Find The Reprise

By |2022-05-28T06:28:47+00:00April 25th, 2022|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

You have probably noticed that when preparing a worship song set, there is usually one song that stands out as the “key” song for that specific set. It could be an upbeat opening song that highlights God’s greatness and/or glory, or a more subdued and intimate song in the middle of the set that focuses on our need for His mercy.  Regardless of what type of song that the key song happens to be, it’s almost always the center point or theme for that time of worship. And one way to increase the impact of the desired theme in worship is to create a reprise or tag of the key song somewhere in the worship set. The word “reprise” is simply defined as, “a repetition of a phrase, or a return to an earlier theme.” (more…)

Last Week, This Week, Next Week

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00January 11th, 2014|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , |

Do you remember what songs you used to lead the congregation last week? Did they have any tangible connection with your worship song list from the previous week? How about for the current week’s song list that you’re preparing? Is there a purposeful connection between what you sang last week and with what you will be preparing for the following week? These are questions that we as worship leaders should be asking. (more…)

Managing Your Master Song List

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00November 4th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

Before you can choose a great worship song set, you must have a well-managed master song list to select from. When all of your charts are piled together in a large stack it can be quite frustrating, not to mention time consuming, to find the right songs that flow together in the desired key and/or tempo.  Better to have the songs that make up your church’s worship repertoire organized in such a way as to make them readily accessible for whatever your need when crafting a set. (more…)

Worship in Personal Devotion

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00September 11th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

Seeking God and spending time in devotion away from platform is an absolute essential for worship leaders and worship team members. Plainly stated, worship should not be a Sunday-only experience. In fact it is the cultivation of our personal (private) relationship with God that is the foundation upon which we stand to lead others in worship. So how exactly do we pursue our personal devotion and worship with God? (more…)

Work Out the Cues

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00June 20th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , |

I’m guessing that most worship teams work out the song arrangements of the worship set before Sunday morning.

During rehearsal they mapped out how each song will flow and determine how many times to repeat the chorus of a specific song or which song will start with chorus instead of the verse. After all, that is what rehearsals are for; nailing down the flow and specifics of the songs and the set. (more…)

Three Keys for a Successful Worship Set

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00May 7th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

Would you like to know that every time you were called upon to lead worship, that the worship time would be successful? I know I would! First though, its important to define what success looks like for a congregational worship set. I think that at least one of the defining characteristics would be that the selection of the songs and the execution of the songs by the worship team would enable the congregation to connect with God in a deep, relevant and tangible way. (more…)

Line of Sight is Key

By |2016-08-05T05:19:10+00:00April 13th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

When leading worship with others, whether it’s just you and another instrument or an entire band of musicians, it is crucial that the other players are able to see you. Even though you have most likely spent time rehearsing the songs and practicing specific arrangements, it is important to be able to communicate with the worship band during the worship service. To do this effectively, they need to be able to see you while on the stage. This means that you will need to arrange the physical placement of each musician on the platform so that they are not only able to hear each other well but to see each other as well. (more…)

Introducing New Songs

By |2016-08-05T05:28:24+00:00March 2nd, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

Whenever I teach on worship and worship team dynamics I am usually asked, “What’s the best way to introduce a new song to the congregation?” Honestly, there is no set “best” way. There are many factors that come into play to answer this question and much depends on the congregation itself. Such as, “How actively do they participate in singing?” (more…)

Be Prepared

By |2016-08-05T05:30:22+00:00January 19th, 2013|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , |

For a Worship/Band Leader this may seem like a “No Brainer”. However, I am continually amazed at the stories that hear from worship musicians regarding the lack of preparation from their worship leader/ director and the sometimes-humorous chaos that follows. So here’s a WORSHIP TIP… Come to rehearsal prepared! What does it look like to be prepared? Here are a few suggestions. (more…)

Track Your Set Lists

By |2016-08-05T06:13:51+00:00September 15th, 2012|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , |

One of the most often overlooked aspects of leading effective congregational worship is being able find the right balance of the right songs week in and week out. There are usually several competing aspects to finding and keeping the right mix.

On one hand, worship must be immediately accessible to the congregation. In other words, the people must have a certain level of familiarity with the songs so that they can more easily participate in singing. On the other hand, too much of the same ole’ songs will probably begin to create a level of apathy or boredom from those singing. (more…)

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