Worship Leaders

Learning To Lead In A Church Plant

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Every church and context is different. Whether an established church with large resources, and a deep bench of skilled musicians, or a church plant that is scrappy and industrious, every church and context has strengths and challenges.

As I have reflected on my experience serving in a number of church plants, here are a few things I wish I would have been able to learn sooner:

What Sustains You

Energy, momentum, adrenaline, and enthusiasm can take you farther than you would expect. But ultimately they are insufficient in their ability to sustain the long-term discipleship work of planning a church and making disciples. Once the energy is spent, moment wains, adrenaline empties and enthusiasm turns to routine - if love is not the undercurrent animating and motivating your service, you will be hollowed out.

The People

The chaotic, entrepreneurial nature of church planting is often attractive to people who enjoy starting something new. Many people who join you in the beginning will not be those who stay for the long haul. And that is okay. Some people will be with you for seasons. If and when people leave does not negate the very real investment they made in the church, or that you as a leader made in them.

Learning

As a worship leader, it takes time to learn your people. But this can be challenging when you do not even know the people who will be showing up at your church! Take time to learn about your church, your people, and the songs and liturgy that will resonate with your people. Be consistent - bordering on stale - as you plan your gatherings. There is enough uncertainty for people arriving at a church plant, keep songs familiar and regular as things take shape.

Encourage

Set up and tear down, evangelism and discipleship, learning on the job, building a team - planting a church is relentless and can be exhausting. If God in his kindness has provided one or two other people to serve on your team with sound, lyrics, musicians, or vocalists, thank him! And thank them. Notice, celebrate, and honor your people for the way they serve and sacrifice. I have been on the receiving and sending end of thank you notes, and I am always surprised how valuable these can be in feeling seen and appreciated. Buy a stack of cards, and write to your team regularly.

What would you add?

Advent Preparation

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If I have not clarified before, I love the Church calendar. However, one of the ways I find it incredibly useful in the spiritual formation of the people of God is around the idea of longing and expectation. Advent and Lent give us as the people of a God a unique opportunity to grow the muscles of longing and expectation because we live in a world that is impatient and instantaneous. Almost anything can be delivered to our front door within 48 hours. But the seasons of Advent and Lent cannot be rushed - they can be hurried - but not rushed. The slow march to the arrival of Christ - the growing longing for His second coming. The slow setting of Christ’s face toward the cross - the slow longing for our own resurrection. These invitations we find in the Church calendar - but not in a calendar governed by national holidays and school schedules.

As you plan for yourself, your family, your team, and your church to enter the season of Advent, how will you invite them to slow their pace, set their gaze, and ponder in their hearts? These things will not naturally occur, they must be planned, cultivated, invited. This is part of our work as worship leaders, not to use our people to meet our needs and agenda but to bless our people with a clearer view of serving God and His people in the season ahead.

You might also like these other Advent resources:

Hierarchy

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What is the most important area of ministry within the local church? Is it the preaching ministry of the church? Maybe the worship experience? Perhaps children’s ministry? What about missions, outreach, justice, and mercy ministries? Or could it be hospitality and prayer? Or a host of other ministries that honor God, serve His people, and reach the lost?

Likely, your theological convictions have knowingly (or unknowingly) shaped how you, your pastor, and your congregation consider these questions. To that end, I contend that if every area of ministry has its central aim: to herald the Gospel, proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ, preach the Word in word and deed, and grow deep disciples of Jesus - there is no hierarchy of ministry. And if those things do not describe the work of ministry within the local church, perhaps the question is not - which area of ministry is most important and vital, rather, why is this not true of every area of ministry?

As worship leaders, this is why our song choices matter. This is why thoughtful liturgy matters. This is why growing as a communicator matters. This is why the local church matters, because everything we do is to: “…proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Regardless of your area of ministry and responsibility, there is no space for superiority or inferiority complexes within the body of Christ.

Contextual Choices

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I have been a different worship leader in every environment where I have led worship.

The longer I lead worship, the more I see the value of contextualization. Of course, there are best practices, and theological truths which anchor us regardless of time, place, country, or culture. But part of serving effectively is being aware of the needs, idols, and affections of the people you serve.

I believe that effective contextualization looks less like pandering, and more like carrying an awareness of the choices that will create more blockers and distractions for our people. And therefore, effective contextualization must have clear conviction, as well as an understanding of your congregation.

There is no one-size-fits-all version of this high calling we carry as worship leaders.

Do not be fooled by YouTube videos when everything looks formulaic and uniform.

Do not be lazy in serving the unique people God drawn to your church.

Clarify your convictions. Serve and challenge effectively. Love God, love His people.

Utilitarian Worship

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What is the purpose of sung corporate worship? We can articulate theological truths, ascend to intellectual ideals, and quote chapter and verse of Scripture. Still, our worship has become utilitarian when worship is primarily about hammering the truth into people, filling time before a sermon, or experiencing God.

