We can't expect anything from our worship team volunteers if we haven't clearly communicated what we want from them! The job of a leader is to provide clarity. Clarity around what we want our volunteers to do, why it matters, and how to do it successfully. In this...
It seems that since Covid, people's attention spans and commitment levels have plummeted to near zero. This is a problem when we're trying to lead a team! How do we get our scattered teams re-engaged, especially when it comes to responding to our digital communication...
Everybody wants to build a thriving worship team. The truth is, building anything in life is HARD! This is especially true regarding team building. Healthy teams take work, sacrifice, time, and COST us. In this episode, Jenni McGrew and I discuss 3 hard (unpopular)...
The average church in America is 80 people. And the vast majority of churches in the US are under 200 people. Small churches are not small…they are actually NORMAL. Big churches are abnormal. So how can we stop comparing ourselves to big churches and try to be who God...
We live in a noisy world. But God speaks to us in a "still small voice". It's easy to miss. As worship leaders, we need to make time and space to hear from the Lord. We can't give to others if we're not receiving ourselves. But how do we do that in a world full of...
Many worship leaders have never been taught the purpose of a worship set. Nor have they been taught HOW to build a set that flows musically and thematically toward a climactic destination of God's glory and grandeur. If that sounds complicated, don't worry. This...
Many of us lost team members after the pandemic. In fact, some of us feel like our teams were decimated. We don't have enough musicians, and the musicians we DO still have are stressed and less reliable. How do we go about rebuilding healthy worship teams after Covid?...
What if we've been focusing on the wrong goals in our worship ministry? What if social media / YouTube has convinced us that success in worship ministry means musical excellence, fancy production, and killer songwriting? But what if that's not actually what Jesus is...
Should all of our worship songs be addressed TO God? Is it weird to sing about God when He’s right there in the room? When is a testimonial song appropriate in a worship set? Andi Rozier and I answer these questions for an Academy member in this episode. Be encouraged...
How do we give negative feedback to a faithful team member? If a volunteer team member is doing something that we (or the congregation) doesn’t like, are we allowed to tell them? If so, how should we go about it? Andi Rozier and I answer this question for one of our...
Have we boxed the Holy Spirit in? If God wanted to move and change our service order, would we allow Him? How can we balance spontaneity and planning in our worship services? That’s what Andi Rozier and I answer for one of our Academy members. It is possible to be...
How come some churches seem to have such passionate worship? Why do some congregations just engage more during the singing time? If you want to see greater participation from your congregation during worship, then this episode is for you! I have Andi Rozier back on...
What if your church had a graphic design team, a photography team, a film-making team, a dance team, and a theater team? Why couldn't you? Do you have people in your church who have those skill sets and passions? Why not let them use those creative gifts to build up...
This month I'm giving you another free lesson from my brand new Musical Excellence Course! This time we're talking about running efficient and effective worship rehearsals! Did you know it's possible to get through a full 5-song worship set twice within one hour, with...
This month I'm giving you a free lesson from my brand new Musical Excellence Course! I'll be teaching you 14 ways to better lead the vocalists and background singers on your worship team. These are super practical tips, so get a pen, jot some down, and try them out...
This month, I had the chance to be interviewed by Matt McCoy from Loop Community for their podcast! Matt and I talk about how to think of your ministry in terms of rhythms and systems. How can you do the right things, at the right times, in the right ways, to bring...
Want to start using backing tracks in worship? Or maybe your church is already using tracks but you want to see if there's a better way. This episode is for you! This month I talk with Matt Mccoy from Loop Community about how to properly begin using tracks in...
Tommy Walker has been faithfully leading worship at his church for the past 30 years! Talk about steadfastness! Tommy has a lot more ministry experience than most of us! So in this month's episode I ask Tommy to share wisdom and advice with us younger worship leaders....
Acoustic worship sets can actually be very powerful. You don’t need a big band or huge sound system to see your church respond in worship. Led well, acoustic worship sets with small, simple teams can lead to passionate praise and intimacy during corporate worship....
