Here is a great interview with my friend Sam,

Please can you tell us about yourself and what do you do?
Hi my name’s Sam, I work as one of the worship pastors for a church called Soul Survivor in Watford and have been there since I turned 18, so 4 years ago now. I grew up attending church along with my family where God revealed Himself and His heart to me, particularly during times of worship and prayer. I have always had a real passion for making God known through music and love how worship helps people to connect and engage with God.

How and when did you become a Christian?
I became a Christian at a Spring Harvest conference when I was just 5. I think the worship times really engaged my heart and God became a big part of my life.

What song personally means the most to you and why?
I think my favourite song right now is by a guy called John Mark McMillan and is called “How He Loves”. The chorus is just so simple and goes “He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves”. It speaks life and freedom every time I hear it and touches the heart.

What books would you recommend as ‘must reads’?
I don’t do a huge amount of reading (though I’ll try to one day) but I love some books that may not necessarily be about leading worship but books engage my heart and encourage character. A book that very much had an impact on me is “Wild At Heart” by John Elderidge. Another book that engaged my faith to see God do miraculous things, even in worship, is “When Heaven Invades Earth” by Bill Johnson which talks a lot about God’s kingdom and expecting breakthrough.

What are the most important things you think every worship leader should know?
I think first and foremost we need to keep developing and investing in a worshipping heart. This may involve hanging out with God when there’s no-one else there to even see. As simple as it may sound, I think we need to make space for God to speak, to rest, to worship Him and just to enjoy His presence even when we’re not leading anyone else. And this needs to become our first priority, our safety and our longing, as well as our choice and ultimately our joy.

I’m reminded of the woman at the well in John 4 where Jesus talks about Himself as “living water”. I believe it’s time spent in His presence that fuels our hearts. That’s why I think we need to be putting our hearts in a position of worship, and it will impact the way that we lead as well. Even in choosing songs we may find we’re more and more receptive to God’s promptings and sensitive to His movement. Jesus often went off to a solitary place where He prayed to His Father (Mark 1:35) and it was from times of intimacy with His Father that He moved.

We can lead worship knowing we’re serving the same God whose presence is as real at a gathering as it was as in our bedroom and we can lead worship from that same place of rest and closeness with our Father.

Any other words of wisdom?
God’s looking out for our hearts – nothing else is as important or comes in place of this. More than anything let’s enjoy worshipping God and leading others in their worship! It’s a position of heavenly partnership and surrender. We lead from a place of knowing Him and “how He loves”.