5 More Actions of a Great Worship Leader

In a previous blog, I posted five actions you can implement to become a great worship leader. Here are five more practical actions that will help you to become a great leader for your team.

Give the team a vision to follow.

Communicate the vision of the church as defined by the pastor, and communicate the vision for the worship ministry. Team members want to know why they are doing what they do and why they are playing/singing the songs that have been chosen. Team members want to know what the expected outcome of a worship service should be.

Be a great coach.

Most people are not born knowing how to coach other people. To learn how, most of us read books, attend seminars, and talk to others who successfully coach. The best experiences I've had in receiving coaching from my mentors was when they used open-ended questions that allowed me to express an opinion or frustration. They then asked additional questions that helped me to reach a solution or that inspired collaboration with them and others. And when the questions showed a lack of knowledge, great mentors didn't miss the opportunity to provide training.

A worship team leader needs coaching skills We work with people, and people deserve to be heard and helped.

Forgive.

A great leader forgives. A great leader doesn't judge others. Some people have rough days at work, and if the worship team members work jobs before coming to a rehearsal or a church service, you will want to be calm, compassionate, relaxed, and relatable. Be there for them, accepting them for who they are and where they are. Demonstrate God's love and forgiveness.

Model personal development.

Never stop learning. Demonstrate your desire to increase your current skills and to learn new ones. Share your stories. Inspire the team to continue to develop.

Provide cross-training.

My family and I decided to switch instruments for some special music one night. I left the keys and played drums. My husband left the bass and played keys. My son the drummer played guitar, and my son the guitarist played bass. The church loved it. We loved it. It stretched our skills, made us laugh more together, and created a new dynamic.

To prepare, I refreshed my husband's piano skills (he had taken lessons as a child), my son the drummer gave me some additional drum lessons and he put all those guitar lessons I paid for to use, and my son the guitarist found a new passion in playing bass. Try it with your team, even if you have to simplify a song's arrangement to accommodate skill levels.

Teams I've worked with have enjoyed cross-training to increase their skills. This also gives instrumental depth so you have others who can sub when someone is on vacation or needs a break.

Be creative.

A great worship leader thinks creatively and inspires others to think about how something could be done differently. Be creative in how you structure the team. Be creative in how you schedule them. Be creative in your arrangements. Be creative in songs' dynamics and intros, and more. Be creative in how you start the service. During the week, find a place where you can relax, pray, and allow yourself to dream creatively. Creativity refreshes your enjoyment of the opportunity to lead the team.