Body Language
Presiding well as a worship leader means using the body well. Presiding well means being comfortable with oneself in the public space to the extent that one doesn’t call attention to one’s uneasiness. It means looking like one knows what one is doing and speaking as if one means what one is saying. Presiding well means a certain honesty in expression: being who one is in the presence of God.
The Face. Some of us have faces that give us away; some of us have faces that conceal what we want to reveal. Live with the face you have, but be aware of it. A face that shows tension and strain (pursed lips, tight jaws, rigid head movements, tight neck muscles) calls out for attention and concern. Unfortunately, such faces draw attention to themselves and prohibit a “welcoming” greeting. Often such faces thinly mask a mind that is too concerned with trying to remember what’s next in the order of service or what’s next in a text. Such a face might loosen up when the worship leader begins actually attending to the assembly. Fear of one’s own possible mistakes or fear of the assembly get in the way of effective worship leading.
The Eyes. The eyes have it! Eyes are meant for looking at people; for greeting them warmly; for offering sympathy, hope, congratulations. They can be wonderful windows into a person. They can also be glaring security gates that post “no entrance.” They can stare blankly into space, giving the message, “no one’s home.”
People look away when they are afraid or intimidated. They look just over the heads of the group at the clock or the wall thinking that no one notices. But many do notice. In fact, within the assembled group are other sets of eyes waiting to make contact, waiting to be invited into human communion. Such eyes support and give assent; they empower the worship leader to lead from the heart.
The Arms and Hands. The arms of the worship leader reach out in greeting when they do so naturally. They gather the assembly together, including in their extension all who are present, never seeking to exclude by gestures made too small or by fingers that bend in. The hands look warm and human: a slight bend to them, not rigid and straight. The palms are raised heavenward while the arms gently gather those who worship. The movements of the arms and hands have a smoothness from one position to another, but a smoothness that does not call attention to itself.
Hands joined nervously in front of oneself merely transfer nervous energy down one arm and back up the other. Merely letting go of the hands allows nervous energy an exit. The worship leader is called at times to gesture in the name of the assembly. At those times the gestures are bold, but restrained, inviting the assembly into them, rather than warning all to keep their distance.
Sitting, Standing, Bowing, Kneeling. One can’t be walking and bowing at the same time or walking and doing other things. Take time, use common sense, sit straight (if, for example, you are leading worship while playing piano), stand on both feet, don’t roll. Bow or perform other actions for the benefit of the assembly—carefully and richly—and not merely for oneself. Point the entire body in the direction of the central activity, don’t merely move the “head.” That way, when one of the worshipers gets bored with the music and looks at the worship leader, the very way the worship leader is sitting or standing and attending to the music will call that worshiper back to worship.
Walking. This may not be an art, but there are better and worse ways of doing it. Public walking is a little slower than private walking, but good walking calls no attention to itself. “Be human and not overly religious” is my motto. On the other hand, I’ve seen people actually skip up the stairs of the sanctuary, taking two at a time on their way to lead worship. The action of worship demands more than this, and so does the assembly. I’ve seen people shift into place after several tries, sort of circling the area looking for the right place, and I’ve seen people cut corners so sharply you’d swear they had a sudden change of heart.
Appearance. If one is wearing a vestment while leading worship, he or she should make sure it is cleaned, pressed, and the proper length. Ordinary clothes offer their own problems: some clothes are judged by the assembly as inappropriate either because they are showy (a stunning evening gown or a formal ruffled shirt) or because they are too casual (e.g., shorts, sleeveless shirts, or blouses).
Movement and Flow. Every worship service has a high point, a focus, a central gesture; and every service has elements and gestures that lead to that point and others that move from there to conclusion. It is the worship leader and others who set the tempo and help the rest of the assembly experience the central focus of the service. This is accomplished by both voice and gesture, by tone and body reverence.
Silence. The advent of “new worship” seems to have signaled the end of silence. Silence gives the assembly time to center itself for prayer, time to take in the Word that is proclaimed, time to reflect on the preached Word, time to focus on an important gesture. Brief periods of silence (ten seconds or less) help establish the rhythm of the service; longer periods take on an important place in the service itself.
Deadly silence is silence that has no positive meaning for the assembly; it is the silence of musicians not being ready to play or the silence of someone taking public time for the private movement of books or candles, or the silence of someone fumbling to get ready for the next part of a service. Creative silence, on the other hand, is silence with a purpose; it is the silence that allows the assembly to breathe, to reflect, to pray.
While deadly silence encourages the feeling of boredom, creative silence pushes the service forward, but without the sense of rush. Time flies as the worshipers are caught up in the act of worship. Worship leaders, pastors, and others must learn the art of calling the assembly to quiet, of pacing the service through silence, of not wasting silence on movements that have no meaning for the assembly as such. They must also learn to treasure the assembly’s quiet time so that they do not disturb it with a nervous word, lengthy explanation, or instruction.
Relation to the Worshipers. All of us who minister to the rest of the assembly remain part of that assembly even as we minister. As leaders of worship, we serve so that others might discover the presence of God in our midst. After all, the good news of the gospel comes through personalities and bodies, not automatically, not without working at it, but only when we are open to ourselves and to others, calling and inviting all of us to transparency and honesty before the Lord. Those who would lead worship must serve the assembly.