All Posts in Resources for Worship Leaders

March 9, 2015 - No Comments!

Free Worship Leader Resources

freeTOOLS

I've recently added some free tools for worship leaders, including a sample Worship Application (detailing expectations), some Memory Verse Cards for worship volunteers, and a Worship Catalog Balance Tool that is really helpful in rounding out the selection and genre of songs you use on Sundays.  Check it all out over at the Resources page.

For far less that the cost of a typical conference, you can have highly personal and customized worship coaching for 6 months.  Learn more here or request a free coaching call here.

August 25, 2014 - No Comments!

Worship Ministry Essentials Part 3: Bring Identifcation

After meandering through the corn maze of ropes and suitcases on wheels, you finally approach the counter.

The ticket agent is distracted. You throw your luggage on the scales, waiting for her attention. Anxiously, you check the time, glance at the container of unused bag tags and the pen chained to the counter, then back at the time again.  Finally, she turns and asks the most important question of the day.  No matter what you've paid or sacrificed to be standing here now, your response will determine your destiny.

"Can I see your ID?"
Whether your traveling, heading into a warzone, grabbing concert tickets at will-call, or using your credit card to buy a really old new vinyl record, your ID is an essential item that goes with you everywhere.  The same is true for the worship stage.

Continuing in our series about the most important facets of worship ministry, this time around we'll look at why gospel identity is important for all believers, but especially essential for those in worship ministry.

WHY IDENTITY MATTERS
Jesus repeatedly point out that who we are must precede what we do.  We get into dangerous territory when "what" comes before "who".  Keller addresses the difficulty of doing ministry without a clear picture of identity:

"At one level we believe the gospel that we are saved by grace not works, but at a deeper level we don’t believe it much at all. We are still trying to create our own righteousness through spiritual performance, albeit one that is sanctioned by our call to ministry.” 

You can't do what God has called you to, without a clear understanding of who he has called you to be.  Paul Tripp adds this:

"I will either get my identity vertically, from who I am in Christ, or I will shop for it horizontally in the situations, experiences, and relationships of my daily life. This is true of everyone, but I am convinced that pastors are particularly tempted to seek their identity horizontally.” 
So before we jump in, lets briefly define gospel identity:

Gospel identity is the recognition in the believer that they have been created by God, participated in the Adam's rebellion in nature and action, atoned for by Christ when he died in their place for their sins, and now belong forever in God's family, both during current sanctification and in the future in God's perfect heaven.

 

WHO YOU ARE (AND WHO YOU ARE NOT)
Worship leaders have several fake IDs they can reach for.  We can try to emulate our mentors or heroes in the worship world.  We can try to be what we think the people we're leading want us to be.  We can try to play the role of mediator, carrying the weight of connecting the congregation to their Maker.

Knowing your gospel identity will put guardrails between you and the deadly cliffs of being anything outside of what God has asked of you.  Rather than entertaining God's apathetic sheep like a rockstar, you can pastor them through tough Sundays because you are a shepherd.  When you don't see yourself as the God-man standing between creator and creation, you can lead your people faithfully as a worship leader rather than a worship mediator.
Additionally, if you don't expect to be impressive or perfect, then feedback from your staff or volunteers won't be crushing, because they aren't shattering the fragile glass ornament of your ego.  Instead those remarks are received as constructive and useful for consideration in our growth.
AN EASY AND ESSENTIAL CHALLENGE 

Knowing and believing that you are forgiven and under God's grace will drastically change how you lead on stage. You'll be free to express gratitude, brokenness, and joy on stage because you aren't captive to the opinions of others. You can rest knowing that God's work moves on despite your imperfect execution or that moment you forgot the lyrics to verse two.

Jesus repeatedly points out that who we are must precede what we do. So then, who are we? We're broken people that God delights in using.  We are treasured sons and daughters in His family. We are servants to the highest king to have ever taken a throne.
There's certainly a lot more to be said on this topic, but for the sake of brevity remember: we can't lead others in worship very effectively if we don't first know who we are.  Knowing our identity gives us reason to sing ourselves and the boldness to ask others to do the same.
No matter how long you have led worship (and I would argue the longer you've led the more likely you are to err on this issue), I'd challenge you to do something simple.  Next Sunday, just before you take the stage, check your ID.  In those last moments while people are finding their seats or the pastor on stage is making announcements, whisper to God, "I am yours, and I belong to you".  Remember who Christ is and who you are too.

