This simple and oft-quoted verse captured my attention because of the connection, easily overlooked, I think, between Jesus’ assessment of the crowds situation as “sheep without a shepherd” and his being moved with compassion for them, on the one hand, and his beginning to “teach them many things,” on the other.

What I take away from this is that when confronted with a frazzled and shepherd-less flock, Jesus doesn’t resort to leadership tactics or visionary dreaming or group analysis. He turns to teaching. And precisely because they were in such a hapless state, he was compelled to teach them, not just some, but many things. Teaching is, then, I conclude, the means by which the shepherd / pastor cares for his flock.The word of God is thus the shepherd’s rod and staff, his tools for correction and protection and guidance.

It is also worth noting that the people of God are left shepherd-less and uncared for when her pastors fail to teach “many things,” as Jesus did, many things, no doubt, about the kingdom of God. Further, it is worth noting that compassion for people ought to overflow in teaching, as it did in the life of Jesus, whose compassion was unsullied by other motives and understanding of the needs of people perfectly accurate.

1. The preacher involves his whole personality in preaching.
2. The preacher exhibits a sense of authority over the congregation.
3. The preacher is thoroughly prepared, yet thoroughly free.
4. The preacher derives something from the congregation; there is exchange.
5. The preacher must be serious, never light or superficial.
6. The preacher must be lively, never dull or boring.
7. The preacher must exude zeal, gripped by what he is saying.
8. The preacher must be warm, never clinical or cold.
9. The preacher must have a sense of urgency – something eternal is at stake!
10. The preacher must be persuasive, pleading with souls.
11. The preacher must have pathos, a deep love for those to whom he preaches.
12. The preacher must have power, since true preaching is God-acting!

So, too, I think it is true that:

1. The worship leader involves his whole personality in worship leading.
2. The worship leader exhibits a sense of authority over the congregation.
3. The worship leader is thoroughly prepared, yet thoroughly free.
4. The worship leader derives something from the congregation; there is exchange.
5. The worship leader must be serious, never light or superficial.
6. The worship leader must be lively, never dull or boring.
7. The worship leader must exude zeal, gripped by what he is singing or saying.
8. The worship leader must be warm, never clinical or cold.
9. The worship leader must have a sense of urgency – something eternal is at stake!
10. The worship leader must be persuasive, pleading with souls.
11. The worship leader must have pathos, a deep love for those whom he leads.
12. The worship leader must have power, since true worship leading is God-acting!

As Lloyd-Jones says, “Preaching is something that one recognizes when one hears it” (Preaching and Preachers, p. 81). So, too, let me suggest that authentic worship leading is something one recognizes when one hears or, perhaps better, sees it. And these twelve characteristics go a long way to describing more exactly, not just what authentic preaching is, but also what authentic worship leading is.