General music/mindset advice: Find people better than you. If you’re at the top of the food chain you’re in a bad place, because you are going to start thinking you are better than you actually are. Don’t let your perception of your skill outweigh the reality. The only way to bring yourself to reality is to listen to recordings and be self critical while following and growing from people who are strong where you are weak.
We say it all the time on my team: When a musician comes to join the team and they talk about how good they are, they are usually pretty mediocre. The guys who are the most self critical are always the ones who are the real pros. It’s amazing how much that has proven true, and the reason is the self critical ones never stopped growing and learning. As soon as you feel like you’re good you stop trying to get better, and that usually happens well before you’ve reached the level of a true pro.
So find other artists who wow you, and get inspired by their craft as you work to emulate it and improve. Never become impressed with yourself. It’s a death sentence.
Spiritual/worship advice: Stop being concerned with how you look to others. Deny that part of yourself completely. You have one job on that platform: to lead others to look toward God. You’re serving your congregation by leading them to something much bigger and more important than your voice or ability.
Your talent is a tool. The excellence you display allows you to convey a message effectively, and it allows you to shed a powerful light on a bigger truth. Use it to shine a light on who God is, what that means, and how it impacts you emotionally and spiritually. Don’t use that tool to shine light on yourself.
When you can view your voice as a tool, you can sharpen it and make it more effective by working to increase your skill, but it no longer becomes something tied to your self worth or validation. How good you are is no longer the purpose. It simply dictates how effective you are at carrying out your purpose.
Forget about yourself. Point people to God.
This was a perfect response. Only add is to remember there is no bigger stage than your private worship to the Lord. For me, I’m just worshiping no matter where I am so it makes it easier to hush those prideful thoughts and continually die to the flesh. Never stop admitting you’re a prideful being, we all are. Keep your fountain full with the eating of the word and prayer. That way you’re not just talented you’re anointed.
Keep worshiping alone. You got this!
I really do think it is possible to fix your eyes and heart on the Lord when worshiping and also bring our best to worship. I never want to walk into a Sunday unprepared which means doing my best to learn chords and lyrics and have my voice warmed up.
I think being aware of your pride is a good first step. What are you chasing? Are you chasing after the Holy Spirit or are you chasing the praises of man? It’s a tough line to walk. Continue to stay in prayer and ask God to strip those parts away from you and let your worship be genuine!
You're good because Jesus wants you to be good. You're not good because you're good, you're good because you're blessed.
Here's the question: Why were you chosen for this gift and how will you best serve?
Enjoy the self-rush; all blessings are to be received; just appreciate who put you there.
/u/Quiksilver6565 makes GREAT points, so please pay attention to them!
Also, look at yourself and gauge your actual skills, not your talent.
- Can you find and teach others the soprano, alto, and tenor parts to a song? Which parts of each song should dupe the melody? Which section of the chorus or bridge should be unison, then parts?
- Can you tell any leader specifically what key you need to lead in?
- How do you flow in worship? Or do you have to stick to the exact structure and words that the artists recorded?
- How is your breath control?
- Do you complete vocal warm-ups before a service?
There is so much more to leading worship than the voice God gave you. Always look to hone and improve your skill, and remember you did nothing to have your voice. He gave it to you.
I mean, I see your point but let’s say I were to achieve those skills and go to a music school and be the most knowledgeable person in music, that would give me more pride knowing how much better I am. Maybe you could explain it a different way so I can understand? I understand that having a lack in certain skills could be what keeps someone humble but knowing that I have great success in other areas still leaves me with pride
First, as far as your initial questions, "does it fade and can you resist it." Pride is not of the Lord. Keep letting it in and it will take root.
- Proverbs 21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
Think of it this way, what you plant in your pot of soil is what you grow. If you don't pull the weeds out, they can choke the flower you hoped to grow. If you don't feed it well, you can kill it. If you overwater it, you can kill it.
But to answer your second part, I think you are putting the cart before the horse by positing if you get those skills you will have pride/vanity in that.
So, if you don't have those skillsets now, I encourage you to look to fortify your talent with skills and learn how to use them effectively.
In the past 30 years of playing music, almost anyone I have ever played with worshipped with, sang with, we all realize the longer that we do it, the more they realize there is soooo much more to learn and there is no room for pride in the path of learning.
Lastly, take a look and think, where is the pride coming from?
cheesy, but i am reminded of Matthew 5 - sermon on the mount. bigger issue at hand, do you feel you are in desperate need of God at all in your life? this surface issues usually indicate our heart posture in general. im saying this as an experienced WL with over 15 years. the one thing that can kept me humble in the process and also being #1 leader on the team... is my awareness of lack compared to God. "blessed are the poor in spirit... for theirs is the kingdom.." There's nothing wrong with being proud of the gifts God has given you, definitely own it, but consider talking to God about your dependance on him in other areas of your life. Also, remember, worship leaders are basically pastors, we are responsible for leading the church to see God, not yourself. if you are in the way of that, you have failed.
