One of the distinctive features of the contemporary worship movement around the world is worship teams. The trend toward teams is found in small and large churches, in both traditional and contemporary settings. Ken Blanchard defines a team this way:
“A team is a group of interdependent people committed to a common purpose who chose to cooperate to achieve exceptional results.” Why teams? Teams are a biblical model. In Exodus 18:13-24 we read the advice that Jethro gave to Moses about finding others who could help him fulfill his mission. We cannot do it alone either. Jesus and the 12 disciples gives us another example. Even though he had all strength and power at his command, he still needed the 12 to be a part of His ministry. Unless we can begin to build teams around us, we will burn ourselves out and fall into temptations out of weariness. Too many worship leaders sabotage their own ministries because they hold things too closely to themselves and are not willing to release responsibility into a team environment.
In the early years of my ministry, when we started Coast Hills Community Church from the ground floor, I didn’t understand the value of teams. I thought that being a leader meant working hard and being responsible for everything. I didn’t understand then that my ultimate goal as a leader is to equip others for ministry, not to be a doer of ministry. But as I studied the scriptures and watched effective leaders, I learned that my role is not at the forefront of ministry, but to identify those who can minister and equip them to be effective leaders. Hebrews 10:24-25 is a favorite passage of mine: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
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Staff writer for ExperiencingWorship.com.