Utilitarian worship is a pitfall for every theological stripe. For my reformed brothers and sisters, utilitarian worship can become an appetizer to the main course: the sermon—a sampling of scripture for the real biblical work of the preached Word. We can so limit our choices of songs, that we force our people to run a mental marathon. For my charismatic brothers and sisters, we can so emphasize worship as the place of experiencing and encountering God that everything else becomes secondary. Ultimately, we turn our people into sugar fiends, chasing an ever-elusive high.

But what if worship is not about mental marathons or sugar highs?

What if our aim in discipling our people, leading sung worship, planning set lists, choosing songs, and leading the liturgy is to help turn the affections of our people to delight in God? What if our worship is aimed toward the delight of God? Songs and experience matter - but only so much as they turn our attention from ourselves and toward the God who is worthy of our delight, and who delights in the praises of His people. Utilitarianism and delight cannot occupy the same space. Lead toward delight.

Limiting Choices

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As worship leaders, we make many decisions when it comes to choosing songs - what songs we will introduce, what songs will be a part of our set list, what songs will make it to our master song list, and what songs will roll out of rotation and frequency.

The church I serve belongs to a network of churches that has very clear convictions around the kind of songs - but more specifically, the kind of writers - whose songs many of the network churches are willing to use. As I understand it, the concern is essentially that using a song from a particular church or movement is viewed as an endorsement of its theology. Don’t get me wrong, songs matter, and so does theology. Songs often function as portable theology for our congregations. And so therefore we should be discerning about what we put in the minds, mouths, and hearts of our people. But our primary responsibility is not to be gatekeepers of songs, but disciple-makers. We need to teach, lead, and serve in such a way that our people become increasingly discerning of the diet of songs they listen to and love.

As I have developed my own philosophy of worship, and frankly, as worship songs have become an industry saturating our choices as local church worship leaders, it has become harder for me to listen to an album and want to introduce every song to my congregation. Because I am often considering the holes in my master song list, I become less convinced that just because this is an artist I love, and with whom I am theologically aligned, does not mean that every song they send into the world is one I will receive.

Let your convictions guide your choices. If you feel convinced that songs from churches you would not attend will be more harmful than helpful for your congregation, then do not use those songs. My conviction is that we need songs that are deep theologically, and emotive responsively - seldom do those two factors exist in a single song. So that shapes the songs I choose to introduce and the way I construct my set lists.

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Formative Reading

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Corporate readings help us increase active participation in the corporate gathering. Just like every aspect of our gathering - and all of life - corporate readings are formative. But too few churches devote time to the corporate reading of Scripture, corporate confession, corporate prayer, and reciting the creeds as we gather the people of God.

For those of us planning services, we are responsible for giving our people language for who God is, what He has done, and how He has called us to live. Corporate readings are one of the most neglected resources at our disposal.

Corporate readings unite us in one voice. In the same way, a pledge, or vows unite us to one another in their shared language and shared direction - when we read aloud together we embody our collective unity as the people of God. But to an even greater degree, when we read Scripture together, and when we recite the creeds, or we use the ancient prayers we join the people of God from all places and time through history.

If corporate reading is something you would consider in your gathering, start with Scripture: read it aloud together, read it responsively, read it slowly, read it repeatedly. My wife first suggested to me that when leading a corporate reading, I begin not by inviting the congregation to read along but by listening silently while I first read the words. That way when I repeat the reading, inviting them to read aloud with me, they have already heard the words and felt the pacing. This small adjustment allows people to not exert all of their mental energy while keeping up with their reading and trying to process simultaneously. They can settle into the words as we pray, read, and confess together.

Corporate Readings

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There is no part of the corporate gathering that is passive. When someone is praying, we pray with them. When someone is preaching we lean in actively listening. When we sing we sing out for the sake of the Lord and our brothers and sisters - even when we don’t like the songs, even when we don’t know the songs. We show up ready to serve, love, and give - not simply prepared to receive or take.

Corporate readings are an easy way to increase active participation in the corporate gathering. Simply reading a passage of Scripture aloud together, reading something as a call and response, reciting a prayer, or reading from the Book of Common Prayer, the Worship Sourcebook, The Valley of Vision, or simply reading lyrics to a hymn.

Because we have been made in the image of a God who speaks, the ability to speak is a divine gift. God spoke the universe into existence and sustains it by the word of His power. Scripture says that there is the power of life and death in the tongue. Our words matter and are significant in the formation of our minds, hearts, and souls - as well as in the formation of the family of God.

