The Worship Pastor: A Call to Ministry for Worship Leaders and Teams

by Zac M. Hicks

Modern worship leaders are restless. They have inherited a model of leadership that equates leading worship with being a rock star. But leading worship is more than a performance, it's about shaping souls and making disciples. Every worship leader is really a pastor .
The Worship Pastor is a practical and biblical introduction to this essential pastoral role. Filled with engaging, illustrative stories it is organized to address questions of theory and practice, striving to balance conversational accessibility with informed instruction. It is meant to be read by pastors, worship leaders, worship teams, and anyone else interested in deepening their understanding and experience of worship.

The Worship Pastor presents a series of evocative "vignettes"--intriguing and descriptive titles and metaphors of who a Worship Pastor is and what he or she does. 

Chapter 1: The Worship Pastor as Church Lover
Chapter 2: The Worship Pastor as Corporate Mystic
Chapter 3: The Worship Pastor as Doxological Philosopher
Chapter 4: The Worship Pastor as Disciple Maker
Chapter 5: The Worship Pastor as Prayer Leader
Chapter 6: The Worship Pastor as Theological Dietician
Chapter 7: The Worship Pastor as War General
Chapter 8: The Worship Pastor as Watchful Prophet
Chapter 9: The Worship Pastor as Missionary
Chapter 10: The Worship Pastor as Artist Chaplain
Chapter 11: The Worship Pastor as Caregiver
Chapter 12: The Worship Pastor as Mortician
Chapter 13: The Worship Pastor as Emotional Shepherd
Chapter 14: The Worship Pastor as Liturgical Architect
Chapter 15: The Worship Pastor as Curator
Chapter 16: The Worship Pastor as Tour Guide

While some worship leaders are eager to embrace their pastoral role, many are lost and confused or lack the resources of time or money to figure out what this role looks like. Zac Hicks gives us a clear guide to leading worship, one that takes the pastoral call seriously.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Leadership, Christian, Religion, Music, Read For School

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2016

Reviews

[Salvador Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've now read all of Zac Hicks' books. This man is on a different level. Not only is he a careful thinker, but he applies his lofty and accurate theology to his people through worship and now preaching. This book makes me want to stop writing about worship altogether and say, "This guy said it all in this book." Thoughtful. Careful. Precise. Substantial. Nuanced. Challenging. Comforting. What more can I say? I think Hicks pushes the line of "pastoral ministry" to all leaders a bit too much for my liking, but then because he's so carefully nuanced he guards the office of pastor so well (17-18). He's careful to tell worship leaders, "Hey your responsibility is is deeply pastoral. Acknowledge this, and do your best by the power of the Holy Spirit" while guarding the office of pastor, so perhaps I take my critique back.

A wonderful book to give to a pastor who wants to think about worship some more or a worship leader who needs to be pushed to the "pastoral" side of things. Short, readable, and dense chapters full of food for thought and practical suggestions.

Good quotes:

"Our job is simple. Though we don't usher people into God's presence, we stubbornly, insistently point to the One who des" (38).

"Augustine is credited with saying, 'Whoever sings prays twice'" (64).

"As worship leaders, we have a pressing question before us: If all that the people of God had were the worship services we plan and lead, what would they know about Him, and how would they relate to Him?" (69)

"When we sing too much about our surrender for God, our living for His name, our triumph, our zeal, our giving it all away, our passion, our fervor, and our commitment, we are making room for what Paul calls 'confidence in the flesh' (Phil. 3:3-4)" (77).

"Jesus conquered His enemies in battle by bleeding before them" (85)/

"The fragrance of worship is justice. Where there is no justice, there is no fragrance" (95, quote of David Ruis, The Justice God is Seeking, 18).

"Proper contextualization–being a faithful missionary to your flock–involves listening to every voice, not just the young and attractive" (105).

"Christianity does not begin with the good news of my life changed, but Christ's life exchanged" (117).

"Worship is the portal where heaven leaks into our present existence in dribbles" (135).

"When we begin to worship as a gathered community each week, we aren't starting from scratch. We're jumping into heaven's praise on the third verse of the song" (136).

"A worship service which creates a cage around the emotions in the names of decency, orderliness, and self-control–all good, biblical in and of themselves–is just as mal-formative as the emotionally unhinged, wildly charismatic free-for-alls that are so often uniquely vilified in these conversations" (148).

