Don’t Disconnect

When you lead worship, you are worshiping God yourself, but you’re on the platform or in front of the people to lead them in worshiping God.

Effective leadership requires engagement. The congregation needs to see that you are engaging with them, you’re looking at them and visually connecting with them. So keep your eyes open when you’re leading worship.

When your eyes are closed while you lead, you’re conveying that you’re worshiping privately, but being a worship leader means that you lead.

Think about a presenter at a seminar, a team leader who is speaking in a business meeting, a sport’s team coach, or a cheerleader. They would lose their engagement effectiveness if they had their eyes closed while speaking or cheering in front of you. You would easily become distracted and disengaged.

Worship team vocalists have told me that they are uncomfortable singing songs to God while looking at the congregation. My suggestion is to make eye contact with the congregation, then look up toward the ceiling. Visually connect again with the people, then look upward again, but keep your eyes open. In corporate worship, you have the opportunity to engage and encourage, to demonstrate and to lead.

Be the leader of that opportunity. Don’t disconnect.