Get Out of the Green Room

I watched a fantastic video via The Verge Network this morning.  It was a talk surrounding the fact, yes FACT, that worship leaders need to get off their butts, get out of the green room, and go connect with people!  I'm wrapping myself in here as well because I have absolutely been one of those leaders who goes and does his thing, and then gets a coffee, plops down on the couch and proceeds to "listen" to the sermon via the web stream.

Jesse Stone, of Austin Stone Worship, lays this out so perfectly and it fires me up!  Do you realize that you have an incredible platform?  You have the opportunity as a worship leader to connect with, love on, lift up, encourage, teach, and so many other things, the people in the congregation you serve.  Listen to the word I just used one more time... "Serve".

I'll be the first to admit that I used to use my platform as a spotlight for my gifts.  I was in college, playing professionally all over the Seattle area and saw it as an opportunity to do more music.  I was squandering the abilities God gave me and was incredibly fortunate to have leaders over me who recognized the potential in me and took time out of their own lives to mentor and teach. 

The bottom line here is this,
the green room is not a lounge, it's a place a preparation and prayer.  Use it as that, and then get out so you can connect with the amazing people around you!  Pray with them, encourage them.  Maybe God has a mentor opportunity just waiting for you.

Watch Jesse Stone's video via The Verge Network here! I loved it and I think you will too.

Platform: Social Justice and The Worship Leader

Action.  It's that simple.
Being a worship leader is so much more than leading people in 1 fast song and 2 slow songs, or 3 slow songs if the spirit is REALLY moving.  Being a leader means living out your worship daily in non-music settings.
One of the most valuable tools I've learned to use is my "platform".  As a leader on stage every week I've gained a pretty significant amount of face time with people.  I love this fact, not because I get attention or any kind of spotlight, I would quite honestly be totally content not being on a stage at all, but because I can now use this clout, or whatever you want to call it, to connect with people and inspire them to take action.  When I was gigging around the Northwest I used to network with all kinds of artists, some who've really taken off now, and I would see them broadcast the work a charity they were interested in was doing.  I was very blessed to have played shows with some of these artists on multiple occasions and saw people take action and respond to the artist's prompting at every single one of those shows.  They were using their platform to broadcast and inspire.
Now I'm not suggesting you get up and interrupt your worship set to give a short speech on why the world needs clean water (although I am rather passionate about this subject... Check this out...) but I am saying that you need to recognize the platform you've been given and the potential impact you could make.
What this all boils down too is a responsibility to take action.  As worship leaders our lives should reflect the heart of our father (as every Jesus lover's should). 

Here is a fantastic article from The Verge Network that I think I you guys may find interesting.

I’ve always had a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of “justice.” In our culture, social justice has become a bit of a buzz word and it’s hard to figure out how we as Christians respond to overwhelming and tragic issues of injustice in our world. Growing up, I had a very narrow view of “justice.” Immediately my mind went to things like judges, prisons, and the TV show “COPS.” But a broader view of justice, and our role to be people pursuing justice, is essential to the life of the Christian leader.   Read More...