"Just because worship is the one time the entire body is gathered does not mean the church's communicative burden must fall here" (182).

"Our one true Worship Leader, Jesus Christ, is the worship pastor every church (and every human) longs for" (197).

[Chris Gisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for anyone in music (worship) ministry or other church leadership. This was thoughtful, devotional, discerning, charitable, and insightful. This gave me such a robust vision and heart for the role of worship leading in the church. So good!

[Jeremy Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a lead pastor, not a worship pastor per se, but found this to be very helpful. It took me a while to get through the book, partly due to life, but partly due to the subject matter. It's a slow read, something that is probably best done as a team so as to create dialogue and discussion.

The conclusion was a great addition - simply pointing out that no one does all of this well, and that failure doesn't disqualify us as much as it becomes our starting point for leading. It might even be worth reading the conclusion before the rest of the book!

[Sam Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of insightful and thought provoking questions that those who lead others in the church should be asking ourselves.

[Seth Skogerboe · Rating 5 out of 5]

[July 25 read]
Still the most helpful contemporary book on worship-leading in a Western, Protestant context, I think. Some less superficial critiques this round: I’m unconvinced of the extent to which Hicks depicts form as flexible / growing more and more convinced over time that substance and symbol are inextricable (thinking also of Schmemann’s appendices to For the Life of the World)—and that seems far more exciting and freeing, anyways. Also unsure of the “pastoral” intuition to play nigh-on-“heretical” music at a funeral… ja… but I am no natural empath. Something to pray about, I guess. And what is a pastor?? Ok.

This round, I was especially grateful for chapters on the worship leader as “artist chaplain,” “mortician,” and “missionary.” I could easily spend a year in thought, prayer, and practice developing each of these aspects of my own worship ministry, and they’re only an 8th or so of Hicks’ material. A gift and an encouragement of a book.

//

[July 22 read]

Excellent, excellent. The best book on worship I’ve read, besides the Bible. All my critiques are superficial. Read this if you want to know what it means to lead worship anywhere.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the too-few books I've read on worship ministry, this has been the most dense book in terms of content. I write that with only the highest of praise, as each chapter contains a lot to chew on. Each chapter of the book is designated by each role that a worship pastor takes on in leading and it was eye opening as there were many that I had never thought of before. Even though I haven't lead worship in several years and primarily serve as a volunteer musician and as a songwriter, I found this book immensely valuable in how I relate to the gospel with worship. Every chapter points to the gospel in some way and that makes this book much more than a group of recommended tasks and roles for a worship leader.

As a songwriter, this quote from the book has stuck with me and I am reminded of it whenever I sit down to write.

"Each and every week, you put words into people’s mouths that become the language they will use to relate to God the other six days of the week."

[Buddy Draper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book that looks at different facets of the role and ministry of a worship leader in a local church. Hicks ministers in a more traditionally liturgical format and he has done a lot of research to go with his obvious networking. I appreciated his insights and his massive focus on Jesus.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, and I hope a lot of worship pastors/leaders will read this book. There are some sections where Zac gets into some exhortations for worship pastors that are more mystical or preferential than biblical. Not bad, but there are things here he makes into requirements, that I would disagree are requirements. But all in all, a super necessary, timely book, for sure. There's a handful of "wisdom from experience" anecdotes and illustrations, that are some of the best parts.

[Don Harton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zac Hicks’ The Worship Pastor is a good book. At times he is really inspirational, like a great song; and at times his suggestions seem overwhelming: like Polonius he insists the WP walk some kind of balance beam between competing priorities. I suppose that matches what many congregations expect of their WP! But read to the end, or at the very least read the last chapter where he graciously explains the challenge and the source of hope. And don’t miss the footnotes. This is a huge resource for insight into other books on worship.

My favorite chapters: Church Lover; Doxological Philosopher; Artist Chaplain. I grew a little frustrated with the sheer mass of suggestions as I neared the end. And as I said, he wraps up with a wonderful final chapter pointing to Jesus. Can’t go wrong there!

