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Monday, May 2, 2011

Twelve Lessons for Worship Leaders from the Life of David

1. Have a heart after God’s own heart. What does that mean? Look at the context from which the phrase comes: “But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” [1 Samuel 13:14] Samuel tells Saul that his lack of obedience cost him the kingship. Having a “heart after God’s own heart” is tied to obedience. Look at how Luke repeats the idea in Acts: “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”[Acts 13:22] But it was more that just obedience, it was also a heart dedicated to worship God alone: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” [1 Kings 11:4] Having a “heart after His” means that you delight in the things that God delights in. Your focus is pleasing Him, not to earn His favor, but because He alone is worthy. If we are to be the worship leaders that God desires, then we need to desire to worship God and be wholly obedient to Him.

2. Don’t let any sin get a stronghold in your life. David was a man after God’s own heart, but was not perfect. He allowed lust to dominate his life in that he continued to marry many wives and reflected more the accepted practice of the cultures around him, than devotion to a single relationship. The writer of 2 Samuel relates to this continued practice of David, once he becomes King of the united tribes: “After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.” [2 Samuel 5:13] What David did in moderation, Solomon did in excess. Sin is like that.

3. Do what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it. Simple? Perhaps, but Scripture affirms that “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army." [2 Samuel 11:1] David stayed in Jerusalem, couldn't sleep, went walking on his roof and saw Bathsheba. The rest is tragic history. Not only did he stay in Jerusalem, but he sent others to do what he, himself was supposed to be doing. Worship leaders need to do what they have been called to do, and be where they are supposed to be and not put themselves in situations that could compromise integrity, or raise questions.

4. When you make mistakes, admit guilt, don’t try to make excuses. When Nathan the prophet confronted King David about his sin [2 Samuel 12], he immediately confessed and sought God's forgiveness (Psalm 51). There was an immediate confession. We will all make mistakes; some will have greater consequences than others, but they will occur. A readiness to admit guilt is not a sign of weakness. Pride resists any admission of failure, and Scripture clearly states that "pride comes before a fall." [Proverbs 16:18]

Misplaced understanding of our self worth is another reason that some resist confession of guilt. When self worth is based on our perceived performance, failure to perform adequately destroys the image we see and measure ourselves and we will do almost anything for the self preservation of who we think we are, or believe that others think we are. The truth is that our worth comes from what Jesus Christ has done for us, not from what we might be able to do. That’s part of the beauty of God’s grace.

5. Listen to the counsel of those around you
. An interesting situation arose toward to end of David’s reign as recorded in 2 Samuel 24:2-4:
So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.” But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

Here, David’s pride was and self-aggrandizement forced the hand of those who were trying to give him better counsel. Unfortunately, he did not listen and those under him paid the price for his actions. Verse 10 states: “David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.’” After the killing had begun, David was even more grief stricken: “When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.’” [v. 17] Our refusal to seek out and get wise counsel can be costly to us personally, as well as to those for whom we are responsible. Stubborn refusal to seek out wise counsel has been the fall of many worship leaders. Fortunately in David’s case, he did repent, which stopped the slaughter.

6. When everything seems to collapse around you, find your consolation in God.
Once, when David was fleeing from Saul, he stayed in the land of the Philistines with his men and their families. If being away from one’s homeland and the opportunity to worship God as one pleased were not enough, consider the following account in 1 Samuel 30:3-6:
When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
David had lost his wives and children as well, the others were ready to stone him, but Scripture says that he “ found strength in the LORD his God.” God uses difficult times in the ministry to stretch us and mold us to help develop His character in our lives. This is never an easy or painless process, but one in which we can grow if we focus on what God is doing rather than trying to escape the pain. David calls for the Lord’s direction and everything is recovered.

7. Maintain a sense of fairness and avoid favoritism.
In the previous story an interesting opportunity for division among David’s men arises. After they had begun the search for their families and belongings which the Amalekites had raided, 200 of the 600 men stopped at a gorge and watched the baggage while the rest carried on a hot pursuit. After everything had been recovered, some wanted to just give these that had stayed their wives and children and nothing more. However, David intervenes with a statement that became common policy from that moment on: “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” [1 Samuel 30:24] Leadership positions in ministry often afford opportunities that can be ripe for playing favoritism. Avoid it. Run from it. In the long run it will not be blessed and will cause division among the group.

8. Be faithful and consistent.
This is similar to number 3, but more specific: When David is first anointed by Samuel, he is with the sheep. [I Samuel 16:11] When Saul is afflicted with the evil spirit and sends for David to play and sing, he is with the sheep. [I Samuel 19:19] When he fights Goliath, he has been tending the sheep. [I Samuel 17:15, 28] Over and over again though he had been anointed by the prophet of God for a greater task, he never shirks his responsibility. He is faithful and consistent. When a lion or bear would attack the sheep, David didn’t run away, but kept his place killing the attackers. [I Samuel 17:34] The old saying is “when the going gets tough, the tough keep going,” and certainly was true of David. Ministry is tough. People are not perfect and it is easy to let things pile up to the point where you just want to give up and go home. Be faithful. Be consistent. Remember what Paul said in I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

9. Do all for the glory of God.
The story of David and Goliath is so well known, sometimes we forget some of the maintain points. The truth here is not that little boys can kill big giants; the truth is that God is in control and will not allow His name and honor to be treated lightly. Hear David’s own words:
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” [I Samuel 17:45-47]

10. Live a life of praise
. The “sweet singer of Israel” was known for worship, for his skill in playing his instrument, and for composing almost half of the book of praise, the Psalms. What will your legacy be? For what will you be remembered? We will be then what we do and practice today. A life of obedient worship begins with a day of obedient worship. When we fall, we confess, thank God for His grace and forgiveness and keep going. My father, who is now with the Lord, used to tell me when I was little, “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down, you just have to get up one more time than you fall.” I have never forgotten it. It’s a good word for worship leaders as well.

11. Learn to be honest and transparent with God and others. The Psalms are an incredible collection of faith and honesty. A deeper relationship with God requires that we get to know Him through in all of life's circumstances. Read through the psalms and develop a more intimate relationship with Him.

12. Don’t ignore problems and hope they’ll just go away. When David’s son, Amnon violated his sister, Tamar, David did nothing: “Now when King David heard of all theses matters, he was very angry.” [2 Samuel 13:21]. He was angry, but didn’t do anything about the situation – no rebuke, no comfort for his daughter, – nothing. Perhaps even a more telling indication is found in 1 Kings 1:6, when Adonijah declared himself king in his father’s place: “His father had never rebuked him by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’” It is possible to freeze when overwhelmed with problems, but it is also possible to respond like the ostrich and just put your head in the sand and hope it all goes away. The results of such behavior can be tragic, as the results in David’s family. Absalom kills his brother, and two of his sons try to take over the throne.

