Sacred Conversation: Worship Leading During a Pandemic
By April of 2020, life changed for millions around the globe. Not only had the pandemic changed how business was transacted, how education was approached, and how everyday tasks were accomplished, it also turned the world of worship leading upside down. After leading worship completely online for over a month, I believe it is now safe to make some observations.
The Problem
The foremost conclusion I can draw from this season, is that I have never fully appreciated what influence the congregation has upon me while I am leading worship. Worship leaders commonly point to the fact that leading worship is not a performance. We are not executing songs in a bubble. We are not performing a part in a stage show. These are simple truths that most can understand and appreciate.
However, it wasn’t until I was required to lead hundreds of people in worship from a remote location, that I began to appreciate the extent to which worship leadership is a back and forth with the congregation. You may say, “Of course it’s a back and forth. Isn’t that obvious?” But it’s not obvious. Not to the degree I have come to know.
Beyond things of a spiritual nature, (which we’ll get to in a second,) not having a congregation live throws even the timing off. A pastor and I were talking about this recently and he pointed out that the pauses we normally make allowances for are not present when streaming or videoing services. Something so simple as allowing time for the congregation to laugh after a joke is completely superfluous on video.
Though most congregants would never know it, they are communicating a huge amount of information to the leader on stage. On any given Sunday, I am digesting information from the pews such as:
- How enthusiastic is the congregation in their singing?
- Are we both in the same place in worship?
- Are they engaging with me?
- What are their facial expressions like?
- Are the people tense or distracted?
- What is the congregation doing with their arms. Are their hands in their pockets, by their side, or held high in worship?
Of course on a normal Sunday morning this occurs in milliseconds almost without thought. And I have always known that the back and forth with the congregation is a major part of leading worship. But in a streaming environment, the congregation’s part of the conversation is totally absent.
Without some level of back and forth communication, worship leading inevitably becomes a performance by default. And that’s the part I say is not so obvious. The leader may be leading. He may even envision the faces of his flock in his mind. But without someone there to respond, even in the subtlest of ways, the conversation dies. A one way monologue is formed; unless…
The Way Forward
From this point, the worship leader has two options before him. The first option is to embrace the monologue for what it is. This allows the worship leader to temporarily become a performer for as long as the need for social distancing lasts. Worship leaders who choose this model should not be ashamed or feel “less than”.
Many small congregations use professionally produced video led worship when a gifted worship leader cannot to be found. The iworship video series comes to mind. When you live in the trenches, getting resources into the hands of your hungry flock is a top priority. This is especially true in the era of COVID-19. Many worship leaders may choose to record videos, send them out, and leave it at that.
While any worship leader should be commended for giving their congregation tools for worship, there is a better, more holistic option for helping the home-bound church move forward in worship, one that continues the sacred conversation.
This option involves drawing out the conversation from service length, to all week long. Whether by a phone call, text, email, Facebook message, or carrier pigeon the conversation needs to continue outside of the worship service.
This conversation happens by default on Sunday morning. The Church body comes together to declare God’s greatness, his mercy, and his grace. By singing and declaring truth aloud we encourage one another in the faith. But to continue this back and forth in a streaming or video format, the Church needs to reach out to one another after the worship time is over. This conversation can and must continue while the church is separated in the flesh.
It Takes Two
Without both parties, a conversation becomes a monologue, a performance. If you are a worship leader, I pray that you’ll take time this next week, outside of musical activities, to reach out to your flock in a way that points them to Jesus. Yes, check on their needs and see how they are. But remind them of God’s sovereignty, his mercy, and his love, just like you normally do during worship on Sundays.
If you are a ministry or congregation member, reach out to your worship leaders to let them know you are following along, singing in your home. Tell them how you see what they are doing is more than a performance.
In the last two weeks, the separation from my congregation has moved me to tears. I could not have imagined what it would be like to lead worship in an empty sanctuary week in and week out. When the stay-at-home order began, I prayed that it would quickly end so that we could get back to normal. Now, I pray that we come back to our churches changed. May we never again take the sacred conversation between worship leader and congregation for granted.