader" isn't found anywhere in the New Testament. What we do find is that pastors or elders are mandated with the job of leading the people in worship. For example, 2 Chronicles 7:6 describes priests leading David and Israel in worship. This tells us that the primary function of a worship leader should be pastor, not just artist.

Shepherd the Flock

The call of a worship leader in a local church is first to shepherd the flock (1 Peter 5:2) and second, to be the creative voice behind their collective song. Worship leaders should be pastors who have a deep love for the people they lead. Not just anyone with a guitar can lead worship, and not just anyone with a voice should be called a worship leader. It is a specific calling and has specific qualifications.

The qualifications for pastors and elders are spelled out in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-16. If we believe worship leaders are primarily pastors, then they need to be held to the same qualifications as pastors. We believe that anyone who leads the church of God long-term should be qualified biblically to do so. A healthy, God-honoring church must have qualified leadership at every level. Hopefully a look at these qualifications, particularly for a worship pastor, will help us all grow into maturing and increasingly qualified leaders.

Above Reproach

(1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:6-7)
In being above reproach, a worship pastor should be spiritually maturing. This qualification is set apart from having a good reputation or being well thought of. Being "above reproach" goes deeper than people liking him. The maturity spoken of here is a life and walk that is worthy of imitation. A worship leader must maintain a consistent character with those both inside and outside the church. A worship pastor must sing in a way that makes people want to participate, lead in a way that makes people want to engage, and live in a way that makes people want to follow. Leading worship involves all three components.

Husband of One Wife

(1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:6)
A worship leader must be a "one-woman man." He must maintain integrity in relationships with the opposite sex and go to great lengths to protect himself from sin. This man must have a godly, growing, and strong marriage. He must not be addicted to pornography or have wandering eyes. He is a great lover, friend, and leader for his wife, who honors him in public and in private. He must provide for her financially and lead her spiritually as a testimony of the gospel (1 Tim 5:8). If he is single and not called to celibacy, he must be working toward marriage by growing personally, spiritually, and emotionally.

To be continued.

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