Having a great music director can really take your worship ministry to the next level when it comes to musical excellence. In this episode I talk with Tyler Wester from Highlands Worship about how to be a great music director, what key qualities are necessary, what to...
Investing in your worship team volunteers is one of your most important tasks as a worship leader. You may not be able to pay your worship volunteers with money, but you can definitely show them you care in many other creative ways. This month I talk with Lee Baker...
Systems, processes, routines, and schedules. Most worship leaders run and cower in fear at the mere mention of such "structured" words. We are creatives. We like our lives to be free and flowing. But the truth is, you can't have a healthy ministry without solid and...
Many churches are lacking (and even losing) young people. But you don't want that to be your church's story. You are a leader who cares about reaching and engaging the next generation. You desire to see young adults equipped to be passionate prayer warriors and...
Backing tracks have been a blessing to many worship ministries. But tracks can turn into a curse if we implement them without pastoral wisdom and thoughtfulness. What are some of the ways that backing tracks can inadvertantly harm our worship ministries? What are some...
Worship leaders are called to be worshippers first, leaders second. But sadly many of us have it backward. We perform the duty of being a worship leader, without learning to first be a worshipper. Honestly, how is your personal devotional life with the Lord? How are...
So many worship leaders are stuck leading worship every single Sunday. They have no one to back them up or fill in for them. This means they never get a break, which leads to exhaustion and burnout. Why do so many worship leaders have such a hard time raising up...
Singing is a huge part of what we do as worship leaders. Yet most of us never received any formal training on how to properly use our voice. This leads to a lack of range, power, control, and endurance; none of which are good when leading others in song! Thankfully...
We were created to create! We reflect our Creator’s image and imagination by creating and being creative. God allows us to influence His story in the world through what we “output” via our creativity. Art has an impact! As musicians, singers, songwriters, set...
Many of our worship sets have become so pre-planned that worship has become an act of simply executing the songs one after another. How do we move deeper into worship and patiently pursue the Holy Spirit's leading during a set? How do we move past performance to...
Every week, worship leaders gather in a room filled with people to do something. What is it? Why do we gather? What is corporate worship supposed to look like? What is it supposed to accomplish? Biblically speaking, what should we do while gathered? Which...
Most of us were put in charge of our ministries because we were good at music. Now we have to figure out how to be leaders! What is leadership at its essence? What does a good leader do? What are some common mistakes new leaders make? We talk about all of that and...
You have big goals. You have big dreams. You want to accomplish a lot with your life. But you're busy. There's not enough time to do all you want to do! Or is there? In this episode, I am going to share with you the things I've learned by managing an extremely busy...
What do tabernacles, sacrifices, incense, and priests have to do with worship? Well, EVERYTHING! The worship practices of the Old Testament may seem like strange, confusing, and barbaric ways to worship, but when understood correctly we gain a deeper understanding of...
Many of us under-utilize our background vocalists. We fail to equip them for this vital role. What are some things we worship leaders can do to help our background singers thrive and succeed? What are the tools, tips, and resources we can give them to help them sing...
The Coronavirus has forced the Church into all sorts of innovative and advantageous positions. I believe we can actually take ground for the gospel and come out AHEAD during this time. If we are good stewards with this opportunity, we will be poised to increase our...
Many churches have volunteer sound techs who haven't received a lot of professional training. This leaves the audio quality of our church services sounding a bit less than desirable. What can we do as worship leaders to help train our sound techs, not just in the...
Your personal health or unhealth will directly affect the health or unhealth of your ministry. That's why as leaders, it is critical that we strive to be holistically healthy. We should be taking care of ourselves physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally so...
Youth Ministry can be a brutal place to be a worship leader. Kids stare, unengaged. No one sings along. The band is mediocre and the sound is bad. Help! Well Hillsong Y&F have definitely built quite the opposite experience at their church. In this episode we talk...
When trying to change the culture of a worship team, how do we help our team members embrace the new values, without being impatient or leaving them in the dust? Change is hard and takes people a long time. How do we strike the balance of loving people well, while...
Marriage is hard. Ministry is hard. Put the two together and things can get really tricky! But we all know that if we don't have healthy marriages, our ministries will be negatively impacted. In fact, many worship leaders have forfeited their ministries because their...