To bypass the most obvious issue here would also be tragic. As worship leaders we must lead our homes and be the example for our children. David failed to set boundaries for his own sex life, and had numerous wives and children. It is no wonder that he failed to set limits in their lives. As my wife and I were discussing this, she reminded me that one expression of love is that desire to get to know deeply the one we love. Scripture states that God knows even the number of hairs on our head, – He loves us. Our response of love to Him in part is shown by our desire to know Him intimately. David had so many wives and children, he most likely did not know them very well. He set no boundaries in their lives, and being the sons and daughters of the king, they grew up with a strong sense of entitlement. Just as we cannot ignore the problems of ministry and trust that they will just go away, neither can we neglect the problems that will arise in our own families and expect good outcomes.

God help us to learn from David and the examples given in Scripture so that we can become conformed to the image of His Son!

134 comments:

  1. What a wonderful blog post! This is actually the first time I have seen David compared to worship leaders. However, the lessons from David's life are definitely relative for worship leaders and all ministers for that fact.

    For me, the thing that struck me the most was that David was not perfect, like you said, but God still used him. David made mistakes, but he was willing to confess those mistakes to God. Too many times we are too prideful to do this. In reality, the confession is just a confirmation of what God already knows.

    I also enjoyed that you incorporated the family of the worship leader into your advice. I feel like so many ministers today are only focused on their public lives. Reality is that we need to be just as focused on our private, family lives as we do our public, church lives. Our families are a reflection of us and our leadership abilities. This was obviously clear in the case of David. His family had no boundaries, because he had no boundaries. We must always be striving to reflect Christlikeness whether we are at home or church.

    Thank you for this blog! I found it both convicting and encouraging!!

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    1. I have thoroughly enjoyed your article about 12 lessons for worship leaders from the life of David. Who can argue truth especially in adversity and strife and then through repentance and a cry out to the Lord, He comes and rescues us. The only thing left to do at that point is worship. Thank you for your insight and leadership. Pastor Ken Loubriel

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  2. Anna:
    Thanks for you kind words. God constantly tries to teach me and to be honest, the hardest lessons are the ones I thought I had already learned. I praise the Lord for His loving patience and that "He who began the good work, will carry it on until completion." [Phil. 1:6]

    Ed

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  3. Dr. Steele,

    The truths brought out from David's life are ones to learn from. From the most amazing things that David did to the most tragic, I need to take note and learn from them all. I praise the Lord for your bringing these to my attention. I also praise God for allowing me the opportunity to study David's life this far removed from when he lived. I truly need to take note. Thanks, Jeremy Starnes.

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  4. Hey Jeremy, good to hear from you. Someone once told me that keeps ringing in my ear: The "narrow road" is in the middle of the "broad road" and we are never more than one step away from really messing up our lives in sin. Made me stop and think then, and still does.

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  5. Dr. Steele,

    Thank you for your post. I did an in-depth study of his life a few years back. I loved the study, and I really enjoyed the facet of David's humanity. David struggled with many things that I struggle with on a daily basis. Your blog offers very sound, practical advice based on his life. I want to "live a life of praise", and I want to "have a heart after God's own heart."

    Kim Goree

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  6. Hi, Kim, good to hear from you! God's Word is a multifaceted jewel that we can never see everything that's there.

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  7. Dr. Steele,

    It's interesting to see how both Saul and David sinned, but it was Saul that was dethroned. After all, both men at different times were arrogant, sinful, and unwise. For David's part though, we see very clearly his relationship to God. We see it all through his life in Samuel and Kings, and we see it even more clearly in the psalms.

    With Saul, we don't see that STRONG, ever-present desire to please God. Having a heart that is after God's heart seems to be the difference.

    EVAN

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  8. I believe the entire posting can be summed up in the very first point, "Have a heart after God's own heart." The moment we stray away from chasing after God and desiring to know and love Him more and more deeply is the moment that we allow the opportunity for sin or distractions or pride or dishonesty or nescience to creep in. To even chance that this could, and with most of us will, happen should scare us. We are ministers called by God to lead and disciple the people of God into personal worship to Him and to usher in the throne room of God so that the people meet God face to face. We must have a heart after God's own heart. Otherwise we run the great risk that our work is vanity, and ultimately an epic failure, because now we have compromised the beauty and sanctity of pure worship to God.

    Thank you for the post. May we all have a heart after God's own heart...always. Jenn P.

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  10. Evan, you are right. There never seems to be a strong desire on Saul's part to seek after God. Only once does Scripture record that he even inquired about the ark. His relationship with God was tied to a person [Samuel], not God, himself. This is a danger for all in the ministry. Mentors are good, but never a substitute for personal time with God.

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  11. Jenn,. I agree. Having a "heart after God's own heart," implies that we know what that heart is. The only way to know God's heart, is to get to know Him intimately. As Paul said in Philippians 3:10, "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

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  12. Well, Jenn went and stole my thunder. As I was reading your blog post (which was very helpful, by the way), I couldn't help thinking, that if you take care of #1 that the rest would fall in line. In other words, if we have a heart after God's own heart, we will be ok on the other 11 as they will necessarily follow from the first.

    Thanks for your thought provoking post.

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  13. Michael, all I can say is that great minds run in the same direction. Thanks for the comments and post.

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  14. Dr Steele, I had to read this post as part of a class assignment for NOBTS and have been greatly blessed and challenged by its contents. I am very thankful that those who are elevated in the Scriptures as "heroes" are invariably deeply flawed; this especially gives me hope as I am all to aware of the flaws in my own heart and life. This is the first time that I have been challenged to think of lessons from David's life as a worship leader. I regularly help lead worship at my church and I appreciate your thoughts. Some of the most salient to me are the principles of 1) seeking and heeding the wise council of those around you; 2) admitting guilt and confessing mistakes; 3) being honest and transparent before God and others; and 4) doing all for the glory of God. I believe one very negative downsides from all of the music reality shows we are constantly bombarded with these days is a (perhaps even only subconscious) tendency to see platform worship as performance for the sake of pride instead of humble response to what God has done for us. Thank you for the reminder that indeed everything we do as worship leaders is not for ourselves or even the church but is ultimately for an audience of One -- the Triune God Himself.

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  15. Paul:

    Thank you for your kind words. Scripture continually challenges me to keep my focus on Him. You might be interested in the blog "Worship and Entertainment" as a followup. There is a link on the right hand side not far from the top. God Bless.
    Ed

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  16. Dr. Steele, I found all 12 areas relevant and helpful for all Christians and particularly vocational ministers. While every one had nuggets that were helpful, number 4 (When you make mistakes admit guilt and don't try to hide it) was particularly helpful to me. You point out very insightfully that often a misplaced understanding of our self worth is the cause for refusal to confess sin. Your point that our self-worth is the result of what Christ has done for us and not what we might be able to do, is a truth that if internalized, will set us free in many areas of ministry. This would eliminate many rivalries, divisions, and problems in the Body of Christ. Thank you for this wonderful article. William Allen NOBTS Student.

