This week I’m helping out at one of our campuses and I’m more in a roll of a volunteer rather than a worship leader. As I was driving to rehearsal, I started thinking about how I would go about being the absolute best worship rehearsal musician I could possibly be. I thought of a bunch of things, but here were three main things I would do (and did do).
1. Be Early
I know most people say that you should be on time (and certainly never be late, unless you absolutely cannot help it). But I think being on time isn’t good enough if you want to be awesome. Be early. And when you get there, find your leader and ask this question, ‘What can I do do help?’. This will not only bless your leader and your team, but your own capacity for leadership will begin to grow.
2. Be Prepared
Rehearsal is not the time to learn your songs. Rehearsal is not the time to learn your songs. One more time: rehearsal is not the time to learn your songs. Rehearsal is the time to come together and practice how the songs and other service elements will come together to create a worship experience. If the team is spending the whole time at rehearsal just learning the songs, the entire worship flow and experience won’t get any attention – and this is extremely important.
This brings up another point: a reality for many churches is that the music and other resources aren’t given out far enough in advance to learn the songs before rehearsal. Sometimes musicians don’t even get anything until they come to rehearsal. This is poor leadership, plain and simple. My advice is this: have a conversation with your worship leader or whoever is in charge of the worship experience. Express to them in a very respectful and graceful way that you would like to bring your very best to your role in the worship experience. Having music and resources ahead of time will allow you (and the rest of the team) to do this.
3. Be Flexible
So this week I’m leading the song ‘Our Great God’. It’s the only song I’m singing, and I’m pretty excited about it. But sometimes things come up and things have to change – for a variety of reasons. If I had arrived at rehearsal and been told that we were cutting ‘Our Great God’, I would have had a choice to make. I could have either been upset and had a poor attitude, or I could have understood that it was necessary to do so.
Always remember that worship isn’t about you – it’s about Jesus. And sometimes leadership needs to make changes. Many times these changes are brought about by the movement of the Holy Spirit – and that is something that should be celebrated and embraced. I should also say that if your church is making last minute changes on a very regular basis, there may be merit to a conversation with your leadership. But again – always remember to approach leadership with respect, love, and grace.
If you put these three practices in place, you will be well on your way to Rockstar status on any worship team.
Awesome info Brother Brian and much appreciated. Thank you so much for sharing and the inspiration. Keep on keepin’ on!
Thanks Jeff!
Awesome Brian! I really needed this video. Bless you??
Thanks Olivia!
Just watched your video and all I can say is I don’t want to be a rockstar just a good worship leader who serves the Lord.
Hey Keith – I think you’ve misinterpreted what I mean by the word ‘rockstar’. In this instance, it means the same as ‘awesome’. It would be like saying ‘How to be a Rockstar dad’ or something similar. I believe the 3 points I made in the video would make any worship leader better equipped to lead at a higher level.
Hey Brian – This was a good article and those are really relevant points……I think all leaders would want their team to read those three points.
I’ve got to say though, that I’m very much with Keith on the use of the word ‘Rockstar’.
I nearly didn’t check this message out because of the Title. To be honest, sorry, but it really grated with me too.
Why? Because we spend so much time trying to model what worship really is. We are always talking about putting down the fleshly need to ‘be somebody’ or be noticed with our worship teams. We all know that all that pride stuff is part of that old sin nature and it doesn’t belong in our worship.
So WHY would you choose to use a term like ‘Rockstar’, that in most peoples minds has a certain negative association with narcissistic, attention-seeking, self-serving and idolatrous behaviour???? Yes, I totally get that you don’t mean it literally……and that you are meaning “How to be AWESOME” etc……but please don’t use words that stroke people’s pride and secret fantasies. There actually ARE young people on worship teams worldwide who would love to be discovered or be the next Jesus Culture…..don’t feed it! We need to be watching these young people and teaching what the Word says about desiring praise, fame and glory.
I don’t think it’s necessary to use all the latest phrases or slang just because we want to be cool or trendy. If a term of speech is detracting from your goals or conflicting with your heart motives……chuck it out……don’t use it!
I like what you are writing……I see your servant heart……..you are a blessing in sharing the things you have learned, however, someone in an above comment gently rebuked you for the same concerns that I have……….and you quickly dismissed him and justified yourself. We cannot be above being corrected and being teachable. So I am challenging you as an older worshipper who has seen many people fall over in their walk……..please change the title of this message and repost it so more can enjoy the great points without that problematic title getting in the way.
Maybe, because I am a bit older than you and have lived in some really dark places in my past, I can see a danger in the trend I see in Christian churches to be ‘relevant’ and trendsetters. There are many churches that are looking and sounding not much different to the world and have a great sound and ‘atmosphere’, but it’s not necessarily the Holy Spirit……and there is little fruit.