August 8, 2014 - No Comments!

Worship Ministry Essentials – Part 3: Bring your ID

After meandering through the corn maze of ropes and suitcases on wheels, you finally approach the counter.  

The ticket agent is distracted. You throw your luggage on the scales, waiting for her attention. Anxiously, you check the time, glance at the container of unused bag tags and the pen chained to the counter, then back at the time again.  Finally, she turns and asks the most important question of the day.  No matter what you've paid or sacrificed to be standing here now, your response will determine your destiny.

"Can I see your ID?"

Whether your traveling, heading into a warzone, grabbing concert tickets at will-call, or using your credit card to buy a really old new vinyl record, your ID is an essential item that goes with you everywhere.  The same is true for the worship stage.

Continuing in our series about the most important facets of worship ministry, this time around we'll look at why gospel identity is important for all believers, but especially essential for those in worship ministry.

WHY IDENTITY MATTERS
Jesus repeatedly point out that who we are must precede what we do.  We get into dangerous territory when "what" comes before "who"
.  Keller addresses the difficulty of doing ministry without a clear picture of identity: 
"At one level we believe the gospel that we are saved by grace not works, but at a deeper level we don’t believe it much at all. We are still trying to create our own righteousness through spiritual performance, albeit one that is sanctioned by our call to ministry.”
 

You can't do what God has called you to, without a clear understanding of who he has called you to be.  Paul Tripp adds this:


"I will either get my identity vertically, from who I am in Christ, or I will shop for it horizontally in the situations, experiences, and relationships of my daily life. This is true of everyone, but I am convinced that pastors are particularly tempted to seek their identity horizontally.” 
 
So before we jump in, lets briefly define gospel identity:

Gospel identity is the recognition in the believer that they have been created by God, participated in the Adam's rebellion in nature and action, atoned for by Christ when he died in their place for their sins, and now belong forever in God's family, both during current sanctification and in the future in God's perfect heaven.

WHO YOU ARE (AND WHO YOU ARE NOT)
Worship leaders have several fake IDs they can reach for.  We can try to emulate our mentors or heroes in the worship world.  We can try to be what we think the people we're leading want us to be.  We can try to play the role of mediator, carrying the weight of connecting the congregation to their Maker.  

Knowing your gospel identity will put guardrails between you and the deadly cliffs of being anything outside of what God has asked of you.  Rather than entertaining God's apathetic sheep like a rockstar, you can pastor them through tough Sundays because you are a shepherd.  When you don't see yourself as the God-man standing between creator and creation, you can lead your people faithfully as a worship leader rather than a worship mediator. 
Additionally, if you don't expect to be impressive or perfect, then feedback from your staff or volunteers won't be crushing, because they aren't shattering the fragile glass ornament of your ego.  Instead those remarks are received as constructive and useful for consideration in our growth.


AN EASY AND ESSENTIAL CHALLENGE 
Knowing and believing that you are forgiven and under God's grace will drastically change how you lead on stage. You'll be free to express gratitude, brokenness, and joy on stage because you aren't captive to the opinions of others. You can rest knowing that God's work moves on despite your imperfect execution or that moment you forgot the lyrics to verse two.  

Jesus repeatedly points out that who we are must precede what we do. So then, who are we? We're broken people that God delights in using.  We are treasured sons and daughters in His family. We are servants to the highest king to have ever taken a throne. 


There's certainly a lot more to be said on this topic, but for the sake of brevity remember: we can't lead others in worship very effectively if we don't first know who we are.  Knowing our identity gives us reason to sing ourselves and the boldness to ask others to do the same.  

No matter how long you have led worship (and I would argue the longer you've led the more likely you are to err on this issue), I'd challenge you to do something simple.  Next Sunday, just before you take the stage, check your ID.  In those last moments while people are finding their seats or the pastor on stage is making announcements, whisper to God, "I am yours, and I belong to you".  Remember who Christ is and who you are too.

July 25, 2014 - No Comments!

Worship Ministry Essentials Part 2: DNA

Any healthy forest has trees of different sizes.

Seedlings from decades past eventually grow tall and help the legacy of the forest live on by dispersing seeds of their own. If the distribution of new life stops, the forest has begun to die.