[Keylon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, encouraging, inspiring, and practical.
“The worship of God begins only when the worship of ourselves ends…” (p.196)

[Robbie Deacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuanced and detailed overview of the various roles of a Worship Pastor the can be applied to almost any denomination or church tradition. Great read for pastors and worship leaders

[Rachel Jaroszewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just for worship pastors! This is a great read for anyone. Really helps you gain perspective on the many roles and functions worship pastors have in the church. Also, contains great little pieces of wisdom and encouragement on growing in your own personal worship.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The worship of God begins only when the worship of ourselves ends”
Audiobook

[Shaun Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am quite torn about giving this book 3 stars because it is above average, but it has a few serious flaws that make me hesistant to give it a very good rating of 4 stars.

About one third through the book I got bored, because many illustrations were not relatable, and the author struggled to capture my attention with the long winded explanations. A heavier editor's pen to summarise the material with a heavy dose of brevity and cutting away secondary content to the appendices could make this a more engaging and useful book.

[Mark Einselen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an accessible book that combines theory with practice. Great for those who are in Church leadership/education regardless of denominational history. Also, do not make the incorrect assumption that "worship pastors" are those who play a guitar and sing. If that's what you think a worship pastor is, this book will blow your mind! Check it out.

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 3 out of 5]

More to come in my review of this book for the next Midwestern Journal of Theology. But here are a few thoughts:

- *Many* helpful insights in this book. Hicks brings to the forefront many issues that are neglected by modern evangelical music leaders. His chapters "The Worship Pastor as Disciple Maker," "The Worship Pastor as Theological Dietitian," and "The Worship Pastor as Caregiver" particularly stand out as shining stars. The best thing Hicks has going for him in this book (which is made clearest in the above chapters) is his awareness of the incredible influence that the music leader has, intrinsic to his role. The general burden of this book for music leaders to wake up to this reality and to steward that influence intentionally and faithfully is a much welcomed proposal.

- Stylistically, the book is kind of hard to nail down. It seems like *The Worship Pastor* can't really decide what it is. Is it a devotional type of book comprised of isolated, daily meditations (sort of like Piper's, *Brothers, We Are Not Professionals*)? Is it one cohesive whole that is supposed to be read with one subject built upon another? Is it a pop-level casual read for music leaders? Is it an academic work (as his copious amounts of footnotes would seem to suggest so)? At different points throughout, the book seems to place itself in all of these categories (which is unfortunate, because it makes it fit in *none* of these categories). The sad reality is that Hicks undermines himself by trying to do too many things in too many ways in this volume; in *The Worship Pastor,* Hicks has given us what appears to be a cluttered collection of essays that he has tried to string together into one argument.

- My biggest beef with this book is the bombshell that should be vigorously argued for, but is instead simply stated axiomatically: the notion that fulfilling a role that performs "pastoral" tasks equates to "being a pastor." This is a major problem for me. Hicks conflates function and ontology, and essentially says that since the music leader does things in his role that resemble what a pastor does in his role, he *ought* to take ownership of the "pastor" designation. But "pastor" refers to an office of the church. It is a formal designation, with specific instructions, specific charges, and specific qualifications; it's not a self-designation. The title of "pastor" is an "ordination" from God and from the church (specifically, her leadership). Because of his fast and loose designation of "pastor," Hicks effectively dreams up an ecclesial office that is foreign to the New Testament, the qualifications of which are *strictly* functional (i.e., you're in this office,not because you've met these qualifications and have been ordained unto and installed therein, but because you do these things), and the expectations of which are extra-biblical (e.g., "The Pastor as Artist Chaplain" -- Hicks argues in this chapter that, strictly because of what a music leader does, regardless of whether or not he has been ordained into a pastoral office charged to shepherd members of a flock, he is uniquely responsible for caring for one demographic of that flock: artists).

There are several differences of opinion that someone like me (a Baptist pastor) is unavoidably prone to have with someone like Hicks (an Anglican minister), but this one, stated so axiomatically (which is surprising, given Hicks' careful nuance on a number of topics throughout the rest of the book), proved to be such a distracting hurdle it was nearly impossible to ignore. The problems of conflating task and office with the title "pastor" abound, and throughout the volume, I couldn't help but say to myself, "Thank God for the Regulative Principle and for robust ecclesiology!"

