Practical Growth

Sunday is coming whether you are ready or not. The thing that will often surprise me with worship leaders is that they can seem surprised that Sunday is coming. It is a mad dash to throw together songs, communicate to a team, get through a rehearsal, and get lyrics and sound pulled together for a Sunday service, not to mention the preparation of your own heart.

Certainly, there are seasons and stages of life where we feel like we can never get ahead. And certainly, there are people who live swinging chaotically from one day to the next regardless of their season.

One of the things I have experienced is the more prepared I am, the freer I feel. The more prepared my team is, the less anxious they feel in preparation for a Sunday. The more consistent I am, the more my team, and the congregation can trust my leadership, and the direction we are headed together.

One of the most practical things I do every week is print off a new worship leader checklist. You can download the version I use for free here. This helps fewer things live in my brain - especially those things that have to be done every single week. Here are a few other suggestions for growing practically as a worship leader:

Get ahead. I schedule my teams, and my set lists a month at a time. This means at the end of every month, I have requested the team put in their blockout dates on Planning Center, and I have built rough set lists for the following month based on the sermon series and texts. People decline, and songs and liturgy change - but having a baseline allows me not to scramble week-to-week while also keeping a 30,000-foot view in mind as I am serving.

Communication. Both with your team, and with your pastor. When possible, create standing weekly rhythms.

Considering all of the elements. We need to think critically about the gathering, and how all of the elements influence and impact one another. If you want to spend time introducing a new song, you should consider sandwiching that song between songs that are more familiar to the congregation. If you want to add in a time for testimonies, taking the Lord’s Supper, or baptizing someone in the service - these will add time that needs to be made up somewhere else. Think about how these things need to be communicated to children’s volunteers, and people with other responsibilities within the corporate gathering.

Heart preparation. It is funny that when I am frantically trying to pull a service together, the first thing to drop off of my list of preparation is preparing my own heart - reading, slowing down, studying, worshiping, and praying for my team. All of these things are aspects of the way I desire to prepare my heart before serving - but can easily be the thing we rationalize as ‘less valuable’ when in reality it should take precedence.

Rehearsals are another place where I see many worship leaders fail practically. Showing up late or unprepared. Having not spent time thinking through songs, and dynamics, not being warmed up. These are all simple adjustments that can see tremendous growth in the practicalities of leading worship.

Musical Growth

If you have to choose between being a competent musician and being a competent theologian when it comes to sung worship - choose a competent theological. But being a competent theologian should lead you to desire to grow in excellence in your musical craft.

Yes, leading worship is pastoral before it is musical. But music is one of the tools we use to shepherd-well the people of God. Whether that be through song choice, dynamics, or transitions.

When we do not seek to become the best musicians we are able, we begin to create distractions for those we are serving. Our inability becomes a hindrance rather than a help, enabling the people of God to sing and celebrate who He is and what he has done.

If this is describing the way that you lead worship - what can you do? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Find free resources. Youtube has millions of tutorials. Find a friend to help give you feedback and give direction about how you could improve.

Get to the woodshed. Go ahead, spend an hour on a single part, a single piece, a single song. Work at it until it feels like your hands, legs, and throat couldn’t stand to play it one more time - and then play it one more time.

Build time into your schedule to practice songs. One of my work goals last year was to get better at memorizing my music. This meant that along with blocking out time for all of the things that were important to me during the week, I needed to find a few spare hours to work intentionally on the songs for any given Sunday, and the new songs that we would add to rotation - this was hard work and seemed less ‘important’ initially to me, but I was surprised how free I felt during sung worship to actually engage the songs and the people - without being conscious of the chord chart.

Listen to songs and artists outside your personal musical preference. Are there genres that you avoid, or have never considered? Familiarize yourself with the techniques, tones, and tricks of other musicians and genres. And return to what is familiar with a fresh awareness and musicality.

Not every musician will be a world-class musician. Not every musician is ready for a Nashville recording studio. But I do believe that every musician can work to hone and build their skill to the glory of God and the good of His people.

