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[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]
There are so many ways to set up a click track for your worship team to use. I figured since most people have Macs with Garageband, it would be beneficial to see how you can set it up within a few minutes.
Here we go.
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I’ve mentioned before how owning your senior pastor’s vision is important. Not only is it important, it is essential. There is a tendency among us worship leader/creative types to walk to the beat of our own drum. The truth is, you won’t reach your full potential as a leader until you learn to serve someone else’s vision.
Serving someone else's vision is like trusting who you skydive with. You'll be glad you did.
When I finished college and was hired as a worship pastor, I wasn’t prepared to serve someone else’s vision. Bible college doesn’t necessarily prepare you for that. I had dreams and ideals. It wasn’t until I really submitted myself to a great, visionary leader that I began to grow like I never had before.
If you are on staff at a local church, you need to own your senior pastor’s vision with all your might. And if you can’t, it might be time for you to leave. I know that’s a bold statement. I know it may seem a little harsh.
But I think it’s important and here’s why:
[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]
It’s an all too common scenario. Great musicians come. Great musicians go. Young, mediocre musicians get better. Young, now improved musicians go to college. Have you found yourself in that situation numerous times? Have you been so discouraged that you’ve wanted to quit? Is all this church musician transitioning really worth it?
Maybe stand on the street corner and hold this sign?
Transition comes with the territory of being a worship leader in the local church. People come for a season and move on. Young people go to college. Wouldn’t you love to have a culture where when some musicians move on, others step up to the plate? A culture where you have multiple players who are skilled and available?
Hope this helps:
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How many bad songs have you written? How many bad ideas have you generated? No need to raise your hand. If you’re a successful songwriter, I’m sure it’s enormous. If you haven’t had tremendous success, it’s probably because you’re avoiding this one crucial habit of a successful writer.
The most refreshing album I have listened to in quite a while has been Andrew Ehrenzeller’s Beauty is What Remains. His music reminds me of a cross between Jason Upton, Dave Matthews, Steven Curtis Chapman, and the International House of Prayer.
I’ve been refreshed with every listen and I honestly can’t put it down. Andrew’s music is prophetic, intimate, and powerful. His voice alone demands your attention. I really believe this album needs to be heard. It’s that good.
Andrew was gracious enough to do an interview with me during a ministry trip to Norway. This was my first time recording a Skype interview, so I apologize for the low quality 
If you can’t see the video, click here.
The winners of the CDs are:
- Sarah Spegal
- Jamie Cambers
- Reba Schneider
- Aaron Van Luven
- Rob Still
If you won, The CDs will be in the mail next week!
If you did not win, I strongly recommend you buy the album. You won’t regret it!
In a recent post I talked about the positive things worship leaders could learn from rockstars. Feel free to check out that post here. But there are also some things worship leaders should not imitate. A lot of things. Worship Leaders may look like rockstars, but there are some profound differences. There NEED to be some profound differences.
Wouldn’t you say?
There are many temptations for a worship leader. With the popularity of songs, artists, bands, & musical innovation, it’s easy to get caught up in the spotlight. Worship leaders, first and foremost are servants. We set the table for the saints to come and feast at the table of the King. We must decrease while Jesus increases. We need to shine the spotlight on Christ.
[This post is part of a series on Tips For Taking Your Worship Team To The Next Level. Check out the rest here.]
Can you envision it? A worship team fully engaged in the vision. Musicians who not only play good music but worship with intensity. A worship team that is desperate to meet with God. A worship team in love with Jesus.
Doesn’t that sound great? Sadly, many worship teams simply fade into routine boredom. There’s no magic formula to increasing passion on your team, but there are things you can do to help create the culture you want to see.
QUESTION: What are some other ways of creating a culture of desperation for God? What have you tried?
One of the most insightful, unsettling, innovative thinkers in the world is Seth Godin. The few books that I’ve read from him have challenged me and got me thinking about my work in a deeper way.
It’s impossible to read his books without being stirred to take action in your life.
I recently purchased the Kindle edition of his newest book, Poke the Box
I received this free PDF workbook and thought I would pass it along. Consider yourself challenged to start that “thing” you’ve been thinking about for too long: start that discipleship strategy, perform that song, start that blog, launch that idea, have the hard conversations. Don’t be afraid of failure. Get going.
To download Seth’s “Poke the Box” workbook, click here.
Let’s not just talk about making a difference in our ministries. Let’s do it.
Today.
Sometimes ministry on a stage, in front of people, performing something is tough. Sometimes blogging, networking, marketing, recording music, preaching, leading and promotion are tough. It can feel shallow, promoting yourself and your product.
It gets me thinking:
The typical person has their sights set on this life. Their reward is to work their way to the top of the corporate and/or social ladder and finally “make it”.
But our goal is different, right? We are living for eternity. We seek to decrease as God’s Name increases. We live to make HIM famous.
I have a blog. I promote myself and my writings on Twitter, Facebook, and word of mouth. I want people to read it. I want people to talk about it and share it with their friends and worship teams. And everyday I have a choice: will I do this to make my name or God’s name famous? Where is my heart? Where do I want to leave people at the end of the day?
I want my life to be a spotlight, shining ever so brightly upon Jesus Christ (not that he needs a light. He shines brighter than the sun. But you get the idea). As people experience my worship leading, my teaching, my writing, my friendship, I want them to have a stronger sense of God’s presence than my own. Maybe that’s a bit idealistic, I don’t know.
But at the end of the day, at the end of my worship ministry, I want people to say, “He made God’s Name famous. I know God better because of Dave.”
Question: What about you? Whose name are you making famous? What do want people to say about your life?
Is it possible to be too excited? Because I may have just crossed the line. Today I wanted to introduce you to a BRAND NEW FEATURE here on the blog.
I know. So awesome. This is something completely unique and different. It’s not the same as subscribing to my posts via RSS or email. This is a weekly email featuring content found nowhere else on my blog. And it’s completely free.
If you’re familiar with my writings you know I’m passionate about discipling your worship team. Leading worship, being on a team, and encountering God are some of the coolest things on earth. Am I right or am I correct?
This newsletter will ship every Monday, including a devotional for you to use with your worship team. It will feature Bible study, discussion questions, prayer focuses, and other sweet features. It will also be a bit more personal, identifying with the joys and struggles of leading worship and leading a team. Simple, practical, and useful (I hope).
Totally free. Totally awesome. CLICK HERE to subscribe!
Thanks for being such a devoted reader. You, my friend, are even more awesome than this newsletter.
Anything you’d like to see in the newsletter? Let me know in the comments!
