Mission of the Praise Team: To create an atmosphere in which people can be led by the Holy Spirit into an encounter with God. Music Ministry & Praise Team Handbook By: John Oscar Cordero Edited by: Amanda Shultz and Allison Zecher As adapted from the Grace United Methodist Church Worship Handbook Last updated August 2014 // Dedicated to those who are called to serve the Lord through music ministry.
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 2 Contents: The Whats and Whys Praise God for Your Interest in Music Ministry..3 Purpose of the Praise Team Worship Philosophy Music Ministry Requirements.. 4 The Hows Building the Song Set Worship Creativity........5 Meeting for Prayer Dress Code Scheduling....6 Rehearsals The Matthew 18 Rule for Reconciliation Final Thoughts Key Sources in Creating This Handbook...7 Special Thanks
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 3 Praise God for Your Interest in Music Ministry Worship is an essential part, if not the defining characteristic, of a believer in Christ. Therefore, we should use God s requirement to worship Him as an opportunity to integrate worship into our hearts and our lifestyles. Purpose of the Praise Team First and foremost, the purpose of any worship team is to give full glory, honor, and praise to our Savior. As the Creator of the universe, He should be at the center of everything we do; He is worthy of all our worship. In our churches, schools, and communities, it is the responsibility of the worship team to create an atmosphere in which people can be led by the Holy Spirit into an encounter with God. Several different elements are brought to the service by the worship team. This is not limited to music and can include the spoken message, scripture reading, drama, visual arts, and media. Each ministry should be taken seriously. Excellence is only achieved when we completely give ourselves to God. A worship team begins with talent and skills, rehearsals, and practices. But it is only by surrendering these to the work of the Holy Spirit and leading with a genuine love for God that true worship is achieved. Worship Philosophy Music is a crucial part of worship. It is an incredibly valuable gift and an immensely powerful tool that should be used to prepare hearts and minds for worship. Though, it is critical to remember that music is not worship in and of itself. Worship is the expression of passionate love, eternal gratitude, and heartfelt praise that manifests itself in every aspect of our lives not just through our songs. Remember, worship is not part of a service, worship is a lifestyle. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1 NIV). We are to live a life that allows our hearts, minds, and souls to be completely and continually captivated by God! This is true worship. As a worship leader, you will not only be leading others towards Christ on stage, but through your everyday interactions as well. The message and values that you present on stage should be consistently exemplified in your daily life. It is blatantly obvious and disheartening to a congregation when worship leaders simply sing the words and play the notes without believing in the song s message. However, a congregation is inspired to lift their own hearts up to God when they see their worship leaders genuinely and passionately living for God on stage and throughout their lives.
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 4 Music Ministry Requirements As a worship team musician, vocalist, artist, or technician, you need to have enough proficiency in your skill set to work at the level of your teammates. In addition, you must be a good fit within your team s style, blend, personality, and skills. Here are some general guidelines: Musicians need to be able to: - Perform well with others - Learn new material quickly - Demonstrate suitable ability and style on an instrument - Follow lead sheets and chord charts Singers need to be able to: - Perform well with others - Learn new material quickly - Demonstrate suitable style, range, blend, and accurate pitch Building the Song Set Building a song set for each service can be one of the most challenging tasks for a worship leader. When building the set, it is important to remember the three functions of a song. First, a song must pertain to the current theme or message of the service. Secondly, a song needs to be relevant and applicable to the lives of the congregation. And finally, a song must reflect the values of the Bible. After asking the congregation to stand, a set should begin by singing two lively praise songs. This relaxes people and encourages them to sing. Unless a short prayer is given, refrain from starting a set with a prayer as prayer is meditative and instantly lowers the mood of the service. Remember, it is always easier to slow the mood than it is to build the mood back up. Also while building your song set, keep in mind that the congregation should not be standing for longer than 10 minutes. If your song set consists of four songs, the congregation should stand during the first two songs which should be lively and upbeat. However, the congregation should sit during the last songs which should be slower and mellower. Contact the music director before introducing a new song to the congregation. People enjoy singing songs that they have a connection with and already know. Generally, it can take several weeks before a person feels connected with a song. Although there are exceptions to this rule, they are very rare. After finishing the set, send it to the music director for final approval. Among other things, the music director will make sure that no song is overplayed.
