Before You Play: How Do You Build A Worship TEAM?

When asked what to write about, you said: “How to build a relationship with the worship team.”Great topic!

A sense of team is invaluable for the worship department. There is a huge difference between merely being in the worship band and belonging to the worship team. For example, as I assist various churches with their worship music, I have the opportunity to be in many worship bands. But I don’t really belong to the team. I’m not there week after week; I merely sub-in once or on a hit-and-miss basis.

For me, the difference is immediately obvious. When I sub, I don’t really know the other members of the band. I may not even know their name, so our relationship has to start offfrom the ground level. It’s hard to feel much like a cohesive team when you have just met the rest of the team for the first time.

When you are a member of a team that worships together week-in and week-out, you have the chance to get to know each other and develop relationships. Deeper relationships build unity and trust. Eventually, the team feels more like family, and family is so much more than just a band.

So, how can you help your worship team grow in knowledge, trust, unity and community? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take time for people stuff. In other words, don’t make everything about themusic. Don’t just show up right before rehearsal, pass out the music and begin the sound-check. Take time to sit down (yes, sit down) together and talk a little bit before rehearsal. Share pleasantries, chit-chat, a laugh, some tears or whatever. Take the time to get to know each other as people, not just musicians.
2. Pray. Prayer is vitally important because leading worship is first and foremost a spiritual activity. I like to say that it’s 90% spiritual and 10% musical. It must be a priority. Take the time to pray as a team, to center yourselves spiritually andmentally. When I was a worship pastor, we had a rule: no pray, no play. If a member of the worship time showed up late for practice and missed the prayer time, they sat out. It wasn’t a punishment; it was a standard. Sure, sometimes people were late for reasons genuinely beyond their control, but most of the time, however, people were late because of a attitude (a blasé attitude does not belong on a team, period). Either way, they sat out.
3. Share the experience. A leader who never loosens their grip on the reins is a weak leader. Encourage the sharing of feedback, thoughts and ideas. Some of the best feedback you will ever get will come from the most unexpected sources. Don’t be afraid to ask people what they think. And when you ask, wait for an answer. Don’t just move on, wait… and listen. And don’t ever think you know it all, because you don’t.
4. OST. Spend time as a team off the stage. Get to know each other. Have a barbecue. Go sledding. Take your whole team to a WorshipMinistry.com retreat! Nothing will build a sense of team more than spending OST (Off-Stage Time). There’s just something about sitting around in your jammy-pants and slippers, drinking coffee and just plain being together.
5. Worship together. Take time to worship together with little or no instruments, maybe just a guitar or piano. Again, sit down in a comfy place away from the stage. No sheet music, lead sheets, chord charts, cords, cables, tuners, amps, sticks, cymbals or tambourines… just believers worshiping (not performing) together.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day,attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. —Acts 2:42-47 English Standard Version