There are many things that are worth our time and preparation as worship leaders. The tasks are infinite, our time is not. When I consider my weekly preparation, I like to think of three categories: the music, the team, and the heart.
The music. Worship is more than a song, songs are an integral part of the work we do as worship leaders. The music needs to be prepared and practiced before we are able to lead our team or the congregation. I want to make sure that I have built my set list, communicated to my team, and set up our sound system, and ProPresenter as a regular part of my weekly preparation.
The team. Whether your team is a few people or many people, we must consider how to best serve the team in our preparation. Preparing the team also looks like knowing the team, and praying for them as we move toward service together.
The heart. We can prepare all of the external and obvious elements but if we have neglected to prepare our hearts, we do God’s people and ourselves a disservice. Has my time before the face of God been deeper, richer, and longer-lasting than my time on a platform or behind a microphone? What are you praying in anticipation for the gathering?
Several years ago I started using a checklist every time I led worship so that I empty my brain, and be consistent in my preparation. You can download that checklist for free here.