15 January: Liturgy + Set List

• THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  Call to Worship: Psalm 40:5

• HOW GREAT THOU ART

• ABIDE

  That song is taken largely from John 15 - where Jesus says ‘I am the vine and you are the branches, abide in me, and I in you, because apart from me you can do nothing…’ 

  You and I are incapable of saving ourselves, and even beyond that, you and I are incapable of living the life God has called us to live apart from the ongoing work of Christ in us and through us. You and I cannot love God and love our enemies apart from Christ working in us and through us.

  Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day set aside to remember and celebrate the life and ongoing work of Dr. King. And remembering is right and good. But I think as followers of Jesus it is also right to be challenged by Dr. King’s faith in action. And as we remember, and are challenged by the ongoing work or racial justice in our country and around the world, and as we remember and are challenged by the counter-cultural life that God calls us to live as His followers, and as we are increasingly aware of our need for Christ to work in us and through us, we are going to pray. I will read this corporate prayer first so you can see and hear the words, and then we will pray this together.

  Corporate Prayer:

Almighty God, you created us in your own image: Grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression; help us to use our freedom rightly in the establishment of justice in our communities and among the nations to the glory of your holy name; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer]

Sermon: Mark 1:14-28

Repent and believe the Gospel - that is the invitation of Christ in this passage, but it is also the invitation of Christ for every person here, whether you are a follower of Jesus or not. Let’s use these next songs as prayers of repentance and belief. Would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together…

• THERE IS A REDEEMER

• SON OF SUFFERING

  Benediction: Matthew 28:18-20

1 January: Liturgy + Set List

• BEHOLD

  Call to Worship: Psalm 118:14-17

  Welcome to worship with us on this final day of the Christmas season, and the first day of the year. We are glad you have joined us to do precisely what we have read in those verses - to declare the wondrous deeds of the Lord. A new year can bring excitement, anxiety, fear, or worry. But as followers of Christ, we can rest in the reality that there is no portion of the year ahead that God does not know deeply, intimately, and completely. And if you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, there is nowhere you will go this year that Christ will not go with you. We will spend some time praying together using Psalm 16 - I will read a portion of the passage, and then give you a prompt for prayer, and leave some time for you to pray silently in your own heart. Let’s continue in worship through prayer…

Psalm 16:

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

Take a moment to reflect, remember, and name evidences of God’s care and kindness to you in 2022.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

Will you take a moment to name and confess to God the places of fear, anxiety, worry, or uncertainty about the year ahead.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Will you take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to press these truths deeply into your heart in the year ahead.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

• KING OF KINGS

• O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

  Reading: Luke 2:41-52

  Sermon: John 20:1-18

  My only hope, your only hope in 2023 is not resolutions, but resting in the unchangeable character of God. All things are passing away - including you and me - but God’s Word never passes away - God never changes. So would you stand and sing these next two songs as prayers looking ahead to this year, and fixing our eyes on the Risen, Author, and Perfector of our faith…

• TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

  You will recognize the melody of this next song, but the words may be new. Let’s sing together…

• ALL GLORY BE TO CHRIST

  Benediction: John 20:30-31

Embodied Worship

We know that worship is more than a song. That in fact worship is the offering of our whole lives in response to God. And throughout Scripture, specifically the Psalms we see that worship is expressed through our bodies:

Singing (Psalm 9:11).

Dancing (Psalm 149:3).

Playing Instruments (Psalm 150:4).

Bowing your head in worship (Psalm 95:6).

Clapping your hands (Psalm 47:1).

Shouting (Psalm 66:1).

Being silent (Psalm 62:5).

Raising up your hands (Psalm 134:2).

Maybe these outward expressions of embodied worship do not represent the body of believers you serve, your church background, or your theological bent. But perhaps we who declare worship as more than a song need to acknowledge that the praise of God must be embodied as much as it is sung.