Strategies, methods, beliefs, and target audience make up a local church’s culture or DNA. Shelves of leadership books address the importance of having the right DNA in your organization. Worship ministry is no different.

DNA can encompass the “why” and the “how” of ministry. Some how-DNA will change with time such as music styles or methods. Other why-DNA will remain constant such as the centrality of Jesus (Galatians 1:6–9). Even though how-DNA may change, it’s still essential to define and defend what you want it to be now.

Replicators, Not Receivers

The worship stage is an essential platform for communicating DNA to the church, so teach those on stage to be replicators (think big trees) of your DNA, not just receivers of it (seedlings). Replicators are those who don’t just get the task done, but explain the vision behind what’s happening adding leadership momentum and coverage. Replicators lead their sphere of influence in seeing the greatness of Christ by doing what God has called your church to do.

Vision leaks (every 30 days according to some leadership gurus) so rain vision continually. People forget the why of your ministry long before they forget how to meet the expectations. Without why-DNA, leaders are left with the imperative to obey but without the truth that empowers obedience (2 Peter 1:3). This is dangerous to the soul and the ministry.

"Fresh vision rooted in the gospel helps minimize attrition and collapses."

If you don’t create and manage your church’s DNA, you’ll waste valuable energy redirecting and repairing rather than progressing.

Replicating the Right DNA

1. Decide which hills you will die on.

What doctrines and philosophies are non-negotiable? Don’t drench your worship volunteers with different vision each week. Land on the core things you want them to live and breathe. Be careful of assessing participation in some areas but not others (e.g. valuing a band member’s musical abilities while overlooking a lack of a servant-like heart).

2. Start at the front door.

Make sure volunteers understand what’s important to you from the very start.
Whether you have a formal audition process or not, make sure everyone in the forest you oversee knows the DNA. Anyone putting roots down needs to be briefed with a chance to ask questions.

3. Create touch-points that make sense.

Establish a system of touch-points (meetings, hang-outs, videos, emails, blogs, etc.) between you and key leaders at regular intervals where you intentionally include DNA conversations (see worksheet below). Every system has a shelf life, so ask trusted leaders when a system needs patching, and when it needs an overhaul. Keller’s article on how communication is affected by church size is pertinent here.

4. Assess current leaders.

If you hear someone say something on stage or in a conversation that doesn’t reflect your DNA, pull them aside privately and help them understand why what they said may lead to confusion. Ask them to repeat back the “why-DNA” and “how-DNA” in their own words.

5. Call the fire department before the forest burns down.

Many people won’t confess that they have lost sight of the vision or that they are wrestling with sin until something explodes because of a lack of understanding of the gospel (Proverbs 28:13). Frequently invite everyone in the forest you oversee to say something when smoke appears, and teach them what smoke looks like (loss of traction in victory over sin, burnout, and relational breakdowns).

6. Don’t make DNA a weapon.

Your church’s DNA is likely a mix of biblical mandates, opinions, and specific callings for your church body. Don’t encourage (explicitly or implicitly) the bashing of other camps that do things differently. Good things are happening that aren’t your things, and that’s ok.

7. Be a replicator yourself.

If your leaders don’t understand their role or can’t articulate why you do things the way you do them then you haven’t done your job. Pray for God’s leading in establishing your church’s DNA. Invite the Spirit to lead changes to methods when needed. Work hard at equipping and caring for the whole forest, new seedlings and established trees alike.

Download the Resource

This is a downloadable PDF that includes an outline for leading a meeting or conversation covering DNA issues and a worksheet for developing your ability to connect how-DNA to why-DNA. Customize the resources to fit your context and address the DNA elements most important to your ministry.

July 15, 2014 - No Comments!

For Every Worship Leader…

I watched this when it first took a lap around the internet, and today I realized that every worship leader I know would be reminded that we should speak with clarity and conviction when leading God's people.  This is why all our worship leaders are asked to write out spoken transitions in advance.

May 20, 2014 - No Comments!

Worship Ministry Essentials – Part 2: DNA

Any healthy forest has trees of different sizes.

Seedlings from decades past eventually grow tall and help the legacy of the forest live on by dispersing seeds of their own. If the distribution of new life stops, the forest has begun to die.

Strategies, methods, beliefs, and target audience make up a local church’s culture or DNA. Shelves of leadership books address the importance of having the right DNA in your organization. Worship ministry is no different.