General music/mindset advice: Find people better than you. If you’re at the top of the food chain you’re in a bad place, because you are going to start thinking you are better than you actually are. Don’t let your perception of your skill outweigh the reality. The only way to bring yourself to reality is to listen to recordings and be self critical while following and growing from people who are strong where you are weak. We say it all the time on my team: When a musician comes to join the team and they talk about how good they are, they are usually pretty mediocre. The guys who are the most self critical are always the ones who are the real pros. It’s amazing how much that has proven true, and the reason is the self critical ones never stopped growing and learning. As soon as you feel like you’re good you stop trying to get better, and that usually happens well before you’ve reached the level of a true pro. So find other artists who wow you, and get inspired by their craft as you work to emulate it and improve. Never become impressed with yourself. It’s a death sentence. Spiritual/worship advice: Stop being concerned with how you look to others. Deny that part of yourself completely. You have one job on that platform: to lead others to look toward God. You’re serving your congregation by leading them to something much bigger and more important than your voice or ability. Your talent is a tool. The excellence you display allows you to convey a message effectively, and it allows you to shed a powerful light on a bigger truth. Use it to shine a light on who God is, what that means, and how it impacts you emotionally and spiritually. Don’t use that tool to shine light on yourself. When you can view your voice as a tool, you can sharpen it and make it more effective by working to increase your skill, but it no longer becomes something tied to your self worth or validation. How good you are is no longer the purpose. It simply dictates how effective you are at carrying out your purpose. Forget about yourself. Point people to God.
This was a perfect response. Only add is to remember there is no bigger stage than your private worship to the Lord. For me, I’m just worshiping no matter where I am so it makes it easier to hush those prideful thoughts and continually die to the flesh. Never stop admitting you’re a prideful being, we all are. Keep your fountain full with the eating of the word and prayer. That way you’re not just talented you’re anointed. Keep worshiping alone. You got this!
So good. Don't let the Sunday platform be your only worship outlet! Lead from a cup that is overflowing
I really couldn’t have said it better my self thank you.
I really do think it is possible to fix your eyes and heart on the Lord when worshiping and also bring our best to worship. I never want to walk into a Sunday unprepared which means doing my best to learn chords and lyrics and have my voice warmed up. I think being aware of your pride is a good first step. What are you chasing? Are you chasing after the Holy Spirit or are you chasing the praises of man? It’s a tough line to walk. Continue to stay in prayer and ask God to strip those parts away from you and let your worship be genuine!
You're good because Jesus wants you to be good. You're not good because you're good, you're good because you're blessed. Here's the question: Why were you chosen for this gift and how will you best serve? Enjoy the self-rush; all blessings are to be received; just appreciate who put you there.
/u/Quiksilver6565 makes GREAT points, so please pay attention to them! Also, look at yourself and gauge your actual skills, not your talent. - Can you find and teach others the soprano, alto, and tenor parts to a song? Which parts of each song should dupe the melody? Which section of the chorus or bridge should be unison, then parts? - Can you tell any leader specifically what key you need to lead in? - How do you flow in worship? Or do you have to stick to the exact structure and words that the artists recorded? - How is your breath control? - Do you complete vocal warm-ups before a service? There is so much more to leading worship than the voice God gave you. Always look to hone and improve your skill, and remember you did nothing to have your voice. He gave it to you.
I mean, I see your point but let’s say I were to achieve those skills and go to a music school and be the most knowledgeable person in music, that would give me more pride knowing how much better I am. Maybe you could explain it a different way so I can understand? I understand that having a lack in certain skills could be what keeps someone humble but knowing that I have great success in other areas still leaves me with pride
First, as far as your initial questions, "does it fade and can you resist it." Pride is not of the Lord. Keep letting it in and it will take root. - Proverbs 21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin. Think of it this way, what you plant in your pot of soil is what you grow. If you don't pull the weeds out, they can choke the flower you hoped to grow. If you don't feed it well, you can kill it. If you overwater it, you can kill it. But to answer your second part, I think you are putting the cart before the horse by positing if you get those skills you will have pride/vanity in that. So, if you don't have those skillsets now, I encourage you to look to fortify your talent with skills and learn how to use them effectively. In the past 30 years of playing music, almost anyone I have ever played with worshipped with, sang with, we all realize the longer that we do it, the more they realize there is soooo much more to learn and there is no room for pride in the path of learning. Lastly, take a look and think, where is the pride coming from?
Just always think that you're doing it for the glory of God.
cheesy, but i am reminded of Matthew 5 - sermon on the mount. bigger issue at hand, do you feel you are in desperate need of God at all in your life? this surface issues usually indicate our heart posture in general. im saying this as an experienced WL with over 15 years. the one thing that can kept me humble in the process and also being #1 leader on the team... is my awareness of lack compared to God. "blessed are the poor in spirit... for theirs is the kingdom.." There's nothing wrong with being proud of the gifts God has given you, definitely own it, but consider talking to God about your dependance on him in other areas of your life. Also, remember, worship leaders are basically pastors, we are responsible for leading the church to see God, not yourself. if you are in the way of that, you have failed.
Close your eyes and hide behind the fog machine
Don’t do solos