I have lead worship at my church since my early twenties playing guitar and leading vocally and have probably made more mistakes than most. However, over the years I’ve picked up a few things so here’s a few pointers that might help…
1. You’re job is to be a lead worshipper not a worship leader
2. It’s only when you stand in the shadows and give Jesus centre stage that you are effective
3. You HAVE to work in partnership with the Holy Spirit and follow His guide.
4. The family of God is a mixed bunch and you need to be sensitive to all. That said if you pick songs that you like and enjoy playing/singing then you’re more likely to lead others than if you pick songs just because others might like them (and you really don’t)
5. Light and Shade – music is not about in your face rock music all the time – even good rock bands know the need for contrast both live and on their recordings.
6. Work in close partnership with the preacher / teacher – people need to go away with a coherent message from God!
7. Learn the songs well and look up from your music as much as possible. Eye contact with the congregation will encourage them to worship. Forget closed eye worship. Your job is to lead others!
8. Always pray before you start – with your team
9. Less is more. Encourage your team to not play all the time – cut out instruments / voices. Again – light and shade!
10. Learn to make worship your lifestyle not something you do on a Sunday morning. How can you lead others to get this if you’re not doing it yourself!!
11. Be REAL with the congregation. It’s okay to be human. It’s okay to make mistakes, feel ill,feel tired etc. If you’re part of a loving church family then they’ll be with you. Being vulnerable as a leader can help others to relax and be vulnerable / humble before God. You don’t have to maintain a polished rock star persona!!
12. Pick the key that’s right for you and the congregation. Sometimes this means compromise but if you are taking a vocal lead the song needs to be comfortable for your range. If you’re struggling with a particular song then invite one of the singers in the team (if you have the luxury) to lead that song. The capo for guitarists / transpose key on a keyboard is a wonderful thing!! Try and be kind to your bass player though and transpose the chords for them (feeling convicted on this one!!)
13. Encourage your team to cover the tonal range. If you have three guitarists please don’t all play in the same position. Most worship songs are simple to learn in another key so encourage some to capo up 5 frets or for the keyboardist to play higher up.
14. Create space. People need time to process what God is saying / doing in the moment so it’s okay for there to be silence. In addition to silence make space for people to pray out loud and even for people to share prophetic words.
15. Use scripture to re-enforce what you feel the Holy Spirit is saying or to introduce a song / theme.
16. This is a personal bug bear but one but I think the majority of congregations would agree with, please pick songs (modern or not) that have a strong biblical base. Lovey-dovey-floaty worship songs are okay and have their place but well written, melodic songs with lyrics that are scripture based will achieve so much more. Remember the men (and some ladies too) who might not be so comfortable with adoration type lyrics – at least not all the time. Some of the old hymns are both timeless and powerful so don’t neglect them for the sake of fashion!
17. Don’t over-use a song. Please remember that familiarity breeds contempt, so try and keep introducing new songs and have a varied repertoire to draw from.
18. Invest in an instrument that sounds good over the PA if you use one regularly. Cheap guitars can sound awful over a PA. (You could always upgrade the pickup if you can’t afford a new guitar). Oh and for goodness sake change your guitar strings regularly. If you play frequently then change them at least every 2-3 months – a professional changes strings after every gig! Old strings sound as dull as dishwater! Oh and clean your instrument regularly too. There’s nothing clever about a grimy battered instrument. Dust, grime and oxidation will affect the tone of your instrument and it will wear out more quickly if you don’t clean it. Sorry I digressed a little there!
19. In the same way invest in good microphones and PA speakers too. If the PA sounds harsh to the ears or distorts then that needs fixing! Even if the church can’t afford a new PA, buy yourself a decent vocal microphone e.g. Sure SM58. If you mic up your guitar / instrument then buy a good condenser mic that isn’t too sensitive to feedback.
20. You are not a professional (assuming you’re not paid for leading worship) so there’s no need to pretend you are. Being an amateur is a good thing because it means that you are there on a voluntary basis. That said be punctual and committed to the team and to the worship life of the church and work hard at getting good on your instrument. If you are a lead worshipper then you don’t want the notes and the chords to be such a struggle that you can’t focus on worshipping God!
So there you are, far from an exhaustive list. Please feel free to comment and add your suggestions / own experiences as a worship leader.
Shalom.