Creating Culture Carriers

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Culture matters. Every church has a culture, every team has a culture, and as leaders, we bear a responsibility to shift the culture toward one that resembles the Kingdom of God and the person of Christ more than it resembles our cities, churches, and leaders. But this work of culture is not - and cannot be - a solo endeavor. One of the ways I think of leaders on my team is carriers of the culture. What is true of us now, and where we are prayerfully aiming the direction of our lives, our team, and ultimately our church will be shaped by the carriers of our culture on our team.

How to identify culture carriers on your team:

Do you have culture carriers on your team? You will be able to recognize them because their voices, presence, and influence have an outsized impact on the team. On a worship team, the temptation might be to consider those with a microphone (choosing songs, leading the liturgy, running a rehearsal, etc) as the main carriers of culture - and this might be true. However, I have often found that the most consistent carriers of culture are not always the most obvious leaders. Who shows up early? Who is encouraging the team? Who is investing in relationship? Who is giving more of themselves (in time and talent) than is expected of the rest of your volunteers? Here are your culture carriers.

How to encourage culture carriers on your team:

  • Invite them in. Bring them into your thought process, and your planning.

  • Ask them to do intentionally what they are already doing naturally.

  • Entrust them with greater responsibility in leading the team, the congregation, and planning.

  • Ask them to weigh in on decisions about songs, events, services, and the overall direction of your team.

  • Make space for them to grow as leaders

  • Make investments in their leadership on your team as well as their growth as people.

Ultimately, this is the discipleship. And discipleship is the long game. This work will be slow, but it is the kind of self-giving we are called towards as disciples of Christ, as we make disciples.

Shadowing Presence

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I have a visceral reaction to the word experience being connected to the Sunday gathering (as I’ve noted previously).

Experience borders the hospitality industry: how do we ensure a positive experience for our customers? Should we seek to be hospitable? Yes, obviously, Scripture affirms it (Romans 12:13, 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Colossians 4:5, Leviticus 19:33-34, Hebrews 13:1-2)! But if our aim is a positive, uplifting experience we leave no room for lament and sorrow.

We leave no room for helping people see that sometimes it is in the shadow of the Almighty where we experience His presence and nearness. We experience the presence and nearness of God in His shadow as much as in His shining face (Psalm 91:1, Revelation 1:16).

“For song can never bring the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit does invariably bring song.” - A.W. Tozer

Space for Sorrow

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Are we making space, and giving language for the varied experiences in our corporate gathering? Does our liturgy allow space for grief, lament, and naming our sorrows and longings before the Lord (Psalm 38:9)?

As author Clint Watkins says, “Biblical worship includes sorrow.”

If corporate worship is about the spiritual formation of the people of God whether our specific room is filled with people currently experiencing sorrow (we all one day will) we have a responsibility to help do the burden-bearing work of weeping with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). When we make space for sorrow, lament, and grief we are giving people language, helping them now and later.

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Encouraging Response

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“A lot of people don’t know this… but it is possible to be emotive in corporate worship, and still be a Baptist.” That is how I encouraged and challenged? Our church to engage with Psalm 134. This psalm was both our call to worship and the name of the song we were about to sing that morning:

“Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
    who stand by night in the house of the Lord!

Lift up your hands to the holy place
    and bless the Lord!

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
    he who made heaven and earth!”

Some churches, denominations, cultures, and people groups are naturally emotive in the way they participate in corporate sung worship. Some are naturally more reserved. While I do not believe there is a moral high ground, as I wrote last week, I do believe that it is right and good that the truths we sing move us - and that we encourage our people to be moved.

If you would like to encourage your people toward responding in worship, how might you do that - you know, without poking fun at their denominal affiliation like yours truly? Here are a few things to consider:

Look around the room

Ask people not just to look at a screen, or at a hymnal, ask them to look around the room. We sing to God, yes, but we also sing to one another. Look at the faces of your brothers and sisters, sing to them, sing on their behalf.

Speak these words aloud

Whether the songs are new and unfamiliar or people feel they ‘aren’t really singers.’ Encourage people to at least speak the truths we sing aloud. Our words have power, and we need to proclaim truth not only have it sung around the room.

Open our hands

For some people, any physical posture in worship feels uncomfortable. I have encouraged people, even if they are uncomfortable raising their hands in worship, to open their hands - even if they are shoved in your pockets, will you open them as a posture of surrender, openness, and receiving?

Raise our hands

Lifting up holy hands in worship is a posture we see throughout Scripture, but can feel too odd, uncomfortable, or vulnerable for many worshipers. Why do we raise our hands? In victory - Jesus victory over Satan, sin, and death. In surrender - realizing that we can no longer fight. In dependence - upon God for our very breath. In faith - allowing our physical posture to aim and reinforce what we desire to be true of our hearts and lives.

Don’t just tell people to respond. Encourage, invite, model, maybe even be cheeky, and give them a loving rebuke. But help them see why we do what we do. I have often found people eager to respond, they have been waiting on permission, waiting on an invitation.

If this was helpful, you may also appreciate Postures In Worship.