Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the parallels between what a preacher does on Sunday morning and what a music or worship leader does. What I’ve come to better appreciate is that authentic preaching is very much like authentic worship leading.  Something I read in Preaching and Preachers, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, helped me see the parallels more clearly. In his chapter on “The Act of Preaching,” he identifies twelve characteristics of authentic preaching. I think they provide an excellent description of true, authentic worship leading.

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.