articles

Carly Voinski says we aren’t called to lead our favorite songs: If you’re serving on a Worship team, chances are you love new music. We are musicians, the desire to sing and play new songs seems to have been established in our DNA. We are constantly looking for new music…

Jason Yost says public speaking doesn’t always come naturally for anyone, let alone musicians: One of the things that has the potential to make or break a worship experience is your verbals from the stage. If utilized correctly your verbals can enhance the experience. However, if you do not utilize…

Matt Boswell encourages worship songwriting. I began writing new songs of worship when I was fifteen years old. No one sat me down and said this practice can be a part of growing in Christ, nor explained the spiritual benefits of writing songs. I simply tasted the goodness of God…

Kevin P. Emmert says the biggest difference between old and new hymns isn’t Trinitarian theology. If you think contemporary praise music lacks robust theology, you’re not alone. Modern worship is widely criticized for not being Trinitarian enough, and its lyrics are often perceived to be more romantic than reverent—as if…

Kevin Kruse is overwhelmed with worship songs. I’ve wrestled with this dilemma before, but it seems more than ever there are just some amazing songs being written for the church. I find that with every new worship album I purchase there are usually multiple songs that I feel would be…

Greg Brewton says people leaving a worship service are more likely to be singing the words of a worship song than recounting the points of a sermon. “Let me write the hymns of a church and I care not who writes the theology.” R. W. Dale R.W. Dale, a nineteenth…

Lets take a look at the DI and see what it can do for us: What’s In a Name? The direct box is named for the function it performs – a very sensible idea! The primary function of a direct box is to take a variety of non-microphone signals “direct”…

Jake Jacobs says BGVs need to be mindful and constantly aware of the mood, phrasing, and tone presented through the worship leader. I don’t know how many of us have witnessed multiple lead vocalists attempting to share the same vocal stage – during the same song. While there may be…

Jedidiah Smith offers tips for efficient and effective rehearsals: Dear Worship Leader, Never underestimate the power of a good rehearsal. They go along way to improving the worship experience for your church and are vital in creating a healthy culture among your musicians. So don’t settle for poor or even…

Adam Dolhanyk says some songs are for a moment and some songs are for lifetimes: RECOGNIZE THAT SEASONS EXIST “To everything there is a season” the Bible tells us. This is also true for worship songs, although not everyone seems to have read Ecclesiastes 3:1. They say the first step…

Phil Bowdle offers a checklist: One of the most challenging things in service planning for pastors and communication leaders can be managing stage announcements. Without a system and strategy in place, you can quickly find yourself stuck in a rhythm of spending ten minutes on announcements at the end of…

Marty Nystrom looks for worship trends: CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International, Inc.) releases a semi-annual list of the top worship songs sung by churches throughout America. A similar list is also published in Europe, Australia, South Africa, and the other far-flung locales where CCLI works with churches to “encourage the…

Scott Swain offers advice for avoiding worship song fluff: I have rarely (alright, never) been asked to give input regarding the weekly “worship set.” However, having witnessed Christian worship in local churches, Christian camps, seminary chapels, and other venues over the past 43 years, I have come to the conclusion…

JD Greear says we need to develop the attitude of Christ, who used his position of leadership to wash feet, not to command respect. I recently spent some time with long-time pastor Steve Stroope, who’s been in the ministry now for forty years. We talked a lot about what he…

Jeremy Armstrong says it’s something every leader must learn to deal with: I don’t know of anyone who loves conflict, but it’s something every leader must learn to deal with. Your case may prove challenging because it sounds like you might be conflict averse—that you’d rather avoid problems than aggressively…