Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Song Leader vs. Worship Leader

My dear friend Jennifer Click suggested (via Facebook) that I talk about the difference in a song leader and a worship leader. I've been thinking about that for a long time, and I hope these words do justice to the distinction. And maybe stretch us a little at the same time.

First, some of this distinction is simply a matter of familiar terminology. My grandfather (who would have turned 97 a few days ago if he were still living) would probably call me a song leader. That is the only term that was in his lexicon for what I do. I lead singing. Some other dude does the preaching. OK, he wouldn't have "dude" in his lexicon either, but you get the idea. So let's not be too harsh on folks who may use the only term that is familiar to them.

In my brain the difference is both simple and significant. A song leader leads songs. A worship leader leads worship. That's pretty obvious, right? Well, drill down just a bit.

A song leader can lead any song. It could be a patriotic song, a folk song, a bar tune, or a gospel-saturated worship song. Their goal is to get people singing a song. They are a leader of songs. And, at some meaningful level, a leader of people. That's it. Two dimensions.

A worship leader may not be able to lead songs. But they can exhort people to give their minds attention and their hearts affection to Jesus. And if they can lead songs, they may have very little desire to point out how great a song is. Instead, they can't help but point out how great their Savior is.

A worship leader who can lead songs works with three dimensions. They lead songs. They lead people. And through songs they connect people to God.

A song leader believes in the power of his song.

A worship leader believes in the power of her Savior.

The destination of a song leader is the singing.

The destination of a worship leader is the Throne of grace.

Song leaders are invigorating.

Worship leaders are inspiring.

I suppose, after getting all of that out, my aspiration is to be a worship leader who can draw on the skills of a song leader. And my fear would be that I would be remembered as a song leader who never took people to such a beautiful, transformational destination as the feet of Jesus.

This is a topic I'm guessing lots of worship folks have considered. Any thoughts out there, blog community?

2 comments:

  1. Thank you Rod!

    Do you mind if I add an audience perspective? There is a tremendous difference between a song leader and a worship leader.

    You stated: a song leader leads in singing of the songs. There can be good song leaders-demonstrating worship in their singing but they are not leading people to worship; they are leading people to sing.

    A worship leader seems to be ever mindful of how the song points people toward their Savior and demonstrates, through singing, how they, too, can worship their Lord by singing.

    Song leadership seems to have more to do with the head. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of heart or soul leading because the focus is on the song. It seems to me to be why a lot of church song leaders stick to the old familiar hymns. There is very little effort to point people to the Lord with a song like ‘Amazing Grace.’

    Worship leadership aims the heart, the mind and the soul heavenward. The focus is on the Lord. A worship leader takes a chance on leading the people in a new song because the words focus so much on the Lord. ‘How Great Is Our God’ comes to mind. As I recall, I didn’t care much for the song; but when you pointed out how the focus is shifted toward the Lord, it became one of my favorites.

    Having been the product of song leadership all my life, worship leadership was something totally new and consequently something to be wary of. But in just a short while and because the focus was on the Lord, not the congregation, I learned to abandon my reservations and felt free to worship God through song.

    It is what I miss tremendously now that I’m back where song leadership is the norm.

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  2. Thanks, Jen. It was an honor to lead worship while you were leading the tech ministry at MBC!

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