39- Worship and Performance

Worship and Performance is a balance we all need to strike as worship leaders.  In truth, none of us claim to be about performance, but we really are performing when you think about it (please don't get offended).

Worship and Performance are Both Needed

However, we all should agree that performance is not the most important part of what we do, because worship is far more important. So how do we strike a balance between worship and performance? Perhaps the first step is to realise we do both, like it or not.  When your pastor preaches, there is an element of performance, so there is nothing wrong with acknowledging this.  Great preachers and great performers generally, and the same can be said of great worship leaders! So while we do not major on performing, we still should recognise that we do perform, and we can use and even improve our performance skills if we need to.  We don't major on our clothes either, but we still generally dress neatly and nicely. So the essence here is one of balance.  Some worship leaders go right over the top and perform like rock stars, and I believe that is not only counterproductive but it is almost offensive!  God is not impressed with a big show, He wants genuine worship.  Other worship leaders are so concerned about worshipping and not performing that they are painful to watch and listen to. Surely balance is the way to go, and somewhere between the two extremes serve both worship and performance well Listen to this 12 minutes for worship leaders podcast and discover how you can find the right balance between worship and performance, and I would encourage you to seek the Lord as to what this balance looks like for you in your church and in your ministry.

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/39-worship-and-performance/

38- Those New Songs That are Un...

Those new songs, we often hear them in church or at a convention, but I wonder has anyone stopped to think about them... their content in particular?

New Songs are not Always Better

This podcast is a funny look at those new tunes, the ones that are un... !  What do I mean by that? Well, we are talking about some of those songs certain worship leaders madly promote that are un-something, be it unscriptural, uninspiring, unbelievable or just plain unbearable. The things they talk about, the thing they focus on, the amount of ME rather than JESUS, these are all common criticisms of modern songs, but is this just a bunch of oldies hating everything and anything new, or is there really some valid concerns about the kind of music we are having in our church services. So rather than writing them all off, or blindly accepting them as cutting edge and we all have to sing them, we thought we would take a "tongue in cheek" look at the kind of new songs that are being promoted out there. This is loosely based on my experiences at a recent church convention, where I looked around at 1200 pastors and leaders of our denomination and found most pastors, especially those over the age of 30, staring straight ahead, bored or concerned about the quality of the worship. So this is not a dig about loudness, smoke, lights or anything else, we just wanted to have a look at the content of modern songs and ask the question, "Does this really promote worship?" Come on and join in the fun as we have a look at and discussion of those new worship numbers, and what we see as the problem with them.  Yes, it is our opinion, but I do believe we have to, in all honesty, examine the content of the songs we share in church and use to encourage intimacy with God...

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/38-those-new-songs-that-are-un/

37- Bringing Communion into Your Worship

Communion is something most churches love to do.  It is a command of Scripture, but it is also a great time to contemplate and worship the Lord, both individually and as a body.

Communion is a Part of Worship

While many churches perform communion differently, with different traditions and ways in which the rituals are performed, we all agree that it is important as an act of worship.  When Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me," He was not thinking of the church traditions that were to form in and around this act, but rather He was talking about a heartfelt act of worship and submission, and a relationship that requires intimacy to flourish. There is much debate about the frequency of communion, with some churches having it every week, some once a month and others only once a year.  Who is right and who is wrong?  That's the thing, no one has everything totally right, so there is room for church tradition to come into play here. No matter how communion is done or how often, it should always be an act of worship, and that's where you as a worship leader has something special to offer! Many churches separate communion from other areas of the morning, but we have found that this leads to a very disjointed service, and also affects the preparation of the heart that people go through as they approach it. This is why we strongly suggest that you incorporate it into your worship set, not separate it out. When you make communion part of your worship set, it becomes easy for the speaker to role into the bread and wine seamlessly from worship, and this means that people's hearts are already centred on Christ and worship from the start. This podcast looks at the ways you can make your communion time even more special by including it as part of your worship time...

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/37-bringing-communion-into-your-worship/

36- Worship Team Building

Worship team building is an important part of being a worship leader.

