For the last four years I have had the privilege of having nothing but the opposite of this problem. What should this relationship look like? Should it be this difficult to work together? Here are my thoughts on this topic based on my experience in these past four years...
Whatever kind of pastor you serve with, God says he's a gift to you. In Ephesians 4:11-12 pastors and teachers are mentioned as gifts from the ascend Christ to equip the church for ministry. Worship leaders don't even get a nod...
Hebrews 13:17 tells us "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."So... if I don't make it a joy for my pastor to lead me, it's of no advantage to me. When we're at odds, Scripture is clear; I'm the one who needs to submit. Submitting to my pastor means serving him joyfully and humbly. I haven't always done this appropriately throughout my life. It has been a journey for me to realize that my job as an "Aaron" to my lead pastor is a true joy. Something that used to be difficult for me is that our lead pastors should feel free to interrupt or adjust what we're doing because we're doing it to serve their priorities, not ours. Our goal should be to work very hard to serve the sermon. This is a hard lesson to learn but it has to be learned to be the best worship pastor you can be. Ultimately through these past for years it has been a goal of mine was to make Scott's (my lead pastor) job of leading me a joy. We should always be open to ways we can grow in this relationship. Because when we are a leader in the church, everyone benefits when we grow. And everyone suffers when we don't. Especially your lead pastor.
Learning to connect with and serve your pastor can be the difference in either looking forward to the beginning or the end of the day. It is important to stay connected to your lead pastor. If you're not intentional, you may only see your pastor during church and staff meeting. You've got to make time to get together outside of the office. Seek ways to occasionally laugh and blow off steam together. (I would however not suggest going to see "The Watchmen" in 3D at the IMAX).
In closing I want to honor and thank my lead pastor Scott Hatfield for being an incredible leader, pastor, encourager and friend to me. Thank you for calling out the best in me and encouraging my gifts to make me even better. Thanks for taking the time and energy to challenge me in the areas I needed to grow in. It is easier to correct and challenge someone to make the job be done better. But it is more difficult to do it to make the person better. Thanks for always caring more about me as a person over the job I was doing. Thanks for taking the time to build into our friendship and being there for me always. Thanks for believing in and striving for my marriage to be GREAT not just good. Thanks for the ways you have and are still fighting for me because you believe in me. Thanks for trusting me from the beginning and allowing me to be myself. Thank you for letting me be your worship pastor. It has been privilege and a true joy to serve you and lead with you. I hope I was a joy to lead.
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