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  17. William:
    Thank you for the comments. You underscored what is a major issue for many. Dr. Blake Newsome highlighted some points during faculty devotions this past week that are related: we tend to think too highly of ourselves and we tend to want people to think highly of us as well. The truth is my real approval comes from the Father and my true worth from what He has done.

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  18. Dr. Steele, Wow each one of your 12 lessons were right on point! As a worship leader I identified with each one. I think your first lesson is the foundation for the rest. It all begins with obedience doesn't it?! We have to be willing to lay down our lives to gain what only God can do in and through us. I just got back from the Right Now Conference in Dallas, and the theme of confession of sin kept coming up. One speaker said if you are not talking about the sin in your life, then there are problems. I love how you said that we need admit guilt and don't try to make excuses. This is the most difficult issue I think most Christians leaders face. We place expectations of perfection or at least a look of perfection. When in reality we are humans like everyone, and in need of mercy and forgiveness. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to bookmark this post, and refer back to it!

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  19. Thanks, for the comments. It has been helpful for me to remember what I heard years ago: The Broad road and the Narrow road are not two separate roads, but the Narrow road is really in the middle of the Broad road, but going in the opposite direction, and we are never more than one step away from really messing up by stepping out of the Narrow road. We are always vulnerable to doing those things which can trip us up and God has given us many reminders to help us out.

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  20. Dr. Steele, this is a wonderful post. I love the insight and I appreciate your thoughts. I am particularly drawn, however, to #6. It wasn't too long ago that I needed to just get out of the office and out of my routine and go to a nearby park. Things were not going well and I needed a retreat. You are absolutely right when you say that these times are not an "easy or painless process, but one in which we can grow if we focus on what God is doing rather than trying to escape the pain." It was such a spiritually beneficial time in my life. God continues to teach me how to rest in Him. I heard someone say recently that we seem to be looking for answers all of the time and we forget that the answer is always right in front of us, Jesus. When we focus on Him, we cannot go wrong. A particular passage that God has encouraged me with is Isaiah 33:2 and I hope that someone else might be encouraged as well.

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  21. Brian:
    Thanks for the post. Glad to hear that you can get away and refocus. Even Jesus got away from what He was doing to spend time with the Father.
    God bless!
    Ed

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  22. Dr. Steele,
    Thank you for your excellent observations from the life of David and for your advice and challenges to ministers. All of your points were wise council from David's life, but the one that struck me most of all was when you cautioned ministers to do what we are supposed to do when we are supposed to do it. Sadly, ministers of the gospel fall victim to temptation and their lives and ministries are destroyed more and more often. So often in the accounts of their fall, it seems that if they had been doing the work they were supposed to be doing just as David was supposed to be at war in the spring, they would not have put themselves in the position to be tempted.

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    1. Thanks, Robert. Some answers seems so simple, but it is the "little foxes that spoil the vines...."

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  24. Dr. Steele,
    What stands out most strikingly in your assessment of David is the final point, that he did nothing. I'm shocked with the realization that the same young boy who criticized the Israelite army for standing around doing nothing when Goliath taunted them was the same man who stood by as his family and kingdom were torn apart. Likewise, worship leaders and pastors whom we should assume would take action in certain situations often do not. I have experienced this recently where pastors failed to take action in an timely manner and it cost relationships and caused damage to their integrity as leaders. This axiom, however, is often easier said than done. That seems why it occurs so often that leaders do not take action, because avoiding it is in fact easier, but it is certainly the most costly option. Thank you for the insight in this article.

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  25. Thanks, Josh. Remember Edmund Burke's comment: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
    We could easily paraphrase that to say that "all that is necessary for a ministry to fail is to just do nothing...."

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  26. I love this example of David being a warning to worship leaders. The truths are no doubt applicable and will help keep leaders from falling to sin if they are heeded.
    A few of the points I would like to point out that caught my attention were the following:
    1. There is a need for all believers to seek wise counsel and listen. David got counsel that he did not ask for, but did not receive it when it came. Had he done so, he would have saved many lives.
    2. David found his strength in the Lord, and that was sufficient even when everything else was a mess. Ministry will be trying for all who are involved for any period of time, and ministers must remember where their strength lies.
    3. Finally, learning from David’s mistake of not confronting the issue of sin with his son and daughter brought further problems in the future. Problems should never be “swept under the rug,” which only complicates situations. The biblical model of addressing problems biblically (Matt 18:15-17) is very difficult most times (inside the church and outside) but will bring blessing to all involved in the circumstances!

    I love the article!

    Brian Wimberly

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    1. Brian: Good observations. We can never plumb the depths of the riches of God's Word.

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  27. So many excellent lessons from the life of David! I think it couldn't have been more proper to list "a man after God's own heart" at the top of the list. A man who delighted in the things that God delighted in! One instance in the life of David where this can be seen is when he purchased the field from Araunah. In 2 Sam 24:24, King David replied to Araunah when he wanted to give him the field "Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing." From the life of David then we also learn that "There's a Personal Cost Involved in Worship"!

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    1. Nelson:
      Right on. You might check out my blog post on this:
      Worship HeartCries: What Does Worship Cost?
      Sep 25, 2011
      Thanks for posting.

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  28. The final lesson about not ignoring problems is one that is often overlooked, especially in ministry. I think we are fearful of offending others or opening ourselves up for criticism by bringing problems out into the open. We must be courageous enough to tackle the problems while also having the integrity to do so without fear of our own shortcomings being exposed. Interestingly, the only way to follow lesson 12 is to first follow lessons 1-11. Without personal integrity, we lack the standing to tackle problems with others.

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  29. Dr. Steele, God bless you for this wonderful article. I completely agree with each of the arguments you present in here. There is no doubt that David's life was one of a real worshiper. His whole life was a continuous worship to the Lord. He knew how to humble before God and he sought his presence with an honest heart (This is actually related to lesson number 10). I believe that every worship leader indeed need to imitate David in his relationship with God. If we have this kind of relationship, we will naturally desire to give ourselves as an act of worship, and this latter is what God truly desires from us.

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  30. Dr. Steele,

    After having been in the ministry for over 30 years, I have had an opportunity to be tested in all of the above areas. This article is spot-on. It is refreshing and very good instruction for those of us who have been in the ministry for a while and especially for those studying to enter the ministry.

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  31. Tommy:
    Thanks for the encouraging words, backed by years of experience. I have the privilege to teach in a Seminary where I have the opportunity being a part of many of these young men and women preparing for ministry.

