Three Questions is a semi-regular series introducing individuals across the NAB by asking them about their story, their ministry, and what they are learning. This week, we hear from David Barrera, the worship leader at Palm Harvest Church in Costa Mesa, California.
What’s your story?
My name is David Barrera. I am currently the worship leader at Palm Harvest Church in Costa Mesa, California. I’ve been married to my wife Tanya for the last thirteen years, and to say that it has gone way too fast is truly an understatement. I grew up in a Hispanic church in the city of Santa Ana, California. I started playing drums on the worship team when I was 10 years old and then leading worship at the age of 15.
I’ve always had a passion for worship, but more specifically worship music. As a kid, I learned that all we can offer God is our worship, but more than music or instruments is to live our lives as worship to him. For the last four years I’ve called Palm Harvest my home, and it truly has been a rewarding journey thus far – from being challenged by the pandemic and all the changes that has brought to our churches to now mentoring the youngest member of our worship team. God truly continues to show me there is still work to be done.
What has ministry been like for you?
For me, ministry is always challenging and constantly changing/evolving. Technology has now made it easy to schedule band members and set up rehearsals a lot easier. But with now having a weekly livestream service on Facebook and YouTube, it’s also come with challenges. How do we know we are reaching people for Jesus? As a worship leader, I ask myself, “How am I engaging our church community through a phone screen or computer?” Those are all things I think about constantly. I also think about if I’m engaging my team into the vision of our church.
What are you learning?
My biggest challenge is to not be complacent. After being involved with worship for the last twenty-seven years, how do I keep the fire going? Recently, I have had the amazing task of mentoring the youngest member on our team, Joseph. I’ve known Joseph since he was a toddler; his dad Beto is one of my best friends, and we used to play in a band together. Over the last year, he has been a member of our worship team playing guitar every Sunday. Why is this a challenge? For ten years, I worked at the Boys & Girls Club in Garden Grove, California, and when I left that job, I was truly thankful I didn’t get to work with kids anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the job was amazing and working with kids was incredibly rewarding. But kids also have a lot of energy and ask a lot of questions.
What does the Lord do?
He sends me a 14-year-old kid who has a lot of energy and asks a lot of questions. But in that, I felt this God-given responsibility to mentor this young kid and to try to impart some of my many years of worship ministry into his life. Just when I thought a chapter of my life closed, I suddenly felt God telling me to help Joseph, challenge him, motivate him, but most importantly teach him a life of worship.