Now that most of our churches are streaming services online, it's time for us to figure out how to make them look and sound good! In this episode, I talk with Jake Gosselin from Churchfront about how we can improve the quality of our audio and video for our church's...
When Coronavirus hit, just about every church in the world had to jump online with their services. For many worship leaders it was brand new territory, with lots of questions: How do we do online church well? How do we foster connection with our people and keep their...
We all have various difficulties with our team members? Should we ever give up on some of them? When do we draw the line? Alex answers a coaching call from a new worship leader facing a difficult situation. RESOURCES MENTIONED: WMT 10-Week Mentorship!!!! ----- 13 Ways...
What are the steps a church needs to take to achieve musical excellence? I stumbled across Celebration Church online and was impressed with their musical excellence, their sincere and passionate worship, and their high production value. Everything flowed so...
Ministry has never been about making music. It's always been about making disciples. Namely, we make disciples THROUGH music (the songs shepherd our congregation), and through making music TOGETHER (doing life week to week with our team). Music is just the tool we use...
Every worship leader has a dream of some kind. Your dream might be to release an album, write a book, launch a YouTube channel, or host a conference. Whatever it is, it takes hard work, planning, a lot of wisdom, and God's favor to get your dream off the ground. Ryan...
As leaders in the church, the needs are endless and the stakes are eternal. This can lead many church leaders to throw themselves into their ministries at unhealthy and unsustainable paces. Many ministers burn out. Carey Nieuwhof was one of those ministers. As the...
The bass guitar is such an incredibly important instrument in a worship band context. Bass carries all the energy, and when played properly can really help your church enter in and engage during musical worship. Yet many bass players take the wrong approach to their...
I get a lot of emails from worship leaders asking for advice and counsel, and I am always happy to help! Some churches require even more help than a simple email response, so I recently started offering coaching services for an affordable rate. If your church needs...
Ministry can be a very discouraging vocation. The discouragement can be caused by a whole host of issues: criticism from church members, lack of participation in worship, a church that seems stuck or dying, relational conflicts with key leaders, family problems, and...
What is a music director in a worship band? What do they do? And how does it differ from the worship leader? Why should you consider creating a music director position? What type of person makes for a good music director? How do you pull it off from a technical...
Every church has its unique set of problems. But church size definitely plays a role in the types of problems you have (enough so that Dr. Tim Keller wrote a free book about it). Small churches face a unique set of challenges, such as limited personnel, limited...
Ever wonder what worship ministries are like at other churches? In a new format of the podcast, I’m talking to churches that are doing things well to find out what goes on behind the scenes in their worship ministry. First up is Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio....
Speaking onstage can be a daunting task (in many polls it's identified as humanity's number one fear). And yet a huge part of the worship leader's role today involves public speaking. The good news is that, just like anything in life, with practice and intention,...
Many churches struggle, fight, and (often) even split over musical style and preferences. This is a sad reality, because music is a gift to build the church, not a weapon to destroy it. In this month's episode I talk with Mike Harland, the Director Lifeway Worship...
At some point in your ministry life you will transition out of your current role and into something new. Whether you are switching churches, or just changing roles within the same church, you will need some wisdom to guide you through that process. Thankfully, others...
More and more women are getting hired as worship leaders, and we think that's a good thing! But female leadership in the church can be a tricky thing to navigate, depending on which side of the "conservative" aisle you fall on. This month we talk with Krissy Nordhoff...
What is the purpose of production in worship? Why do we have lights, sound, and video in our services, and does the Bible have anything to say to inform us of their intended use? Even the most simple churches have to make decisions about how bright the lights are, and...
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Every worship leader wants more engagement and participation from their congregation, but not many worship leaders know how to get it. Often we think if we had more talent, a bigger budget, and more (and louder) gear that it would help our church engage in worship...
Phil Wickham has one of the most unique and beautiful voices of our generation. But four years ago Phil almost lost his voice forever. In this episode, I talk to Phil about what led to his vocal polyp, what he learned through the healing process, how he cares for his...