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  32. I like number 3 - "Do what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it." I like the point that you made in that David should have been fighting instead of staying home, and this is when he fell into sin. I think that this is great advice for all ministers. If we cease doing our duty, we can get lazy and give minimal effort - which can lead to disaster.
    I also like number 12 - "Don't ignore problems and just hope they'll go away." This advice speaks for itself - although it is sometimes very difficult to carry out. It can be difficult to confront a problem when we know it can produce an awkward/uncomfortable situation.

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  33. Thanks, Jonathan, for the post. Scripture never covers over the mistakes of leaders, but "shares the truth in love." God Bless you in you life and ministry!

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  34. Dr. Steele, I like number 6 that when all else collapses around us we are to find consolation in God. I agree with this statement so much. As a pastor of over 20 years I have seen many of the joys and sorrows of ministry. Some of my sorrows were self inflicted and some were outside of my control. Nevertheless, I have learned to trust in God because the arm of flesh (including mine) will fail us. I often remind others who bring me "bad news and disappointments" in ministry that "My hope is built on Nothing less that Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus Name!" Bless you in your ministry!

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  35. Thanks, Anthony, for sharing out of your experience. I am reminded of Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:8 : “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

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  36. This was a great post and very insightful! I could relate to number 5, because the mentors that are in my life I know that I wouldn't be in ministry today. Both their encouragement and constructive criticism have helped me through obstacles and have sharpened me in areas that I am weak. I can also relate to number 4. In my first years of ministry I felt I always had to have an excuse, or an answer to justify my actions. But most of that was because of pride and poor time management skills. I have learned to own my mistakes and learn and grow from the experiences.
    I appreciate you taking time to post your wise observations and I pray God continues to bless you in your ministry!
    ~ Adam Pate

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  37. Thanks, Adam, for your comments. I was blessed by some wise counsel from godly men and women as I began in the ministry. Though most of them are in the presence of the Lord now, their words still serve as beacons in my life.

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  38. Excellent article and challenge/ encouragement for all who read this blog post. Not only is this applicable to worship leaders, it would certainly benefit any believer who might read it.


    "Live a life of praise." This draws me back to thinking about how any believer can segment their life. It is easy to designate Sunday morning as being our time of worship. But God doesn't want this and never intended this at all. Praise should never only happen during a worship service. Praise and worship should be our lifestyle. If we were to continually set our mind on the Lord in thanksgiving and praise, it would certainly affect our conversation and mindset. We would soon shift from moments of praise during our week, to a life filled with praise.




    Thank you for your ministry. It is obvious that you not only care about music & worship, but that you also care for those entrusted to you. - Chris Young

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  39. Thanks, Chris, it is easy to compartmentalize our life into "religious" activities and "secular" activities, but this is not really a biblical concept. We lay all we do at the feet of Christ; if there is something that we cannot put there, we probably shouldn't be doing it.

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  40. Thank you for the interesting article. I am not sure if this would apply to #5, #11 or would be a separate item, but David had a friendship with Jonathan. Through that friendship, Jonathan encouraged David in his faith in God (1 Samuel 23:16).
    Michael Babb

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  41. Michael: You are correct! Jonathan's relationship with David was one of mutual encouragement and everyone, especially those in ministry needs at least one "Jonathan" in their lives.

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  42. Dr. Steele, I was struck by the monumental challenge of achieving these characteristics of a worship leader in today's church environment. It seems the role of worship leader requires such multifaceted and steadfast excellence that only one intended by God to do the job can pull it off in a manner that glorifies God most and draws His people to Him in worship best. I cannot imagine success in the role for anyone not sold out for the mission and Spirit-filled.

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  43. Scott:
    Thanks for writing. I agree. It is really a misnomer to say that we "lead worship" since only God can touch and lead. "Lead Worshiper" perhaps is a better term, but not used very much. Regardless, leadership in worship can only really happen through leadership by the Holy Spirit.

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  44. Dear Dr. Steel,

    Thank you so much for your article and it's lessons from David's life. One of the things that resonated with my heart was lesson #3 to do what we are supposed to do when we are supposed to do it. I don't know if King David was just on his roof that night when he saw Bathsheba because he was being lazy, feeling burned out, etc. We aren't given all the circumstances behind why David stayed. But having looked back at the story one more time, I see that by not being at the right place at the right time David was abusing his power. This was so good for me to hear. Worship leaders and pastors, while busy, usually have the ability to make their own hours during the week. This is why it's so important for us to focus all throughout the week on worshiping God with our lifestyle before getting up on the platform. What David did might have been just a fluke night, but it had ugly repercussions in the long run.

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  45. James, thanks for your comments. Too often we put ourselves in places where temptations are, much like the young fool in the book of Proverbs, "going near her house in the evening..." David had rooftops, we have the internet, and we live in a time when we can deceive ourselves that we can hide our sins behind a computer screen. God knows, God sees. But Praise God, God also forgives, empowers and restores. We can call on Him to move and help us and "deliver us from temptation." which at times is rescuing ourselves from ourselves. God Bless you and your ministry.

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  46. These 12 steps are great! I find that at different points in my life, I have found each one to be significant in my personal growth. I have also realized that I am not doing all 12 all of the time. I need to write these down and find a way to apply them to my life on a daily basis.

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  47. Thanks, Joshua, for the note. We all need to keep on working on issues.
    God Bless,

    Ed

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  48. I find that many of us struggle with admitting our guilt. I am genuinely working on this because God has convicted me of it. I used to seek ways to always look like I had the answer and did no wrong. I misunderstood the verse on living above reproach. I though that I could never look like I had made a mistake. The truth is that my feeling was motivated by pride. When I began owning up to my faults and moving on from mistakes after apologizing, I began to see people have a greater respect for me.

    Another aspect that goes along with this is the concept of giving credit where credit is due, but also protecting those who are growing in the Lord who are serving with us when necessary. Many times as the man up front, we get credit for the good things. We must always seek to build up others when we can and realize that God will reward us. Those who are younger in the faith need to be built up. If we need the praise of men, we should take inventory of our walk with Christ. We must also make sure that those who serve with us only receive correction in a loving, edifying way. This means protecting them from public attacks and addressing issues privately.

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    1. Thanks for being so transparent, Jared. Any achievements we might have are only by God's grace and mercy. God Bless and thanks for sharing.
      Ed

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  49. Of the twelve lessons, I find my struggle most often comes lesson twelve. Unless the problem is something high up on the offensive scale, I find myself praying for resolution rather than confronting the issue head-on. I realize that this is not fair to either myself, as the one who has been offended, or to the offender. By not confronting the problem directly, while it is still it its infancy stage, there is a strong possibility that the problem will grow out of control. Thanks for your great blog Dr. Steele.

