I joined the worship ministry as a vocalist at First Baptist Watauga at 16 years old while I was a junior in high school. Although I would be hard-pressed to refer to myself as a mature Christian at the time, I distinctly remember sensing the call to get involved with the worship ministry. This was a months-long battle I had in my head about whether or not I could or should join. My doubts about serving often revolved around two thoughts: “You’re not good enough vocally.” “You’re not a good enough Christian.” Funny enough, I couldn’t get over myself until Pastor Mathew somewhat jokingly asked me if I had considered serving and I said, “Well actually I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” What began as a casual conversation quickly led to me serving on the platform for the first time just weeks later. I vividly remember battling impostor syndrome throughout the entire worship set—before, during, and after. I felt like I didn’t belong among this team of excellent musicians and Godly people who were also serving the Lord. Despite what I felt, I still believed I was taking a proper step of obedience, regardless of what my anxieties told me.

Still today, there are times I feel that I am not good enough to serve in worship ministry. But, God’s word tells us that it’s not about us being good enough. Instead, Scripture tells us that He equips us for the tasks He calls us to do (Heb. 13:20-21, 2 Cor. 9:8). When we are called to serve the Lord, we must trust in His ability to prepare us for the task, both in spirit and in the flesh. He has this in mind even from birth, as He gives us gifts to accomplish His purposes (1 Pet. 4:10-11, Rom. 12:6-8). I firmly believe that God gave me the ability to sing to use for His glory, not my own. My service on the worship team is an act of obedience, using the gifts He gave me to glorify Him and spread the Gospel. Simply put, it doesn’t matter what you feel or think you’re capable of. He will use us where we are to accomplish His purpose, minister to His people, and bring glory to His name.

Another valuable lesson I’ve learned about being “good enough” is that we serve a God who surpasses all our shortcomings. It’s never been about us being “good enough.” It’s only ever been about being faithful. Think back to the moment of Salvation. Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves. Starting our walk from this place of faith sets the stage for an attitude of faith in our service. In the apologetic work Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis would argue that all of the goodness that a Christian experiences originates from Christ within them. A lost person will strive to do enough “good” to earn the approval of “good” men, whereas the Christian is made good by a loving God from whom all goodness originates. At its core, isn’t service about showcasing how God is shaping us to be more like Him, so others might see His character through us? Because of this, we should serve unashamed knowing that the Lord will continue to sanctify us, inside and out, as we are faithful to Him.

In the four years that I’ve been in the worship ministry, I have seen God work on my heart and ability in both big and small ways. I’ve developed musically by learning to play guitar and sing harmony. I’ve also grown as a leader by planning services and leading worship for our student ministry several times. Most importantly, I can say I’ve grown drastically in my faith. I am a more patient, honest, and kind young man than I was four years ago. I’ve learned that worship is not just songs we sing at church, it’s a lifestyle. It’s a heart posture of knowing the Lord and walking in His ways. It is an understanding of who He is, what He has done, and what He continues to do. That is what this worship ministry has meant to me. Being a part of it has discipled me as a young Christian and I am looking forward to seeing how God will continue to use me in this ministry and how he will use the ministry to develop me as a better worshiper of Him.