How to Be a Worship Leader

As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come and stand at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.  Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance of his tent.  Exodus 33:10-11

Have you ever been coerced into worshiping God?  You know what I mean.  Some praise and worship leader tries to cheer lead you into God's presence.  You are commanded to shout, raise your hands, clap your hands, praise God, thank God, jump for joy...on and on and on.  You are ordered to "usher in the presence of God," or make a "joyful noise unto the LORD." You are told that you must "enter in his gates with thanksgiving in your hearts and enter into his courts with praise."  You must give the "sacrifice of praise," because He "inhabits the praises of His people."

All of this may be true, well, and good.  After all, it is in the Bible.

But a true worship leader simply enters into God's presence himself.  She and God connect, the congregation sees God and her connecting, and they join in that connection.

That's real worship.
That's a real worship leader.

It actually does God great dishonor to be a "cheer leader" instead of a worship leader.

Everyone knows when someone is genuinely excited about something or someone, versus when they try to make themselves excited when they are not.  Many worship leaders are trying to act passionate about God. But it's an act.

We've all experienced the real thing though.

I remember at a retreat a young man sang a song to the Lord. It was a quiet song.  And it was beautiful.  But there was something else.  A "holy hush."  A feeling that God Himself liked the song, which made me worship God with the singer.

This was different from another singer, whose voice was also beautiful.  But I didn't feel God listening and enjoying the song, so I couldn't join in God's enjoyment.

If you are a praise and worship leader, or even if you are not, the way to be a worship leader is to simply enter God's presence for yourself, for the enjoyment of God alone.  And when God responds to you, the people who want to worship Him will feel Him with you, and worship Him with you.