Dynamics

I have had the opportunity to lead in many different settings. Large churches, and small churches. Higher church liturgy, and lower church spontaneity. I have served with professional musicians, and those who had only recently picked up an instrument. One of the things that I have observed as having the biggest impact on the quality of the musical production regardless of the location or skill level is the intentionality of dynamics.

I believe that it is not what we play or sing, but what we do not play or sing that makes the dynamic difference.

A musician will play. A vocalist will sing. What I have noticed among worship teams is that people often feel confused, or not useful if they do not play and sing from the very start to the very end of a song.

As worship leaders, we need to be able to coach our teams to understand how to lead in silence as much as in their playing. Our teams can lead in their silence by learning to lead off the platform, but also in their presence and posture when it is not their ‘part.’ Encourage your team to sing along, be at worship, listen intentionally as the worship leader guides and directs the congregation. I have often felt more intentionally led by musicians and vocalists leading in their silences than by the primary worship leader.

But what about leading in our playing and singing? How do we create movement, tension and release, builds and drops, particularly for those churches who are serving with smaller, or less experienced teams? Percentages. One of the sound guys at my church was a band director in a former career. He started suggesting to me that instead of saying ‘build and drop,’ or ‘big and quiet,’ or even using the classical musical terms, we started coaching our team in percentages. If we want the bridge to be the loudest part of the song, that would be 90% or 100%, and the chorus being the second loudest part of the song would need to be in the 70% to 80% range. If we are looking to incorporate a dynamic drop without going completely acapella, maybe the band goes to 10%. This kind of language has been so helpful for our team in being able to identify the higher dynamics in contrast to the lower dynamics both within a song, but also across the setlist.

If you’re struggling with every song sounding the same, and no movement in dynamic range, try using percentages as a way to lead your team to listen for dynamics. Much of this will begin with the worship leader thoughtfully and intentionally leading the team through rehearsal. Here are some ideas on how to run a rehearsal.

Working With Your Pastor

Relationships are never easy. They require time, communication, effort, forgiveness, and grace upon grace. The relationship between a worship leader and a pastor has layers of complicated dynamics at play: they are often your boss (your direct manager), your pastor (helping to shepherd your soul as a follower of Jesus), a friend (a relationship that exists outside of merely working together), a mentor (walking with you in personal relationship toward the Lord), and your employer (responsible in some way for your livelihood). These are complex and overlapping circles of relationship. While every person is unique, every relationship specific to the individuals involved, as I reflect on some of the relational pain, as well as evidence of God’s grace in relationships with pastors I have served alongside, here are a few things I hope will benefit you as you seek to work, worship, and serve in relationship with your pastor.

Focus on your own personal holiness. I am often reminded of Robert Murray McCheyne’s exhortation to pastors, ‘The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness.’ I believe this could be true in all our relationships - relationships with our spouses, coworkers, classmates, children, parents, siblings, team, etc. When I am more concerned over my own need to be conformed to the image of Christ, I am far less concerned about the failings of others. We are all in desperate need of the same grace of God. And when we recognize our own need, and gratefully accept God’s grace, how could we be angry, impatient, hostile, or ambivalent toward the same need in others?

You are on the same team as your pastor. A team that is being pulled in different or opposing directions cannot succeed. We must all keep in step with the Spirit personally and as a team. You are not in competition over vision, direction, or time on the platform each weekend. When we are in competition, we are proudly serving our own kingdom, rather than in humility serving Christ’s kingdom. Ed Welch says

‘Prayer is evidence of humility. Prayerlessness means that we neither believe Him, which is pride, nor turn to Him because we prefer to trust ourselves.’ (Ed Welch, Running Scared).

Pray for your pastor. For their own personal holiness, for their walk with the Lord. For wisdom and discernment to lead and serve God’s people well. For protection from the Enemy. Pray for your own heart to know how to love, serve, and encourage your pastor as you serve side by side for the glory of God and the good of His people.

Your pastor needs your support and encouragement. Our pastors carry more things than we realize. How can you speak life and courage into the hearts, and into their ministry? Talk to them, not about them. Assume the best, give grace. Speak well of them in their presence as well as in their absence. Honor God by honoring your leaders.

Relationships take work, but that cannot be work done by a single individual. Healthy relationships will require both people dying to self, and seeking the good of the other. Unfortunately, even within the church, even among those leading and serving the church, this is not always representative of how we interact one with another. Because of our sin, because of the Enemy’s desire to bring disunity and chaos into the Body of Christ, because of our own experience and baggage, we stand in constant need of God’s grace, mercy, and kindness to keep and sustain our relationships.

If you are involved in a relationship with your pastor that is abusive in any way - please seek outside, expert care and counseling. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans: ’If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.’ (Romans 12:18). The sad reality of living in the broken world is that sometimes - even when we have done everything we know to do - it is not possible to live peaceably with all.

If you’re a pastor, here are four things that you worship leader needs from you.