The Worship Leader Toolbox Harvest

Great interview today with worship director, Blake Goss, from NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC! NewSpring has a new album out called Alters EP, featuring Blake, who's been in ministry for 20 years serving the church through teaching, leading worship, and personal discipleship.

Find the album everywhere, including:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3LbMy9S2eix3r8agUkhYIJ?si=ob-mlQWoRemK-T3vUvYfVA

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/altars-ep/1680098338

Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_koWPqLdvOuBRxwb1QttJGxTizyamY6NRo

How does the habit of "scripture first" play into the life of a worship leader?



1. Scripture should be first in The Day

2. Scripture should be first in Planning

3. Scripture should be first in Response

Here are five aspects of the life of a worship leader on a day-to-day basis:

1. Discipleship – self, others, team, church, prayer, scripture

2. Communication – with pastors and staff, team, tech ministry, and volunteers

3. Music – planning, finding, charting, files, creativity

4. Organizing – rehearsals, staging, teams, flow, Sundays

5. Recruiting – praying for new people, raising up the next generation, discovering volunteers

It's great to learn from other churches, to be inspired by bigger and better, but what about the smaller settings? What if you are leading in a smaller church? What if your stage area is more traditional, without grand lighting or state of the art tech?

You may not have a huge budget, a large talent pool, incredible production, but Jesus is still the ultimate worship leader, the Holy Spirit is still present and you have these three advantages:

1. Relationally Driven

2. Less Commotion

3. Opportunities for Involvement

Now is a great time to start thinking about the summer. You can use it to your advantage to strengthen, boost and recharge your ministry worship ministry. Here are some ideas for your life and ministry this summer…

1. Create a social event

2. Plan with your pastor

3. Plan your own ministry

4. Keep the music simple

5. Include others in leadership

6. Music themed Sundays

7. Highlight team members

8. Schedule your home time (and stick to it)

9. Serve at a kids event or outreach

10. Get the big blocks in for the fall

This you can do it all?

You can't, and you shouldn't.

Here are some random thoughts to encourage you, the leader, to invite, ask, and otherwise pull people into serving in ministry with you:

ASKING OTHERS TO SERVE


Don’t say “no” for others before asking.
Don’t rob people of the joy of using their gifts.
Don’t think you’re supposed to do all the ministry.
Work at getting over your perfectionist tendencies to allow others to begin, learn and grow into it.
Set up a small advisory board to work toward (and give you confidence) to ask others to serve.
There may some frontloaded time investment, but make a plan and get it rolling knowing of the time you’ll save in the future (and the way others will grow in it)!

WHAT DO WE ASK


Ask people to join you?
Ask people to take on responsibility.
Ask people to assist you in roles in which you are weak. Someone is gifted for the role. Too often, we think if we don’t like doing something, no one would, so we just buckle down doing things we don’t enjoy while someone else who would love to do it is missing out. I think about putting furniture together, creating certain chord charts, setting up the stage, etc. Don’t begrudgingly take on the burden, pray about the right person who may find it fulfilling and rewarding. Ask them to do it or join you in learning to do it.
Invite people to use their gifts in one time projects – like season stage design, painting, a video, sending thank you notes, writing music, etc. I have found that when people can see the light at the end of the tunnel for a project it’s much easier to be a part of it and jump in.
Ask your team to respond the kinds of things they would love to do. But most often, it’s the personal invitation that will make a difference in how a person responds. You ask a specific person to consider taking on a role of some kind, etc.
Ask people to join you in thinking of new ideas. Incorporating people into leadership is more fun, more effective and more clearly accomplishes your mission of equipping the saints.

EXAMPLES OF ASKING


put all the lyrics and graphics into the computer, operate it for rehearsals and services in each of our worship spaces and in many of our traveling events.
operate the sound board for services and well as set all the stuff up in advance
lead some of the songs and lead the whole service at times
take care of loading all the tracks, clicks and pads into the workstation
help come up with new songs for worship
take care of welcoming, greeting, prayers, etc.
welcome people into worship as a guest service team
take care of all the coffee and other hospitaly details on sundays
edit blog posts
send blog posts, emails and more