Pressure Cooker

  I don't pretend to understand how much stress today's worship leader is under.  Here's to you modern worship leader.  (me raising my coffee cup)   You are expected to play not too loud, not too soft, not to rock, not too gospel, not too country, not too traditional.  Smile, be friendly, virtuous, inviting, outgoing, charismatic.  Be on your game every single week.  Make a rag-tag team of volunteer musicians sound like a tight, professional sounding band.  Use sparsely trained volunteer tech teams to achieve unrealistic, ridiculously ambitious productions - on a weekly basis.   Mentor and even pastor the people under your leadership.  Maintain and replenish the volunteer staff.  Research new song ideas, new equipment, put together holiday programs, special events, write new music, teach music, network, settle disputes.  Maintain your marriage, family time and often a full time job elsewhere because you are receiving a small stipend or volunteering your dang self.  If you are lucky enough to serve at a fiscally robust church, you may be actually be paid a competitive full time salary.  Which only elevates all the above expectations.  

  This makes me kind of glad I can't sing.  I would not want to try and fill those shoes.  Oh and don't forget, this is a ministry that for some reason, satan loves to target.  Maybe because he is all too familiar with that weakness that seems to plague every talented worship leader.  PRIDE.  Sometimes the line is blurred between confidence and pride.  If you start to drink your own kool aid, you can fall into the trap.  

  I know this makes it sound like it's all bad but the pursuit of the Lord's presence is an immensely rewarding task.  I would venture to say it's worth all of the stress.  The bottom line is if you want to know how to to really serve your worship leader pray for them, pray for them and keep on praying for them.