FOREVER NOW A CROWN
Call to Worship: 10th Presbyterian Church Call to Worship
CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY
LAMB OF GOD
Let’s confess what we celebrate as followers of Jesus. I will read the parts marked ‘Leader,’ together we’ll read the parts marked ‘All’:
LEADER: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
ALL: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
LEADER: Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ALL: He has given us new life and hope. He has raised Jesus from the dead.
LEADER: God has claimed us as his own.
ALL: He has brought us out of darkness. He has made us light to the world.
LEADER: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
ALL: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!—based on 1 Peter 1:3-5, the Worship Sourcebook
Sermon: Hebrews 2:14-18
If God in Christ had never stepped down from heaven, laying aside his glory, taken on his flesh and blood, lived the perfect life, died the death we deserve, become our sin, if none of those things had ever happened, God would still be worthy of our worship, adoration, and obedience. How much more, as followers of Jesus should we respond with worship, adoration, and obedience in light of the propitiation of Christ? We’re going to respond now as we sing about how Jesus is, what He has done, and who He has called us to be. Would you stand if you’re able…
THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE BLOOD
NO BODY
Benediction
Worship Team
Liturgy: Start Here
The longer I lead worship the more heavily I lean into liturgical rhythms and practices. I have seen in my own life how deeply formative these practices slowly, consistently, and over time transform my affection and attention. But if you say ‘liturgy’ or ‘liturgical’ in some contexts, they immediately think Catholic. But liturgy has nothing to do with style, nothing to do with denominations. The word liturgy is Latin for ‘the work of the people.’ Every gathering is formative whether it is shaped by smells and bells, or loops and lasers.
When I served on staff at a church in the UK, apart from the Church of England and the Catholic Church there really was no context for liturgical rhythms and practices. So when I started bringing up the idea of corporate confessions, responsive readings, and scripted prayers, I had to spend time helping our people grasp the purpose and intention behind incorporating elements that were immediately associated with churches to which they intentionally did not belong.
But discipleship is the long game, so just because you serve in a context where there may be misunderstanding or immediate resistance to incorporating new rhythms does not mean you should not try. If you are looking to create liturgical rhythms within the community you serve, I think the church calendar is a great place to start. Engaging the seasons of Lent and Advent. So if you’d like to dip your toe in the water of more intentional liturgy, here are a few things I’ve written that can get you started:
Serving
I get weird about the words we use in church. It’s not a stage, it’s a platform. We’re followers of Jesus rather than Christians. We’re not gigging, playing, singing, or even volunteering - we’re serving. For me, serving carries the idea that we are here for Someone and something outside of ourselves. We have responsibilities apart from our own goals and agenda. And our serving should be in response to the God who “…came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).”
How might we model service in our serving? Perhaps it looks like:
Serving the congregation you have, not the congregation you wish you had. Serving with the musicians you have, not the musicians you wish you had. Serving with the equipment you have, not the equipment you wish you had.
Sometimes that might mean choosing a key that wouldn’t be your first choice.
Sometimes that might look like introducing a song that will speak to your people but may not have been at the top of your list.
At one year's LIFT Conference, I heard Christy Nockels talk about how she envisions leading worship as table waiting - choosing the linens, cutlery, and the meal's pacing.
When we come to the house and table of the Lord, it is always God himself who is the feat. And waiting on this table means we are not focused on our own consumption or the feeding of a few, but at the insistence of the Master of the feast, we call people to taste and see that the Lord is good (Luke 14:23, Psalm 34:8).