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  50. Very few of us enjoy confronting possible conflict; but the avoidance route only leads to greater issues that we will be forced to deal with and in more difficult circumstances. Peter Scazzero deals with this [and many other issues] in "Unhealthy Commandment 4: Don't Rock the Boat as Long as the Work Gets Done," [title of his book: The Emotionally Healthy Leader]. We must learn to speak the truth in love, which in some circumstances becomes even more complex if the person we have to deal with has offended us or may even be above us in responsibility.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Ed

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  51. As I read the blog above, I was struck that these are not just lessons for the life of a Christian or of a church leader, but a leader in life. Having been a follower of men in the lower ranks, we would complain when we were kept in the dark over a task and purpose. Often times we would find ourselves working way past where we needed to be and the leaders would be off doing nothing. Thanks for sharing and reminding me and others of what leadership means.

    Blessings,

    Harvey

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    1. Thanks, Harvey, for your comments. Scripture is our guideline for all of life! God Bless!
      Ed

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  52. Dr. Steele,

    I love your comments regarding a "misplaced understanding of self-worth". I work with students and in this age of instagram followers and snap-chat stories, it is so hard to help them understand that their value is not found in what or how others see them. What I have found in nearly 15 years of student ministry is what students struggle with adults struggle with also. You are so right that we will justify our actions or bury guilt or sin in order to prevent others from thinking less of us. The reality is "no temptation has seized you except which is common to man". God may use our failure and honesty to help disciple someone else. Our mistake may lead to someone else succeeding. Openness and transparency are hard because they bring vulnerability but they are worth it in the end.
    As you have noted, our identity is not found in other's opinions. It is found in Christ. He loves us and gave Himself up for us. No one else has or will ever be able to do for us what He did. People's opinions change but Christ's faithfulness is eternal. When we fail we can admit it, because God's love will not change.

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  53. Thanks for you comments, Wesley. You share some key insights which are critical when working in student ministry. I would encourage you to read Peter Scazzero's The Emotionally Healthy Leader; he has some great material about openness and transparency. May God continue to bless you and the ministry God in which God is using you.

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  54. Dr. Steele,

    As usual this is a wonderful blog post! As a matter of fact I would say these 12 principles could apply to ANY believer. The one I think that has meant a lot to me as someone in the congregation is #11 - Being Transparent. I think it adds a lot to the worship experience when the leader admits to picking certain songs based upon recent experiences in his or her life. While there is likely the other end of the spectrum where this could be problematic if done too regularly, I think it is a nice reminder every once in a while that nobody is perfect and that the song selection on Sundays is not some random assortment of music. There have been several times my worship experience has been enhanced because a worship leader decided to share about something going on in their life during the worship set.

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  55. Sean: Thanks for the comments. While Sunday morning is not a time for sharing all the garbage of our lives, being transparent is important on several levels. Not only does it keep the worship leader honest with his/her own self image, but helps keep the congregation honest from putting those leading worship on pedestals. May God continue to bless you and your ministry!

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  56. Thanks for your post Dr. Steele.

    All of these points are extremely helpful and applicable for anyone interested in being a worship leader. Further, I believe that these points can be applicable to any believer who desires to live a life that honors the Lord.
    My favorite points:
    1) Live a Life of Praise-I love this statement, "a life of worship begins with a day of worship." It can be overwhelming to think that we have to be concerned with our whole future, but when I remember that all I need to do is "worry about today" I am more likely to just enjoy God.
    2) Dont Ignore Problems- my personality is pretty non-confrontational. I can be prone to just trying to "move on" when an issue arises and I have learned that this almost always makes the issue worse.
    3) Be Transparent/Vulnerable- Vulnerability gains trust, every time. If we want to lead the church well, we need to have a healthy amount of transparency. Obviously, this needs to be accompanied by "wise counsel" and prayer. We shouldn't throw our pearls before the swine all the time, but there are times where it is good to help people see that we are not perfect and need grace.
    4) Admit Mistakes- My dad is stalwart in admission of his faults and I have personally seen how it almost completely disarms people when they are angry or offended. "I am wrong" are very powerful words...especially with your wife or husband.
    5) Do What You're Supposed to Do, When You're Supposed to Do It- I have found that I am most vulnerable to temptation when I am not responsible with my time. Getting work done during working hours means that I can be present at home during the evening. Getting school work done before bed helps me to be totally available on the weekends (as I type this on Saturday...fail). Going to bed on time helps me not have any undue temptation to sin against God. Overall, this is just a great principle to live by.

    Thanks for the post, I will be having all of our pastoral interns at Temple Baptist Church (Hattiesburg, MS) read this for discussion on Monday morning!

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    1. Thank you so much for your comments and how well you see the practical application. How encouraging to have a Father who models what God desires!
      God Bless, and I pray God richly bless as you share with the pastoral interns at Temple!

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  57. This is a wonderful post. As my classmate, Sean, pointed out, I too think that this could apply to any and all believers. I am particularly convicted by numbers 7 and 8. Favoritism is such a beast within music ministry, because someone with a beautiful voice can be contagious. It's easy to play favorites with the best musicians in the church or the best teachers in the church, but to be honest if the congregation did this with me, I would be out in a hurry. There are plenty of people in my church that are better singers than I am or better guitarists. I am thankful that it is not about favorite or who is the best, performance wise. Yet, if I am not careful I can find myself ensnared in the same favorites game. Also, being faithful and consistent can be a challenge. When the going gets tough, it's easy for the weak to get going as far away as they possible. Sometimes my immediate inclination in tough times is to flee, but it takes discipline and remembering the points you've made even within this article to stay true, be faithful, and strive for consistent effort. Thank you again for the blessing and teaching of this post.

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  58. Atley: Thank you for being so honest and transparent. I was at a music conference just a few weeks ago with a host of professionals, and honestly I wanted to hide under the seat at times. When I compare what I am able to do with "them," well there is no comparison. I will not mention names, but they are well known and godly men and women. They could do circles around anything I could do musically. What helps me is to remember that my worth does not come from what I can do, but from what Christ has done in me. What I may be able to offer to God as a sacrifice of praise may be very small when compared to others, but as give Him the best that I have to offer, God receives it as He would those much greater. God looks on the heart. I am still working on improving, growing, and learning. I would encourage you to do the same. May God continue to bless you as you serve Him!
    Ed

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  59. Dr. Steele,
    David is one of my favorite people in the Bible. As your blog points out, there is so much to learn from his life. I enjoyed reading your blog. The biggest take away was to be faithful and consistent and do all for the glory of God. I know in my personal walk in ministry being faithful and consistent was hard when it seemed as though everything was done in vain. However, after realizing who I was doing it unto made a difference. I know that God will not let His Name be treated lightly. So, it didn't matter anymore what I felt because I knew that God would get the glory anyhow. Every point you made is a life lesson. This is a great post.

