Spotlight Addiction
January 7, 2009
Is your worship team addicted to the spotlight?
As I sat with a good friend of mine a couple of nights ago, we spoke about our worship teams spirituality and where it was, and we both came to a conclusion (or revelation) of how being in the spotlight (as a member of the worship team) could become an addiction if there isn’t a strong relationship with Christ. It could cause an addiction to being in the limelight, being the center of attention, getting praises from everyone, and the list can go on and on.
Several questions stayed in my mind that entire night, like “Is my worship team addicted to the spotlight?”, “Are other worship teams addicted to the spotlight of their calling and responsibility?”.
Have you ever thought this question before? As worship leaders we must know what is driving our people to come to rehearsals and services week in and week out. Is it the genuine passion to worship God and be a vessel used for His glory to bring others to His presence that is driving our people? Is it the excitement of being on stage with the spotlight directed on you and all eyes focused on you? Is the craving for their attention being satisfied driving our people?
The Bible says, in 1Kings 11 2-4, The Lord had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations, because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And sure enough, they led his heart away from the Lord. In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the Lord his God, as his father, David, had done.
You are probably asking yourself, “What is he getting at with these scriptures?”. We’ll take a look at verse four’s bold lettering. We all pretty much know Solomon’s story and how he choose wisdom when God asked him to choose anything He wanted. In the beginning years of Solomon’s life God was with him and had placed His favor on him. Solomon was passionate about God – the same God his father David had served. And in these scriptures we see that Solomon had been king of Israel for a long time. So what happened? How could such a man of God turn his heart away from the very one that gave him everything and put him where he was? Where did all of this start?
I believe that Solomon got so accommodated, so comfortable, so used to being in the spotlight, so used to getting praises and glory from everyone, that the very thing God gave him was the thing that overtook him. The responsibility that God gave him overtook him. Like I’ve heard a famous preacher say, ” The same anointing that blesses you can also curse you if not taken care of and respected”.
Many of us have been a part of our worship teams for many, many years and have seen God do amazing things in us and through us in our rehearsals, services, and meetings. But we can’t allow ourselves to lose ourselves in our calling, in our responsibilities, duties, talents, gifting, leadership position, etc. We can’t allow ourselves to forget about the God that has given us what we have and placed us where we are. What will happen is that there will be a shifting of importance, of priority, and a shifting of not who we are worshiping but what we are worshiping. This ultimately becomes the Spotlight Addiction.
Think about that!
Pray and ask God, “Is my worship team addicted to the spotlight?” God will reveal that to you in due season. But also for the worship leaders out there, I ask you to have a sit down one on one meeting with each member of your team and ask them, “What is your drive in this worship ministry?”, “What brings you the most satisfaction in this worship ministry?”. Then you will get to know the hearts of your members.
I pray that every worship team across this nation can put God, and only God, on that high pedestal. I pray that we can worship God the way Jesus said it in John 4:23, But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.
Please share your thoughts.
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Johnny,
Wow, what an incredible bit of insight, and a challenge to stop and ponder this. Pride is something that can easily take up residence in our hearts as worship leaders, and even as team members.
I know for me, personally, I’m trying to “give that up” as much as possible – and work to be sure that the attention isn’t on me, but on God Himself.
Thanks for the reminder.
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This is my case for starting people slowly (particularly in a church with a large congregation where it feels like they are “arena tour” in size). We make people sing on bridge team long before they ever get to hold a microphone. We also make them listen to an old Louie Giglio message that has as its theme….get on the cross, not on the platform…
These have tended to beat the spotlight out of people.
(No lie, I once mentored a girl way back who wanted to play for the youth service I led. I built her a shower curtain box and put a monitor in it and made her play for a month from there. She had to be in there before kids arrived and had to sneak out after the service ended and then could mingle but couldn’t tell people she was the one in the curtain box. I used it as a teaching time both for her and our student worshipers. A little hard core, but it worked and she has thanked me for it sense)
Awesome Blog! I remember when I met you, you were just one of those kids in the youth group. On fire for God, but WOW!!! How much you have continued to grow in your relationship with God, in your worship, in your ministry! I am so proud of you, that regardless of the many things that could have brought you down, or drawn you on another path, you have remained faithful to God and you continue to live to serve and worship Him. Not for your glory, but for His glory. Its an honor to work with you and under you in the worship ministry, not only because we are great friends, but because I know that you truly are a man of God and I know your heart is pure as you give all that God has given you back to Him! Its an inspiration and a guiding light for those of us around you.
God bless!
Spotlight Addiction: Is your worship team addicted to the spotlight?
As I sat with a good friend of mine a coupl.. http://tinyurl.com/9vpjcg