Don’t Burn-out. Get More Creative!

The nature of the Worship Leader role lends itself to burn-out because Sunday Is Always Coming!

Just as soon as you have completed a service, you’ve got another one on the horizon. Other ministries in the church are more up-and-down, but preaching and leading worship are constant.

I think this is partially a reason why there is a lot of turn-over in the Worship Leader role. Leading people is something so meaningful that involves artistic expression; however, after a couple of years, things start to become redundant and lifeless.

There is a cure for the beginnings of burnout: Creativity. No one eats the same meal every single time unless they have to.

Variety is the spice of life, and it will keep you, your volunteers, and your ministry feeling alive. That’s why it’s important to nurture creativity and not ignore it.

There has been a lot of research done on how to generate really creative ideas. Team work does in fact help generate great ideas, but you probably don’t need as many people as you think. Small teams are actually very effective at brainstorms. Larger teams have more trouble developing ideas because “group think” kicks in and slows down the process.

In my Worship Leadership course, I like to think of generating a great creative idea as a 3 step process: elaborate, collaborate, and evaluate. Each stage ensures that you are thinking about the right things at the right times with the right people.

However, what’s most important for you as a Worship Leader is to implement creativity. This is a key way to make your role energizing and exciting. If you start turning into a worship robot, you’ll fade quickly! I’m in my eighth year, full time, at my current church, and I can attest, first hand, that creativity keeps the engine going!

Remember, the opposite of burn-out isn’t simply doing less. The opposite of burn-out is engagement, excitement, and focus.

Ever wonder why the really rich businessman doesn’t retire? Many CEOs are so energized by their work, that they’d rather work than stop. It is possible to do what you love and love what you do! Get creative! You’ll learn exactly how to implement an effective creative process in the WL 30 Day Challenge when you become a WLA Member.

Stephen