There is a tremendous amount of trust required in leading people in sung worship. Most people are only singing aloud during a commute to work or their morning shower. Apart from singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ when are the vast majority of people singing corporately?
But sung worship is not just a physical act - it is spiritual as well. We are putting words in the mouths of our people for them to know, understand, and respond to the person and work of Christ.
When God’s people are gathered in sung worship they are following our lead - are we trustworthy? Have we invested in the secret place before coming to this public platform? Have we spent time with these songs to be able to lead them with as few distractions as we can manage? Will we provide the people with enough direction that they can relax and follow, or will they feel consistently unsettled because we seem to be unaware of anyone besides ourselves?
As it does in any relationship, trust is built over time. Time and familiarity will either serve to strengthen or undermine the trust you have with the people you lead. So be consistent in your serving on and off the platform. Be gracious with and toward your people knowing that there is a significant amount of trust required in their relationship with and toward you.