[John Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely one of the best books I've read (thrice now) on the pastoral nature of the role of worship leader. In a modern worship landscape which often exalts musical skill and charisma at the expense of spiritual and leadership qualities in its leaders, a book like this is sorely needed. Hicks exhorts worship leaders to "keep to the ancient paths" (Jeremiah 6:16), remembering that the position we hold carries with it a sacred and weighty responsibility to shepherd the flock. While musical skill and charisma are indeed important qualities in an excellent worship pastor, the work extends so much farther than the onstage persona. He must be a theologian, a creative thinker, a spiritual leader and shepherd, an artist, a prayer warrior, and, yes, a skilled musician, among many other things. The book examines a different aspect of pastoral ministry in each chapter.

Hicks admirably balances practical application with biblical reflection, while writing out of his own significant experience as a worship leader, pastor, songwriter, and band leader. He warns against many popular—but unbiblical—trends in modern church music, while mapping out a way forward which enables worship pastors to lead their ministries with theological precision, cultural courage, pastoral care, and musical excellence. His approach is rooted in historical liturgical traditions, taking advantage of the blessing of modern advancements in technology and communication while avoiding their pitfalls.

The Worship Pastor is near the top of my recommended reading list for anyone leading a worship ministry, as well as those tasked with leading, training, or selecting worship leaders. Zac Hicks’ insight and vision is something from which we can all benefit, and which has benefited me immensely on each reading. I have particularly loved reading this book with worship interns alongside Bob Kauflin’s Worship Matters, which approaches worship leading from a different perspective. Where Kauflin seeks to define what a worship leader is and what he does, Hicks asks a different question: How does a worship leader shepherd. There is overlap between the two books, but taken together they give an excellent overview of what it takes to lead a healthy worship ministry which exalts God with excellence.

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zach Hicks has written an excellent overview of the ministry of a worship leader. The aspect which makes this book especially significant is it embraces the pastoral role of worship leader, which makes it very appropriate for pastors, whether they are musical or not. With chapter titles like "The Worship Pastor as Doxological Philosopher" and "The Worship Pastor as Theological Dietician" alongside other chapters focusing on the worship pastor's role as "Missionary," "Disciple Maker," "War General," and "Emotional Shepherd" (among many others), even a cursory glance at the table of contents shows how thoroughly relevant Hick's book is.

The book is written in a very accessible manner and so is appropriate for lay ministers as well as those with more academic training. Every chapter has footnotes where the ambitious reader can track down the sources of much of what Hicks works through. And Hicks has utilized most of the primary resources on worship theology (and liturgy) the 21st century has offered, which makes it an excellent entry point for anyone desiring to dive a little deeper into thinking biblically and thoroughly about leading worship.

I can not recommend this enough to pastors and especially worship leaders. I would encourage pastoral teams to read through the book together and talk through what he discusses, because it has implications beyond the worship gathering on Sunday morning, to the point that it is nearly a holistic approach to being a worship pastor.

[Grace Wiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more of a 3.5. This was assigned to me for a class on the practice of worship. Hicks's perspective on the worship leader's role as a pastor within a congregation is a fresh and, I think, compelling one. He challenges readers to be more than just the person who sings in front of a group of worshipers, which I appreciate; however, he spends a LOT of time talking about the worship pastor as a "war general" against "hell, the world, and the flesh." I personally don't rock with using militaristic language in a worship context because, though symbols of war and battle are based in the biblical text, their proper application requires a nuance of presentation and comprehension that I really don't think is being offered to most congregations. Plus, I don't love the appropriation of the military industrial complex into spaces dedicated to worshiping the Prince of Peace. So. Other than that, I'm glad I read it.

[Gabe Zepeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for all worship leaders who want to better understand what worship is and what their God-given role is on and off stage. Hicks compellingly argues that leading worship is far more than picking a bunch of songs and singing them once a week in a church gathering. Leading worship is pastoring and shepherding God's people at its core. Using pithy and helpful metaphors, he presents sixteen qualities to aim for as worship pastors. The contents of this book is rich in history, research, cultural engagement, solid theology, practical wisdom, seasoned experience, and encouragement. To top it off, Hicks brings the reader back to Jesus––the true Worship Pastor––centering everything on the gospel. Pastors and elders need to read this book too. Better yet, worship pastors and their lead pastor need to read this together and prayerfully apply it to their ministries.