DNA can encompass the “why” and the “how” of ministry. Some how-DNA will change with time such as music styles or methods. Other why-DNA will remain constant such as the centrality of Jesus (Galatians 1:6–9). Even though how-DNA may change, it’s still essential to define and defend what you want it to be now.

 

Replicators, Not Receivers

The worship stage is an essential platform for communicating DNA to the church, so teach those on stage to be replicators (think big trees) of your DNA, not just receivers of it (seedlings). Replicators are those who don’t just get the task done, but explain the vision behind what’s happening adding leadership momentum and coverage. Replicators lead their sphere of influence in seeing the greatness of Christ by doing what God has called your church to do.

Vision leaks (every 30 days according to some leadership gurus) so rain vision continually. People forget the why of your ministry long before they forget how to meet the expectations. Without why-DNA, leaders are left with the imperative to obey but without the truth that empowers obedience (2 Peter 1:3). This is dangerous to the soul and the ministry.

"Fresh vision rooted in the gospel helps minimize attrition and collapses."

If you don’t create and manage your church’s DNA, you’ll waste valuable energy redirecting and repairing rather than progressing. 

 

Replicating the Right DNA

1. Decide which hills you will die on.

What doctrines and philosophies are non-negotiable? Don’t drench your worship volunteers with different vision each week. Land on the core things you want them to live and breathe. Be careful of assessing participation in some areas but not others (e.g. valuing a band member’s musical abilities while overlooking a lack of a servant-like heart).

2. Start at the front door.

Make sure volunteers understand what’s important to you from the very start.

Whether you have a formal audition process or not, make sure everyone in the forest you oversee knows the DNA. Anyone putting roots down needs to be briefed with a chance to ask questions.


3. Create touch-points that make sense.

Establish a system of touch-points (meetings, hang-outs, videos, emails, blogs, etc.) between you and key leaders at regular intervals where you intentionally include DNA conversations (see worksheet below). Every system has a shelf life, so ask trusted leaders when a system needs patching, and when it needs an overhaul. Keller’s article on how communication is affected by church size is pertinent here.


4. Assess current leaders.

If you hear someone say something on stage or in a conversation that doesn’t reflect your DNA, pull them aside privately and help them understand why what they said may lead to confusion. Ask them to repeat back the “why-DNA” and “how-DNA” in their own words.


5. Call the fire department before the forest burns down.

Many people won’t confess that they have lost sight of the vision or that they are wrestling with sin until something explodes because of a lack of understanding of the gospel (Proverbs 28:13). Frequently invite everyone in the forest you oversee to say something when smoke appears, and teach them what smoke looks like (loss of traction in victory over sin, burnout, and relational breakdowns).


6. Don’t make DNA a weapon.

Your church’s DNA is likely a mix of biblical mandates, opinions, and specific callings for your church body. Don’t encourage (explicitly or implicitly) the bashing of other camps that do things differently. Good things are happening that aren’t your things, and that’s ok.


7. Be a replicator yourself.

If your leaders don’t understand their role or can’t articulate why you do things the way you do them then you haven’t done your job. Pray for God’s leading in establishing your church’s DNA. Invite the Spirit to lead changes to methods when needed. Work hard at equipping and caring for the whole forest, new seedlings and established trees alike.

Download the Resource

This is a downloadable PDF that includes an outline for leading a meeting or conversation covering DNA issues and a worksheet for developing your ability to connect how-DNA to why-DNA. Customize the resources to fit your context and address the DNA elements most important to your ministry.

May 17, 2014 - No Comments!

Worship Auditions

Every college student knows it.

Some professors are all about the test. Others prepare you for real life. The problem with “teaching to test” is it inaccurately assesses the skills or critical thinking required in the real world. This is why some students exit their programs of study with high marks, but not much to offer their employer or even church. Great educational programs combine academic study with real-world application. 

Music auditions in the local church face similar challenges. The audition process should test for what will be expected in practices, worship gatherings, and the musician's relationships with other volunteers. Many churches don’t have a regular audition process at all, and others just search for a recipe of what's popular on the Christian scene.  Before you can hold an audition, you have to find the musicians in your midst that might sign up to serve.  

 

How Do You Attract and Audition Musicians?

