As worship leaders, Monday mornings can either get your week off to a great start, or Monday mornings can get your week off to a slow start. A lot of that has to do with how our weekend services go. If we had great weekend worship services we can feel energized and excited for the week ahead. If our weekend services did not go as planned we can feel discouraged and our week can get off to a slow and unproductive start.
There is one really important thing we can do as worship leaders to minimize those slow discouraging weeks…planning. The book of Proverbs has plenty to say about planning. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 19:22 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” These scriptures are not just great wisdom for our lives but for our worship planning as well. The best way to avoid a discouraging Monday morning is planning. Get ahead of the things that frustrate you and slow you down.
God should be involved in our planning as much as He is present in our weekend worship services. When we take the time to plan well we are allowing God to be a part of the whole process. Planning will ensure that the flow of the service is what we want it to be. Planning will allow our musicians and vocalists to have plenty of time to learn their parts so they can nail it on Sunday morning. Planning will allow us to get that video or other creative element finished in plenty of time so our tech people are clear on what’s happening and make the transition a smooth one. Planning will take away a lot of those little frustrations that drive us crazy and consume our thoughts on Monday mornings.
If you feel like you are in this cycle of frustration and getting each week off to a slow start because of it, do whatever it takes to commit your planning to God. Do whatever it takes to get ahead so you have time to focus on the details and not just play catch up every week. A mad dash down to the wire each weekend can be exhausting and will eventually lead to burn out. But remember, God wants to be part of the whole process, not just “the show.” Let Him guide you Monday through Friday as much as He does on Sunday mornings. This will lead to better Monday mornings which will in turn lead to a good start every week.
Worship Review // Phil Wickham // Ascension
awesome! very important that we set out a plan that is suitable to ensure the best possible outcome, yet we must be open to the plans of God that may very well not be what we set up. that balance is a difficult one to establish. we must consult father in our plans to organize an atmosphere that will be conducive to His will. to achieve that is to ensure not only an amazing monday but an amazing life. thank you do much for sharing. it has blessed me, and may God continue to Bless youb and your ministry in His Kingdom
Agreed, Josh. I used to have the point of view that I did the planning, then left room for the Holy Spirit to move on Sunday morning. But that has shifted as I’ve grown to understand that the Holy Spirit wants to guide me as I plan. We tend to equate the Holy Spirit’s leading with spontaneity, but that’s not always the case…. who says he can’t lead you a week before the event?