Some people seem to have a gift for simply allowing their face to be a window to what's going on in their heart. I believe these folks have a "leg up" on leading others toward authentic worship because of the way the Spirit somehow communicates with our spirits. The "fake it 'til you make it" approach can also sometimes help people connect as we worship together, but it then becomes about us (as worship leaders) getting a job done well instead of surrendering to the Spirit as a vessel to be used. Just my thoughts after a long day. :-)

I think I have shared this with you before, Keith, but the best song leader I can remember seeing was Bill Lawrence at the Northwest Church in Seattle, WA. It was almost twenty years ago when I was there. We had the National Campus Ministries Seminar at the UW campus that year. I remember watching him lead singing more than listening to him. In fact, his singing was not remarkable at all. It was his manner that was so special. He might from time to time make eye contact with folks and start cracking up. Everybody seemed to carry him instead of the other way around, and the end purpose for everyone was to praise our Lord. It was wonderful. I think we sometimes get too bound up with the technical aspects of worship and forget the relational side of it. We may admonish our praise teams to hit all the right notes and say 'Don't forget to smile while your doning it.' But the emphasis is still on the good notes and not the hearts. Maybe we should focus more on get our hearts right first and then try to sing well while we are doing that. I think the end result would be better all the way around.

God bless, Timothy