[Jonny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't give this book my full recommendation, largely because Hicks and I have many theological disagreements. That's not it though, because the book isn't long enough to explain the underlying theology, so it assumes it (not ideal for a worship leader). However, despite my disagreements with him, largely centered on his low anthropology, his reformed view of the sovereignty of God, his opposition to trimphant and transformational worship, there is a lot for a worship leader to learn by reading this. I may end up buying copies for our leaders; but they would need to be adept enough to sift through the problems of the book to collect the golden nuggets.

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently I challenged the notion that worship music could be manipulative (as Hicks cautions against). My own worship pastor corrected my thinking, and several other examples have surfaced since then. For instance, what about cults like Jonestown? I stand corrected.

Zac Hicks has written a helpful, modern, and practical guide to leading worship. Well worth the read for ministers.


Notes:

1. ...worship less of a show and more of a ministry (22)

2. Every leader has been placed there by God (30)

3. Worship is to build the body (Eph 4:12), not for personal ego (68)

4. Worship leaders are "speech writers" (80) with all the care to every word that entails

5. "If you want your people to really pray, encourage them to really sing" (85)

6. Knowing about God rather than knowing him (92)

7. Worship pastor as mortician (179)

8. When people are mourning, it's more important to mourn with them than correct their theology (184)

9. Interesting discussion of emotional shepherding vs. manipulation (194).

10. The worship of God begins when the worship of ourselves ends. (254) Success in worship begins with the acknowledgment of our deep inadequacy.

[Cameron Watford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This book was an enlightening one, a challenging one, a hard to swallow one, an encouraging one & a realistic one.
No book since “Worship Matters” by Bob Kauflin, other than Scripture, has had such a profound impact on me & my calling as a worship pastor.
Get this book, read it all the way through & digest it in small portions so you don’t miss anything, but don’t try to do it all. Let it speak to one area of your calling at a time until the Holy Spirit makes you into the worship leader he’s calling you to be.

[Ryan Gant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must read for worship pastors and ministers of music. The author looks at our role from so many different angles, it’s impossible to read the book without learning something. I really appreciated the last couple of chapters which took main points from the rest of the chapters, and weaved them together in a practical way that helped me to understand them better.
Took me awhile to read, mainly because I didn’t want to rush through it. I wanted to be able to take it a chapter at a time and do my best to really digest the content.

[Ryan Dufoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely the best book I've ever read on Christian worship. It doesn't lean heavily to either of the main camps (contemporary or traditional/high church) present in our church context, but rather provides artistic narratives, practical suggestions, and thoughts that could only reflect a lifetime of worshipping God. Please, read this book, and have anyone associated with worship ministry leadership read it too. It's well worth it.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zac Hicks draws from a number of different denominational/liturgical backgrounds in order to develop the roles of a worship pastor found in this book. I certainly did not agree with everything he said (there was one chapter I think I disagreed with entirely), but it was profoundly helpful in thinking through my job as a worship pastor and determining ways that I can be more faithful in my calling.

[Debyi Kucera (Book&BuJo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking and enlightening. There are some concepts in this book that made me see things in an entirely new light, stating things in a different way that made me think and question the way I always thought or had been taught. It's easy to take each part of this book and either leave it, learn from it, or love it. I would encourage all Worship Leaders and members of the worship team to read this one.

[Brad Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quickly moved to the short list of books that I'll refer to early and often from now on. There are few books that I would be inclined to press into the hands of every pastor/leader who is involved in some aspect of Christian worship but "The Worship Pastor" is definitely an exception to that rule. The first book I would recommend to any current or aspiring worship pastors/leaders.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful big-picture look at the pastoral elements of worship. Lots of “not if but how” moments, where you realize as a leader you’re already doing these elements, whether consciously or unconsciously, well or poor.

Probably a better read for leaders who can then synthesize, sort, and teach to the broader team.

[Jeff Ragan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Worship Pastor was a hugely helpful, most enjoyable book! Zac Hicks, the author, has a passionate heart for worship leaders, a surprisingly wide range of pastoral experience, and a thoughtful, considerate approach to the ministry of leading worship. His is my new textbook for up and coming worship leaders in our church!