Why Worship Auditions Fail (And How To Fix Them)
Worship Auditions. Just the mention of this topic causes me to flinch a bit. Most leaders I know need a deeper worship team bench, but dread the “live tryout” vibe that feels like a bad episode of American Idol. You block off a Sunday afternoon, sit through hours of back-to-back auditions, and by the end, maybe […]
One of the great advantages of living in the 21st century is how accessible learning has become. We can pick up new skills almost instantly—watch a YouTube video, scroll through an online tutorial, download a lecture, or even access music education around the clock. In so many ways, it’s never been easier to grow. But […]
The Worship Leader the Church Actually Needs
Each intensive, they trickle in one by one—guitar cases in hand, eyes bright with expectation, ready for hours of jam sessions and song-sharing. But within the first hour or two, they realize this is a different kind of worship school. One that cares less about how well they can play like a rockstar, and more […]
Why 'Worship Leader' Isn’t in Ephesians 4 (And Why That Matters)
Several years ago, during a moment of sudden insight, a college friend of mine argued that “worship leader” wasn’t a legitimate role in the church since it doesn’t appear in Ephesians 4. Normally, these kinds of ministry debates don’t catch my attention, but this time I was intrigued. Was it possible that the Apostle Paul […]
Holy Week has begun. It may not “feel” different from any other week – aside from the frenetic work to prepare for Easter Sunday – but it is indeed Holy because it was Jesus who lived through these events. Most of us will know that Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and culminates with Easter […]
My first encounter with Ash Wednesday came my freshman year of college. I vividly remember the moment when our NT professor came to class late from a noon service with a smeared black cross on his forehead. I had zero context for his appearance, but as he gave a brief explanation my first thought was: […]
Rediscovering the ‘Call to Worship’: A Better Way to Begin ServiceS
Fifteen seconds into the service I thought, “There’s got to be a better way to do this.” The volunteer entrusted to welcome the congregation had already covered the Broncos and the weather. It went something like this: “Welcome to church. We’re glad you’re with us today, especially with the big game starting in about 45 minutes! […]
Much of the world teaches us that if we’re to succeed, we have to be on the lookout for our chance to shine or get ahead. See an opportunity? Hurry up and grab it! See an opening? Better jump in before someone else does! Quite frankly, it’s exhausting. Don’t you feel that? If you think about […]
Embracing Advent in Corporate Worship
practices for a season of longing & waiting In church ministry, the fall can often feel like one extended sprint from back-to-school through Christmas. But about seven years ago our church discovered Advent and it has truly changed how we approach and experience the holiday season, which is now upon us. If we’re not intentional […]
Practical Tips for Spontaneous Worship (Part 2)
The last post discussed how you can better prepare yourself to facilitate spontaneous moments in worship. But leading a team in spontaneity is a whole different animal that requires a different set of skills and practices. So, what do you do if you feel comfortable leading spontaneous moments, but it’s foreign to your team? Here’s […]