When I first expressed interest in leading worship, a friend pointed me to an article (don't remember the author) that outlined a top-10 list for worship leaders. It was either the top 10 mistakes worship leaders make, or the top 10 best practices—either way, I only remember one of the points: a worship leader should never lead from a seat/stool/chair.

That article is several years old now, and while I've led several intimate worship sessions from my seat, I do tend to adhere to this advice in corporate worship. Were I writing a similar article, though, I would emphasize that a worship leader should never sit when he or she is encouraging others to stand.

Just this morning I worshipped in a service where the entire band was seated. It was an all-acoustic setup, which I love, but the first songs were fast-paced; the leader encouraged the congregation to stand, but in the absence of a driving drum beat and a base line, the room followed his lead by staying seated. No harm done, but it might have been a bit awkward for those used to standing at the beginning of the service.

Now that I've referenced it, I'll have to track down that article. I wonder how many of guidelines I've followed...