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    1. Eboni:
      Thanks for the post! Scripture is honest and transparent of how it shares the lives of those we even call "heroes" like David. Yet, he was called "one after God's own heart." I pray that his life would continue to encourage and inspire you as you grow in relationship with God.

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  60. Hey Dr. Steele! Thank you for sharing these lessons with us. There is so much wisdom in these statements! I agree with what others have said – these life lessons apply to everyone that follows Jesus, not just those with the opportunity to be lead worshippers. And once we are able to truly, completely follow the first lesson, the others will naturally occur. Once we desire to worship God with all that we are, and strive to be wholly obedient to Him, we will flee from sin, we’ll do what we’re supposed to do, we’ll admit our mistakes, and we’ll seek wise counsel. We will be faithful and consistent with the responsibilities He gives us, and we’ll do everything for His glory. As we seek to live a life of praise, we will naturally become more open and honest before God and others, and we’ll turn to Him FIRST when problems arise. While these characteristics all sound ideal and are things we want to pursue, they often hit the wall of our own pride and selfishness. I think the point that spoke most to me was the misplaced understanding of self-worth. We (especially women) are surrounded by cultural voices that tell us to live the American dream, to climb the corporate ladder, to prove that we are good enough or strong enough to compete with the best, and that excellence is the end goal. All of that is driven by pride, though, and that motivation is contrary to God’s Word. We can and should still strive to do our very best for His glory and in His strength in whatever tasks He gives us, understanding that our worth comes only from Him, and not our own efforts. I don’t have to perform a certain way, or maintain a specific image. I am loved and cherished by the King of kings, not because of what I have done or what I can do, but because of who He is. What a precious thought! Thanks for the reminder!

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    1. Lynnda:
      Thanks for the post! Good to hear from you! I wish I could say that after over 45 years of ministry I never struggle with the issue of self worth and that its only a sad memory in my past. But that is not the case. I teach performance skills and must grade the students on how well they progress in the application of techniques being taught. With some students, I have found it a challenge to help them remember that their worth is not based on the grade or performance, but on what Christ has done. As I grow older and closer to retirement [in a few years], I am noticing that I cannot do all the things I used to do, especially related to vocal control, etc. In reminding my students, I am really reminding myself as well. On the positive side, sharing with the students is a good reminder that I need to be totally dependent on Him and grateful for all He has done and continues to do. Thanks for sharing! God Bless!

      Ed

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  61. One thing that struck me while reading this is that I am completely incapable of doing these things on my own strength. When I read Galatians 5, my natural tendencies veer more towards the works of the flesh rather than the fruits of the Spirit listed afterwards. In the same way, when I'm not walking in the strength of the Spirit I do the opposite of the 12 things Dr. Steele proposed. I make excuses and don't admit guilt. I am unfair. I seek my own glory. It's only through the work of the Spirit that I can shift my thinking away from myself and follow the model that David gave us for worship leaders.

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    1. Andrew: The more we understand who we are the greater we begin to understand the depth of God's grace!

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  62. Two encompassing themes stand out from these twelve lessons. The first is that our leadership for God never trumps our relationship with God. The second is that our leadership is never contained to the church or ministry setting. Spiritual leadership is in our personal life and family life. David was called to the lead the people and to lead his home and himself. Whether he made a bad call in the kingdom or his own heart people were affected. What a great reminder that when I lead myself I am also leading my family and church - and if I make a bad call inwardly it can drastically affect other areas of my life. Great article!

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    1. Thanks for sharing some good insights and summary!
      God Bless!

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  63. These are great lessons for all believers as well as worship leaders. Worship leaders require a skill set that many people don't have and it may be easier for them to be prideful and fall. These lessons will keep all worship leaders well grounded and focused on God when things are going extremely well or are going poorly in their ministry. These lessons will also help prevent a lot of future problems for those in ministry. It is easy to let your guard down but we all must be focused on obeying God and giving glory to him.

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    1. Thanks, Scott, for the response. I have to keep reminding myself that I am just one step away from the worst sin. David's life is a strong reminder.

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  64. Thank you Dr. Steele for sharing your thoughts about David and his life of devotion for God. When I think of David I often think of Rom. 15:4 -  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Here he was declared to be a man after God's own heart but he was not perfect. But he did walk humbly with his God. That was his overall testimony. I am not perfect but I can walk with God and be pleasing in His sight not because of my goodness but because of Christ. I can live I John 1 confess my sin and be cleansed. What a great God we serve.
    Mark Holley

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  65. Thanks, Mark, for your comments! I go back to the passage in Romans 15:4 many times; God keeps reminding me of His truth from the lives of His servants in Scripture!

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  66. All of these are applicable to any leader in the Church! I will say, number 12 may be the root of the most issues. Ignoring problems in the church only breeds frustration, anger, distrust and bitterness among the congregation. But even more so, ignoring problems in our own lives leads to apathy toward sin which is the biggest problem any of us could ever face.

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    1. Thanks, Stephanie, for your comments. For so many leaders their default response is no response. While over reaction generally causes other problems, hiding our head in the sand rarely solves any issues and generally comes back to haunt us.

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  67. Dr. Steele,

    This was a very insightful blog. Each point gave me more awareness about how we can use Scripture to apply to our life and bring God glory. The last point stuck out to me the most. I have heard this Scripture taught on Father’s Day about how David did nothing to discipline or rebuke his child in 2 Samuel 13. This seemed to be brought up from the pulpit to inspire fathers to step up and be the head of the household. After listening to the service, I thought it was something that simply needed to be done. I had never thought of it the way your wife pointed out about David having too many wives and children to the point that he could not truly know each of them well. As I am becoming a parent this November, I want to make a parenting goal to fully get to know my child and make sure that she knows how much the Father loves her and wants to know her.

    - Kyla Davis

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  68. Kyla: Thanks for your comments and congratulations on becoming a parent. I cannot think of anything outside of my salvation experience and getting married that has had such a life changing event as becoming a father. God as my Father took on a meaning that I could not have imagined and I continue to see more and more even now with grandchildren. May God bless you as you become the mother that God desires!

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  69. David's life is rich in lessons for us all. I loved the way you directed these teachings to the life of a worship leader.

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  70. Thanks, Melissa! We all need the truths from God's Word!

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  71. Dr. Steele, you provided great applications to worship leaders from David's life. I appreciate your consideration of his successes and failures because ministry is full of both. I particularly learned from your third and twelfth points. First, do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it. I have at times been struck by the setting stage as David stayed at the palace instead of going to battle. I am sure the army understood and even trusted Joab to lead them well without David, but David should have gone. In ministry, it is easy to give up doing certain tasks that do not excite us as much as they used to. However, we must continue to be faithful and consistent. Secondly, ministers cannot ignore problems and hope they just go away. Problems in ministry will not just disappear because the people are not going to simply disappear. Furthermore, the longer we allow issues to simmer, the larger they will become. A wise minister will deal with issues with prudence and wisdom.

