What do Sunday services and peach orchards have in common?
This is Jason Hatley, Pastor of Worship Arts at The Journey, and I’ll explain that question in a moment, but first . . . Would you agree that a prerequisite for every pastor or worship leader must is a full-out love of Sunday?
I know, I know . . . sounds simple. But before you answer . . .
When I say “Love Sunday” I don’t just mean the “20 minutes of glory” that happens when you and I are leading music, the band is rockin’, the Spirit is moving, and we’re on top of the world.
Loving Sunday also means loving the work of preparation for Sunday. And let’s face it, that’s not always easy to love!
The administrative, the menial, the scheduling, emailing, printing charts, preparing for planning meetings, repairing gear… if we’re honest most of us don’t love those things nearly as much as the “20 minutes of glory”.
Yet, they are just as much a part of a life-transforming Sunday worship service as standing onstage and leading worship. In fact without them, Sunday would never happen!
So let me ask again . . . do you love Sunday?
Some pastors and worship leaders (by my definition) don’t.
They only want what I call “the goody”?
That is, they only want to be onstage leading, and could really do without the hassle of the administrative prep work that goes into making Sunday great.
They want the fruit without the work. But it just doesn’t work that way.
I grew up on a farm, and one of my favorite things in life are homegrown peaches.
My grandfather owned a peach orchard with hundreds of trees in it, and during the summer that’s where I worked. It was grueling, hot, sweaty work. The job came complete with wasps and sunburns (and that was just before lunch).
It was hard work. But you know . . . I think one of the reasons I love peaches so much is because I had to work for them. I sweat over them. I had some skin in the game long before I took the first bite.
The same is true for us and our love of Sunday. Long before we are able to enjoy the fruit of Sunday, we have to learn to do the work of Sunday.
It reminds me of a quote I read recently by Jim Rohn:
He writes: “Somebody said you have to love what you do, but that’s not necessarily true. What is true is that you have to love the opportunity. The opportunity to build life, future, health, success …. Knocking on someone’s door or making that extra call may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity of what might be behind that door or call.”
I may not be crazy about all of the tasks I do each week, but I absolutely LOVE the opportunity that completing those tasks brings. And the truth is that leading with excellence on Sunday begins with pursuing excellence in everything I put my hands to during the week.
That’s what it means to love Sunday. And that’s what it means (in my book) to be called as a worship leader in the church.
So . . . “Do you love Sunday?” I hope so!
PS – Leading music each week is only 10% (at best) of what you contribute to your church. It’s the other 90% that defines the course of your ministry career!
As a worship leader God has given you a unique calling, and loving Sunday is just part of it. In The Call of Worship Leader resource, you will discover the four key areas to your calling, and how they determine you overall effectiveness in ministry. Download your copy here
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