How to Improve Your Worship Team

Filmed in McPherson Studios in Nashville, TN.

Ethan from Canada asks:
"How do you improve the quality of your praise and worship service? Me and my family go to a small church and I'm the lead guitarist, drummer and bass player for the church. And over the years our praise and worship ministry hasn't seen much improvements. In fact we get new members like every three months who have little or no experience at all and my mom gives me the responsibility to teach them. Sure they learn and are eventually able to play, but they don't have the diligence to learn more than what I've taught them. It's always a disaster on Sundays because at least one person messes it up. There hasn't been any improvements for the last 5 years and it's very discouraging how disorganized the team is. I'm not in charge (in fact I don't even know who is) but I just wanna know to can we make improvements in the praise and worship team?"

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[tomd]

Be worshipers first, musicians second. Worship comes from the heart, not the instrument. A worship team doesn’t need to have highly skilled musicians, but they do need to take it seriously. I’d prefer one person with a humble heart, a desire for to worship, and a guitar over a whole team of highly skilled musicians who are concerned more about performance than worship. If they they aren’t taking it seriously, then go up there alone and lead the people in worship with a humble heart.

[chrissammond]

"Less is more." This is so important to remember. Also, "Bigger is not better; BETTER is better."

[denim]

here's what my church did.
1.Start small with experienced musicians and worship leaders.
2. Start training new people.
3. Employ the trainees in smaller services eg prayer meets, sunday school etc.
4. Slowly promote new people in backup roles in main services eg as backup or second musicians or backup singers.
5. Use practise seasons as mini training sessions.

[jazielycamater]

"We're not where we want to be.. but right now this is what we have. So, start with what you 😊😊 Don't despise the small beginnings!🙂

[pattirody]

Great advice Don. I'll pray for Ethan too as he steps up to the leadership position, God will equip him to be a leader.

[aarongenesissabado]

This question, really help me a lot, just having the same scenario, and it's really discouraging, thank God he still gives me the faith to go on what I have started.
No turning back.
God bless us all

[cynthiarosser]

😄💝👏Congrats! Leading isn't always an easy feat I'm sure. Just some thoughts..
1)Pray always
2)Practice often
3)Remember you are a team operate as a team. Delegate tasks, however, let the Holy Spirit lead you
4)Don't be too hard on yourself
5) Communicate with your team (have a good attitude)
6)Keep your eyes on Jesus😇

[empirecastle]

Am a great keyboardist in kenya, My mom had small skills about music and she taught me voices of singing when i was 7, and encouraged me to stay near other mature keyboardist that one day she would be very happy to see his son playing a piano in church. Right now am blessed to have followed her believes...and her dreams about me actually came true
.am super happy about her For now am struggling to fly abroad and make the best praise and worship team and make her the great happy mom ever .through sponsorship but i have none...But God never sleeps, i know one day God will drive someone towards my destiny....AMEN

[spiritman-emqr]

I was given the reigns one time, . I turned down the lights and the volume, selected songs and music that complimented the sermon, and had just one snare drum with brushes, a guitar, and harmony vocals. The congregation LOVED IT! Following the service, the "worship pastor" told me to to never do such a thing again, and that it was supposed to be a big deal.

[toamataafa]

Totally agree..Less is more. I’m a worship leader in our church here in Bell Garden Cali. Occasionally i have a couple of Musician friends that come and help me with the Praise and worship..unfortunately, they already have other commitments to their churches. So i do it by myself and GOD is blessing me with the Ministry..at church I’ve been approached so many times by other Musicians that they want to come and play and help me with the Praise and worship, and i always asked them, do you want to just play or do you want to commit, because what I want is a commitment. And one by one they disappeared. Right now, I’m praising the Lord for the opportunity to serve HIM with my talent. GOD doesn’t need your Talent..GOD needs your commitment and HE will bless you...GOD asked Moses..what do you have in your hand..Moses said, it’s a Rod, GOD said..use it👈

[ebirawihenok]

oh I and my family love you and your father's ministry. we have wish to worship God in your church🥰

[jasserguzman]

"Start with what you have" this is key and the starting point which might be the hardest part, but let's trust God he will send the right musiicians at the right time ❤

[theNomadChrist]

Most people that want to play an instrument now days have a very misconstrued idea of the gift. When God gifts you in an area, He gives you the full ability AND passion to grow in that gift. And when you’re doing it for Him, you WILL ALWAYS desire the next step. You’re praising God! Why on earth would anybody not want to grow in every way they can in that gift?!?! I’ve had “worship leaders” that aren’t even musicians tell me that playing skillfully isn’t important because it’s all worship for God… which is true, BUT that also causes those that are really called to play to think their gift isn’t important enough to grow in. The teams position is to help usher in the presence of the Holy Spirit! THATS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ROLE OF HEAD Why on earth would anybody keep themselves in a “it’s good enough” rut?!?! And that always leads me to question whether or not some people are even really called to be musicians at all. I know it’s not our place to judge, but as a musician, it’s very easy to spot when somebody “has it” and when some don’t

[quentinfernandez]

Very correct. Pray and ask the Lord for guidance and He will never fail you. Many worship teams think they have to be pros and top musicians. I have seen very ordinary music teams used by the Lord and the Spirit move in a wonderful way during the service.

[charleshines]

I'm the head of worship at The Story WUMC (you probably haven't heard of it haha) but I think one thing I would add on to the advice would be to pray for a Christian friend that is close in age to you to help you. Some times a close friend is someone that will bring just as much energy as you, and you can build each other up and advance your band together to ultimately, advance the kingdom of God!

[clarizzagatmaitan]

God looks at the heart of a true worshipper just like King David.

[johnjhondean]

certainly ethan will be a good leader because of the great answer he's got from you don!

[waheedahmasinga]

Hey brother! All the way from Africa. What a blessing and a role model of how worship is to be done. Thank you for all you do. God bless

[terryp]

Great advice. You always have such a calm and authoritative attitude in your videos. And I love your love for God that shows though every word you say.

We were at a very small church where we would often have just one or two people doing worship. It worked quite well. The problem Ethan is facing now is that the "nose is under the tent" and he can't likely just remove the people from the team (church politics, feelings, etc)....

Maybe a great idea would be to have him and a singer every other week (maybe he does acoustic and kick drum). Then they have the full band (with the less experienced players) every other week. With the full band, have a set of maybe just six simple songs, and keep the keys consistent for the songs from week to week. This makes it easy to do 3-4 songs and get very familiar with them, but still allows variety. On the weeks where just Ethan is playing, he can branch out a bit more into anything else.

[ayodejimodupe]

Whoa I’m just seeing this and I bless God for you sir, you’re touching millions of lives which I’m proudly one of them.