By Lindsey Williams
Writing Specialist
Throughout September, the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board’s (MBCB) Worship Ministries department co-hosted Worship Leader Roundtables with local churches across the state. Designed for open discussion, the events offered attendees the chance to bring their personal ministry difficulties to the table with other local worship leaders, especially the challenges unique to their calling.
Gavin Wiscaver, worship pastor at First Church, Gulfport, hosted the roundtable at his church. For him, the day “was a breeze and a great opportunity to extend some hospitality to our brothers — and sister — in ministry, as well as a much-needed break for some.”
“Our group represented those brand-new to ministry,” Wiscaver reflected, “and those about to transition out of worship leadership: some with parents experiencing severe health issues, others whose parents have already passed; some experiencing beautiful growth, and others enduring the labor with no noticeable fruit. Even within our small number, it was beautiful to see how God was working in and through each of the ministers present, and how each brought a perspective to the table that could benefit or encourage another.”
Phillip Johnson, full-time worship pastor at First Church, Bay St. Louis, and a roundtable attendee, is a Ph.D. student studying Christian worship at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. His active research on the history, practices and spirituality of the Lord’s Supper adds another layer of ministerial burden.
Grateful to have attended, Johnson commented, “It is always encouraging any time we can get together with other worship leaders. It’s very easy to feel isolated since we are so spread out around the state, serving so many churches. Our gathering in Gulfport was a mix of long-time friends and newcomers. We all got along very well. In fact, we could have spent the entirety of the day together. The most encouraging thing was the time of focused prayer at the end of our meeting. We closed by praying together, and as a group, we each took one individual and prayed for them and their needs.
“Mississippi isn’t like other states, and the Gulf Coast isn’t like the rest of Mississippi,” Johnson said, regarding the advantage of local gatherings like the roundtables. “Being in a room with others who lead worship in our same area helped create an environment of mutual understanding and trust even before we began. When I am at conferences or state gatherings (both helpful in their own ways), I find myself having to explain my local context to strangers. When we gather as a local group, we can skip all that and get right to work encouraging, helping, and celebrating what God is doing in our area.”
Wiscaver highlighted a unique challenge worship leaders face: “(They) see their congregation’s relationship with the practice of responding to God’s worth, which is a very telling indicator of the individual’s spiritual health. The burden placed on a worship leader is to point people to Jesus each and every week and to remove the barriers that the world creates so the congregation can see Him. We are most encouraged when the laity respond to their Savior’s worth authentically and with the zeal that it demands. While it may be nice to hear that the music was good or that we sing well, what we all want to hear at the end of the day is that they encountered their Savior and it changed them, even in a small way.
“We are also charged with defending the biblical model of worship, which calls us to live our lives in worship to God (Romans 12:1), rather than limiting worship to a weekly service. If you want to really encourage a worship leader, tell them about how you are worshiping God in your work, in your communities, and in your home.”
Johnson also urged, “Start by praying for (your worship leaders). A good prayer would be ‘Give us a shared heart for worship and the church.’ But if you want a way to encourage them openly, you can always offer to help. Even if you aren’t a musician or a tech person, there are always areas where an extra set of hands can be helpful.”
Johnson noted a brief article from Southern Seminary written by Matthew Westerholm that further addresses ways the congregation can encourage their worship leaders. The article is available at equip.sbts.edu/article/can-help-worship-leader.
Wiscaver suggested specific ways the local church can lift up their worship leaders in prayer: “Pray for their endurance. Pray for their physical health, for their voice to stay strong, and for their weariness to not slow down the work God has called them to. Also pray for their spiritual endurance: that the drain musicians experience and the discontentment that creeps in would be hindered, and that the love of God (and the joy of seeing people connect with Him) would not fade but grow ever stronger.”
Plans for additional Worship Leader Roundtables are being made for spring 2026. For more information, contact Kris Smith, director of Worship Ministries, at 601-292-3276 or ksmith@mbcb.org.
Comments are closed.