Artists are like ants. Ants send out scouts to scope out new territory and report back their findings. If you squash the scouts or have nothing for them to sink their teeth into, they move on. Identify and create opportunities in your church for musicians. If your church has no platform for artists to grow, create, and contribute, then don’t expect them to stick around. Music is not the purpose of the church, but it can be immeasurably effective in communicating the message that is the purpose of the church, as evidenced by both the word of God and church history.

It’s essential to appoint someone who can be leader and liaison to musicians in your community. When selecting a leader over musicians, pick someone who understands the gospel, artistry, and the specific calling of your local church. Musicians should be held to the same standards as other leaders, but know they typically have their own culture—including language, behaviors, motivators, strengths, and weaknesses.

"Worship is more than music, thus auditions should cover more than musicianship."

Have your current music-types watch for places in your community where musicians gather and participate with them. Ask the lead pastor to talk about the specific music needs on stage in services, and ask people in your congregation to spread the word and suggest to your leaders anyone they know who might fit the bill. Frequently, there are godly and gifted musicians in the room that won’t beat your door down for a tryout. 

 

What Are the Qualifying Marks of a Person on Your Stage Leading Worship?

Intentionally create tests for those joining the worship ministry that simulate their ability to do what current members do, on and off stage. Here are some key questions that your audition process should address:

  • Are they worshipers of Jesus off-stage? (1 John 5:2)
  • Can they learn a whole set of music in the time period allowed?
  • Do they know how to play with other musicians?
  • What is the time commitment? 6 months? A year?
  • Do they have a history of serving and giving?
  • Are they involved in community? (Known by others, confessing sin, etc.)
  • How do they respond to authority in their life? (Hebrews 13:17)

If you have a formal music education, don’t make the audition so tough that qualified folks will get dissuaded from serving in their area of gifting. Most volunteers don’t need to know about atonality, serialism, or a Hungarian minor scale, so stick to what is pertinent. That said, teach your volunteers music theory basics that help them serve your church better.

Sometimes leaders avoid hard questions because they fear losing a volunteer. Folks in smaller churches often say bigger churches are afforded “luxuries” in sifting through myriads of musicians. As discussed in this post, deciding between heart and talent in a volunteer is a mistake regardless of church size. Worship is more than music, thus auditions should cover more than musicianship.

 

Who Makes the Final Decisions?

Whether you have a worship leader reporting to a staff pastor or a worship pastor on staff, make sure the one overseeing the ministry is involved with auditions. Determining the specifics of assessing musicianship and spiritual maturity is ultimately their responsibility.

When establishing policies and procedures, invite input from your lead pastor and elders on what they desire to see in your musicians. Whether you use open or private auditions (described in detail in the downloadable resources), always use panel feedback. Pick a panel that understands what music works now and what could work in your context. This provides a balanced perspective and makes it harder for the auditioner to feel wounded by a specific person. Make sure band or team leaders affected by the auditions are present for feedback too.

Lastly, auditions can be an incredibly effective litmus test of idolatry. Be available to address and shepherd those that discover idols in their own hearts during the audition process. If you build a comprehensive audition process for worship volunteers, you’ll improve your ability to call in the godly and gifted that God has brought you to serve his people.

Download the Resource

May 13, 2014 - No Comments!

Bands vs. Teams

Throughout our Acts 29 church network, worship ministries are typically driven by one of two models: the band model and the team model.

In the band model, a group of musicians work together consistently. Your "A" band has the same people playing together whenever they are scheduled.

In the team model, a single worship leader works with various musicians based on scheduling, and may lead an large number of permutations of drummers, bassists, pianists, etc.

 
Below are simply generalized observations from both our ministry experience, those we’ve coached, and those we have learned from in both models.  We’ve used each model for at least 10+ years so we’ve seen how things work in the short run and the longer benefits.  It should be noted that we currently have churches using each model.  Other factors in your context may affect how applicable this list is for you.

Band Model - Pros



1.  Stylistic diversity.


If the same leader is leading different teams, there isn’t going to be much difference stylistically, because the leader will bring one genre, background, personal preference, etc.  My iTunes library looks very different than the other band leader’s libraries.


2.  Equip more leaders.


Every band needs a leader, so the band model offers opportunity for leaders to step up and run their own band.  If one guy is leading every weekend there isn't a consistent place for the up-and-coming leaders to get reps.