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!” Psalm 150:6

Knowing If It's Time To Move On

Seasons end and new seasons begin. Sometimes these are endings we choose, sometimes they are thrust upon us. Sometimes things fade slowly over time, sometimes things are done in a moment. But how do you know if it is time to move on from a place where you have invested a season (or more) of your life?

There are no easy answers, but I do know that uprooting your life, your community, and your serving should give you pause. This is a decision that should be considered in prayer, seeking the discernment of the Holy Spirit, and being engaged in the community.

Ask questions. Am I running from something? If God is pursuing some specific space in our sin-sick hearts, you will never be able to outrun Him. You can avoid, and ignore all you want, but the same sin-sick heart will follow you everywhere. Do I think the grass is greener? Ministry is hard everywhere. Don’t allow one interaction or a rough season to send you spiraling, and searching for a better life somewhere else. What is the most loving thing to do at this moment?

Seek wise counsel. If you are lucky, maybe this is a pastor or elder at your church, who can help you navigate if God may be leading you toward a new season of life and ministry. Be wise in seeking your wise counsel - this is not for the purpose of gossip or airing of grievances, but inviting someone to walk with you as you seek the Spirit together.

Exhaust your options. Don’t run, press in again, and again, and again. By the empowering of the Holy Spirit, seek to live as Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Pray, pray, pray. Listen more than you speak.

Be honest, with yourself and others. Don’t lie, or exaggerate. But also be aware that not everyone is safe. That not everyone needs to hear the whole story. Sometimes the most loving thing to do, the most truthful thing to do, is to keep your mouth open to God and closed to others.

Benedictine monks take three vows: a vow of stability, a vow of fidelity, and a vow of obedience. Vows tether us and remind us of the larger story to which we belong. Vows hold us secure when things are hard and painful and we are tempted to give up, give in, or walk away. Most of us will not take vows to serve on staff, or as a volunteer within the local church - although we may take membership vows to our local church - but the picture of stability is one that we should all desire to emulate in our life as followers of Jesus, and wherever He leads.

The truth is, the church is made up of broken people. There will be sin and brokenness in every church we attend, serve, labor, and work. But there is a difference between sinful brokenness and toxic abuse. If you think you may be in an abusive situation, you need to get to help and safety quickly. Find a counselor, mentor, or therapist who can help you navigate the complexities of your situation.

Staying is hard. Leaving is hard. Learn from the wisdom and mistakes of others who have walked a similar path. I found this conversation between Beth Moore and Russell Moore to be so helpful on this topic. You can listen to it here.

Seeker Sensitive Worship

Churches have varying opinions about the point and purpose of the corporate worship gathering. Is it primarily to experience God? Is it primarily to teach the Bible? Is it for the purpose of evangelism, and attracting the community?

My personal conviction is that the purpose of the corporate gathering is for the spiritual formation of God’s people. That we gather to disciple and be discipled. That conviction shapes the way I think about the songs I choose, the liturgies I create, and the way that I communicate. However, that does not mean that I approach the gathering expecting that only followers of Jesus who are seeking to be conformed to the image of Christ are present. I think every week that we gather there are people who are walking with God, people who are far from God, people who are not Christians, and people who believe they are Christians but in reality, are not.

This too shapes the way I consider our gathering. In the same way, I want to be aware there are children in the room during a family worship weekend, I want to be aware that every time we gather there are people in the room who do not know, love, or follow Jesus.

If you’re here this morning as a follower of Christ… I preface much of what I share with this phrase. My hope in using these words is twofold, first, so that we would never assume that everyone sitting in our rows is a Christian. Second, there are things we are saying, singing, professing, proclaiming, receiving, and believing that will only be true for those who know and follow Jesus.

Explain what is happening, and why. Rubrics are helpful on this front. We want people to be uncomfortable for the right reasons. We want guests to know how and when they participate, and what are the expectations as we gather.

