The one thing about Christian conferences is that they usually have great music!
During the three days I was at the Higher conference for youth ministry we had about six separate worship sessions, and they were a great place to try and leave behind the rubbish of life and seek God in his fullness. I've always found that music is a great meditative practice in that way.
Although the band at the conference was well practiced, and very tight I found something was missing in their polished performance. I had great difficultly connecting with God because my thoughts were mainly focused on how professional everything way. Every high, every low, every pause, every repetition seems to have a practiced deliberateness about it that stiffled the experience. It was like the spontaneity and joy had been reduced a few levels.
I'm not saying that I believe that a worship team shouldn't practice or be good at their craft, rather I am suggesting that sometimes we can get caught up in getting everything just right instead of getting caught up in the reason we are singing.
It was a startling contrast to attend my church Sunday morning and be led by three singers (who really didn't match each other) and a lone keyboardist. To be honest, it was terrible in parts, but I found myself that much closer to God because they were focusing on Him.
The responsibility of a worship leader and worship band is to provide a platform of non-distraction. For my mind you should be able to completely ignore them because to draw our focus to themselves is to draw our focus from God.
Sounds a bit harsh I know, but this is coming from a person who's number 1 joy is leading his church in worship. It is the time that I feel closest to God, no other activity seems to do it. It's not an ego trip for me, but a joy that comes from pointing others to the goodness of our Heavenly Father and allowing them to meditate on the Him.
Let's continue to point others towards God with our gifts, not ourselves.