Worship LeadersGuiding Principles

A Practical Approach

What Does the Bible Say?

• Over and over we are told to sing a new song (Psa 33:3, Psa 96:1, Psa 98:1, Psa 149:1, Rev 5:9, …)

• Shout for joy (Job 38:7, Ezra 3:11, Psa 59:16, Psa 81:1, Psa 95:1, Isa 44:23, Isa 52:9, Isa 54:1, …) – make your praise joyful

• So sing joyful new songs! • Lead people into His presence! (Psa 147:1, Isa

35:10, …)

Which songs?

• New Songs – Sing new songs, but use only one (1) brand new song, at most, each week. Songs should also be considered “new” songs to a congregation if they have not been presented in the last year or two. What is an “old” song to you is often a “new” song to a congregation, so please keep this in mind.

• Don’t dig too far back in your song lists though, or you have lost the purpose of singing new songs.

Which Songs? (cont)

• Simple is sometimes better - Please choose songs that you can control musically. Also, please make sure you can teach the melody, the harmony (if any), the rhythm, the tempo, the syncopation, and the message. You don’t have to sound exactly like a professionally produced CD. You can always simplify some of the professional arrangements to fit your own needs.

• Complicated or “cool” doesn’t always help a congregation to worship.

Which Songs? (cont)

• Pray - Please prayerfully consider your songs before choosing which ones to use with the congregation. Your favorite song isn’t always suitable for congregational singing. God gives us, as leaders, many songs, but not all of them are for public use. Some songs are meant to minister to you alone. The Lord will help you to learn the difference in this if you ask Him.

• Listen to the Lord’s leading before YOU lead!

Which Songs? (cont)

• Listen - Let the word of the Lord, through song, get into your spirit, to touch, transform and inspire you. There is a TON of worship music out there and great resources to choose from. Let His word (through song) continually be in your heart and mind and soul. Continually listen to worship – especially new songs.

• Listen to the Lord if He gives you a new song to write of your own.

Preparation

• Choosing songs - As a worship leader, you have the awesome opportunity to choose which songs will be used during Sunday morning’s service. Please prepare by way of prayer and practice a few weeks before your scheduled week to lead.

• Consider the needs of your support team as well – IT team, projection team, etc., and get all relevant information to them asap as well.

Preparation (cont)

• Chord charts or music - Please make sure all your chord charts are in order and correct, with chords in the proper places and in the right key. Musicians need correct, easy to read musical notation. Rehearsal time is limited and it needs to be used efficiently.

• Respect the members of your team by being prepared this way.

Preparation (cont)

• Know your music - It’s a good idea to know how you want to begin a song, how you want to end it, what tempo (how fast or slow) you want it, how any musical turnarounds go, and anything special you want to do with the song (ie., harmonies, acapella sections, key changes, rounds, instrumentals, mash-ups, etc.) Also, remember that you are the one who sets the tempo with the drummer and musicians.

• Don’t waste time with indecision.

Preparation (cont)

• Song keys - Choosing song keys can be tricky. Many newer songs are pitched for male worship leaders, and if you are a female leader, this makes it difficult. To help you decide, you can sing through the song first. If it’s too high or too low for you, the key probably needs to be changed.

• Keep in mind the average range of the congregation is neither very high nor very low. You are not a soloist, so keep the needs of the congregation your priority.

Preparation (cont)

• Song progression (from one song to the next) - Please choose your song progression carefully as well. The human ear likes to hear songs that go from lower keys to higher keys. For example, if your first song is in the key of E, your next song shouldn’t be in the key of D. It’s very musically jarring for the congregation. It makes people feel uncomfortable.

• Keep in mind the circle of 5ths! (A song in the key of C can easily be followed by a song in the key of G, etc.)

Rehearsal

• Bring what is needed - Please bring all music, chord charts, and lyric sheets to the night of rehearsal. Have enough copies of chord charts or music for the musicians and singers.

• Don’t show up empty handed!

Rehearsal

• Be mindful of time - You are in charge of rehearsal. This means keeping people on task and using the time wisely. So please be prepared, and keep the rehearsal moving and on target. Also, remember that you are part of a team - musicians and singers - and you are the link between the two that keeps things running smoothly. Please listen carefully to both.

• But do start with prayer!

Rehearsal (cont)

• Be on time - Try to get to rehearsal early, if at all possible. If you have work-related issues with getting to practice on time, please let someone know so he/she can cover for you until you can arrive. Please do not be late on Sunday morning if you are leading. Rehearsal time is very limited on a Sunday morning, if at all.

• Be respectful of volunteers’ time!

Sunday Morning Service

• Set Up – If there is any set up required for your church, please leave time for this.

• Get to church early if this is required!• Pray with your team when you start.

Sunday Morning Service

• Watch the clock – If you do any kind of rehearsal on Sunday morning, watch the clock and make sure you are ready to go before service actually starts.

• There’s nothing worse than a worship team causing a service to start late!

Sunday Morning Service• Time allotted for worship - In general, most churches

have 20-25 minutes for the worship portion of the service. What this translates to is about 4 songs, with 5-6 minutes spent on each song. This can be stretched to include 5 songs, or even limited to only 3. But ideally, a 4-song set seems to work best.

• Keep in mind that repeating sections of a song over and over and over again loses the congregation. You might be getting blessed, but they are bored. Watch for their reactions and move on if they are not responding!

• Don’t go over your time limit! God is a God of order, so be mindful of the time your pastor has given you.

Be Inspirational

• Rejoice - Please be mindful that you are the first impression people get of the church. What impression are you making? We all have different personalities, but we all have the same job – to motivate people to want to worship our God. As the Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord always! And, again, I say Rejoice!” Ask the Lord to give you boldness, even if you don’t “feel” bold. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone, and let passion for the Lord and His house fill you.

• Don’t depress everyone with a downcast countenance.

Be Inspirational

• Prayer - After your time spent in His presence, it’s a good idea to lead the congregation in a short prayer so that our sweet time with the Lord does not end abruptly.

• But don’t spend the whole allotted worship time forcing the congregation to listen to your prayers! That’s not why you are in the position you are in!

• Lead in worship, not just in prayer.

Be Inspirational• Emotions - This can be difficult to define, but please do

allow God to touch and effect your emotions. Our God is an emotional God (really), and loves when we express our love for Him in an emotional way. And the congregation will see this in you, respond, and follow you there, into His very throne room. But try to be mindful to keep a balance. Too much emotion, as in continual and uncontrollable crying, is uncomfortable for the congregation and will make you ineffective as a leader.

• Be real and transparent – let your love for the Lord shine through!

Be Inspirational (cont)

• Connect with the congregation – There is nothing worse than being ignored by the worship leader. You are not in front to just sing. You have been chosen to LEAD! So talk to the people (but not for too long!). Let them get to know and trust you. Share with them your experiences in the Lord – help to motivate them to worship Him.

• Don’t get up, sing your songs, and leave. • I have been ignored by WAY too many worship

leaders!! Don’t be one of them!

Be Inspirational

• Sharing - Ask the Lord if there is something personal you should share about one of the songs you have chosen to use. If He gives you something, then share it – however, keep it brief. Your time together is limited. But do try to make your time together real and personal, touching people in a very real way so that when they leave and go their separate ways, they take something that has touched their hearts with them.

• Be real and open!

Conclusion

You have been given an awesome responsibility. Treat this responsibility seriously and with respect.Lead the Lord’s people into His very throne room. When we see Him, we shall be like Him!God bless your calling!