Most worship leaders are Bi-Vocational (meaning they hold a second job, or serve strictly as a volunteer). With all that we want to accomplish in our ministries, how can we move the ball forward while balancing ministry, family, health, and a second career? How do we...
Why is Hillsong Worship so good? How do they achieve such high levels of musical excellence? What are they doing behind the scenes that leads to consistently great results in all of their campuses? Inquiring minds want to know. Thankfully, this month I am joined by...
Starting at a new church can be a daunting and overwhelming task. The first few months in particular are crucial to setting the tone and direction you want to take the ministry. With the right attitude and methods, you can successfully adopt an existing team, win...
All worship leaders have to run rehearsals, but not all worship leaders run rehearsals well. Wasted time, sloppy arrangements, and frustrated band members all stem from a lack of leadership. As worship leaders, we owe it to our teams to make our rehearsal times...
Difficult conversations are an inevitable part of being a leader. But difficult conversations don't have to be viewed in a negative light. In fact, helping a team member grow is a very positive thing, and is actually commanded in scripture (Ephesians 4). In this...
If you want to accomplish something great for the Kingdom of God, you need a great team of people around you. In today's episode, I talk with Carl Barnhill about how to create healthy, happy, thriving, volunteer teams. Carl is truly an expert team builder. I learned...
Hopefully, you're surrounded by amazing musicians in your worship ministry (every worship leader's dream)! But if you are, you might not know how to lead them, guide them, and give them direction. Maybe you don't know how to "speak their language", or you are...
How good is "good enough" in worship ministry? It may seem like a silly question, but all of us have limited time, personnel, and resources. Why chase after excellence, when what we are currently doing serves the church just fine? And why does worship ministry get...
This month we will be doing a three-part Q&A series, answering listeners' questions. This first episode addresses a common problem that many worship leaders face: Inheriting a team member (or multiple team members) who don't have the musical skill to perform the...
One of the prime objectives of scripture is to be fruitful and multiply. As worship leaders, we can multiply ourselves by investing in the next generation of worship leaders. It is our job to pass the baton to future generations and intentionally train and disciple...
How does someone get hired as a worship leader? Is there a path a person takes to become a paid worship leader at a church? And what are some tips to help navigate the hiring process for a full-time ministry position? Getting hired at a church can be a daunting and...
Planning Center is used by over 30,000 churches worldwide, and for good reason: It is the most robust, easy-to-use software available for service planning and church database management. Aaron Stewart, the founder of Planning Center, started it as a frustrated...
Our rehearsal nights can be so much more than just playing through a few songs. If used correctly, they become times to shape culture, invest in relationships, do discipleship, train new volunteers, raise up new worship leaders, find better uses of our technology...
In a world of pervasive "shallowness", deep spirituality can seem an elusive thing to attain. Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and other distractions keep our minds in the shallows. This is the world that our team members live in. As leaders in God's Church, it is our...
We have all had those band members who think that the worship set is their time to shred! The drummer who plays a fill every two bars. The electric guitar player who solos over the vocal. The bassist who won't stop noodling! No more! Put an end to musical busyness...
As we come to the close of the year, I asked prolific songwriter and worship leader Matt Redman about the current state of modern worship around the globe. Where are we at as a worship culture, what encouraging trends is he seeing, what concerns him, and what advice...
Your acoustic guitar is an incredibly powerful tool. Its melodic and percussive nature allows you to create lots of energy and dynamic if utilized properly. Unfortunately, many worship leaders are under-utilizing this versatile instrument because they have never been...
Our worship services have a formative effect on our people’s minds and souls. With weeks, bleeding into months, into years, and ultimately decades, the habits we form in our people have a long-term cumulative effect. What we do in our services and how we do it...
Culture is one of the most important aspects of your worship ministry. Healthy culture will help your ministry thrive, while unhealthy culture will undermine everything you are trying to accomplish. But healthy culture doesn't appear of thin air. Culture is something...
One of the key characteristics of a great worship leader is administration and organization. It may not be glamorous, or even fun, but you literally can't have a healthy worship ministry without administration and organization. In this month's episode, I share 5...