3.  Increased volunteer ownership.


We’ve seen greater buy-in and creativity in the band model.  Band volunteers are more likely to write songs and work on new arrangements for the congregation. 



 

4.  Helpful for multi-site.


We assign bands to a specific church, and in general, they are expected to do life there.  That said, we want each church raising up their own musicians.  It is worth noting that when a church starts out, the team model is typically the only practical option until a critical mass of musicians are found and equipped.



 

5.  More volunteers get to participate.


The band model means more people will participate in a typical multi-service church.  One band can cover the morning gatherings and one band can cover the evening gatherings. A team leader would have to run multiple practices to accomplish this.  Additionally, this breadth becomes hugely helpful in a multi-site church.



 

6.  Protects leaders.


Most worship leaders aren’t wired or designed to lead every Sunday for the long haul.  Most can do it for a season, but not sustain passion and quality over a long period of time.  Bands help break that up into a good rhythm of leading from stage and “leading” from the floor.



 

7.  Deeper relationships between volunteers.


Because folks are playing together more often, they will naturally have deeper relationships (and more conflict that leads to sanctification and depth in their relationships).  The band members at our church do life together outside of practice, in part because of the consistency in working together.

 

8.  Congregational fit.  


Because bands are assigned to a church and particular services, you gain the ability to match bands (think style and flavor) with the services who will be best served by that band’s style and abilities.  Think about who is in the room at each of your services.  Would this band work for the families in the morning services or the college students in the evening? 

Team Model - Pros



 

1.  Scheduling the ministry is simpler.


Replacing an individual (assuming you have multiple musicians for each position) is easier than swapping out an entire band when schedule conflicts arise.  Teams tend to last longer because they don’t unravel when a member moves or steps down from worship ministry.



 

2.  Less entitlement.

Because they have less of a sense of “my ministry, my band, or my spot” team volunteers don’t push back as much when change is needed because they are used to a rotating cast of co-musicians.   
Note:  This has been problematic with the band model, primarily because people resist breaking off deeper relationships.  While this to be expected, it's important that whatever model you use, the win is defined by what is best for the church, not just the musicians on stage.

 

3.  Quality control/consistency is easier to achieve.


The quality (or lack thereof) on Sundays will be more consistent since the same man or woman is leading.  In the band model, quality can fluctuate greatly depending on which band leader is leading.





4.  Great if you have limited leaders.

You can’t have a band or team without a qualified leader.  Never try to build a band/team before you have a trusted, tested, godly leader to own, lead, and shepherd that band/team.
  If your church has one leader that can carry the room on Sundays, use teams to staff different weekends.

 

5.  Easier to recruit individual musicians/vocalists.


We've found that the “band model” subtly communicates to the musician not yet involved, that you don’t need any more volunteers.  This of course is never true.  This effect can be minimized by actively recruiting in gatherings.

 

6.  Congregational familiarity.


Typically those using the team model will end up with fewer leaders doing the heavy lifting, which means it's easier for the congregation to feel connected to the worship leader(s).  If you rotate a different leader or band each week, you can create an atmosphere of constantly auditioning the worshippers on stage with the congregation adjusting and playing judge.

 

Discipleship considerations.


Team leaders will typically invest their time discipling the musicians that rotate through their teams.  Band leaders will focus on their band.  A worship pastor overseeing multiple bands or teams will need to strategically think through who they invest in.  Remember, every leader has a saturation point on how many real disciples they can have. 

We hope this summary is helpful in deciding whether the band or team model will serve your ministry best.  Leave other benefits or disadvantages you have experienced below in the comments.

January 9, 2014 - 3 comments

Worship Resources Pt 6: Catalogs

Catalogs

When worship leaders reach out for guidance or input on their worship ministry, one of the first things I ask about is regarding the use of catalogs.  Most are familiar with the concept but pick songs for their congregation with little attention to frequency, consistency, or breadth.  The top 10 CCM songs are not a thoughtful or even helpful way of choosing songs for Sunday.  Using a catalog is a great tool for worship leaders to balance the "worship diet" of their church.

First let's define the term for our use:
A catalog is a set bank of songs used for a set period of time at a set location that balances the worship diet of your congregation.  For example, we use a catalog that changes every 3 months, of around 25 songs at our Reno location.  Catalogs differ between our 5 churches, and we tend to roll several songs forward each quarter.

