Don’t Just Lead…Last

I’ve noticed something over the years…

A lot of people want to lead, but not everyone wants to last.

We celebrate the big moments…the packed services, the promotions, the wins, the Instagram posts. But leadership isn’t built in the spotlight. It’s built in thousands of ordinary days when no one is watching.

This past October I celebrated 30 years on staff at Stevens Creek Church.

People have asked me, “How have you stayed so long?”

My first answer is usually, “Well…they haven’t figured out how to get rid of me yet.”

Or I’ll say, “I just keep showing up on Mondays.”

Honestly, it hasn’t been because every season was easy. There have been incredible highs, but there have also been seasons that were exhausting, discouraging, and even painful.

There were moments when I questioned myself. Moments when I wondered if I was making a difference. Moments when I simply had to put one foot in front of the other.

Looking back, I’m grateful I stayed.

Here are a few things I’ve learned about leading for the long haul.

Don’t Chase the Next Thing

Our culture is always telling us that something better is out there.

A bigger church.
A bigger title.
A bigger paycheck.
A bigger platform.

Let’s be honest…if we’re not careful, we’ll start comparing our behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.

Sometimes God calls you to go but most of the time He calls you to stay. Don’t let comparison make your current assignment seem less significant. Faithfulness will always matter more than popularity.

Keep Your Heart Soft

Leadership has a way of hardening people if we’re not careful. People will disappoint you. Plans won’t always work. Criticism will come. The temptation is to become guarded… cynical… or simply stop caring. Fight for your heart. Spend time with Jesus before you spend time leading people.

Don’t lose your love for God while working for God.

Play the Long Game

I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about winning every day. It’s about showing up every day. Some Sundays feel incredible and some feel terrible. 

Some Sundays the microphone dies, Pro Presenter freezes, Ableton isn’t firing correctly and the confidence monitor shut off right in the middle of a new song. 

Welcome to ministry.

Some ideas work…and some completely flop. That’s leadership. Don’t let one bad day convince you you’re a bad leader.

Keep showing up.

Keep learning.

Keep growing.

Invest in People

At the end of the day, It’s all about people.

Buildings are great, systems matter and strategy is important. But people are always the mission.

Some of the greatest joy in leadership is watching someone you invested in begin leading others.

That’s a legacy worth building.

Take Care of Yourself

For years I thought slowing down meant I wasn’t working hard enough. I’ve learned the opposite is often true. You can’t lead well if you’re running on empty.

Take a day off… Go on vacation… Play golf... Laugh with your family…Sit by the pool….Read a good book. And every once in a while…leave your phone in another room. If the church survives for an hour without you, take that as good news.

Healthy leaders lead healthier teams.

Stay Teachable

Thirty years in ministry has taught me one thing…

I still have a lot to learn.

Some of the best ideas I’ve used came from leaders younger than me.

So,,,ask questions…Visit other churches…Read books outside your comfort zone.

Never confuse experience with having all the answers.

Finish Better Than You Started

Anyone can have a great season.

The goal is to finish well.

When my leadership journey is over, I don’t want to be remembered for my title or accomplishments. I hope they remember that I loved people well. That I encouraged others. That I was faithful. That I made the people around me better.

That’s success.

One Last Thought

The leaders who make the biggest impact usually aren’t the loudest.

They’re the ones who faithfully show up year after year.

They love people.

They keep learning.

They stay humble.

They don’t quit when things get hard.

Galatians 6:9 has become one of my favorite reminders:

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

If you’re in a difficult season today, keep going. Your faithfulness matters more than you realize. Leadership isn’t about having one great year.

It’s about living a life that points people to Jesus… for the long haul.

The Framework I’ve Used To Plan Thousands Of Worship Services

Over the past 30 years at Stevens Creek Church, I’ve helped plan thousands of worship services. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

You can easily lose sight of what really matters when you’re creating services every single week.

Deadlines.
Setlists.
Tracks.
Lights.
Transitions.
Announcements.
Band rehearsals.
Creative meetings.

If you’re not careful, you can spend so much time producing the experience that you forget the purpose of the experience.

That’s why there are three questions I constantly come back to when planning worship services. These questions help keep me grounded, focused, and intentional every single week.

1. What’s Your Motive?

This always has to come first.

In worship ministry, it’s dangerously easy to make things about ourselves. We stand on stages, hold microphones, and lead in front of people every week. And little by little, if we’re not careful, our focus can shift from leading people to Jesus… to leading people to notice us.

That tension never completely goes away.

A few years ago, I started a simple habit right before walking on stage. Before the first note, before the lights come up, before the countdown hits zero, I pause for just a second.

I take a breath.
I step forward.
And I quietly pray:

“God, let people see You, not me.”

That simple moment recalibrates my heart every time.

Because worship leadership isn’t about building our platform.
It’s about pointing people to His presence.

And honestly, people can feel the difference.

2. Who Are You Leading?

One of the biggest mistakes worship leaders make is planning services for themselves instead of the people they’re actually leading.

You have to know your room.

Every audience is different.
Every church culture is different.
Every moment is different.

The way you lead a student camp should probably look different than the way you lead a Sunday morning with a room full of young families, empty nesters, and first-time guests.

That doesn’t mean compromising truth.
It means being wise enough to communicate in a way people can actually connect with.

At Stevens Creek, we constantly ask:
“Who are we trying to reach?”

Because the answer to that question shapes everything.

Song selection.
Transitions.
Volume.
Language.
Creative elements.
Even the overall feel of the service.

If there are people far from God in the room, I want to lead in a way that invites them in …not pushes them out. I want them to experience the presence of God without feeling like outsiders who don’t understand the language or culture.

Great worship leaders don’t just lead songs well.
They lead people well.

3. Where Are You Trying to Take Them?

Every service is taking people somewhere emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.

The question is:
Are you leading intentionally… or just filling time?

When I build a worship set, I almost always start with the ending in mind.

What do I want people walking away feeling?
What’s the spiritual direction of the morning?
What’s the message about?
What moment are we trying to create?

Sometimes the goal is celebration.
Sometimes it’s reflection.
Sometimes it’s building expectation.
Sometimes it’s creating space for surrender.

But whatever it is …it needs intentionality.

One of the most important things I’ve learned is this:

It’s much easier to lead people somewhere you’ve already been yourself.

If you haven’t felt the flow of the service before Sunday…
if you haven’t thought through the transitions…
if you haven’t prepared spiritually and creatively…

you’ll end up reacting instead of leading.

And yes …I still believe deeply in leaving room for the Holy Spirit.

People often ask:
“If you plan things this carefully, where’s the room for spontaneity?”

My answer is simple:
Hopefully the Holy Spirit was involved long before Sunday morning.

I believe preparation and sensitivity to the Spirit work together … not against each other.

In fact, the more prepared you are, the more flexible you can actually become in the moment.

Preparation creates confidence.
Confidence creates freedom.

Don’t use “being led by the Spirit” as an excuse for lack of preparation.

Pray through your transitions.
Think through your moments.
Prepare your prayers.
Plan intentionally.

Then be willing to pivot if God leads another direction.

That balance matters.

As you plan your next service, ask yourself these three questions:

What’s my motive?
Who am I leading?
Where am I trying to take them?

Those three questions can completely change the way you approach worship planning … and ultimately help create experiences that genuinely move people toward Jesus.