Vision Casting

As a Worship Pastor, I am expected to be a lot of things:
1. I must be a good musician. People expect you to excel in every aspect of music. (I can't disagree much on that one)
2. I must be a good teacher. People want to know that they will benefit from sitting under your leadership - that you can & will take them deeper in their walk with Christ.
3. I must be a good motivator. Even though we're dealing with adults in most instances, everyone needs encouragement. Each person needs to be challenged to give their best, and you can't settle for less than that. An offering to the Lord that is not the best we can give is worthless. It's often difficult to get people to grasp that concept.
4. I must be a good peace keeper. On an (almost) daily basis I am pulled into a situation where people are at odds. You have to keep your head and challenge both parties to reconcile. As strange as it may seem, not every Christian that believes he/she is a mature believer is a mature believer (that's hard for most people to see in themselves).
5. I must meet the needs of my people. Though this may seem like a foreign idea to some, people like to know they are cared for. I am not perfect (my wife's been telling me that for years) and therefore I miss opportunities in this area on occasion. However, my ministry is only as strong as my ability, and willingness, to personally minister to people where they are. After all, these are the people God has called me to.

That's only 5 of about 50. I'll get to some of the others in future blogs. Let me just conclude with this...Many church staff spend a lot of money going to conferences looking for the secret to building a successful ministry. They spend hours sitting in breakout sessions listening to what works for someone else at some other church in some other town. Let me save you a lot of time and money. If you are a worship pastor, here is your golden nugget of information - everything you need for a successful ministry is sitting right in front of you every time you lead a rehearsal. The answer? Your people. They want to cheer for you. They are pulling for you to succeed. Pour all you have into them. Invest in their lives on a personal level. Yes, you will let them down occasionally. Yes, you will make yourself vulnerable. But, your people will not respond to you if they don't know you. Make an investment in the people that God has called you to, and they in turn will stop at nothing to help you attain the vision God has given you.