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    1. Thank you, Andrew, for your comments. Avoidance of problems is similar to ignoring issues in our own lives and expecting that they will just get better on their own; and of course, they only get worse. God Bless you and your ministry!

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  72. You made some great points here! I believe these points should also be applied by any pastor in ministry. Each one of us need to be reminded about the importance of commitment, worship, and obedience to the Lord! We are all called to live our lives for His glory.

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    1. G J: I agree totally. Though I focus on Worship Leadership, we all have much we can learn from David! Thanks for sharing. God Bless you and your ministry!

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  73. Points 7 and 8 are almost results of each other. Faithfulness to Scripture and in obedience leads one to not showing favoritism. I imagine David took more heat for letting those that didn't fight have the same amount of those who stayed with baggage. Being faithful and consistent is tough and when it comes to showing favoritism it can be really hard.

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    1. I'm sure you've found in your work with youth that even when you do the right thing, there are those that will criticize and complain. Thanks for your comments. May God bless you and your ministry!

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  74. As I read these 12 points, I can't help but consider the wisdom contained in each that pertains to all christians. David's writings, and life, are so exemplary. Yes, these apply to worship leaders. Yes, they apply to all believers. Because of the transitive property then, all christians are to attain to lead worship through their lives. This is probably the ultimate lesson of David's life. He never held the title of worship leader but within all of the titles and all the roles he had throughout his life, he worshiped. His life shows that people don't need the title to take the initiative to lead others in worship. These 12 principles offer a map. Thanks for sharing the wisdom!

    -- Jeff Turner

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  75. Thanks, Jeff, for your comments. Though he didn't carry a formal title other than "king," he was known as the "Sweet Singer of Israel" and obviously had a reputation for composing psalms. Even with that, the greatest thing mentioned about him was that "he was a man after God's own heart." I would pray that for all of us as well. May God bless you and your ministry!

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  76. All of these points were great. The ones that stuck out to me as a younger music minister, were to listen to counsel and to avoid favoritism. I have made it my point to listen to ministers and leaders in the church that are older, more seasoned church leaders. They are often more wise than I could imagine, and give me wisdom I will cherish throughout my life. Also, avoiding favoritism is a hard thing to do in the music world. However, it is important. Choosing one person (with the best voice) to sing a solo every time is an easy example of a bad way to lead worship. Often other members of the choir will feel disrespected and unappreciated. Thank you for your wisdom and thank you for sharing it.

    Matt Norville

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    1. Thanks, Matt, for the comments. The hardest lessons for me to learn are the ones I thought I already had learned. God bless you and your ministry!

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  77. Dr. Steele,

    Thank you for posting this article! Through this article you have brought to light struggles/solutions that are had by many leaders of all sorts. Three points really caught my attention. Point two should always be a focus of any Christian in leadership or not. This is crucial to ones relationship with God. Point four is key to maintain healthy relationships with other staff and church members. No one desires to be wrong however we must be willing to humble ourselves and admit we are wrong at times. Excuses are only going to build walls between us and reality. Point twelve also can be tough at times. Personally, I do not like confrontation, however I am willing to address first level issues. I feel that it is crucial for us a Christian leaders to identify first important issues with-in the church and our lives and address them as needed.

    Justin Watson

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    1. Justin: Thanks for the response! I appreciate your honesty. Many believe that they are “speaking the truth in love” but have not really learned how to do it in such a way that is truly helpful. May God continue to bless your ministry.

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  78. Thank you for your twelve points! The two that spoke to me the most are seeking counsel and not ignoring problems. Currently, I am facing a lot issues at the church I pastor. My flesh has the tendency to ignore the issues and just keep going. All the counsel I have received is completely different than what my flesh wants to do.

    Seeking counsel has been what has held me together in ministry. Sometimes we just need outside eyes in our lives to help point us to the Lord. This counsel has not only helped my ministry but my private life. Setting boundaries as you have suggested has been very helpful to me. To demonstrate to my children that they are not less important than my hobbies and vocation, I have had to set serious goals and boundaries.

    Thank you for you post on worship,

    Seth Sandusky

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    1. Thanks, Seth, for sharing. Being open to wise counsel is a sing of maturity; the immature and foolish think they don’t need it. May God Bless you and your ministry!

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  79. Thanks for this article! Definitely exactly what I needed to read.
    "Do what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it."
    I know it sounds simple, but as a millennial, I needed to be reminded of this. We live in a world of distractions, and procrastination seems to be king with my generation. This content really goes great with Paul David Tripps' "Dangerous Calling." You two should collaborate on a project!

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    1. Thanks, Timothy, for commenting. One of my favorite OT books is Proverbs, where we are reminded of the wisdom of God and how to make right decisions in the fear of the Lord. A great practice is to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds with the number day of the month. In one year one’s thought processes will be transformed. May God Bless you and your ministry.

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  80. The truths found in this article are certainly helpful for any that would hope to lead a congregation in worship! David is a great example of what to do, and what not to do, in leading people to follow God. The biggest takeaway from this for me is that if you give sin a foothold, it will latch on. That was clear with David, and through so many who have made mistakes in ministry. This is something we must constantly be aware of in ministry!

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    1. Cole, thanks for responding. In light of our walk and relationship with God, we always need to be vigilant. It is the “little foxes that spoil the vines” and the little sins that snowball and take us down. God Bless you and your ministry.

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  81. Great article Dr. Steele I found it helpful and applicable.
    I appreciate how you used David's life since he has been one of my hero's for a long time. I also appreciate how you mentioned that pride can get in the way of our serving and worship.

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  82. Good article. I enjoyed reading all 12 of these worship lessons from the life of David, versus many different sections of scripture. I think each of these are essential for us to remember in every area of life, especially ministry capacities.

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  83. I encountered number one on a personal level but i never really understood the entire situation until read your article. My very first church was a small country church with a small membership. I was trying to control everything because we did not have the personnel to do everything. i became so focused on "running the church" instead of keeping my eyes on God. God, i believe, removed me from that place for that very reason. Thank you for this insight.

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  84. Great points concerning worship leader accountability. It's important that worship leaders understand how they impact the lives of people who look to them for spiritual guidance, even from a distance. Integrity must be a mark of the WL.

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  85. This is a great article and the lessons in it are timeless. Two things that stood out the most to me were:

    1. We must have a heart after God's heart. It's easy as a worship leader to redirect our focus on things that we think are important and away from the things that are important to God. The best way to combat this is prayer and Scripture meditation.

    2. Ignoring the advice of good counsel often ends in short-sighted or misguided decisions, and alienates those around us. I see this way too often in my workplace and in the lives of friends and family. God made us for community and to rely on each other, and if we try to go it alone we are bound to experience hardships and unnecessary mistakes. The Bible is clear that we are to enlist and listen to good counsel, for the sake of both our ministries and our congregations.

