Author is the New Worship Leader
When I was in high school and college, being on a worship team was the pinnacle. If you played drums, bass, guitar, or sang, you were admired. People from various congregations knew you. You were invited to lead worship at special events or mission trips. Girls (or guys) were infatuated with you. You had cool hair.
Of course, this lead to people using their musical abilities for reasons other than serving Christ. Heck, even I aspired to be involved with worship at one time–even though I never felt called. Fortunately for everyone, there was never a need for a recorder on the worship team. If there was, they probably wouldn’t have called me anyway.
Now, it seems, being an author is the new hotness. Having a blog is almost as cool as playing guitar in a dark room with christmas lights on the ceiling. And getting your manuscript published–well, you’ve just made a CD and reserved a bus for a 24-church worship tour. People know you because they read you. You’re invited to speak at conferences. You have cool hair.
Just like there are quality, uplifting worship leaders who are following God’s call to make glorifying music, there are also quality, encouraging authors who are lead to publish encouraging words. Unfortunately, it also means people will start doing it for the wrong reasons. Namely, notoriety.
I suppose the Internet is partly to blame too. Any schmuck can buy a cool domain name, setup a blog, and start writing from a coffee shop (you’re reading one now). A few encouraging comments later and its easy to start dreaming about a book-signing tour. It seems every fifth Christian blogger I encounter is either working on a book or hopes to write a book one day.
Now, if this is you, don’t go crying in your moleskine. Just ask yourself why you want to do this.
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4 Responses to “Author is the New Worship Leader”
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I can’t relate to this one… I have trouble writing emails, why would I want to write a book?
…although… an autobiography might be enjoyable. A reminder, a witness of God’s hand in my life. A witness for my future great-grand-children. I know I would enjoy reading about my Great-grand-father.
I’m not here to comment on your opinion, I just want to agree with it.
Don’t really understand “Contemporary Christian Music” anymore… Secular record companies who have a Christian branch so they can earn more money out of Christian youth’s pockets because they like a certain group.
But I had thought the blogosphere was reaching its end… I guess there are people still out for popularity in this avenue of the social spectrum.
Thanks for sharing!
well, now I can’t write my book because everyone will know I’m doing it just for the notoriety. But can I still have cool hair as long as I stay a mediocre blogger and don’t write a book?
Definitely keep the cool hair … and grow a soul patch to go with it.