Worship Leaders Must Be into Worship Team Building

Many people think worship leading is just about singing, arranging songs, looking good and telling people to raise their hands. But true leadership goes far beyond this... To excel at what God has called you to do, you need to be able to build your team and to do so in a godly and winsome way. So we encourage you to look at your worship team.  Your role is to lead them into the battle week by week for Jesus in worship, sure.  But long term you are called to forge a winning team.  You are called to pull singular, often selfish and self-absorbed musicians and singers, and to create a team where everyone works together, pulls together, grows together and becomes a unit that brings glory to God, both now and long into the future. Team building is a lot harder than you might think.  Your team doen's need a friend, and they don't just need a figurehead.  What your team needs is a leader, a true and godly leader, full of integrity and godly wisdom. You are not just a song leader, so don't stoop to just be one.  You are a leader, an on-field general or quarterback who leads, sets the course, inspires and cares for their team.  You need to learn how to be there when they struggle, to inspire them when they are down and flat, and to let each member of your team reach the full potential they have in Christ Jesus. If you are not worship team building your influence for Christ will be limited, and you will fall short of what the Lord has for you as a worship leader! So this podcast is for those worship leaders who want to go beyond just being a song leader. This is for those who want to establish a long term ministry that yields fruit for generations. This is for true worship leaders!

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/36-worship-team-building/

35- Structure vs Free Worshipping

Free worshipping is something most worship leaders want to explore, but it is at odds to the structure that most worship leaders need for them and their team to function properly.

Free Worshipping Ain't Cheap!

Free worshipping, that is the kind of worship that is not planned but flows "as the Holy Spirit leads" is a wonderful thing.  However, it often takes a lot of strategic and dedicated planning to allow the Spirit this kind of freedom, which really sounds contradictory, doesn't it? Often times worship leaders need to be structured, but we also have to make room for free worship in our meetings.  The blend between beeing free and flowing verses the need for structure is a pressure many worship leaders face and struggle with. I often think about it like an egg, where the structure is represented by the shell, and free-flowing is represented by the egg white.  If you have all structure, you look like an egg, but there is no life within, but if you are all free-flowing, without structure, then you can look like a big mess. And that's the important secret... we need both structure and freedom to truly lead dynamic and powerful worship.  Too much of one or the other leads us to become out of balance.  However, if we get this right, we can lead incredible worship the way God wants us to. So if you are structured as a worship leader, or free-flowing, listen to this and learn how to create the perfect blend of both, so that you, your team and your church enjoy worship on a whole new level. In this podcast, Darin and Erick look at how you can program it into your worship set, and how you can balance the freedom with the right amount and kind of control.  This is a must for every worship leader...

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/35-structure-vs-free-worshipping/

34- Dealing with Sexual Immorality in the Worship Team

Sexual immorality is always a temptation for any Christian, but especially so in a worship team.

Sexual Immorality Will Destroy Your Ministry!

In a worship team there is a special bond between members, which centres around music, love of music and the joy of being able to lead people into the presence of the Lord. But sometimes people get too close. This is a clear and present danger, and every worship leader should be aware and have plans in place to head off any potential sexual immorality in their worship team. And please, don't think for a moment it could never happen to you, because it simply could, in any worship team, anywhere.  And the enemy would like nothing better than to ruin your ministry, and the church, using sexual attraction as a tool.  And be aware, this may not necessarily by a full blown affair, although many times it heads that way, but we should include flirting, the way people sing, play and interact, and just about any form of contact that could result in poor choices with regards behaviour and attraction. This problem is a constant pressure in most praise and worship teams.  You sing together, share music together, and most often your spouse does not share the same passion for music and worship.  They cannot understand the joys and the bond that sharing worship together brings, and so you are drawn to someone in your team and, if you are not careful, drawn away from your partner at home. There are many things we can do to put barriers in place, against this moving to a sad and devastating conclusion, and that is what the guys are prepared to openly and frankly discuss with you. So we thought we would produce a special, no holes barred podcast helping worship leaders defuse one of the most devastating and destructive situations you could ever have in your worship leading...

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/34-sexual-immorality-in-the-worship-team/

33- Stretching Your Worship Team

Worship leading is more than just singing or playing, it is bringing out the best in your worship team.

It's Time to Stretch Your Worship Team!

I believe that the true measure of the leadership of a worship leader is in the positive changes in their team over time.  And I have to admit, this is also one of the greatest joys you can have as a praise and worship leader! So we thought we would do a podcast to encourage praise and worship leaders everywhere to go beyond the basics, beyond just leading a praise and worship session, to actually depositing something amazing into your team. Developing the team is key to your long term success.  You may encounter a little resistance early on, but over time when the team members see their performance, their skills and their satisfaction increase, they will become your biggest fans and your greatest supporters. And honestly, it is not that hard to begin to develop the team you lead and see them growing in their skills and abilities over time, even a short period of time. Learn how to do this in a way that challenges, inspires and has a lot of fun in this week's episode...  Take just 12 minutes and change the way you minister to your singers and musicians, inspiring and challenging them to get better, hear better and ultimately worship better and more effectively than ever before.

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/worship-leader-podcast/33-stretching-your-worship-team/