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 5 Worship Creativity The creativity of individual worship leaders is an essential element of worship. When a song is played in a unique way that represents the congregation, worship can become truly relevant to the people. However, it is important to maintain the fingerprint of the original song; we don t want to change the song so drastically that the audience becomes lost within the arrangement. Part of the commitment to excellence includes adding different dynamics, chord variations, or other changes to create a song that is special to the congregation. Everyone worships differently, and as a result, leaders will approach each worship in their own unique way. Although it is important to follow the guidelines of this handbook, it is just as crucial to be yourself when worshipping God. The intention of this handbook is not to control your worship, but rather to help those on a worship team focus on a common goal while remaining true to the person that God created them to be. Meeting for Prayer Before each service, the worship team should spend about 30 minutes in prayer and devotion with the music director/floor director. This not only places the service in God s hands, but it also gathers the team together and prepares their minds for the upcoming service. Dress Code As leaders, we are to be an example to those around us. Our dress code should be casual, but still modest and presentable. Avoid wearing clothes that are revealing and/or excessively worn out. Whether we are on stage or behind the scenes, we do not want our clothing to distract others during worship. Remember: If you aren t sure it s acceptable, you shouldn t wear it. Keep in mind that our Sabbath best could come across as unwelcoming. People come in all different shapes, sizes, and styles. We don t want to discourage them from attending our service because they are unlike us. Rather, we want to purposefully present a ministry that is not only accepting of but easily approachable by those already established within our congregation and to those who are first-time worshippers. Examples That Are Acceptable: Dresses Modest Skirts Dockers or Slacks Nice Colored or Denim Jeans Nice T-shirts without Logos/Writing (Christian Logos Permitted) Knit, Button-Up or Polo Shirts Sweaters and Sweatshirts without Logos/Writing (Christian Logos Permitted) Dress-hats, Knit-caps without Logos/Writing (Christian Logos Permitted) Examples That Are Not Acceptable: Excessively Worn Out or Torn Clothing Overly Wrinkled Clothing Tank, Tube, or Halter Tops & Other Strapless Shirts
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 6 Scheduling T-shirts with Logos/Writing Exposed Belly Buttons or Midriffs Exercise Pants or Sweats Shorts (Including Walking Shorts) Excessively Short Skirts Dresses with High Slits to the Thigh Baseball Caps Worship leaders, team members, and all service participants are expected to be active and prompt with scheduling emails from Planning Center Online. Rehearsals Worship team members are expected to be faithful and punctual in their attendance of rehearsals, services, and other events for which they are scheduled. Excessive absences or tardiness may result in a probationary improvement period or removal from future participation. The Matthew 18 Rule for Reconciliation There will be times when conflict will arise. Thankfully, God has provided us with the tools needed to handle the situation in a positive, efficient, and edifying manner. Matthew 18:15-20 describes the steps we are to take in order to graciously resolve a conflict: a) Privately, tell the person of the wrong that was perceived. b) If the first step was ineffective, talk to the person again with another team member present. c) As a last resort, ask the director or on-site pastor for council and help with a resolution. Remember, where two or three come together in His name, He is there with them! Final Thoughts Each and every one of us was created to worship our Everlasting God. Through the songs that we sing, the actions of our hands, and the sacrifices that we make as we surrender our hearts and plans to Him, our very lives become an offering to our King. It is through worship that we truly connect with and give to our Creator all of the honor that is due to Him. What an incredible privilege it is to lead others in worship of our God! We have been called to guide the broken to the Healer, the hungry to the Bread of Life, and the lost to the Shepherd. Pray that we never lose sight of that aim and that our focus will never be taken off of Christ. Your dedication and service to ministry is greatly appreciated. A lot of time and work goes into preparing services each week, and your dedication reflects a commitment to making each and every service a blessing. May you glorify the Lord in all that you do!
Worship Ministry & Worship Team Handbook 7 Mission of the Praise Team: To create an atmosphere in which people can be led by the Holy Spirit into an encounter with God. Key Sources in Creating This Handbook Worship Ministry & Praise Team Handbook By Hannaford Street Bible Church The Worship Leader s Handbook, By Tom Kaeuter Planted By the Water, By Chris Falson Experiencing Worship, By Stephen M. Newman Worship Team Handbook, By Alison Siewert, Andy Crouch, Matt Frazier, Sundee Frazier Fishnet Website Worship List Archives, A posting from Mike Moore of Salisbury Church, Charleston,Illinois www.fni.com/worship/199901/msg00195.html or www.salisbury-church.org Boston Chi Alpha Campus Ministries Website, Worship Training www.cacmboston.org/documents/worship_training_guide WP_.pdf Experiencing Worship Website Guidelines and Qualifications for, the Worship Team, By Stephen M. Newman www.experiencingworship.com/articles/general/2001-7-worship-team-guidelines.html Praise Band Handbook: A Guide to Managing a Praise & Worship Band By Ben Wulpi, Worship Leadership, May 3, 2007 http://www.scribd.com/doc/185187/praise-band-handbook A Guide to Leading Effective Praise and Worship http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/aneelaranha/praiseandworship/ Special Thanks Ariana Casiano Donavan Childs Josh Estrada Craig Hadley Mattie Lake Isai Moran Obed Olivarria Kaitlin Rice Garrett Speyer Tim Swanson Kandavin Thorng Mom Dad Ledy Ann