2023 In Review
I love speaking with people about corporate worship. I love speaking with people working through a theology of worship, the practical realities of serving on a team, or with volunteers. I think that is why I write about worship - I love that we as followers of Jesus, and worshipers get to think through how we encourage and equip the saints to worship with beauty and truth. As 2023 draws to an end, I wanted to collect all of my Friday posts in one place. I hope these words have been helpful to you:
January 6: Worship With Your Heart
January 13: Worship With Your Soul
January 20: Worship With Your Strength
January 27: Worship With Your Mind
February 3: Musical Growth
February 10: Practical Growth
February 17: Leadership Growth
February 24: Spirit and Truth
March 3: Worship Leaders and Presence
March 10: Kenyan Reflections
March 17: Soundchecks
March 24: Head and Heart
March 31: Judging The Service
April 7: Good Friday
April 14: Every Resurrection Sunday
April 21: Lead Toward Need
April 28: Experience or Formation
May 26: Lead Like Yourself
June 2: Quotes [Part 3]
June 9: Budgeting Before Need
June 16: Leading In Different Cultures
June 23: Affirmations
June 30: Recommended Reading [Part 5]
July 7: Keeping Things Fresh
July 14: Engaging the Holidays
July 21: Don’t Jump Off A Bridge
July 28: Thoughts On Writing
August 4: Using In-Ear Monitors
August 11: Using Tracks
August 18: Trust In Worship
August 25: Scheduling A Team
September 1: Quotes [Part 4]
September 8: The Most Important Part of the Gathering
September 15: Choosing A Key
September 22: Questions To Consider
September 29: Connecting The Gathering
October 6: Teaching Concepts
October 13: Postures In Worship
October 20: Sound Standards
October 27: 21 Years Of Leading
November 3: The First Work
November 10: Advent Preparation
November 17: Reinventing The Wheel
November 24: Hidden Visibility
December 8: Participation vs Observation
December 15: Liturgical Resources
December 22: Recommended Reading [Part 6]
29 October: Liturgy + Set List
BEFORE THE THRONE
Call to Worship: Psalm 27:7-13
When we gather, we behold the goodness of God in the land of the living. We see in part now what one day we will see in full, we behold the glory of the Father in the face of the Son. We see His goodness. Let’s sing to Him:
THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD
ABIDE
Sermon: Mark 11:27-12:12
If you are here as a follower of Jesus, Scripture tells us ‘Your life his hidden with Christ in God.’ And one of the things that means is that when God looks at you - he sees Christ’s perfect obedience, Christ’s perfect righteousness, the song of delight the Father sings over the Son He sings over you, the eternal inheritance which rightfully belongs to Christ, Christ shares with you and me. I hope that makes us humble, grateful, and worshipful. Would you stand if you’re able, let’s sing together:
THERE IS A REDEEMER
LAMB OF GOD
Benediction
1 October: Liturgy + Set List
REJOICE
Call to Worship: Psalm 16:7-11
If you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, the fullness of joy and eternal pleasures are not just a future promise but a present reality in and through Christ. And so we are here to once again set the Lord ever before our eyes. We’re going to introduce a new song this morning that gives us a clearer picture of who Jesus is and what He has done…
NO BODY
HYMN OF HEAVEN
Sermon: Mark 10:17-31
We started our morning with a call from the last verse of Psalm 16, I want you to hear the first verse of Psalm 16 as well:
Psalm 16:1-6
If you are here as a follower of Christ, whether your life feels abundant or constricted - the boundary lines have fallen for your in pleasant places, and you have a beautiful inheritance - not an inheritance of earthly riches, but the inheritance of Jesus. Jesus is your inheritance. Let’s sing to him and about him…
GOODNESS OF GOD
BE THOU MY VISION
Benediction
Scheduling a Team
If you are leading in a context where you have enough musicians to serve on a rotation, then considering how to schedule a team will become an increasingly more regular part of your weekly responsibilities gearing up for a weekend.
Of course, you need to think through the practicalities of how you communicate with a team. What kinds of rhythms and expectations to set with the team, you will also need to think through some of the intangibles.
Intangibles like:
What voices sound the best together?
What team members can complement one another’s style of playing?
How can I balance stronger musicians with less experienced musicians?
What are the rhythms for serving that work best in the lives of our team?
How will these songs work with the specific team that will be tasked with leading the setlist in a weekend?
As my team has grown, my month has a similar outline:
Two weeks before a new month, I send my whole team an email letting them know to enter any blockout dates for weekends they will not be available to serve.
I start listing out songs that I think will work with the sermon text, determine any new songs, and begin to get a 30,000-foot view of the services a month at a time. This helps me keep an eye out for things like Baptism, Communion, or special announcements that need to be included in our gathering and will shift the time, or amount of songs in a service.
The week before a month begins I schedule my team via Planning Center. As people confirm or decline, I know there will be specific spots to fill, and as this happens I have a better sense of how to tailor the set list to fit the team.
Every Tuesday I email the team who is serving to confirm for them the set list and song keys.
This pattern has taken time to develop, and in every place I have served as found a unique rhythm. Consistency is key in your scheduling and communication. But because people are not widgets, you have to invest time into being a student of your team, to serve them well in your scheduling.
If you’re looking for other resources for your team, you may find these posts helpful as well:
How to build a team without musicians.
13 August: Liturgy + Set List
BEFORE THE THRONE
Call to Worship: Psalm 96
This is why we gather - not to respond to songs or sermons, but to respond to the God who has revealed Himself. Revealed Himself in His Word, in His creation, and through His Son, Jesus. We are here to respond to the wonderful works and majesty of God - let’s sing together:
THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD
HOLY FOREVER
Sermon: Titus 1:5-9
Elder Ordination
CHRIST BE MAGNIFIED
Benediction
Head and Heart
When it comes to life, I tend to lean heart. When it comes to song choice, I tend to lean head. Something I learned from worship leader, Charlie Hall, is that our congregations will always be best served when we can balance head and heart in our worship songs.