Here's a quick rundown on a few of the tested advantages we've seen play out:

1.  It's helpful for your people.
Using a catalog is a great way to ensure a "balanced diet" for your congregation.  The Psalms are full of a breadth of human emotion.  With a catalog in place, it's easier to intentionally have songs in rotation that cover celebration, despair, doubt, gratitude, and confession.  Here is a sample of some of the balances we are striving for in our catalogs:

  • a.  Subjective vs. objective (How we feel or respond vs. what is unchanging and true)
  • b.  Indicative vs. imperative (Reminding what Christ has done vs. what we do in response)
  • c.  Celebrational vs. contemplative (both in lyrical content and in musical mood)
  • d.  Individual vs. corporate (I and me vs. us and we)

A warning: many have moralized different categories of songs in recent years, which speaks to both an ignorance of the Psalms as well as church history.  For example, in the hymnals I have collected from the 1800s, the most common first word found in the song titles is "I".  Balance is key.

2.  It's helpful for those you are trying to reach.
Every church has its own culture, and the music is part of that culture.  When a new person walks through your doors they will not know the songs you use, which is to be expected, but you can make it easier for them to join in after a few weeks if you use a catalog to limit the sheer volume of content.  We say, "a guest should recognize several songs if they spend a month with us".

3.  It's helpful for your teaching pastor.
In many churches, the teaching pastor has ten times the theological training that the worship leader does.  This is highly problematic, but that's for another post on another day.  Giving your teaching pastor a voice into the songs you use for Sundays is a great checkpoint, especially if they aren't musically inclined.  Using a catalog can help you work on the worship menu together and gives you a fighting chance at tying in the music with upcoming teaching themes.  It also allows for your teaching pastor to request songs more easily when he has the catalog in hand.  The same can be said for planning services.

4.  It's helpful for you.
Every worship leader knows that you have a certain number of songs you could play at any moment.  There are another group of songs that with a quick glance at a lyric sheet you could pull off.  Still other songs would require the music sheet to be in front of you and several practices.  This is true because depending on many factors, you only have so much memory recall to allocate towards the songs you are playing.

"A guest should recognize several songs if they spend a month with us."

Since a catalog limits the number of songs you play, assuming you go through at least portion of your catalog at practice means you also limit the time that has passed since you have played everything in your catalog.  We play our whole catalog every 3 weeks or so.  That means it's never been more than 2 week since we played a song we are using for this quarter.  I can't overstate how helpful this is.

This saves time previously spent trying to remember that one tune you haven't played for months.  It creates space in practices for praying together, writing and creativity with your band or team, not to mention polishing the songs that need a little extra work.

These are only some of the benefits but it's clear to see that catalogs are a incredibly useful tool for worship leaders.  Type one up yourself or use PCO, but figure out a way to implement a catalog for greater clarity and intentionality in your worship ministry. You can download a sample of one of our catalogs here.

Anything we missed?  Comment below.

September 4, 2013 - No Comments!

Worship Resources Pt 5: Music Theory

 

 

 

Music Theory Lessons for Volunteers

Communicating at your mid-week rehearsal can sometimes feel like you are building the Tower of Babel.  Somewhere between avoiding the key your piano player hates and Nashville numbers, you can feel like everyone is on a different page.

Thankfully "music" is a language that can learned by any musician.  Many people who serve faithfully in the church have no formal music background which can make it hard to talk to them about things such as how capos work, or transpose a song on the fly.  These two theory lessons will help define common musical terms such as whole steps, half steps, major scale, minor scale, using capos, transposing for capos, and common chords in every key.

Our lessons below show how to use "Nashville Numbers" which is very helpful when a a capo-ed guitarist is talking to the rest of the band about what chord he/she is playing or when learning how to transpose.

If someone in your band or team does have formal musical training, encourage them to pass it on in ways that are helpful, not condescending.  Ask for referrals to music teachers in your community that understand the worship environment of a typical church.

You can download for free some of the lessons we use below.  These are targeted to help new musicians understand basic concepts and help you find the short cuts in the musical language without having everyone take a year long college theory class.

Lesson 1: Steps and Scales

Lesson 2: Minor Scales, Chords, Nashville Numbers, and Transposing

If you'd like more lessons, let us know in the comments below!