In my mind, the main difference between a Worship Leader and a Lead Worshiper is one of perspective. In worship, a Lead Worshiper’s focus tends to be entirely vertical…the focus is on his or her own personal and individual expression of worship offered to Almighty God. On the other hand, a Worship Leader’s focus is both vertical and horizontal…the focus is on his or her own personal and individual expression of worship AND on the participation of the congregation. The Lead Worshiper may assume that the congregation comes to worship as ready and willing participants, and that they will naturally follow his or her lead. The Worship Leader makes no such assumption, recognizing that congregation members come to a worship service in many different states of mind. Some are indeed ready and willing to participate in worship. Others come with the burdens and struggles of life that may deter their ability to worship. Still others may simply be quiet, shy, or consider themselves inadequate musically (“I can’t carry a tune in a wet paper bag!”). The Worship Leader accepts the role—even the responsibility—of being an encourager of worship.

There is another subtle difference between a Worship Leader and a Lead Worshiper that I should mention. An unintended consequence of being a Lead Worshiper is the increased possibility that more members of a congregation will be content to be spectators of a “worship performance,” rather than participants in the act of worship. A Worship Leader works hard to encourage participation…you will rarely hear a solo or a feature vocalist—it’s more about God’s people lifting their voices together! I spent part of the summer of 2009 teaching a university class in England. While I was there, I visited a dynamic, growing church that featured contemporary praise and worship…full band, great sound system, the whole thing. But, here’s what impressed me most: I could hear the congregation singing above all the amplified sound! It was powerful. It was pure worship. Their leader was a Worship Leader, not a Lead Worshiper.

Make no mistake. There is a place for great performances of worship music. And people can be blessed as spectators of those great performances. But I believe a congregation’s highest expression of praise occurs God’s people enter His Presence in participative worship.

I’m right in the middle of it. In addition to my role as a Professor of Media Studies at Belmont University, I serve as the Worship Pastor of Nashville’s The Grace Place, a dynamic and growing church. I work with an incredible group of talented musicians, singers, and technical crew. We have all the tools—a better-than-average sound system; a large and comfortable worship “space;” and a great relationship with a very supportive Senior Pastor. I love it!

But I think about worship a lot. I know it’s more than a set of well-written, well-played, and well-sung songs. There is that tension between worship that makes me feel “good” and worship that makes me feel “bad” (Isaiah 6). There is also the tension between listening to a really good praise team making great music and intentionally entering the Presence of God, regardless of how good or bad the music is. And then, there is that whole “worship Him in Spirit and Truth” thing. What does that really mean? So, I think about it…and beginning now, I will “think out loud” at this site with this blog: Spirit & Truth. I hope you’ll join me each week to consider our highest calling—worship. In fact, when you can, join the conversation. Let me know what you think. E-mail your thoughts to: richprof@aol.com. Next week, we explore an important question: Worship Leader or Lead Worshipper?