I’m New Here… Now What?

Psalm 46:10 says “Be still, and know that I am God”.  This is a comforting verse, usually referenced in times of stress and chaos. People who’ve been in the same church for a long time, or who’ve come to a new church to fill a public position like worship pastor can forget what it’s like to be brand new in a church.

Maybe you’ve moved to a new city or God led you to make a change. Whatever reason that you’ve found yourself at a new church (see my previous article on finding a new church), the natural question becomes “I’m new here… now what?”

BE STILL…

This is really, really hard for some of us to live out. We are go-getters. We are self-starters. We don’t do “still” very well. But it’s really imperative.

A few years back I found myself walking into a new church for the first time. No body knew I was coming, or that I led worship or could preach sermons, or anything else. I sat in my seat, I said hi to someone during the greeting time. I sang during worship and studied along during the message. Then I left. I did the same thing the next week, and the week after.

One of the things that happens sometimes is that someone will come up to me on their first Sunday at church just rearing to go. They can come on pretty strong and it immediately puts me on my guard. Not because they’re bad people or they look untrustworthy. It just comes down to the simple fact that you can’t fake relationship. Relationship takes time and there is no way to circumvent the process. My advice to any worship leader (or any other ministry minded person) is to not expect to serve much in the first 3-6 months at your new church. Being still is hard, but it’s vital.

That’s not to say I was a ghost in the pews. I introduced myself to the pastors. I went to the “new to the church” luncheon. But overall, I was still as I got to know the church, and people in the church got to know me.

…AND KNOW…

Part of being still is listening, and by listening you get to know someone or something. During my time of “being still” I listened for the pulse or heartbeat of the church and it’s culture.

One of the worst things a new person can do is to constantly reference their old church. It’s not because the old church is bad, but because you’re not there anymore. What it does, unintentionally, is to keep you an outsider. If you keep name checking your old church like it’s still your church instead of the one you’re at, you are keeping yourself aloof from the new family God has placed you in.

Additionally, each local church forms it’s own natural and organic culture and quirks. These traits aren’t so much wrong or right as they are “what works here.” If you’re the person who’s quick to chime in with “at my old church we did this” or “we did it this way”, you might be missing the reasons why your new church does it differently. Maybe the “awesome thing” your suburban church did would be a disaster in the urban church you find yourself in. Maybe the thing going on at the hip urban church would be a horrible idea at a church in a smaller, rural area. So as I’m still, and as I listen, I can KNOW the heartbeat of my new church’s culture. As I do, I’ve found these three things to be helpful:

Follow The Program. Embrace the Change. Add Your Own Flavor.

FOLLOW THE PROGRAM

Talk to the worship leader, introduce yourself, explain your background and ask what the protocol is for serving at the church. Make sure to explain that you know these things take time so you don’t make them feel like you’re forcing them to make a decision on you right there and then.

Once you know the program, follow it. Some churches only bring new band members on once or twice a year. If that’s the case for you, then wait with joy. Some churches want you to audition. If that’s your church then practice up. If you need to learn Nashville numbers or attend a practice, or even just be ready to jam with only a pre-service practice, just go with it.

Or don’t. Nobody is forcing you lead worship. If you can’t go with the program, then find somewhere else to serve in your church with gladness. If you won’t serve anywhere else because “you’re a worship leader, not a [whatever],” then see my previous post about how to find a church.

Notice that I’ve used the word “serve” a lot in the last paragraph. It’s because that’s what we are. We are musical servants. Everyone likes to be called a servant until someone treats us like one. Find out what it takes to serve at your new church and serve.

EMBRACE THE CHANGE

Sometimes a new church will be a lot different than your old church. This usually comes in the areas of expectations. If you’re old church was big on practices and your new church isn’t, this is a chance to grow in your improvisational skills. If your old church liked the jam band and you’re new church likes the band to know set parts, it’s time to learn those parts.

If you see the change as a challenge instead of a chore, it’ll go a lot smoother.

ADD YOUR OWN FLAVOR

Now, that being said, you are who you are. Whenever I work with a new worship band, I try to listen first to hear what they are all about, then add my own flavor within that frame work. This means that if they’re doing Hillsong stuff, I’m not going to do blues/rock riffs, but maybe I’m ok with using a little less reverb or doing an arpeggio instead of a solo.

Maybe you’re a bit more high energy and your new church isn’t. While you need to work within the framework of your new church, that doesn’t mean that God isn’t wanting to use you to mix things up a bit.

Be who you are as long as who you are is in Christ and in service to his church.

…THAT I AM GOD

This last part is so important. I’m assuming that God has led you to your new church. He wants you there! If your church’s worship ministry isn’t a good fit for you, then I assume that God has other reasons for you to be at that church.

If your church’s worship ministry is a fit, but it’s a stretch, then I assume that God wants to stretch you.

If your church’s worship ministry is a perfect fit, then I’m assuming that God wants you to operate within that fit.

Psalm 46:10 starts out with “be still and know that I am God,” and ends with “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the Earth.” So whatever the reason that God has brought you to that new church, it’s ultimately for his glory. So whether he is most exalted in your leading worship or your cleaning a bathroom for a season, he will call you to that task. But know this, Romans 8:28 promises that whatever God has called you to, it is for your good.