Being part of the praise & worship team is, first and foremost, an issue of LEADERSHIP. A leader is someone who is in front of the group, guiding the people in the way they should go. A leader does not know the entire way of the journey -- no one does aside from God Himself. But the leader is steps ahead in the passion for the Way they should go. Burdened with the sense of leadership, s/he is committed to that Way -- the commitment that maintains the leader to be a few steps ahead of the group, allowing him/her to continue leading the way.
             A praise leader is a worship leader -- serving as the catalyst to lead the hearts of people, from wherever they are before the worship to dedicating themselves to the message of the worship with all of their hearts. (By message, I don't mean just the sermon -- it also involves the message in song lyrics, prayers, words of leadership, Scripture, and inner-working of the Holy Spirit in each person's heart.)
             A call to be a worshiper is a universal calling among all believers, but not everyone can be an effective worship leader. I believe there are 4 key criteria for becoming a great worship leader, and they are as follows:
             Although this is a universal calling among all believers, I must list this here because it is foundation to -- and motivation behind -- all Christian leadership. The passion is faith in God Almighty, who has revealed Himself to us so vividly through His Word. It involves knowing who Jesus is and what He has done for us in history. It involves accepting the call to love the Lord with all of our being, and to the labor of love toward our neighbors (Luke 10.27). It involves living in awareness that this world is in need of a Savior, and that living this life involves our continuous appeal and cry of help to that Savior, Jesus Christ -- for His grace and acceptance, and for His power to have us grow in His likeness. And of course, i
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