In the early years as a worship leader, much of our development at times comes from watching other leaders. We tend to observe other worship leaders that we respect and try to mimic what they do. What we may think is a great approach can often turn into a ministry that looks polished on the outside but lacks depth and honesty. This is likely because we were neither discipled or developed as a worship leader, nor do we realize how life-giving being “developed” really is.

We need faithful friends and ministry partners who are committed to seeing us grow.

The following four facets of development can not only help us develop as worship leaders, but can also provide some practical advice for discipling other worship leaders..

1. FOCUS ON CHARACTER OVER COMPETENCE

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

Chances are that, as artists in the church, our tendency will be to focus more on our skill than on our character. We can probably all agree that it’s much more fun to sit down and practice guitar than it is to practice spiritual disciplines. But this is what God has called us to cultivate––not only personally, but also in the people we disciple.

Whether your church is big or small, whether your worship team is huge or just a handful of volunteers, God is always more interested in the inward character than in what someone brings to the table externally. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” The eyes of the Lord always see the condition of the heart.

Practically, this can play out in a variety of ways. We have found that one of the best approaches to evaluate someone’s maturity is to observe their willingness and faithfulness in the smallest of areas of service.

For example, if someone comes up to you at the end of a service and wants to be involved in your worship band, one of the first responses shouldn’t necessarily be, “sure when can you serve?” but rather “that’s great! How about you stay after service with us and help roll cables and take down the stage?”

The point behind this is to test someone’s character because if the person asking doesn’t have the humility to even roll instrument cables and serve, it is likely that he/she shouldn’t be trusted to lead God’s people in worship on the stage. At least not right now.

As leaders, we must focus on character over competence because that is the same heart God wants His people to have––especially the leaders of His church. Now, I’m not saying to not focus on competency. We should pursue excellence in our craft as artists in the church––just not at the expense of godly character.

Just as you would practice your instrument, practice being godly. And push your team members and the worship leaders you're developing to do the same in the way they lead and in the way they serve.

2. DEVELOPMENT DEMANDS DELEGATION

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus… Philippians 2:3-5

We should want to give to others what we most desire for ourselves. Think of this through the meaning of the word, "RELINQUISH." More than flippantly dropping something out of your hand, relinquishing something is allowing that thing to be released to a place where it can have a profound impact. Think of this in the context of Jesus. He had everything, He was co-eternal with the Father in Heaven.

Yet, He chose to relinquish all He had by giving of Himself so that mankind would have a way back to the Father. We as believers now have a way to flourish because of Christ’s redemptive, sacrificial work.

That’s what you’re doing when you’re leading a team and you consider others more important than yourself. You are relinquishing control and letting go of things you consider valuable so that others may flourish.

One of the biggest pieces of development is delegation. Think through your weekly rhythms, weekly meetings, services that you lead. If you are currently developing someone, invite them into those things. Then, take it a step further by letting them lead or have ownership in those tasks.

Some of the most impactful moments in leadership development occur when we are given specific tasks or opportunities and are trusted to carry them out fully. While it may require hard work and involve some apprehension, the confidence gained from being entrusted with responsibility can lead to significant growth.

You will NEVER develop people the way you want to unless you are willing to relinquish control in order to let others flourish. Consider others more important than yourself by delegating to them in order to develop them. Using people to get tasks done isn’t enough; use those tasks to help “get people done” in their development journey.

3. PROXIMITY IS INFLUENCE

You need proximity to the people you lead. Influence doesn’t happen from a distance. Just as Jesus lived among His disciples and spent time in close relationship with them, we need to do the same with those we disciple. John 1:14 tells us that “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Jesus didn't teach and lead from afar; He entered into our world, walked alongside us, and lived life with us. This proximity allowed Him to profoundly shape the lives of His followers.

In the same way, we are called to do more than just lead from a platform on Sundays or send a text during the week. To truly influence others, we need to sit across from them, share meals, hear their stories, and engage with the joys and struggles of their lives. When we take the time to invest personally in those we are discipling, our influence becomes far more authentic and transformative.

Ministry is about relationship. If you’re not spending time with the people in your ministry outside of scheduled rehearsals or services, you're missing opportunities to influence their lives in meaningful ways. Influence is built when we are present in the lives of our team members, walking with them through life’s highs and lows. It's in these seemingly small, personal moments that long-lasting development occurs.

Ask yourself, are you building the kind of influence you desire with your team? If the answer is no, maybe the next step is to be more intentional about proximity. Just like Jesus entered into the lives of His people, we must do the same if we truly want to lead others well.

4. GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

This last section is an area where many of us struggle, but it has a significant opportunity to shape us. Giving constructive, thoughtful feedback is the absolute best way to develop someone.

Over the last few years, we've found more and more people, especially in the church, where this is not true of their ministry. Feedback is just not part of their regular rhythm. Unfortunately, we believe this is the case for two reasons:

1. We’re afraid it might hurt or crush the person we’re wanting to develop.
2. We don’t take the time to care about it.

To help demystify this term, feedback should be thought of through the lens of a surgeon. If you had a large tumor in your leg that needed to be removed a surgeon’s first instinct most likely wouldn’t be, “well, I’m just gonna chop off your leg and get this over with.”

Instead, a surgeon is meticulous. He’s going to carefully take his scalpel, cut open the skin at just the right spot, remove the tumor by carving out only what needs to be cut out, and sew you back together.

In essence, the surgeon finds the root of the problem, points it out, and goes after that one thing so it doesn’t spread to other parts of your body.

Feedback works the same way. While we aren’t “chopping body parts off” so to speak, we are meticulously and very carefully pointing out what doesn’t need to be there and removing it. The entire goal of feedback is to make someone better, not to tear them apart.

Proverbs 27:6 says it best: Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

If we truly care about our team, then we have to be willing to say the hard things. We also have to be willing to hear the hard things.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted. Whenever many of us first start receiving feedback, we often are floored by it because most of the things we hear may be things we never knew and had never thought about. The sad part is that many of us have been leading with some of those bad habits for a long time! Whenever giving feedback is difficult, we should push through it and not avoid it because ultimately it is an expression of love and trust.

Also, expect to receive feedback. It’s a healthy part of life and ministry and in the end, it is for your good. Be a leader that craves feedback, and when you do, know that you’re being shaped into a better leader and shepherd.

In the end, we should have the confidence to give and receive feedback to those we’re developing because we rest in the truth of the Gospel. Just because we hear something that cuts a little doesn’t change at all what the Father thinks about us. Our identity has been given to us and is held by Jesus Christ. This should help us crave feedback more because as we get better at pressing into areas we need to grow in we will also get better at pressing into Jesus and trusting Him with it. And that’s ultimately all that we need.

DEVELOPMENT IS NOT AN OPTION

Jesus saw kingdom potential in people, and He sought to cultivate it. The moment we start turning our eyes towards ourselves in saying, “I can do this in my own strength. I don’t need others,” is the moment that our ministry starts heading towards failure. Look around you, find the people who are in your midst, and move towards intentionally developing them. Then go do it, test their character, delegate the things you see as most important to them, have proximity to them, give them feedback, and trust the Lord with the outcome. It is immensely crucial that we value development in our churches, for the glory of God.