We need to constantly check out our motives and obedience. I’m talking from experience.
If you are really honest…..and please don’t say so here…..but just privately check your heart………did you get a little small quiet internal niggle or discomfort at the choice of your title when you posted it?
It’s a daily thing to submit for all believers….but ESPECIALLY for all you guys on the worship team wherever you are.
You are a servant and it’s best to never forget it.
Bless you…..keep up the good work.
Thank you Gill. I apologize if the word usage here is off-putting, and also I apologize if I came off as dismissive to Keith’s comment. I was only trying to explain to him the meaning of the word as I had used it. From his comment, it seemed to me that he was under the impression I was giving advice on how to gain fame or notoriety as a worship musician.
I did choose the word ‘rockstar’ on purpose though for a couple reasons. First of all I felt it would create a more clickable post/video title, and more traffic is good :). Secondly, I was hoping people might realize that the points I made are the opposite of what a self-centered team member might do. So if you really want to be awesome on a worship team (and a valuable team member to your church and leadership), you basically need to do the opposite of what an actual rock star might do. Kind of like what Jesus was saying in Matt. 20:26 – ‘whoever wants to become great must become a servant’. That was my true intention by using the word rockstar.
Personally, I have no tolerance for selfishness on a worship team, and I do my best to model that in my own actions. In fact, in our church we have a zero tolerance policy – if a team member consistently exhibits behavior that we feel is self-seeking (or in other words – if they’re acting like a diva), we will find another place for that person to serve in our church. I hope that the content that I create reflects that attitude – we are to be selfless in our service to the Church, and we are also to pursue excellence to the absolute best of our ability.
When I first read the title for this, my first thought was “seriously?” Rock Star in Worship, what is he on… so of course I had to listen, (should have known really that it wouldn’t be what I was thinking. Great advice for everyone in that, Two of them my former worship leader, mentor and friend used to say to us was turn up prepared, and always be prepared to be flexible. Turning up early was never really necessary as we could never gain access before the time allocated due to our caretaker… hahaha… but we still loved him also. So thanks for just hitting that out there in the park for people to take on board, wise words indeed. God Bless.
Ha – thanks David!
You couldn’t have put it any better. I’m 64 and understand the importance of leadership. And have experienced the “here’s your music. We’re playing it Sunday”. Happens too often. Never sounds as good as it should.
Your inspirrational is definitely comming from above.
Thank you so much, Gary
Great advice Brian. Thanks.
Thanks Shawnee!
Great video and great tips for both leaders and WT members. Thanks so much for sharing and reminding. I would love some tips on sing memorization. I’m am terrible at that. I still have to use my ipad as a crutch.
Thanks Robert – with memorization, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
I agree with everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Jim!
Thanks for the encouragement to be a “Rockstar.” These are definitely areas I can work on!
Thanks Michael!
I remember a time when “contemporary” gospel music was not accepted by some houses of worship. I remember being told , as a minister of music at a church, “We do not use any hymnal except THIS hymnal because THIS hymnal is of God and all others are of satan.” I am 64 years young. As a praise and worship leader with the ministry, JC & Company, I am so thankful that the tools that God has given us to share His Word in song can be used without reservation! Brian, your advice should be a given for any praise and worship related individual that is serious about being used to further the Kingdom Of God. It is not about ego, or what I want. It’s about what God wants. We must be attentive and submissive to His Will.
Thanks so much, Craig! Whenever I hear of churches that are sort of against doing newer songs, I’m always reminded of this version in the Bible: “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” (Psalm 33:3). There isn’t much clearer teaching that we should sing new songs than the words ‘Sing a new song’. It’s also a great mandate to practice, for we are to play skillfully 🙂
Well said Brian……..great scriptures here. Totally agree! Yes…… we have freedom in Christ. We just need to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit…….He will teach us how to worship……..it should never be legalistic or religious…….this will stifle any shift or ministry.
Thanks Gill
Thank you. I’m definitely going to practice coming early. God help me!
Ha – good luck, Kristen!
Hi Brian, Thank you for awesome tutorials. I’m a beginner at learning guitar. Your videos are awesome it helped me alot. I did go through very few tutorials. Because all of your worship tutorials had cord chart, and your saying them also. Makes it easy for “us” thank you very much for that bro. Please tell me if i watch and start learning these guitar tutorial. How many days/months will it take me to become a guitar player. I love worshiping the God. I’m from India I wanna become a worship leader too just like you. Your awesome and ty for the tutorials
Hi Elisha – every student is a bit different, but I think most people can learn how to play basic chords and songs in a few months. Good luck!
Great stuff! I’ve been following you for awhile, I appreciate what you do and thank you for using your talent to help others.