Worship Improv

I’ve talked before about how I’ve visited some of the largest churches in the country and have been surprised at their lack of worship flow. One gigachurch in particular was bad – they’d do a song, come to a complete, dead stop and then start another song.

Music is the glue that ties your entire service together. Select upbeat songs in the same or related keys so you can flow directly from one into the other without stopping.

Then, to transition into ballads and a more worshipful part of a praise set, you’ll need a musician who can improvise. He or she can softly play the keyboard or acoustic guitar while the worship leader talks – reading Scripture, praying or giving a short testimony.

This is an art form in itself, as the improviser is actually accompanying the Scripture/prayer/testimony, and must anticipate when the worship leader is finished and ready to begin the next song.

The improvisation shouldn’t be complicated or elaborate. It needs to be like a movie underscore, enhancing what’s going on without getting in the way. Use piano, electric piano or synth pad keyboard sounds. A good improvisation might be based on the intro or verse of the upcoming song, repeated as needed until the Scripture/prayer/testimony is finished.

For those musicians who can’t improvise I’ve created a website to solve the problem. Download a free keychange and underscore at WorshipFlow.com and try it out for yourself this week in your own ministry.