One of the aspects of speaking at a variety of churches is getting to meet different people that, aside from these places, I would have never normally gotten to speak with. A few weeks ago I was speaking at a revival in Coffeen, IL and I meet Keegan Sidhu. Keegan is the worship pastor at Bethel Dallas Church in Texas and a graduate of Greenville College. Keegan began singing and writing songs to pass the time while taking trips in the car with his mother up to Northern Michigan to visit family as a kid and has been doing it ever since. While recording a few new songs this week he took a few minutes and answered some questions about worship music and the church. You can connect with him through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reverbnation
1. How did you get involved with worship music? Did you feel called by God or did you happen into it?
I got involved with worship music as a kid. I had a genuine love for God and music and I quickly started to gravitate to the people at my church that were on the worship team. My first role on the worship team was playing trumpet in the back corner of the platform. I would say worship has always been both a calling and something I’ve “fallen into”. I went from playing trumpet to singing backup to leading parts of songs to eventually leading entire worship sets.
2. As a worship leader how do you decide what music to play? Is it dictated by your tastes, the pastors tastes, the congregation tastes or a combination of all three?
As a worship leader I take a few things into account in picking music. My personal taste, the taste of the other worship team members and pastoral leaders and the congregation. I look for songs that our people really connect with. I’ve always thought the faster people can stop looking at the lyrics on the screen and make the song their own the better.
3. What do you feel is the current tone (style and theme) of worship music? Do you see any changes on the horizon?
This is a fun question. I think the current tone of worship music depends on what church your standing in! Churches are doing styles and themes all over the map. Some our ultra progressive and play everything new that comes out and some still play songs 10, 20, 30 years or older. I don’t see any big changes on the horizon. There will always be hymns sung, always be contemporary songs and always a range in style from gospel to folk to rock.
4. What advice would you offer to those that are just starting to lead worship?
My advice to a new worship leader would be to remember that your job, when leading, is to take people with you. It’s easy to get lost on your own worship experience on a Sunday morning and leave everyone else behind. If you run too far ahead as a leader you’re not leading people, but ditching them. Conversely, if you are right in the pack and not a little bit in front of the group you’re not leading either, you’re mingling. Leaders have to go ahead, but have to always listen to the Holy Spirit to make sure you’re not too far ahead.
Pastor Mike Moore 