Our congregation must have their minds informed, and filled with the truths of Scripture, and the weight of God’s character, but if all we do is give them knowledge, we so easily become brains on sticks. If all we do is sing rich theology, every corporate gathering will feel more like an intellectual exercise, heavy and dense, rather than an opportunity to respond to God’s revelation of Himself through those truths. Likewise, our congregations must have their affections stirred for the person and work of Christ. We must give people the opportunity, space, and language to express the full scope of their lives and response to God. Simple songs of devotion, honest prayers of confession, joyful celebration, and raw lament have to find their place within the life of our congregations.
Ideally, these two things would live to together - songs that are deep and true, while yet simple and emotive. Maybe you have a few of those songs in your rotation now. What I have often seen is that songs - like me - tend to lean one way or the other. So as you are building your master song list, taking an inventory of your songs, and building set lists that reflect the Gospel story, one of the rhythms you can incorporate is building set lists where songs that lean head, are next to songs that lean heart. And songs that lean heart, are next to songs that lean head.
8 January: Liturgy + Set List
ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK
Call to Worship: Psalm 119:17-20
My hope and prayer for this morning and the year ahead is that we will be people who have souls that are consumed with the things of the Lord, not just the things of the world. Let’s sing to that end:
CHRIST BE MAGNIFIED
THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD
Sermon: Mark 1:1-14
Brothers and sisters, hear the good news - Christ has come and will come again. Let’s join in the ancient praise of all God’s people proclaiming that good news.
RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)
GOD SO LOVED
Benediction: Hebrews 4:14-16
Finding Your Weekly Rhythms
As worship leaders every week we must prepare the music, our hearts, and our teams to serve God’s people in corporate worship. Although these are things that I believe every worship leader should be prepared for each week regardless of their context, there are certain unique things that need to be addressed and prepare depending on the size of your team and church, where you serve, and whether you are full-time, part-time, a volunteer, or are responsible for other areas of ministry as well.
Ministry, like life, moves in seasons. There are times when you will be required to run hard for a season. But ministry, like life, is a marathon, not a sprint. So finding a healthy weekly rhythm that can be tweaked in a busy season, is better than no rhythm which has to constantly adapt in every season.
When it comes to finding a weekly rhythm, perhaps the first question we need to ask is, how much time do you need to budget to accomplish everything for which we are responsible in a weekly service?
Here are a few other questions to consider when establishing a weekly rhythm:
What are the things that only you can do?
What are the things you need to train someone else to do?
What things do you need to add to your weekly rhythm?
What things do you need to let go of for a season, or forever?
Life is chaotic, ministry is hectic. Finding a rhythm to your week will allow you to respond rather than react to every new challenge. Over the course of time, I believe that rhythms help us know how and what to prioritize, as well as find a life that is sustainable, strengthened, and balanced.
The Tension of Gift and Heart
At many churches, finding volunteers can be difficult. But there is a unique challenge for worship and production teams:
Sometimes the most gifted musicians, are not the godliest.
Sometimes the most spiritually mature, are not the most gifted musicians.
How do we navigate this dynamic?
People are not widgets. Every person is in a different season and stage of life. We do not grow at the same rate musically or spiritually. God has gifted every person in different ways, and this is why we must use wisdom and discernment with each person as an individual. For the sake of efficiency, we can be tempted to compose dualistic categories that allow us to ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ someone who desires to serve. Don’t allow the ease of expediency to compromise the character and competency you are seeking to establish on the team.
Have consistent rhythms for auditions. What is the process someone needs to walk through to serve on the team? Each context is different, but I have found that easy and obvious on-ramps to joining the team are important. But so is an initial process that requires some time, and ownership from the person who is expressing interest in serving. If I have to chase someone to complete a brief interest survey, chances are high I will be chasing them for involvement on the team as well.
Don’t missionary date. Disciple without agenda. When you know there is an incredibly gifted musician who is a part of your church but not involved, you can be tempted to pursue that person, not for relationship, but for what you can get from them. This is selfish and sees people as tools and objects to be used at your disposal.
Recognize that this tension of gift and heart is true for everyone. “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you, there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4) This is good news for every person! There is hope in Christ. Discipleship is the long game. Just because someone is not ready to step onto the team and serve right now, does not mean in a few months or years that will be the case. Be patient and faithful. Serve the Lord with the people he has entrusted to this area of ministry in this particular season - not those you hope he will bring.
We desperately need the Holy Spirit to reveal our own motivations and desires, and to fill us with wisdom as we seek to lead God’s people. We need to see with God’s eyes, not the eyes of man. We need to be able to see the heart, not just the outward gifts - or lack thereof. Thankfully, God gives wisdom generously to those who ask (James 1:5), so ask!