There are three areas all leaders need to consider, be aware of, and give real weight to in order to find that sweet spot where both the leader and the church will find the most growth and fulfillment together. Prioritizing only one, or even two, will result in an imbalance that will not only be felt by the leader, but by the church as well.
Many of today’s churches tend to fall into the extreme categories of being defined as EITHER rooted/traditional OR renegade/charismatic, but how beautiful would it be to have congregations worshiping God across the full spectrum?
Q: How do I pick songs for a specific passage of scripture my pastor is speaking on?
A: I’ll never understand a worship set that has nothing to do with the accompanying sermon. It is such a wasted opportunity when we arbitrarily pick songs that people may like yet don’t serve to orient us towards where the pastor is about to take us, or don’t pick up from where the sermon lands […]
Q: Should I talk between songs?
A: Look at the Psalms. Some of them have superscriptions before verse 1. Some don’t. Some have built-in interjections like, “Selah.” I like this because, sometimes, the last thing you need to hear, as a worshiper, is someone talking. But sometimes, it’s exactly what you most need. How do you know when’s which? As a […]
Q: What are some great, scriptural upbeat songs to kick worship services off with?
A: Here are some of my favorite openers that I’ve used consistently over the years. I’d love to hear your additions! There is a Savior (Aaron Williams) Awesome is He (Luke & Anna Hellebronth) Creed (Rich Mullins) Make a Way (Jon Egan) Everlasting Joy (Jon Egan) Only King Forever (Elevation) Call Upon the Lord (Elevation) […]
Garageband for Songwriters - Part Two
Welcome to Part Two of our series on Garageband for songwriters. In Part One, we went over how to get set up and start recording. Here, we will discuss basic editing and mixing that can be done in Garageband to make basic tracks sound great. To reiterate, the goal is to get your music heard, […]
Garageband for Songwriters - Part One
Garageband, whether you like it or not, has ushered in thousands of new songwriters, producers, composers, and all-around musicians. Apple is probably surprised at how predominant it has become for both amateur and professionals. It is incredibly useful and with each new version, becomes more and more intricate. It can be used as a quick […]
Ten Ways to be a Better Worship Leader
LEAD BY EXAMPLE. It’s a bit cliche, but only because it’s true. Worship band leaders should always be considering how their actions and attitudes affect (and reflect) the band. Always show up on time, have your instrument and gear tuned and ready, know the songs, and have chord charts ready. Whatever it is your band […]
This one’s for all you guitar players in the room. Let’s talk about tone. Many legendary guitarists are quick to say “it’s all in the fingers”, which is true—to a degree. Yes, you want to make sure you can play all of your lead parts, scales and chords with finesse, but having a good toolbox […]
Q: Is Worship Leading a Spiritual Gift?
A: There are several different sections in the Bible that often get lumped together under the heading of “spiritual gifts”: typically Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12 & 14, and Ephesians 4. I’d encourage you to read through those sections real quick and see what you find–is worship leading there? It won’t take long until you […]