By Clark Palmer What does a worship leader do?  Is a salary really necessary for someone to just lead a few songs each week? When it comes time to find a worship leader what should we look for? These are questions that come up from time and to time. I recently had occasion to think about them myself. Perhaps these observations and thoughts on this subject will be helpful. Perhaps we can move away from thinking, “why pay this person so much since they only work an hour a week.” A worship leader creates. Every Monday morning the worship leader starts with a blank page. At some point, well before Sunday, an outline of the worship service, including all the necessary parts, must appear. I say well before Sunday because after all the songs, Scriptures, and other parts are identified there is still much to be done. Creativity is required. There aren’t any style points awarded for “most creative worship service.” Creativity itself is not the goal. But a fresh, meaningful, thoughtfully planned time of worship produces engagement and impact.   Simply picking three or four hymns out of the list of thirty or so that are always sung and then plugging them into their normal spots on the standard, unchanging order of … [Read more...]