Use language that is clear, and without condescension. Our words matter and can be used to clarify or confuse those who attend our services. There must be a balance in being generous and welcoming in our language without being overly simplistic, and talking down to the unfamiliar.

Finally, present the gospel clearly. This is why I love using the Gospel Song Liturgy as the way we move through our set lists. Our songs can help tell the story of the sovereignty of God, the brokenness of sin, the glory of Christ’s cross, and the hope of our own resurrection, and Christ’s return. May all people walk away from our gatherings knowing who Jesus is and what He has done.

4 December: Liturgy + Set List

• JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)

  Call to Worship: Isaiah 55:1-2,6-9

  Advent confronts us with the reality that from our physical needs to our spiritual needs, and our greatest need - to be made right with God the Father - you and I are incapable of saving ourselves. But Advent reminds us that God is with us, God is among us, God is for us, and God saves us. That is the good news of great joy - that we cannot save ourselves, but God, in and through Christ saves us. Let’s sing and celebrate together:

• GREAT THINGS/ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

• TRISAGION

  Reading: Luke 1:39-45

  Sermon: John 2:1-12

  I think about how in the Old Testament, Moses - this towering figure, the servant of the Lord asks God, ‘Show me your glory.’ And God says, ‘No… but I will let my glory pass by you.’ A little later on King David - this man after God’s own heart says, ‘There is one thing I ask of the Lord, there is one thing I desire, one thing I seek after - gaze upon the beauty and glory of the Lord and to dwell in his house forever.’ The New Testament tells us that we see ‘the glory of God in the face of the Son.’ Brothers and sisters, if you are here as a follower of Jesus, you have seen and experienced the glory of God in a way that Moses and David never did. Let Advent be a reminder to you to cease striving, and simply receive. Let’s celebrate God’s revealed glory, would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together.

• A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

• BEHOLD

  Reading: John 1:9-14

• Benediction/Advent Candle Lighting

Children In The Gathering

On the fifth Sunday of every month, first through fifth graders join the adults of our church in the auditorium for gathered worship. This has been a learning process for our staff team, and for me. I believe that the primary purpose of the corporate gathering is the spiritual formation of God’s people, and this includes not just adults, but children as well. This is not a time simply to give our children’s ministry volunteers a break, but a chance for discipleship to go both ways, for our children to disciple the adults of our church, and for the adults of our church to disciple the children.

The presence of children in our gathering should remind adults of the way that we are to approach our Heavenly Father. With the faith of a child, full of wonder, joy, curiosity, and without reserve. Children should remind adults that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Children should remind adults that we are a part of the family of God, that we care for, serve, love, and are inconvenienced for one another - that we gather not to consume but to serve.

When children are in the gathering adults have the opportunity to model what it looks like to engage in the body of Christ. To sing, respond, listen, and wrestle with God’s Word preached. To give ourselves away in service, and to give our finances through tithes and offerings. To be reminded of the broken body, and shed blood that makes us a family. To confess our sin and receive God’s forgiveness once more.

One of the things we speak about regularly as a staff team is not wanting a Family Worship Weekend to feel like a Vacation Bible School Sunday, where the entirety of our gathering is oriented around our children. But at the same time, we do not want to have a Sunday that is ‘business as usual’ without acknowledging there are younger people in the gathering.

Here are a few ways that I am working to grow my awareness of the presence of children in our gathering on these weekends:

Through song choice. I know that there are a handful of songs we sing in the auditorium that our children sing regularly. When I am able, I like to lead those songs which overlap so that kids can see that grownups gather and sing just like they do.

Teach them a new song the week before. This past year, I have been going over to our children’s ministry the week before and teaching the kids a song that we will be singing the following week. I talk to them about what it means, and why we sing and play through the song with them so that they have something else that is familiar when they come to Family Worship Weekend.

Use accessible language. I want to be clear in what I say always, but when kids are in the room, it forces me to consider how I would articulate truths to my own children in a way that helps them to understand. Using accessible language helps cut through some of the jargon that many in our gathering may not understand.