In our third Listener Q&A Episode, podcast listener Jason Daugherty asks for advice as his church plans to switch from one worship service to multiple worship services. Brenton Collyer, Justin Kalama and I share some key concepts to keep in mind when switching...
Everybody wants a rich, full sound for their musical worship. And everyone wants smooth worship services that flow from song to song without distraction. But how can we achieve such excellence on a weekly basis? One answer is to utilize backing pads. What are...
In our 2nd Listener Q&A Bonus Episode, we answer a question from podcast listener, Brian Johnson. Brian is a new worship leader and will be taking over an established youth worship ministry. He asks for advice on how to lead a band, and how to do his best as a...
The average church in America has only seventy members. This means that most worship leaders are fighting the uphill battle of trying to create an excellent worship ministry with limited resources and limited personnel. However, Kade Young seems to have cracked the...
Our first Listener Q&A Episode! Podcast listener, Rick Flood asks for advice on how to switch from leading worship on an acoustic guitar, to leading from an electric. Brenton, Sam and I share our tips, ideas and concepts on how to approach leading from an...
Sixteen years ago Andi Rozier started writing songs for his church, Harvest Bible Chapel. Today, his songs are being sung in churches all over the world. Many worship pastors desire to write songs for their church, so in today's episode Andi (Vertical Worship) helps...
Should we be borrowing ideas and techniques from concerts to implement in our worship services? Can a small church with zero technology have a successful worship ministry? What defines ministry success? This short bonus episode encourages us to go back to the heart...
As many churches try to replicate stadium-style worship concerts in their weekly gatherings, the art of congregational singing is declining. Participation from congregants is down and what was supposed to be a participatory event has turned into passive observers...
As worship leaders, our job is not to sing, but to help the people sing. We are facilitators of the congregational choir. One way we can help facilitate is by using "vocal cues". Vocal cues are the things you say or sing to help your congregation know where you're...
Last month we talked with specialist Zack Carter about Wise Boundaries with the Opposite Sex in Ministry. This month we talk to five worship leaders from across the U.S. about how they practically maintain wise boundaries with the opposite gender in their...
Affairs and infidelity are occurring often in the Church. It is our responsibility to set up wise boundaries to protect ourselves and our marriages. Dr. Zack Carter explains how.
Almost all churches have some sort of pre-service music playing while people walk in. Instead of just filling that Pre-Service Playlist with your favorite songs, here's a "Pro Tip" (I'll share it with you right here in the show notes): Use your church's pre-service...
Great communication matters. We have only seventy minutes on Sundays to communicate to our congregants the things we feel are vital for them to know. We must think strategically and purposefully about every element of communication in our worship services:...
Many churches suffer from poor sound in their sanctuaries. It doesn't have to be that way. Today we cover seven principles that you can apply immediately to improve the sound in your church's sanctuary, whether you're in a big church or a small church. Enjoy the...
Traditional choirs are being killed off in churches across America, and quite honestly, I'm OK with that. However, there is one reason why I think you should consider keeping your choir, or starting one if you don't already have one. It might be a reason you've...
"How do I put together a compelling and engaging worship set?" Whether you're a veteran worship leader or brand new to the game, putting together a song set is something you have to do on a regular basis. But how do we go about it? Is there a formula? Are there...
Nobody begins ministry with plans to burn out, ruin their family, walk away from the faith, or have an affair, but unfortunately these things happen on a regular basis in the Church. So how do we guard ourselves from these things? How do we set ourselves up to be...
John 4 may be one of the most well-known passages in the Bible about worship. But what exactly is "worship in Spirit and Truth"? And as worship leaders and pastors, how do we plan our services to facilitate the kind of worship that the Father is seeking? The venerable...
Our first worship leader roundtable is all about auditions. Four worship pastors from different churches discuss how they do auditions in their church. What mediums do they use to announce their auditions? What does the lead up process look like? What does the actual...
We all know that private worship is supposed to fuel our public ministry, but some days our times with God are dry, boring, distracted or distant. Stephen Miller joins us to discuss the power and importance of personal worship and give us some tips for keeping our...
