5 Worship Team Killers

Breakout Session Taught at SCBC Onward Conference 2023

Every worship team is under spiritual attack, and they must decide if they want to put up a fight. Discover what takes down many teams, and do what you can to reverse the trends.

In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, we read about Eli’s sons who should have served as priests, but they were more concerned with the benefits those roles provided for them. Their sinful ways led to their downfall and the people of God’s spiritual stagnation.

Our enemy has ample motivation to disrupt your church’s worship.

Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; preserve in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Timothy 4:16

Our enemy has ample motivation to disrupt your church’s worship.

#1: Pride

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18).
Worship teams are the only type of creatives in the world who are expected to deliver a quality product without desiring an encouraging response.
- Desire for Approval
- Craving for Prominence
- Planning for Recognition
- Competition with Others
If you don’t humble yourself, God will.
#1 Killer: Pride / Defense: Humility
- James 4:6
- Once you think you have acquired humility, you’ve already lost it.
- The better proximity you keep to the LORD, the surer your humility will stay.
  - Num. 12:3
  - Job 40:4
  - Josh. 5:14
  - Ps. 8:3-4
  - 1 Kings 3:7
  - Isaiah 6:5
  - Rev. 4:9-11
- Encountering God often leaves a limp more than a swagger.

#2: Inconsistency

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out (Prov. 10:9).
Our public worship should never exceed our private devotion.
A church will forget the wrong notes but be left scarred by moral inconsistency.
What people see in worship leaders is what they tend to generalize about that particular church.
#2 Killer: Inconsistency / Defense: Credibility
Establishing moral credibility proves to a church that we mean what we sing.
- Personal Life
- Private Worship
- Particular Relationships
- Physical Appearance
- Online Activity
No level of skill can compensate for a lack of integrity.

#3: Inability

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts (Ps. 33:3).
We tend to tolerate mediocre leadership in worship because it’s “only church.”
If worship teams are called to declare God’s goodness, they better do it in the best possible manner.
#3 Killer: Inability / Defense: Capability
Worship leaders should be like spotlights – their goal is to go unnoticed but illuminate the focus for others to see.
Talented people rarely attempt their best because they have settled for good enough.

#4: Detachment

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).
You will have minimal impact where you have minimal presence.
It is hard to minister to people you don’t know.
While time on stage may provide ministry affirmation, the time off stage provides ministry validation.
#4 Killer: Detachment / Defense: Availability
There is a price tag associated with identifying with people, and Jesus never had a problem paying for it.
Platform ministry can never replace relational ministry.

#5: Division

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity (Ps. 133:1).
It’s challenging to be in the presence of God if I don’t want certain people there.
If I prioritize the comfort of my role over the health of our group, I’m causing division.
Reasons for division:
- immature believers,
- personality differences,
- hostile personalities,
- unresolved issues,
- disrespectful attitudes,
- warring sects,
- unshared vision
If you are the wronger or the wronged, it is your responsibility to make it right.
#5 Killer: Division / Defense: Unity
If we desire to worship the Father, we need to resolve any conflict among His children.
Unity will never be found by tuning to one another but by tuning to the standard-bearer.