Identity Crisis

For Worship Teams:

Who are you when you're not leading?

Who are you when you're not playing guitar?

Who are you when you're not singing?

If you haven't read "How To Worship A King" by Zach Neede, I recommend it. He points out something that is so worth wrestling with  - the trap of function. The "my function must determine my identity" trap.  

It usually goes like this:

If I play guitar, I must be a guitarist. 

If I sing, I must be a singer.

If I lead worship, I must be a worship  leader.

Don't get me wrong, our functions matter. Our roles matter. But put function infornt of identity in Christ and things get messy.

Leading from function looks like this: Have you ever given feed back to a musician? Directions to a creative? Yup, you might as well have said you don't like them. It's an identity crisis and I'm guilty of it too.  

Zach Neese said "God didn't create you to only use you. He created you so that he could KNOW you."

What are you becoming known as? 

I heard a pastor say "the church doesn't need more talented musicians, it needs more Christ-filled humble worshippers who are also talented musicians." 

Worshiping out function alone will produce whatever your skill will allow. Worshiping out of your identity in Christ, aligned with your skill will produce a sound people can’t help but be compelled to. Because it’s more than just a skill you are offering, it’s a presence that you carry. That’s different. That’s set apart. How beautiful, right?

According to scripture - You are a friend of God (John 15:15), a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinth. 6:19), a Saint (1 Corinth. 1:2), you are purposed (Ephesians 2:10), set free, you have been called, qualified and ordained to lead people into new life.

Our function will come and go - our identity is eternal. It's the only steady ground worth standing on. 

Let's wrestle with this question together - When you show up on Sunday, what are you leading from?