There comes a day for most Worship Leaders when they have to leave their current ministry assignment. Very few worship leaders get to serve the same congregation for 40 years. Sometimes the leaving is painful, under less-than-ideal circumstances. Other times, it is a...
With so many great new worship songs out there, there's a temptation to grab whatever is flashy and cool and throw it into your next worship set; but we must be much more intentional about the songs we choose and introduce to our congregation. We are the "Gatekeepers"...
David Santistevan joins us this month to discuss organization, productivity, and efficiency as a worship leader. Many musicians have a bad rap for being lazy and disorganized, but this should NOT be the case in the Church! David is the host of the well-known “Beyond...
Being an effective worship leader involves SO much more than just leading songs on Sunday mornings. Today we talk to Chris Vacher, award-winning blogger and Creative Arts Pastor at C4 Church, about what it takes to be a great worship leader when OFF the platform. The...
Publisher of the Year, Stephen Duncan, joins us from Nashville to discuss the ins and outs of writing great, God-honoring worship songs for your congregation. Every congregation is unique and is walking through a unique set of experiences and circumstances. It is...
We've all heard horror stories of the wars that go on behind closed doors between worship leaders and their senior pastors. What's the deal?! Why can't worship leaders and senior pastors get along? Today we talk with Ben Sobels, Senior Pastor of Cypress Church, about...
What's the big deal with in ear monitors? Does your church need them to be musically viable? On today's episode we talk to Taylor Knight, Technical Director of Harvest Bible Chapel and sound engineer for Vertical Worship, about the popularity of in ear monitors, the...
Worship Leaders often pray for God to send some new, professional musicians to their church and onto their teams, but what if God wants us to change our prayer? Maybe instead of praying for new, better musicians, we should ask God to help us be faithful to train and...
Healthy churches are filled with people from multiple generations: from Great-grandparents to newborn babies. How can we as worship leaders lead both young and old to sing together and actually enjoy it? That's what we talk about today on the Worship Team Podcast!...
Transitions between songs are one of the most important, and often the most overlooked, part of crafting a great worship service. Today, Brenton Collyer and I discuss why transitions matter, and give some very practical tips for making them as smooth and seamless as...
What does God desire in our worship and worship leading? One word: Brokenness. In our worship and worship leading, God desires us to be humble, dependent, reliant, weak and broken. This is very opposed to what we find in the church today. Church / Worship Leaders are...
Every one of your team members has sin in their life (including you!) but where does it cross the line to where someone should no longer be serving on the worship team? How should we address the issue, and is there a process of restoration we can follow to return the...
Want to do 100 times more ministry than you're currently doing? Want to have a massive impact on the kingdom of God that long outlasts you? Then you have to learn how to multiply yourself! In today's episode, I talk to Justin Bell, worship pastor of Calvary Nexus,...
Want to help your worship team sound more professional? Then it's time to start arranging and playing in "parts". Churches are filled with extremely talented musicians, but very few of those musicians have any experience playing in the context of a band, so a lot of...
How do you look on stage? Is your body language helping or hindering people from worship? We communicate much more with our bodies than we do our words. That's why as worship leaders and worship team members we must care about improving our stage presence! In this...
Does God care how our music sounds? Should we? In today's episode we tackle the theology / philosophy of musical excellence in worship, as well as some practical tips to creating a culture of excellence in your worship team. Brenton Collyer, Worship Pastor of Calvary...
With churches like Bethel and Jesus Culture gaining in popularity and influencing the worship climate, there has been a growing interest in "Prophetic Worship". But what is prophetic worship? Are there any scriptures that can give us insight into this intriguing...
Worship Teams spend lots of time in rehearsals, so it's important that our rehearsals are as efficient and effective as possible! In today's episode we cover 6 tips that will hopefully help you run more effective rehearsals! Direct Download[sc name="podcastsubscribe"...
What makes a good team member? What are the traits and characteristics of a good worship team member? In this episode, we explore seven important characteristics of someone who wants to serve on their church’s worship team. If you’re a worship team member who is...