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.

Better Song Backgrounds

Len Wilson on worship backgrounds:

My favorite way to do song backgrounds in worship is not shifting blobs of color.

Most large, contemporary-style worship services have settled into a routine for worship projection that displays individual lines of songs over random colors, shaped and lines.

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How to Write Music for a Congregation

Artist Michael Gungor on songwriting:

While crafting is important for most songwriting expressions across genres, it is particularly important for congregational music. The songs we sing in our churches don’t just express our theology; they help form it. When we write songs for people to sing as a spiritual act of worship, those songs soak into people’s souls. The words we ask them to sing help shape their view of God, the universe and themselves.

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The Ideal Worship Leader and Other Myths

Let’s make a list of a great worship leader:

Strong musical ability to carry the band…
…and vocally gifted to inspire the congregation each time his/her mouth opens…
…but also the spiritual depth to truly lead a congregation in worship…
…with a mix of theological and musical training coupled with the creativity to plan and execute biblically sound, yet emotionally-charged worship experiences…
…and the interpersonal skills to develop, encourage, and exhort a team to musical excellence and relational health…
…but also has the administrative skills to coordinate schedules, services, and special events.
Oh, and I almost forgot: a gifted songwriter.

Continue reading.

worshipideas:

Essential reading for worship leaders since 2002.

 

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