Leading worship requires some sweat!

Everybody these days wants to find short cuts and easy ways to accomplish everything, from the job they do to their marriage! Nobody likes to take the "long road", but sometimes its the road that takes the longest amount of time that offers the most rewards and wisdom. I found myself trying to take the easy way out just a couple of weeks ago as I mowed my yard (which seems to grow faster and get larger every week).We have a small side yard as well as a larger side yard and the front and back. All of these parcels can be mowed for the most part with a riding mower, but not the small side yard. As I stood looking at everything I had just mowed, I thought to myself, now if I could just get the riding mower in that small side yard, I could finish up alot faster! I finally made the decision to try and fit the riding mower through the side gate and therefore minimize my time over all. At the time it sounded like a good idea but 45 minutes later, the "good" turned to just another stupid idea. I learned that day that my riding mower can not fit through the side gate and will get stuck if you maneauver it just right :) So after getting the mower unstuck, I grabbed to push mower and finished up the small side yard, taking a grand total of 3 hours to do something that should have taken more like 2 hours. In leading worship, or any other ministry for that matter, it is always wise to do what you need to do in order to get the right result! In worship, our result should be to bring a prepared heart and life of worship to the Lord. In music, our desire is to be ready to do our best as we play, sing, dance or act. Doing our best is not always showing up 30 minutes before the service starts to run over something and hope we have picked the correct "God breathed" order of worship and music. I get frustrated when people who are "part time" say to me, "Well you know I do work another job and just don't have the time to plan all the time like you do." This is an easy cop out and should be interpreted to something like, "I had some time to work on the worship and music this week, but between the ball game, hanging out with friends, sitting by my pool, surfing the web and the other not so important things, I didnt have time by the end of the week." No matter if you are full or part time or volunteer, there is time other than Sunday, and it takes more time other than Sunday to prepare. It might mean some late nights, or early mornings and maybe some time away from the internet but time is there...find it! Be early for practices, love the people you are leading, and serve them! Don't blow into choir practice late and blame it on the kids or another ministry. Don't cut practices short because you want to go hang with your friends....put a little extra effort! Giving a little more doesnt mean you will always have to take the "hard road" but it does mean that there will be times you will have to give more than everybody else...after all you are a leader! Give till it hurts and give some more! God did not call you to sit back and let others serve you, but for you to serve others! Don't sit back and say "I'll just let them do it, after all Im raising up other leaders", but say "I will do it with them and help them to become leaders who give thier best". Jesus didnt sit at the head table and say "Ok boys, I am raising you as leaders so you do the work and I will supervise!" Not at all...Jesus said, "Hey let me show you how its done and you follow my example". May those of us in worship ministry be willing to sweat a little and work hard to be prepared to declare His truth and worthiness, each week in practice and in service!