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  86. "Being faithful and consistent" has been something I have had to preach to myself over these last six months since our pastor resigned from our 3 year old church. As a ministry leader in the church, I needed to be able to demonstrate to our body that although the pastor's assignment had changed, ours had not and we still have lost people that need to hear the Gospel and new believers that need discipleship. All of these twelve lessons are crucial for the ministry. Thank you for sharing!

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  87. Dr Steele makes some great observations from the life of David, a man after God's own heart. I find it very comforting that God used a man like David even though he struggles with what many would call "major sins" in his life. Granted, all sin is major as it separates us from God and can't be justified by our own merit or works. While God uses sinful man, that doesn't give us a free license to sin at will.

    Several of the points made really stuck out to me. First, we must keep our heart in check, if you will, and not allow lust to take control. Also, David provides a great example of what happens when we don't listen to the wise counsel God has put in our paths...We don't know everything. Another aspect that spoke to me was the intent of all our doings in ministry should be done for the glory of God and God only...As Rick Warren wrote in Purpose Driven Life, "It's not about me." Finally, we are to be transparent. This is often difficult to do as we don't like to share our scars, our imperfections and our weaknesses. American culture, particularly the past 8 years or so, has promoted a "Picture Perfect Mentality" as evidenced by the social media surge to display only the best you. Actually, the images presented are determined to project the "Real You", when in fact, it's often just an "airbrushed image" of our lives.

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    1. The above post was published by James Williams. For some reason, the post did not show the author.

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  88. Dr. Steele:
    Such an excellent job! David has always been one of my favorite Biblical characters, but even more as I recognize myself and my shortcomings, reflecting many of David's...The most amazing thing I understand from the scriptures, is that even as defective and sinful as King David was, God still considered him to be a "man after God's own heart!" This means there is still hope for me! I know how many times I have disappointed God with my choices in my life, and how righteous acting I can be afterwards...but just as Nathan told David, You are that man!" so am I. But just as there was hope for King David, I know there is hope for me. And because of this, I just keep trying to grow closer, and do the best I can to be "conformed to the character of Christ!" knowing it will never happen this side of Glory. God bless you as you continue to serve our King, Jesus!

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  89. Dr. Steele,
    I really enjoyed this post! I am so glad God allows us to see David the human, not David the polished perfect individual. When we think of all of David's mistakes, they can seem overwhelming which makes the statement "A man after God's own heart" even more amazing. I can look back and see God's mercy in my life as He has helped me through spiritually dark times. I have learned to surround myself with people who are not afraid to be transparent. By our honesty with one another, we sharpen one another. We open ourselves up to loving correction and stern rebuke. In my life, this has helped me think carefully about every word before it leaves my mouth, and every decision before it is executed.

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  90. When serving in a tiny church with little sign of growth over the years, it's hard to see how God is being glorified. But I probably would have quit years ago if I had been pastoring for my own glory. I really appreciate the reminder: To God alone be the glory.

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  91. I thought these were great thoughts. One that is truly hard for me is dealing with problems. Some problems are much easier to handle than others, but when my emotions get involved I become a wreck. I generally know the right thing to do but it takes a great deal of strength for me to confront the person but dealing with the matter is far better than ignoring it. - MSP

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    1. Thanks for your honesty in sharing. A good book I have come across that would be of help would be The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero.

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  92. Great lessons. Each is a sermon in itself! Personal favorite - #1. Everyone speaks of David being a man after God's own heart, but I fear that many have no desire to be like David. I think that is because obedience is needed to have that heart and too many prefer not to have to live a life of obedience. Thanks for making that connection and reminding us that to have God's heart is to delight in what HE delights in, which is an obedient child (John 14:21).

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    1. Thanks for the comments, David. May God bless you as you seek to be a man after God's own heart.

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  93. Thank you, Sir, for your blog. This is very good take aways from the life of King David. I sure do appreciate your time and study of God's word to discern these truths.

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  94. Thank you Dr. Steele, you really made the life of David relevant. All the while, I'm thinking, "See, David was a worshiper of God, be like him." Then towards the end of his life, it seemed that instead of being a proactive worship leader, worship happened around him in spite of his leadership. That is, he was made an example rather than being an example for us. Thank you for your article. Blessings

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    1. Thanks for your comments; We are never immune to allowing God's voice to fade and our will to dominate. Regardless of how many years in the ministry, we are always just one step of messing everything we might have done in the past.

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  95. (Luke 6:38 KJV)  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

    That is what worship is. going to God, giving the best to him and letting him make the best outcomes from worst situations.

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    1. Our giving is in response to His greatest Gift, that of Jesus. We must come to Him and grow in our understanding of Who He is, which surrendering our all to Him will result.

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  96. Thank you for the article. Well written. I liked the point of when we make a mistake, we should not have excuses, but instead confess just as David did. Many in my generation use excuses for their wrong doing, but we need to confess without excuse and ask for forgiveness. Thank you for the article.

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    1. Thanks, Nathan, for your kind words. The God who knows our heart knows our thoughts as well. We must simply come to Him with transparent and honest hearts.

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  97. "When everything seems to collapse around you, find your consolation in God." Thank you Dr. Steele for reminding us that in our times of isolation, God is calling us to a place of intimacy in Him. In David's despair and difficulty, He went to a familiar place; one that only he and God knew about. Perhaps this was the place David attended when confronted with the lion and the bear, or the battle with Goliath, or any other impossible situation where his trust bled over into worship. We too in times of despair must find our resolve in the God who never fails, never abandons, and never stops loving us. Added strength is the prize God grants to those who will trust and worship above circumstance.

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    1. Rich, Thank you for your kind words. The longer this present crisis continues the more we are realizing that our confidence was in stability more than God. We now have an opportunity to truly trust Him.

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  99. Dealing with problems instead of ignoring them is a difficult thing to do. Many times this requires patience and self-control. The other person may be out of control causing feelings of anger. In another section Steele mentions that David found his strength in the Lord. When one is tempted and does not go to the Lord, this is probably a sign that he does not want to repent. This person loves this sin.

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  100. "this person loves this sin..." Strong observations. Thanks for sharing, Jayce.

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  101. Dr. Steele says that being a man after God's own heart means to "Delight in the things that God delights in." I am praying everyday that I learn to love God loves and hate what God hates.

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  102. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart Ps 37:4 God is simply keeping His promise: if our delight is in Him, He gives us Himself...

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  103. Such good lessons here from the life of David. The lessons surrounding his sin concerning Bathsheba are especially significant - the call to "do what we are supposed to do" is a simple yet important call to make sure we are staying in the battle. As I have heard before "the battle didn't need David, but David needed the battle."

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  104. Great commentary, Mark. Thanks for sharing!

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