Worship ministry overview (part 3)
In the previous 2 articles, we looked at the foundational systems that are needed in every healthy worship ministry. We’re going to finish up our series talking about running effective rehearsals, leading worship visibly, developing your team as disciples, and equipping them to worship outside of Sunday mornings.
7. RUNNING EFFECTIVE REHEARSALS
One of the great frustrations for both leaders and volunteers is the feeling that you’re wasting your time. Everyone hates it when you show up and materials aren’t ready, the sound system isn’t working, or a person on the team hasn’t practiced. On the other hand, when people walk in, charts and equipment are ready, you start on time, and things go smoothly, there is a higher potential for people to feel valued, to enjoy themselves, and to be able to easily engage in worshipping God together. Here are some big topics to think about addressing and implementing to your rehearsal process.
What is expected of team members in regards to personal practice and preparation?
Do you have clear expectations communicated to your team when they join about coming to rehearsal having practiced on their own? Do they understand that rehearsal is to help the team see how they fit together and not about learning music? Additionally, do they know how to practice effectively on their own? Just because people are told to practice, doesn’t mean they know how.
What materials need to be provided to the team in advance and how far in advance?
What materials make it easier to practice? Do you provide original and transposed audio files? If you use multitracks, are they able to hear them? Are all of your charts correct and in the right keys? Are you changing keys at the last minute? Are there YouTube or tutorial videos that you can provide links to? Should music be memorized? Will people be able to use a music stand or not? Will there be a confidence monitor for lyrics?
Are you preparing before rehearsal?
Is the stage clean? Are all of the church owned instruments in working order? Have all the audio lines been checked before the team arrives? Are rehearsal materials printed? Is the order of service finalized? Is everything turned on that needs to be turned on? Have batteries been replaced in anything needing batteries? Are the lyrics and media presentation done? Are there any videos that need to be tested?
What goes into running an effective rehearsal?
What is the most effective way to run a sound check once everyone is there and plugged in? Is there an expectation that there will be no extra playing or “noodling” in between songs? Do you talk through the order of service so people know how things fit together and any transitions that are coming? Do you try to get some easy wins first by going through music you already know? How do you run through a brand new song? Do you run the entire service as if it’s a Sunday morning?
Are you following up on details post-rehearsal?
Do you send notes to people about things that need to be addressed or worked on the day after rehearsal? What things and people need to be celebrated that went really well? Are there technical aspects that need to be fixed before Sunday?
Articles to help you go further: Preparing to Practice | Getting Materials Ready for your Team | How to Practice | Prepping Day of Rehearsal | Running Effective Rehearsals
8. VISIBLY LEADING WORSHIP
There are always tensions to be managed when it comes to discussing what leading worship in front of people should be like. Those tensions are often between feeling authentic or show”y”, what is comfortable and what is biblical, what is consistent with our temperament and what is helpful in serving others, as well as others. It’s possible to pick and choose verses to justify what we think it should look like or not look like. I’m not advocating for a single way of visually leading worship, but I do think it’s important to thoughtfully consider what God might expect from us in worship and what he would desire for us as people seeking to lead others in worship when it comes to expressiveness.
What does leading worship look like physically?
What does my body language communicate during worship? What are the physical expressions of worship that are regularly found in the Bible? (e.g. Bowing, Dancing, Shouting, lifting hands) Do I justify my lack of physical engagement by saying it’s not authentic, or do I just not want to because it’s uncomfortable? Does my body match my heart? How do I model for others what biblical expressions of worship look like? Would an unbeliever say we look like we believe what we’re singing is true? Do you ever watch video of yourself or your team and evaluate what it looks like when you lead worship? What does it look like to “practice” leading worship with more physical freedom?
Additional Resources: Help your Team Lead Worship Visually
9. HONORING, PROTECTING, AND DISCIPLING YOUR TEAM
As leaders, when we stand before King Jesus and are called to give an account for how we led and stewarded the people and their talents, Jesus is probably not interested in how smooth your transitions or how beautiful your light cues or how many new songs you pulled off with that great guitar tone. What he’ll be interested in, is did the people you lead grow in their love of him and look more and more like him? Did you teach them to behold the face of God and be transformed from glory to glory? Did you lovingly call them out of sin and darkness and into repentance and freedom? Did you equip them to follow Jesus?
Do you have a plan for shepherding, discipling, and discipline for volunteers?
How are you making sure that you’re aware of what’s going on in each persons life, and not just plugging them into a system and using them? Do you have plans to help them grow as followers of Jesus in addition to growing as musicians? Will you provide a small group for your worship team, or is there an expectation that they will be involved in another group in addition to the one they’re in? If you are aware of a willful sin issue in the life of one of your teammates, how do you approach them? What is the policy for involvement in the case of willful sin? Will they be asked to step down, pause involvement, etc.?
How do you deal with complaints and concerns about the team or style of worship?
Is there a consensus between the team planning worship and the elders and leadership of the church on style, elements, and direction in worship? How are complaints about the style, volume, or choices made in worship handled? Is there a healthy balance between giving feedback for growth as well as protecting those who plan and lead worship? How do you discern between a biblical complaint and a strong expression of preference? Are there clear guidelines on what is expected in dress code, acceptable volume decibel level, and other common areas of conflict?
10. ENABLING A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP
It’s easy to get caught up in the weekly responsibilities of planning, rehearsing, and executing Sunday worship. Sunday comes every week. So does Monday through Saturday. Are we so focused on helping people worship once a week that we fail to help them turn their attention and affection towards God the other six days?
Are you helping people develop rhythms of worship throughout the week?
Have you thought about how to put the truths you have sung together in front of your team and people outside of Sunday morning? Would sending them lyrics, or devotional thoughts based on the songs you sing by email or text be helpful? Is there a playlist that you regularly point them towards that puts your song library in their hands whenever they want? Have you taught them how to do a personal time of worship each day? What does your own personal time of worship look like? What does it look like to worship by praying without ceasing? How can you help people develop a habit of looking for and listening to God in the ordinary moments of life?
Books to consider: Letters from a Modern Mystic | Practicing the Presence | The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose | Every Moment Holy
BONUS. PASSING IT ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION
One of the major issues that every church and every leader faces is this, who is going to take over when you’re gone? Are there leaders, musicians that are growing up in your church and ministry that can take what you have built and run with it?
How are you equipping the next generation of leaders and musicians?
Is there a place for younger musicians to be part of what you’re doing? Is your standard of excellence keeping you from developing the next generation? Who are you personally investing in that God has placed in your church for the purpose of leading others in worship? Is there an opportunity for the next generation to be part of planning worship and understanding why you design it the way you do? Are they able to speak into what engages their heart? Are people who are currently serving able to help mentor younger musicians? Do you have a band made up of primarily the younger generation that gets a chance to regularly lead worship, that is not a once or twice a year event? Do you have an internship or residency program that intentionally teaches the topics we’ve covered in the last 3 articles?
For further consideration: 3 Tips for Equipping the Next Generation of Worship Leaders
This series of posts is enough to keep anyone busy for years. Don’t worry if all the systems are not in place. Start small and keep consistent. Your efforts will build on each other over time. If at any point you have additional questions or would like to have a deeper conversation about anything you’ve seen, feel free to contact me.
