Set

Collaborative Set List

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The thought of collaboratively building set lists gives me indigestion. But in practice, I always walk away so grateful for the opportunity to serve together. To find small ways to die to myself, and learn alongside of others who desire to serve the Lord and his people.

One of the things that has surprised me is how often I’ve met worship leaders who can lead songs but have never been taught how to build a set list. They know how to lead a song but not how to run a rehearsal. They know how to choose a key, but can’t lead the liturgy of the gathering.

At the end of the day, I believe that part of a leader’s main responsibility is to grow other leaders - I hope that regardless of your context or experience you are intentionally pursuing opportunities to develop other leaders. And I think that find a few people who can work together to collaboratively build a set list is a great place to start.

A few things that I have learned along the way:

  • People are more eager to serve, and take responsibility than you might expect - just ask.

  • You need to have clarity on your philosophy of worship.

  • It is easy to become frustrated and pull in different directions when you are not working from a shared understanding of the purpose of the corporate gathering - have you articulated this generally at your church, as well as specifically for this day?

  • You need to articulate the rhythms of how to build a set list - particularly for those who have never had the opportunity to do this before, help them understand the why, not just the what.

  • There are benefits to co-leading, but the more ownership you can give your fellow leaders, the more we all will grow.

  • Recognize that we all have preferences, don’t throw your weight around to get your way. Allow space for others to learn, and allow their own personality, skills, and gifts to shine through.

What would you add?

7 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • PROMISES

    Call to Worship: Psalm 16

    Good morning and welcome to worship on this first Sunday of the new year. We are here to set the Lord always before our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection. We look to the one who leads us in the way of life, and regardless of the year ahead will not abandon you. Let’s sing of his heart and character together:

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  • ABIDE

    Sermon: Mark 13:1-37

    Christ has come, and he is coming again. Let’s not grow indifferent toward our sin, but use this time to once again set Christ before our gaze, and confess our sins to God and one another. Would you stand if you’re able:

    BCP Corporate Confession

    Brothers and sisters, hear the good news. God does not treat you as your sins deserve. Christ has come and He is coming again. Let’s sing to him now…

  • HYMN OF HEAVEN

  • YET NOT I, BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME

    Benediction

6 August: Liturgy + Set List

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  • REJOICE

    Call to Worship: Psalm 17:15

    We live in a world that says ‘If I had just a little bit more, I would be satisfied. A little bit more money, a little bit more time, circumstances that we’re just a little different, a few more vacations, then I would have enough.’ If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, my hope and prayer are that you would behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus, and be fully, completely, and eternally satisfied. Let’s sing to him:

  • ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

  • ABIDE/I’VE WITNESSED IT

    Because of Jesus, the invitation of God is always to cease from striving and rest and abide in the person and work of Christ. And as we prepare for a new academic school year many teachers, staff, students, and parents feel the opposite pull of rest. And as we continue in worship we are going to pray for the new school year - and we will specifically name the four local schools we support as missions partners at Life Church. If you don’t fall into one of those categories, if you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, God has sovereignly placed you in a time and place and given you a responsibility to love, serve, and live on mission within your community. Let’s pray this together:

Almighty God, by your gift alone we come to wisdom and true understanding. Look with favor, we pray on our universities, colleges, and schools, especially: Salisbury High, Isenberg Elementary, Koontz Elementary, and Overton Elementary, that knowledge may be increased among us, and wholesome learning flourish and abound. Bless those who teach and those who learn; and grant that in humility of heart they may ever look to you, the fountain of all wisdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Occasional Prayers, For schools, colleges, and universities

The Book of Common Prayer

Sermon: Exodus 20:17

Scripture says eternity is written on every human heart. You and I will never find satisfaction for our eternal souls looking to temporary, or created things. Let’s fix our desire, affection, and attention on the person and work of Christ as we sing. Would you stand if you’re able:

  • A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

  • BE THOU MY VISION

    Benediction

9 July: Liturgy + Set List

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  • REJOICE

    Call to Worship: Psalm 19:1-6

    Scripture tells us ‘…out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.’ So often people believe faith, or religion is about doing the right things and avoiding the wrong things. But the truth our actions and behaviors flow from our hearts. And here, the Psalmist beholds the glory of God in creation, and from His heart flows this final verse:

    “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
        be acceptable in your sight,
        O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

    This is my hope and prayer for you and me this morning - that we would behold the glory of God, and from our hearts would flow worship and obedience in all of life. Let’s sing:

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  • ALL HAIL KING JESUS

    Sermon: Exodus 20:13

  • HYMN OF HEAVEN

  • COME THOU FOUNT

    Benediction

13 November: Liturgy + Set List

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  • HOUSE OF THE LORD

    Call to Worship: Psalm 86:4-10

    Maybe you came in this morning singing ‘there is joy in the house of the Lord,’ and not feeling particularly joyful. If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, I have good news for you: joy is never tied to a circumstance but is tied to the person and completed work of Christ. We can have joy because we can come with boldness before the throne of grace to receive mercy from God because of Christ. We are people who have been forgiven not just partially, not just temporarily, but eternally and forever. This morning in our series in The Apostles’ Creed we will look at a line that is something we talk about often in church - that we have the forgiveness of sins. And this is something we should speak about regularly, but with all things that are familiar, we can often treat them casually. And this morning we’re going to teach you a new song that puts language around the reality that our forgiveness in and through the completed work of Christ is final, full, and forever…

  • FORGIVEN FOREVER

  • GRAVES INTO GARDENS

    Sermon: 1 John 1:5-2:2

    If we truly understood the depth of our forgiveness in Christ, how quick we would be to confess our sin to God, and one another, and seek forgiveness from God and one another. How quick we would be to forgive those who have sinned against us. Let’s confess what we believe about our faith through the words in the Apostles’ Creed:

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, 

Maker of heaven and earth; 

and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, 

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, 

suffered under Pontius Pilate, 

was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended into hell. 

The third day he rose again from the dead. 

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; 

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins, 

the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

  • COME THOU FOUNT

Benediction: Psalm 103:8-11

17 July: Liturgy + Set List

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  • HOLY HOLY HOLY

    Call to Worship: Psalm 121

  • YES AND AMEN

    Scripture tells us that God is faithful, even when we are faithless. Almost every other world religion is about earning, striving, making an ascent to God. But as followers of Jesus, we celebrate the fact that we could never earn, or ascend to God, but God in Christ moved toward us. He took on our flesh and bone, lived a perfect life, died the death we deserved for the punishment of our sin, rose again, and is seated in victory at the right hand of the Father. But Jesus life on this earth was not easy, or pretty - Scripture describes Jesus as the Suffering Servant, the One who is a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And this morning we are going to learn a new song that helps us remember who Jesus is, what He has done, and what His life has accomplished for us. Let’s sing…

  • SON OF SUFFERING

    Sermon: James 5:7-12

    Communion

  • IN CHRIST ALONE

    Benediction

October 3: Liturgy + Set List

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  • BEFORE THE THRONE

Call to worship:

To all who are weary and need rest

To all who mourn and long for comfort

To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

To all who fail and desire strength

To all who sin and need a Savior

This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of

His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the

Friend of sinners, welcome.

  • GRACE ALONE

  • I LOVE YOU LORD

Sermon: Romans 12:3-8

We love because God has first loved us. We serve because God has first served us in and through Christ. We belong to the family of God because we have been adopted by God. We belong to the Body of Christ where Christ Himself is the Head. The entirety of our lives is lived in response to God. Let’s respond together:

  • MY JESUS I LOVE THEE

BAPTISMS

COMMUNION

  • HIS MERCY IS MORE

BENEDICTION: Ephesians 3:20-21

22 August: Set List + Liturgy

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  • ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK

Our world is not as it should be. Sin has warped and distorted and broken everyone and everything. Even creation itself groans under the weight of sin. Maybe you have experienced that first hand this week, or maybe you are aware of it as you have seen the devastation of another earthquake in Haiti and the chaos of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Maybe you are thinking, ‘those things are sad, but I don’t live in Haiti or Afghanistan…’. One of the reasons we gather as the people of God is to be reminded that we belong together. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have not been saved just to be an individual, but have been saved to be a part of a family, a part of a Body of Christ, His Church. And if you are a member of this church, you belong to this local expression of the Body of Christ, but every follower of Jesus is also a member of the Global, Universal Church - the Body of Christ made up of followers of Jesus from every tribe, every tongue, every language and every nation on the planet throughout time, and history, even now. And right now, we have brothers and sisters, members of our family who we will never meet this side of eternity in Haiti and Afghanistan who are experiencing the weight and the brokenness of sin in a very acute way - and that should grieve us. But as followers of Jesus, we are people that hold tensions. We hold the tension of acknowledging that there is sin and brokenness in the world, and at the same time acknowledging that there is a firm foundation, a solid rock which is Christ - the One who will return to set all things right and make all things new. That is lament - grief and hope, grief with expectation, grief with anticipation of what God will do. We will continue in worship praying this prayer of lament particularly on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Afghanistan.

PRAYER OF LAMENT:

LEADER:

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?

    Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

ALL:

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up Your hand;

    forget not the afflicted.

LEADER:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

    How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

ALL:

But I have trusted in Your steadfast love;

    my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

ALL:

Deliver us, O Lord, from evil men;

    preserve us from violent men, 

who plan evil things in their heart

    and stir up wars continually.

We know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

    and will execute justice for the needy.

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

    the upright shall dwell in Your presence.

(Psalm 10:1-2, 12, Psalm 13:1-2,5-6, from Psalm 140:1-2, 12-13)

  • GRACE ALONE

  • BUILD MY LIFE

Sermon: Psalm 132

  • EVER BE

Communion

  • RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

Building A Set List

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There is a temptation in leading corporate sung worship to imitate form and flow without understanding intention. Too often we can believe that choosing the correct combination of songs, dynamics, and production will create the desired result. Although I do believe there are best practice principles to leading worship regardless of your particular context, these things do not follow a static formula. If your worship setlists feel more like a string of songs than intentionally shaping the morning to form the people, here are some things to consider:

Start with the Text. What is the primary text in the teaching for the weekend? What does it tell us about God? What does it tell us about mankind? How may God be calling your people to respond this weekend? What themes can you pull from the text in not only your song choice, but in the way you pray, choose Scripture, and plan musical dynamics?

Prayer. Before, during, and after - I am convinced and convicted by how easily I can default to intuition, and experience to determine elements for the gathering. In an earlier post, I wrote about three prayers of preparation, you can read that here.

Follow a framework. This is why I like the Gospel Song Liturgy, intention laid in the foundation of your liturgy when you use a framework, rather than reinventing the wheel every time you plan a service.

Consider the team. Who are the musicians and vocalists serving this weekend? How can you accentuate the strengths of those individuals and the team as a whole, and minimize weakness? Do you need to begin communicating parts or specific pieces further in advance?

This week, this month, this year. Our weekend services stand-alone, but build one on another week after week, month after month, year after year. Are you holding the bigger picture of where your people are, and where you’re leading as you plan the service this weekend?

Find the gaps. Songs don’t always communicate or give the language needed for every aspect of our time. What other aspects are needed to fully connect and ground your time? Scripture, liturgical elements like readings, prayers, confessions, silence, and response, as well as verbal transitions, can all be used to direct and focus the flow of the morning.

When your elements for the service are gathered, consider the flow of the story you are telling in your lead through the liturgy. We can inadvertently create a disconnected story when we do things like sing about the resurrection and then sing about our sin and need for a Savior. Songs, rhythm, and keys should move in a structure flowing naturally one to the next as you move the people through your setlist, the morning, and the vision of where you are headed.

July 28: Set List

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WELCOME/CALL TO WORSHIP:

To all who are weary and need rest

To all who mourn and long for comfort

To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

To all who fail and desire strength

To all who sin and need a Savior

This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners, welcome. [From 10th Presbyterian Church]

GRACE ALONE

THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

Sermon: Luke 11:29-35

RESPONSIVE READING:

LEADER:
The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

ALL:
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the LORD

and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

LEADER:
Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory?

ALL:
The LORD, strong and mighty,

the LORD, mighty in battle!

LEADER:

Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

ALL:
The LORD of hosts,

he is the King of glory!

I STAND AMAZED

LIGHT