Exhortation in Worship Leading
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In this instruction, Paul is giving us some direction of what musical worship looks like for the gathered church. What I want us to to see here, is when we worship together there is a “horizontal” aspect to our worship that aims to place the word of Christ (read: gospel: word and work) to dwell in us richly.
Worship Leader is more than singing. It’s Exhortation. It’s pleading with the Church to praise the Lord, see the Lord, and trust the Lord.
There are two gifts listed in Romans 12:8 that are key characteristics of a worship leader that we should desire from the Spirit, and seek to grow in as worship leaders: (see in bold).
Romans 12:8
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment,each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Exhortation and Zeal makes for an impactful worship leader.
Think of it this way, is more important for someone to say of a worship leader:
a) they have an amazing and beautiful voice or
b) they passionately and whole heartedly worship Jesus and they lead me to do the same.
Ways God might lead you to exhort:
God’s Word (A scripture that helps the church connect and hear from the Lord in worship)
Singing (“Praise the Lord!” or invitation to sing a confession of sin, need, or assurance)
Declaring or Proclaiming (“He is our salvation!”)
Highlighting (Helping the congregation see or meditate on Christ and the Gospel more clearly or intently on the lyrics they are singing)
Evangelizing ( Sometimes, God will lead you to exhort the unbelievers in the room, Now is the time, place your trust in Jesus! Call upon the Lord and you will be saved)
“Prepared” Exhortation vs Spirit-led Exhortation:
Good preparation leads to good exhortation. The more “in step” you can be with the Holy Spirit going into worship, the easier it can be to hear and see what God is doing, and what the church needs to hear.
The Spirit leads even in our preparation, but often will bring you into a moment the Lord is moving with his people that is unique to that gathering and will have a specific exhortation for them.
How do you grow in Exhortation:
Prayer - devote yourself to it. Do nothing without it.
Know the Word, carry the Word, use the Word.
Know the theology and purpose of the song we are singing.
Look and listen, be curious with what the Lord is doing in the room. Ask him directly. Eyes and hearts Open. What do you see, what do you hear?
Test it. Not all exhortations can be tested, because they can happen in a moment, but with good preparation comes good exhortation. So when you can, bring others into it. Does this resonate with you? Is it consistent with what it seems God is doing?