Scripture for giving our best as leaders, musicians, & singers.

Please help me with scripture to back up that we should give our best in worship leadership.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on September 3, 2011 at 3:59am
Psalm 33: 3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Permalink Reply by Stevo on September 4, 2011 at 1:22am
There is Luke 17:7 ff, but you have to be very careful with how you use it. But generally, our concept of "giving your best" or "give 110%" doesn't come up much in scripture. The Biblical concept that we should think about is "faithfulness" - Matt 25:23. Just be faithful and you will be rewarded.
Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on September 4, 2011 at 3:26am
Thanks Stevo! We are getting ready to have a team meeting and I am looking for scripture for us to look at. I am a leader who has not had any training. We have a great new pastor now after 11 months without one. I will read both of those scriptures and focus on faithfullness.
Permalink Reply by Matt Osgood on September 6, 2011 at 8:44pm

A few ideas some specific to music, others not so much: 

 

1 Chron. 15:22

Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skilful at it.

 

2 Sam 24:24

I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

 

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

 

Fundamentally though, I'd encourage you to go for the positive carrot approach rather than the negative stick approach in exhorting team members towards giving of their best. What I mean is - rather than 'the Bible says we should give our best? Are you giving your best? Maybe not - well you should' - a less guilt-inducing approach is to say 'look at how beautiful, how amazing, how incredible, how sacrificial, how outstanding our God revealed in Jesus is - how about we worship him together and give him our best?' - and then model what that looks like, faithfully, over a long period of time. 

In other words - if you can point out and portray (or use other's words to do so) the greatness and glory of God in a fresh and inspiring way, people moved by the Holy Spirit will want to give their best. That's better IMO than people being chivvied into greater acts of service from any kind of guilt manipulation. 

(not by any means suggesting you're doing that, by the way, I just know it's a trap I've fallen into myself)

Hope that helps

Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on September 7, 2011 at 12:12pm
Thank you for sharing this wisdom Matt! I agree with you in what you have quoted and said here.
Permalink Reply by Stevo on September 7, 2011 at 12:34pm
Great verses - I hand't thought of these.
Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 27, 2011 at 7:30pm
CHIWIED.  I just learned a new word.  I thought you had coined it, but I found a couple of examples on Google.  Great word.  It sounds like a little bird pecking another to get compliance in some bird-matter.
Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on September 8, 2011 at 3:39am
I agree Stevo!
Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on September 11, 2011 at 4:33am

Leviticus 3:1 (and numerous other places):  "If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect..."  (and it is to be presented in a dignified and correct manner, seen in the ensuing verses).

Though zeal for the Perfect Presentation was to prove to have a dark side, the principle of presenting one's best to God permeates the teaching of worship in the Old Testament.  

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus tells the Pharisees "you ought to" be faithful to the tithe -- without neglecting the weightier matters. He found virtue with the Tax Collector (Luke 18:13) and the Widow (Luke 21), who were true worship leaders, giving an example for all to follow.

Following (in general) the line of teaching of Jesus, and of the Prophets, I would say we would want to avoid worship leading which resembles that of the high-minded Pharisees and Priests -- demeaning those we are supposed to be serving; nitpicking on details while overlooking the divine purpose of bringing joy and liberty-in-God into the house of worship; and failing to notice the presence of Christ.

 

Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on September 11, 2011 at 7:18pm
That's a good Word my friend! Thank you for your response with such wisdom! I agree with you here :-)
Permalink Reply by Suz on October 27, 2011 at 5:16pm

Thanks for this thread.  I have just come on the site this evening to have a browse to see if anyone had put such a thread up as I too am looking at Scripture to share in a team meeting we have (tonight! - talk about late planning!!).

Great advice too.

 

Suz x

Permalink Reply by Timothy Nelson on October 28, 2011 at 1:55am

Oh sure you are welcome Suz! How did it go?

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