How To Know If Your Worship Leader Is Overqualified

Does your church have a worship leader? How about a music pastor? Music director?

Well, you have someone in charge of the musical aspects of the church and someone who directs the corporate worship of the church. Sometimes that’s the same person, but not always.

I’m going to give you 7 questions to ask to help you know if your worship leader is overqualified for the job.

Let’s face it: No matter what you call them, worship leaders are rarely overqualified for their job. In fact, #31 on Purgatorio’s list of reasons you probably shouldn’t be a worship leader is this:

31. You gently inform your worship team their gifts are no longer needed as you’re moving exclusively to

(You should read the whole list, but promise to come right back when you’re done and finish reading this!)

Just in case you might be concerned that your worship director is indeed overqualified, here are some questions to ask that will help you determine whether that’s the case:

1. Does your worship leader actually have a degree in music?

Let’s hope not, right? I mean, that’s asking a lot. Granted, we expect our pastors to be trained in theology, and we expect our doctors to have studied medicine. Heck, we even prefer our design folks to have a graphic design or art degree from somewhere.

But if our worship leader/music pastor actually has a degree in music, that’s a little overkill, don’t you think?

2. Is your worship leader able to hold his own in theological discussions?

Probably not, or you would have hired him to be your pastor, right? Be careful! If your worship leader knows theology and can discuss the Bible intelligently, then he’s probably just using this music position as a “stepping stone” to become a real pastor.

3. Has your worship leader ever written any music (other than “worship” songs)?

Because if so, then he is clearly becoming much too experienced, and you may have to pay him more. If he’s ever had any of this music actually published and played–by professionals, no less–then you’re up the creek for sure. You’ve hired an overqualified person!

4. Has your worship leader written anything related to music?

And no, a blog doesn’t count. I’m talking about something a publisher prints and sells (and that rules out online, self-publishing sites, too).

If your worship leader is writing books or articles, then he’s probably not spending enough time listening to your local Christian radio station to pick out next week’s songs.

5. Has your worship leader ever been asked to speak about music or worship somewhere besides your own church?

If your worship director has been a guest speaker speaking on music or worship at a church or conference somewhere, then he’s clearly just trying to promote himself. Oh, he may be a good musician if they’ve asked him to come speak, but he may just be too good. Ditch him now before he asks for more time off to speak somewhere else.

6. Can your worship leader play more than 3 instruments well?

If so, then he’s definitely overqualified. I mean, does your worship pastor need to know how to play anything except guitar and piano?

And maybe drums.

7. Can your worship leader jump in with a band or choir of almost any variety and not miss a beat?

You want to make sure your worship leader is well-versed in popular contemporary worship music and a little bit of traditional hymns, too. Anything more than that is just too eclectic for the Church.