Posted October 30, 2014 by
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Leading Leaders in Worship at Wheaton
Leading worship at Wheaton has been by far my most challenging and most rewarding experience during all of college. Challenging, because there is nothing that forces you to grow more than being in leadership of other leaders. And rewarding, because I have the privilege of seeing lives radically transformed—though, most often, it tends to be my own.
Since my high school days in Tokyo, Japan, my identity had always been wrapped up in being “the worship leader guy.” My reputation more or less consisted of being an “extra-spiritual,” serious, rule-following musician, and I tried to live up to those expectations for quite some time. Coming off of that intense period of ministry, I did everything in my ability to flee from this unhealthy identity. I entered Wheaton determined to avoid that label. The strategy of escape from leadership worked—well, for a total of three days!
Upon arriving at HoneyRock for the Wheaton Passage program, I was asked to sing for the retreat’s multi-lingual, international worship service that occurred one of the first days, and since that day God has persistently reeled me in to be a part of his work on Wheaton’s campus.
Our Freshman Class Council selected Whitney Hall '15 and I to co-lead the freshman class worship team in September 2011. Since then, our heart for authentic worship on our campus has exponentially grown with each passing year. Freshman class leader turned to sophomore class leader, and sophomore class leader turned to junior class leader. Much of our original band stuck together through the years, developing a fun and loving camaraderie that now gets me up in the mornings.
Last spring, Whitney and I were selected by the Chaplain’s Office to be the Chapel Band Leaders for the whole student body, responsible for working with Student Chaplains in planning All-School Communion and the musical program to many Chapel worship services throughout the year.
You are likely to find worship at Wheaton to be profoundly different than most other Christian environments you might find yourself. This school is a hub and launching pad for young believers across a wide array of denominations, theological backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures populated predominantly by 18 – 23 year olds.
Wheaton, like any real community of people, is messy. We make mistakes, we compete, we argue, and we drift from God’s call to be the Church. The main thing that changes from season to season in our community is not how impressed we are by our accomplishments, but how aware we are of our messiness. This conviction, brought about by the good news of Jesus Christ, propels us to worship God with a sincerity that shatters strongholds and heals diseases. That brokenness is made beautiful.
Leading worship at Wheaton has taught me how essential it is for any leader to become profoundly aware of their own brokenness and need for grace; and from there we invite our community into that messy place to experience the wonders of God’s love and power poured out for His desperate yet hopeful people.
Andrew Sedlacek '15 is a senior studying interpersonal communication. Photos (above): Andrew and the 2014-15 chapel band leading worship at All-School Communion in Edman Chapel, October 2014. Photo credits: Whitney Bauck '15.