What You’ll Learn:
- How to reclaim Christmas from cultural dilution and lead congregations into genuine worship
- Why Advent matters and how to use it as a season of longing, not just cheery songs
- Strategies for managing expectations and workload during the busiest season
- The power of creating new art to combat worship leader burnout
- How to be a storyteller who guides people through the full narrative of incarnation
- Ways to delegate tasks and protect your emotional and spiritual energy
- Tips for making familiar carols feel fresh and engaging again
Christmas can turn even seasoned worship leaders into stressed-out stage managers. The calendar explodes. Everyone wants something special. And somehow, you’re supposed to provide the soundtrack to the entire season while keeping your own soul intact.
Mike O’Brien, with two decades of local church experience, offers battle-tested wisdom for not just surviving Christmas, but actually thriving through it. His approach centers on four key roles worship leaders should embrace.
First, be a reclaimer. Culture has hijacked Christmas, but worship leaders can take it back by teaching congregations to truly worship instead of mindlessly singing along. Use more verbal cues. Incorporate Scripture. Make the classic hymns come alive again.
Second, be a storyteller. Advent is a season of longing and waiting. Like the Israelites yearning for a King, we enter that narrative alongside those in our congregations who are waiting for healing, provision, or hope. The slow build makes Christmas Day’s celebration even more powerful.
Third, be prepared. Lock down expectations early. Get everything in writing. Know exactly what you’re responsible for, from decorating to special music to choir coordination. When Pastor’s aunt Carol shows up wanting to sing “Christmas Shoes,” you’ll have boundaries in place. And don’t be afraid to delegate tasks that drain you.
Finally, create something new. Write original songs. Reimagine arrangements. Strip down hymns and rebuild them. Fresh creativity drives out the grinch and gives both you and your congregation something to anticipate beyond the same old routine.
Christmas already has magic built in. Your job? Tell the story well and lead people to worship the King who came.
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