If what you do is the vehicle then Passion has to be the Engine.
Through out time the world has seen many people change history with one simple trait, passion! Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King Jr., and greatest of all Jesus Christ knew the importance of having passion! As a worship leader, keeping a passionate mindset has been one of my greatest tools. I have come to know that without passion you can lose momentum, but with it you will reach new levels wherever you place it. In Romans chapter 12 Paul states, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically”. The definition of the word passion is “to have a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.” As leaders in the modern day church, we have a charge to serve the lord with passion and zeal. Mark 12:30 reads, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”. That verse motivates me to do just that!
As someone who leads people in worship weekly, I have come to know that passion cannot be forgotten about. Below I have outlined 4 reasons why passion is important. I hope these will inspire you to pursue what’s in front of you with a new passion to see a greater outcome!
- Passion Attracts. (It’s Authentic)
Have you ever found yourself so engaged into someone speaking passionately about something that you’ve lost track of time or to what’s going on around you? That’s because passion attracts. I’ve never walked into a sporting event, or concert and said to myself “wow people really don’t enjoy being here”. There’s something powerful about passion, it’s authentic. You can’t fake real passion. I think of John the Baptist and how nothing really significant attracted people to him. If you think about it he was kind of a weird guy, but people came from all around to hear and see what he was doing. I believe it was because of his passion! Passion excites people to see a greater picture. If the world is searching for something real, then shouldn’t the church be setting the passion bar high?
I believe in today’s world the modern day church needs to brim with passion to effectively attract people to know God.
- Passion Problem Solves. (It Inspires Creativity)
People who are passionate about something never stop at making it better. If you’re passionate about something you will naturally think up creative ideas to execute the end goal. I love the quote from Apple Founder Steve Jobs, “You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.” Just as Steve Jobs was passionate to build better computers for the world, the same passion can be used to make anything excellent. Having passion will keep you exploring new ideas to make things better. Passion will also help you grow in different areas as a leader. From team building, to song writing, to pastoring, to running kids church, passion can turn good ideas into great ideas!
- Passion Generates Success. (Greater Goal)
No, not the success most people associate the word with such as, large sums of money or high levels of fame. I’m talking about the success of achieving the things we are proud to do with our lives. I believe truly successful people are those who are the most proud of what they do! Passion keeps you focused on the bigger picture.
Even when hard times set in, passion will motivate you to not quit.
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb he simply stated, “I have not failed, I have successfully found 10,000 ways it won’t work”. Talk about true passion! When I became a Christian, the passion in my heart for worship was ignited. I had no idea how to lead people into the presence of God, I didn’t even sing. I remember dreaming up worship services while working a landscaping job under the hot Alabama sun. I even remember planning out entire sets with full production and lighting. Eventually my passion lead to opportunities that allowed me to do the very things I had dreamed about. In my book that’s real success!
- Passion Makes a Statement. (It’s Remembered)
In today’s society, the competition of the greatest ideas, best education, and most talented is extreme. When it comes to your craft, passion can make or break the statement you’re trying to make. As a leader, my eyes are not always looking for the most experienced or the most talented person. I believe passionate candidates can be just as qualified when I find myself building new teams. That’s because passion can leave impressions on people; just as it attracts, it also carries a stand out ability. When I read the Psalms of King David, all of his writings express his own passion for God. He said it himself in Psalm 69, “Passion for your house has consumed me”. Many of these are songs we still sing today. I’d say David made a statement when he wrote them. How about Jesus? He was so passionate about relationship with man, that He influenced twelve to change the face of the world. Even facing death by crucifixion, Jesus never lacked in his passion for people. In the world of leading worship I believe passion cannot be overlooked. I’m just as passionate to see people experience God through worship today, as I was when I worked landscaping. I’m even more passionate about seeing young worship leaders develop into great worship leaders!
As Christian leaders we live to proclaim the greatness of our God. So shouldn’t passion be the driver?
Ultimately passion can be a great trait to hone in on when it comes to pursuing anything in life! It creates drive, growth, and energy to face the challenge. I hope these reasons have encouraged you to do what you love with a fresh perspective on passion. If what you do is the vehicle, then let passion be the engine!