5 True Lies about Worship Pastors

I'm sure we all have a picture of what we think a typical worship pastor looks like. Acid washed jeans, graphic tee, possibly a vest and scarf (in the summer), faux hawk, colorful shoes, etc....It's not good to stereotype, but stereotypes often have a foundation in true things. They are lies, but they are "true" lies. Besides being a reference to an awesome Arnold movie, a true lie is something that is an unfair prejudice, except when it's not. Assumptions that aren't always true, but not completely unfounded. As a worship pastor who fits certain stereotypes (I'm writing this on my Macbook Pro in a coffee shop wearing Tom Shoes) and goes against others, I want to constantly be examining myself and my profession to see what is harmless and what needs to change.Below is a list of true lies about worship pastors. Things that aren't always true, but aren't false.1. All Worship Pastors are Metrosexual - If this is a new term for you, please allow me to define it. A metrosexual is a heterosexual male who spends an inordinate amount of time and money on clothes and appearance. Overall, it's harmless. Since worship pastors tend to lean towards the aesthetics, the fact that many of them are fashionable is not surprising. The problem with this true lie is the effect it can have on the worship pastor's ability to relate and earn the trust of the common male church goer. When worship pastors relate the word 'deisel' to a pair of jeans rather than to a truck, the breakdown in communication becomes obvious. I'm not saying that all worship pastors need to go hunting, buy a truck, grow a beard, and feel uncomfortable walking through a mall, but it would be good for the church if some did. If men in the congregation can relate to the masculinity of the worship leader, they are far more inclined to participate in worshipping.2. Worship Pastors only care about feelings - Music is a very emotional form of art. Even people who are typically not considered emotional can be moved by music. As a result, musical worship tends to be associated with a person's emotional response. It is a gift to be able to use music to connect our feelings and emotions to God's feelings and emotions and there is no reason to fault worship pastors for doing so. The problem happens when the "feelings" of worship do not connect with the truth about the God we worship. The truth about God is powerless when it doesn't connect with our emotions, but our emotions are destructive when it is not founded on truth. As worship pastors, we need to do diligence in promoting both through the aesthetics of worship ministry.3. Worship Pastors don't care about theology - As I brought up in last week's question of the week, there is a glaring disparity in the expectations between the theological training of teaching pastors and worship pastors. On the one hand, worship pastors are not expected to prepare sermons and do not need the kind of precise training a teaching pastor requires to hone the skill of preaching. On the other hand, a significant amount of the theological training a church gets is through the songs they sing, the liturgy they participate in, and interactive elements surrounding the worship experience. Although formal seminary might not be completely necessary, an interest in theology and a drive to discover orthodoxy needs to be a part of a worship pastors job. In Leviticus 10, Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu were killed by fire from heaven for offering unauthorized fire to the Lord. There is no indication that there was any evil in the intentions of the two sons. They were destroyed by God because they did not take the time to understand the God they worshipped. If worship pastors don't do everything they can to understand the God we worship, the God we lead others toward in worship, then we run the very dangerous risk of presenting false worship to God despite our best intentions.4. Worship Pastors aren't really "pastors" - Overseeing the preparation of the music, the band, the other liturgical elements, the media and communications of a church, as worship pastors often do, can make it difficult to participate in other, more traditional aspects of "pastoring." It can be difficult to squeeze in time to do things like lead or participate in community groups, visit the sick in hospitals, counsel people within the congregation, and actively engage the lost community. Although there are many worship pastors who do these things well, a lot of worship pastors use the excuse of being busy with other things to not engage in shepherding the congregation beyond their role on sunday mornings. There is an unmistakable rapport built with a congregation when a pastor counsels them, consoles them, and interacts with them in community outside of the Sunday morning experience. It may be hard to find the time to shepherd the flock beyond the daily duties of leading worship at a church, but it shouldn't be an excuse.5. All Worship Pastors are young - I am 27 years old. Because of my youth, a younger demographic finds an ally in the church leadership that helps draw them in. I am also closer to the musical trends of the day and am in a position to apply those in the musical elements of the service. There are some advantages for worship pastors being younger if the goal of the church is to attract a younger demographic to their congregations. However, if there is no older experience in worship ministry, no wiser voices weighing in on issues, worship ministry will be run into the ground by eager but immature worship pastors. I'm so glad there are people like Bob Kauflin who are actively engaged in leading worship and leading other worship leaders into a deeper understanding of their job.