Repetition. I want our children to be able to engage and respond with us, not just be passive observers. So I try and consider songs that are highly repetitive so that even if a child can’t read (or read quickly) they can still sing along. We have done this when reading confessions as well. Having a statement the leader reads, the corporate response being ‘Forgive us, Lord.’ Enables us to teach our children, rather than having - or adults for that matter - spend the mental energy to read aloud a changing line of response.

Scripture tells us that children are a blessing from the Lord. Certainly, this is true for the parents of the children, but it is also true for Spiritual parents and the community of faith. Children are a blessing to us, let’s welcome, engage, and serve them as we gather and as we are sent.

Advent Beyond Nostalgia

When we lived in England, it was a normal and expected part of the Advent and Christmas season to sing carols. Not just in corporate worship, but during a Carol service - where Christians and non-Christians alike would come and sing along to songs that felt more nostalgic than worshipful. But isn’t that the truth even for followers of Jesus who gather weekly with the people of God? We all are tempted by nostalgia more than wonder during the Advent season.

As you begin to think about and prepare for Advent, what would it take to spend time celebrating the season by helping people not just sing familiar carols, but meditate on the truth these songs declare about the wonder of the Gospel and the fact that God is with us?

If you are unfamiliar with the history, additional verses, or inspiration behind some of the carols that you will be leading, spend a little bit of time reading about these songs online. I often find that understanding the original context changes the way I experience and lead a song.

Work to connect songs and sermons. We lead people, not songs. So help the people understand why we are singing what we are singing, what it means, and how we are to respond.

Use the slides, projection, or printed material to help do some of the heavy lifting. I like to use the slides to help shepherd people. Rather than feeling the pressure to explain everything, how might you use what is already at your disposal to help lift the eyes of those your are leading toward the transcendent truths we celebrate together?

Christmas may be a popular time for non-Christians to attend church, but Christians need the Gospel just as much as anyone else. Let’s prepare the truths of Scripture beautifully to be sung, prayed, and remembered inviting the Holy Spirit to lead in our preparation as well as our leading. And ask the Holy Spirit to make alive cold dead hearts for the first time, and the hundredth time.

13 November: Liturgy + Set List

• 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

Receiving Criticism

Receiving criticism is hard. Whether you have requested feedback, or someone walks up to you after a service and lets fly all the things they don’t like about you and what you’re doing. Because of the corporate nature of sung corporate worship, there is a sense of ownership among our congregations - this is our thing. And so it is not unusual for people to express their opinions, frustrations, and objections about sung worship. Whether that is style of the music, song choice, volume, liturgical elements, who are serving, what they are wearing, how they are leading, and any host of other points of tension.

When it comes to receiving criticism, I think it is important to note the difference between grumbling and complaining, and criticism. Although they may be presented in a similar way, I think of criticism, as ultimately, and hopefully helping to clarify who we are, what we do, and why we do it. Criticism, can help us grow if we are willing to receive it prayerfully.

One of the hardest things to do when receiving criticism - at least for me - is to pause long enough to pray, rather than attempting to verbally fire back. I need the words of the Psalmist to be my prayer “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3). Our first words need to be toward God, before they are in reaction or response to the person being critical.

Second, we need to receive criticism with humility. Again, this is so hard - Don’t you know how long I’ve spent preparing for this weekend? There are ins and outs of this area of ministry you could know nothing about! I have read more, rehearsed more, and spent more time growing my knowledge and understanding of sung worship than you! Who do you think you are to say this to me? All of these things reactions and more surface easily and quickly for me when receiving criticism. What an exposure of my own prideful heart!

Finally, I think it is so important that we have a philosophy of worship. We need to have convictions, about why we do what we do. We need to be able to articulate those convictions to the people on our team, as well as our congregations. But our convictions as well are something we need to hold with humility lest we become rigid, and critical ourselves.

The good news for worship leaders as we receive criticism, just like everyone, our identity is not in what we do - but in Christ.