I started this discussion last week with my post called “How to Kill Your Worship Rehearsal.” Be sure to check it out to see where we started.
The truth is, as I have been working on these posts, there are a lot of ways we are killing our rehearsals without even knowing it. I hope that these posts encourage you to take a step back and really evaluate the effectiveness of how you practice with your team. The heart of our worship ministry stems from the small slot of time during the week that we call worship practice. Let’s look at some other ways that, as worship leaders, we can kill our rehearsals.
- Don’t be the most prepared in the room // We’ve all done it. Maybe it’s that new song with a backing track and you just can’t remember if you sing the bridge three times or four times. Don’t rely on your team to carry you through. You’re the leader, know the map for the song. Be prepared on your instrument. I’d go so far as to say be prepared on everyone’s instruments if it’s within your ability. Can you sing that guitar riff that’s being missed? Maybe you need to beatbox a little bit for the drummer. Be so comfortable with every aspect of the songs you’re practicing that your team doesn’t have to wonder how to perform. Your team will become better as they see how skillfully you navigate the worship rehearsal.
- Don’t give your team time to prepare // You won’t find a more grueling pace than worship leading. 52 weeks relentlessly coming after each other and you’re expected to create amazing experiences for each. It’s a high calling and one that needs to be taken seriously. We need to not get stuck preparing week to week. Our teams will only be as good as they are prepared. I’m not saying that you have to have your setlists prepared months in advance but your team should have a general idea about where you’re heading. Let them know what’s coming to help build excitement.
- Don’t talk with your team throughout the week // Whether you carry the title or not, you are the pastor of your team. Do they know that you care for them? Do they know that you know them? I find myself often reminding members of my teams that they are, first and foremost, a friend. The part they play in the service is second to who they are. Sometimes this means we don’t have a bass player because he needed to take a weekend where he was just part of the crowd. I promise that God will be honored if you stress less about fielding a team for the weekend and more about cultivating the hearts of those God has entrusted to your care.
What have you been doing to kill your rehearsals? How did you change it? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Round Two, Fight!
Amen! Especially #3
Love this so much. This list is so true and so easy to fall into. Thanks for great reminders Ryan!
Thanks for the kind words Carly!
Ryan, your advice is timely and wise. This information is exactly what I’ve been trying to find. Looking forward to future posts.
Thanks Jason!
Ryan,
I love these articles. But how do I, as a musician and not the leader, bring these issues to the attention of our worship leader? We always feel like the band is more prepared even with having equipment to setup and parts to learn. How do musicians deal with lazy leaders?
Thanks!
Really great question. I’ll work up some thoughts Andrew! Praying for you and your ministry.
Often when a new song is being rehearsed we ruin it just by having argues on how it should be played. Musicians are sometimes hard to deal with especially when you criticize parts they play. I lead worship myself and all guys in the team are close friends of mine and it makes it difficult for them to treat me as their leader.
Thanks a lot for your articles!
Hi, Ryan! I am the worship ministry leader at our church and the main keyboardist. I want to work my way into leading worship from the keyboard but not fully there yet. More on that later: I am in the process of training one of our singers to lead worship. Our team has also gone through a lot of difficult changes. One of the things the LORD has been instructing me on is to lay good foundations in the ministry, teach and practice good spiritual and musical habits that will help lay the ground work for going deeper into our worship as a team. I want to go over rehearsal etiquettes and a general timeline of how rehearsals should go so that everybody knows what to expect, how to behave, etc. I am getting some resistance from the person I am training because she is worried about not having enough time to go through the music. I am setting my foot down.because, if everybody is aware of what we need to accomplish, and I make sure we stay on track, we will actually have time to rehearse the music and have time for free worship. I don’t want to be accused of being inflexible. As it is, I’ve had to keep reminding everybody to be there at 7 ready to start. Your thoughts and encouragement, please. Thanks! God bless.