Authentic Worship Leading

During our church-wide picnic a few nights ago, I had the chance to meet several people who've begun attending Grace recently.  One couple in particular had some very interesting comments about the worship at our church.  I was left feeling very encouraged, and a little fascinated.

After visiting several different churches in Overland Park, they told me how much they love participating in the worship at Grace.  Not just because of the great music, or because of the flashing lights, but because they can sense the authenticity in our worship leading.  Wow.  This honestly is a worship leaders dream comment.

He explained to me that in their visits to churches, they had experienced worship being led by people that appear to be more concerned with "rock star" status...or with the way they looked.  I suppose when you look at me you can tell I really have no concern for my appearance. :)

So I've been pondering this comment and wondered to myself if there truly is an epidemic out there in churches.  What makes a worship leader "authentic" and what makes him a "rock star"?  What makes a band of worship leaders a "Worship Team" and what makes a band of worship leaders simply a "Cover Band"?  Where does the line of prepping for worship on the weekends, taking care that the music is played as accurately as possible, that the vocals are in pitch, that our presence onstage reflects Jesus Christ blur into simply being a performance?

Thanks so much for the kindness given to me at the picnic that evening, seriously made my day.

In addition I ran across a post by a fellow worship leader at Northpoint Church's satellite at Buckhead.  Carlos Whittaker posted this "I Hate it When My Worship Leader...".  There appears to be an undercurrent of dissatisfied worshippers out there in the comments. Interesting conversation.  Feel free to comment there (Currently over 140 comments) or if you like, let me know your thoughts here.