Category Archives: Worship

5 Questions to Ask About Special Music

Posted by Mick on

“Hey, Mick!  I have a special song I would like to share with everyone.”

How many of us have heard some form of this statement before?  It seems like every congregation has someone who thinks their music ability must be showcased for everyone to see.

I’ve gone back and forth on the effectiveness of using ‘special music.’ (I hate that term, as well)  Either way, wherever you stand on the spectrum, here are some simple questions that should be asked when considering using songs in this way.

  1. Does it fit with the main idea of the service? - We spend many hours preparing, thinking, and praying about what goes into a service.  Flow can be difficult to manage sometimes, but one thing has remained a constant for us; we make a strong effort to keep everything in line with the main idea.  Special music should not be any different from picking out a video or choosing which songs to sing.
  2. Are they part of the ministry? - God doesn’t want one-night-stands.  He wants people who are committed to Him.  The same goes with ministry.  We don’t want people to just pop and do a ‘look at me’ performance.  They need to be part of the ministry.  I would rather have decent musicians who are committed than professional musicians who have no commitment.
  3. Can the band play the music? - Live music is always better, so matter how it compares to a recording.  The days of tracks have seen their glory days, but there is almost no need of them anymore in many churches.  Have your band spend time learning the music together and share it with the congregation as a team.
  4. What is the heart of the musician? - This gets back to the ‘look at me’ mentality that some people have.  People should never be offering music in a church setting to bring glory to themselves.
  5. Are you doing special music for the sake of doing special music? - We should never be doing something in a service just for the sake of doing it.  In fact, nothing in the service should be done just because.

What are your thoughts on special music in a worship service?  Let me know in the comments.

How Many Songs Should You Sing?

Posted by Mick on

This is a question that many have asked, many should be asking, and one that we should continually be asking.

Before you can really get to the answer, realize that our job as worship leaders is to lead others in worship.  This is often a great sacrifice we make when taking on this role because it’s no longer about our experience with God, but creating an environment for others to worship.  We are now responsible for leading others into the presence of God, not just ourselves.

This means we cannot be selfish.  If it were up to me, we would all be sitting in a dark room filled with candles, incense, and heartfelt music from a djembe and acoustic guitar.  Communion would be taken with red wine and Hawaiian bread, and we would all have journals to write prayers and draw pictures in response to our worship.  I cannot expect too many others to appreciate this.  And for that reason, we have to constantly be listening and watching the people we lead.

Here’s the answer to our question:

Each context is different. There is no magic number.  What works for one congregation will not work with another.  What works on Wednesday may not work on Sunday.  You have to be discerning.

When people stop worshiping you are performing.

Performing is not a bad thing.  In fact, I have had some worshipful experiences while watching others perform.  But our job as a worship leader is to bring others into the presence of God, not into the presence of our musical awesomeness.

What works for your congregation?  What doesn’t work for your congregation?  Comment and let me know.

Creative Day 18 &19

Posted by Mick on

I am going to stretch a little here on creativity. Part of what I do for a profession is lead the church in worship, mainly through music.  I am going to count these last two days as being creative because I was playing music and leading a band.

This weekend went pretty well as far as all the logistics go, but I just wanted to share the set list we had.

  • Freedom is Here
  • Your Love Never Fails
  • I Will Rise
  • Nothing Without You
  • Joy Will Come
  • Be the Change

People really sang out this weekend. The best part of my position is when you can hear so many voices singing together to the Creator. It gives me goosebumps every time.