Ten ways to improve your worship leading (part 2)

6. Learn a musical instrument

Playing a musical instrument is of great help in worship. Most great worship leaders play an instrument. It is not a prerequisite but it is of great help. The two main instruments for a leader are the guitar and the keyboard. Piano generally takes longer to be proficient at, so I suggest that people who take up an instrument later in life should take up the guitar. Obviously the earlier in life that you start playing an instrument the better chance you have at being proficient at it.

If you’re just starting to learn an instrument, I suggest that you find yourself a good teacher. A Christian teacher is preferable but not always available. In any case, find someone who will teach you not only the basics of the instrument and reading music, but someone who will help you to read chord progressions and help you to accompany yourself as you sing and worship.

Another great way to learn is just to copy the worship CD’s that you listen to. Take it song by song, chord by chord and learn to listen what the keyboard or guitar player is playing. This is often the most effective way of learning once you get past the basic stage of learning an instrument. Copying the players on CD’s will teach you better rhythm and help you learn a variety of styles. It will also help you learn relevant material, the material that you want to use in your worship services.

7. Learn to sing to the best of your ability.

Singing is a big part of leading. You don’t have to be an awesome singer to lead but the more acceptable your tone, pitch and vibrato is, the less distracting it is to the congregation. The opposite can also be true, great singers sometimes don’t make good worship leaders. They are often too busy vocalizing to facilitate the average singer in the congregations worship.

Just as taking lessons is an important part of learning to play an instrument, it’s also important to take vocal lessons. Most teachers tend to be more classically trained. They can teach you a lot about breathing, projection, tone and enunciation. You don’t necessarily want to copy some of the operatic tendencies that they may have since modern worship tends to be more gospel, pop and rock orientated.

Listening to recordings of yourself can be a good way to learn. It is often discouraging at first since most people don’t like the sound of their own voice. But, as you get over that you will hopefully learn to pick out pitch problems and other weak areas in your singing. Having a teacher critique you is also a great way to improve.

Another great way of learning to sing is to simply copy the tone and articulation of your favourite worship leader on the many CD’s that are available. Copying other musicians and singers is one of the chief ways musicians learn. On a side note: it’s best to learn from a number of different leaders so you just don’t become a clone of one style and sound.

Leaders should generally just sing the melody. The leaders voice is usually highest in the vocal mix and if you sing harmonies it will often throw off weaker singers in your congregation. It is ok to throw in an ad lib occasionally but don’t let it become a distraction. Learning to ad lib in the various musical forms is an art form, use good taste and discretion and listen to tapes of yourself frequently.

8. Learn a variety of different styles of songs

Variety is the spice of life. A congregation appreciates variety. The tastes of most congregations represent a huge spectrum of music. Pop, rock, rhythm and blues, country, folk, Irish, classical, ballade, Jewish, gospel and alternative are among the many styles that are used in worship services. Putting the right style with the right song can bring the song to life. Learning new styles can be fun and invigorating. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Music is constantly changing and we should grow and change with it. God is not limited to a style. Classical styled worship music is not more spiritual then pop styled worship music. It’s the lyrics and heart of the musicians that define the spiritual depth of a song.

One of the faults of the church in the past has been the slowness to change. Churches generally like to stay with the safe and familiar. It’s been my observation that the most successful churches are the ones that stay relevant to the people and the culture that they minister in. That includes staying current and relevant in music. That doesn’t mean that you have to become trendy. I believe that the message of the Gospel is unchanging but the ways that we communicate it are constantly changing and growing.

I make it a habit to listen to the songs that the youth are listening to. I don’t always initially like the style but I try to see it from a teenager’s perspective. If the lyrics are projecting biblical Christianity then I try and look past my personal tastes in music. If we want to be relevant worship leaders we have to grow with the new music and styles that God is using in the younger generations.

9. Learn to communicate in front of your congregation

Effective communication comes in many forms. The way we speak, act and dress, all communicate volumes to our congregations. Learning to speak in public is hard for many people. Polls indicate that speaking in public is many peoples greatest fear. Worship leaders are not required to speak volumes but the right word at the right time is very effective. Worship leaders most always remember that they aren’t the preacher. Some of the most effective worship leaders speak very little.

One of the most effective ways to speak is to quote the Bible. People will more readily accept direction and change in worship if they are shown it in the Word of God. This should never be done in a hard or condescending manner. Teaching and encouraging God’s people in worship should always be done with love and respect. Proverbs 25:15 says ‘a gentle tongue breaks a bone.’ People will be much more open to direction and change if it is done gently.

Learn to overcome such problems as stuttering or talking too fast. Learn to speak clearly and succinctly. Learn good grammar and don’t get in the habit of using to many clichés. Saying ‘Amen’ and ‘Hallelujah’ every second word usually shows insecurity on the part of the speaker.

Humility in a worship leader is of paramount importance. You can’t fake humility, or at least not for very long. Your body language will speak volumes to the congregation. If they see a worship leader and team who are totally yielded to and passionate about God, they will be more open to that leadership. Leading with a humble spirit but with authority is an important balance in effective leadership. People can usually tell when you’re just ‘going through the motions’ and when your passionate about God.

The style of clothing that you wear is also relevant to the message that you are sending your congregation. There is no one style that is the right style. When I lead at youth retreats, I lead in jeans and t-shirts. Sometimes I lead with a sports jacket, sometimes not. The key is to be relevant to the congregation that you are leading. I’ve lead in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt on the beaches of Waikiki and worn a three-piece suit at major events. Being sensitive to the situation and congregation is the key. Don’t let your clothes be a distraction for your ministry. The topic of your clothes should be the least discussed topic at the Sunday dinner tables of your congregation.

10. Learn to work well with your pastor

A church will only rise to the level of its pastor. If your Pastor is a worshipper, the church will soon follow. Developing a good working relationship and understanding between the worship leader and the pastor is of paramount importance. If they don’t share the same vision, the vision won’t get accomplished. They will always be pulling in different directions.

I have found it to be helpful to meet at least once a week with the Pastor to review the last Sunday’s services and to plan for the next week and weeks to come. It is also good to meet occasionally in informal situations (coffee, breakfast, sports activities, etc.) to continue to develop a good relationship. The Senior Pastor and the worship leader usually are the most visible in public ministry. Their ability to compliment each other can be a powerful asset. If they don’t work together well then the opposite is true.

There are a number of ways that a Pastor can facilitate worship in a church. One of them is by regularly teaching on it. The Bible is full of great passages on worship and if the Pastor is not comfortable teaching on the subject there are a number of good books on the subject from which to gather resource material.

Another important way for a Pastor to facilitate worship is to model it. If the Pastor is a wholehearted worshipper, the congregation will take their cue from him. If the Pastor is not comfortable with being a model for worship then it would be good for him to sit on the front pew rather than on the platform.

Worship leading is a great privilege and challenge. It is great to be able to point people to God through worship. Learn to grow in your singing, playing and leading. Learn to hear God as you lead. Be passionate in your love relationship with God and the people in your worship team and congregation.