“The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.”
Mark 1:22

Have you ever battled with confidence as a worship leader or musician? Be encouraged; It’s more common than you’d think. 

Even better news: There’s actually a way to grow in confidence so insecurity doesn’t get the best of you. 

But it does require time and effort. 

Check it out below.

1. Spiritual confidence

What does God say about you? Your Father in heaven loves you and is for you.

What Jesus did for you at the Cross makes you a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come! You are forgiven of your sins, washed clean, set free, given the mind of Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Hebrews 10:19 tells us that we have confidence to enter into the Most Holy Place, the Presence of God, by the blood of Jesus. In other words, we can stand before God boldly because of what Jesus’ blood accomplished for us. 

If we can stand boldly before God because of the blood of Jesus, how much more are we able to stand before man!

Know who you are in Christ! You are not working for approval, you’re working from approval. Your performance as a worship leader does not define who you are, Christ does that.

We aren’t leading worship in order to gain approval. We’ve already got that in Christ. Let that settle in your heart.

The other aspect of spiritual confidence is spending time with God. It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship! When you spend time with God, you’ve got something to give—and that gives you confidence.

2. Practical confidence

To put it simply—know your stuff!

It’s super practical—but it often gets overlooked and it’s a huge confidence booster.

Think of it in the inverse—if you walk into a worship service not knowing any of the songs, how much confidence are you going to have leading them? Yea…probably not much.

Know the songs, know your instrument, know your voice, know music, know leadership, etc. Take lessons, take online courses, read books, ask experienced worship leaders questions, and practice a lot at home!

Skillfulness breeds confidence!

My confidence level is boosted when I’ve spent time learning the songs I’m going to lead or I’ve worked on a particular skill. Why? Because now I’m not leading with an “I hope this works out” mentality, I’m coming with confidence knowing that I put in the time and effort to learn my part.

If you’re battling insecurity, maybe the answer is to take extra time to know your stuff!

3. Experience confidence

Again, might be looked at as too obvious—but confidence comes with experience.

Let me put it another way: Keep at it and your confidence will grow! It’s going to be more challenging in the beginning, but isn’t that how it is with everything?

Don’t quit. Keep leading worship. Keep learning. Ask for feedback. Receive Father’s affirmation. Learn what works and doesn’t work.

Well-trodden paths are trodden more confidently.

So keep doing it! 

4. Leadership confidence

If you’re in a worship leading position, know that you’ve been delegated authority to lead from your senior leadership—who’ve ultimately been delegated authority from God.

Move in confidence knowing that heaven is backing you.

Here are a few tips:

• Move past your feelings

  • Just because you feel it or think it doesn’t mean you are it!

  • Don't let your feelings define you

  • Trust in what God said about you

• Know your role

  • Lift people’s faith and hope

  • Lead them to Christ

• Don’t be afraid to fail

  • Let’s face it: we will all mess up at some point in worship leading (not talking about moral failures, I’m talking about forgetting the words, singing off key, missing our cues, etc.)

  • Fear of failure will cripple your freedom to express!

  • Have fun, worship God, and don’t take yourself too seriously

Sometimes it’s good to just laugh it off!

Circling back to #1, our identity is in Christ, not our performance. Shake off the pressure to have a perfect performance and give your heart to God.

Remember what Jesus said: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23 NIV)

And what the Lord told Samuel: “...The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)

We’re often our worst critics. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Get yourself in a godly community that can encourage you in your gifting and leadership. Welcome the encouragement and ask for feedback. 

Be encouraged! God is for you!

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

(Romans 8:31 NIV)

Question: Which point spoke to you the most? What else would you add to this list?