I think we could all agree – worship isn’t about songs.
Songs are important, but there’s more to a worship service than simply singing through them one after the other, right?
But how do we get to a place in our leadership where we move beyond the song to the main event of gazing upon the glory of the Lord?
We don’t just want good songs.
We don’t just want smooth transitions.
We don’t just want great music or a great show.
We can get that somewhere else.
What we need is the real presence of God and an atmosphere where we can get lost in it.
That’s what today’s post is all about. I want to challenge and encourage worship leaders to go to the next level. To learn how to lead in a spontaneous moment. To learn how to lift their voice and sing, shout, and declare God’s Word.
3 Tips For Leading Worship Beyond Singing
This isn’t about introvert or extrovert. This is a matter of what’s in your heart and overcoming your fear of stepping out. So how do you get better at this? Here are a few tips:
1. Engage With Scripture – The more of God’s Word you have in your heart the better worship leader you will be. But don’t just study God’s Word to become a better leader. Study it because it’s your spiritual breath. Without it you will die. And don’t just read it. Learn to sing it, declare it, and preach it. Engage with it.
Find a quiet place and don’t allow yourself to sit down or be quiet. Pace, read Scripture out loud. When something sticks out to you, praise God through it. Preach it. Declare it. Make a list of Scriptures you hope to recall to mind in a worship service and memorize them. These kinds of activities will help prepare you for spontaneous moments when God wants to use you in emphasizing His word.
Believe it or not – learning some preaching skills may be what you need to become a better worship leader.
2. Lead Worship Alone – I know I’ve said in the past to never lead worship alone, but to make disciples. That’s not what I’m referring to here. What I’m talking about is practicing your worship leading apart from songs. Block out a half hour timeslot and lead yourself in worship without a pre-written song.
Play your instrument, sing spontaneously, make up melodies, and pursue God with all your heart. This is more important than being skilled at singing through worship songs. Learn to let your heart go. Fall in love with Jesus again. Learn the art of getting lost.
3. Engage Off the Stage – When was the last time you prayed for someone? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you had conversation with someone who was different than you? The best worship leaders are connected to who they lead – they are there to love them, serve them, and live in community with them. Don’t allow yourself to become the disconnected artist who just plays music for people. Place yourself in their shoes. You will lead with more sensitivity because you know your people.
I’d love your thoughts on this.
How would you continue this list?
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I really like your Number 3.
After leading worship with my band for a church a couple months back…I must have talked to this guy for about 1 hour while my band waited for me outside to leave…
It was really great talking to people about the Gospel who is “Outside” your church bubble…and being someone who grew up in the same church…never visiting other churches per say…and still go to my church now…it was amazing to see others passionate about Jesus too…
That’s awesome, Arny. Nice to see you living this out!
I really love point number 3 as well. I make a point to engage with as many people at church as possible before and after the church. I want to be seen as accessible and relatable to our congregation. The last thing I want to be is the distant figure that people can’t relate to. Great stuff!
Rock on bro! That’s awesome.
Thanks David. Today I am challenged to put myself in another person’s shoes to be more sensitive. It is easy to get lost in worship individually and leave the congregation groping if you don’t develop the art of sensing the people you’re leading. Help me Lord
Gloria, worship leading is the art of getting “lost” in God without leaving your congregation in the dark. They need you to lead and you can do it!
More great advice. I’ve been doing just as you’ve described. Even when I practice these songs, I extend the song into free praise and try to pull out the message of the song, either using scriptural references, or lines of the verse that say something unique, or just what’s on my heart. I am keeping a document that maps songs, themes of songs and free-praise phrases to keep that free-praise portion from getting repetitive with just saying “thank you, Lord” over and over again.
BTW – I have been reposting your blogs to two facebook groups (NH Catholic Music Ministers and MA Catholic Music Ministers) because I think it’s where we all need to take our worship…
I love this idea of mapping out songs….themes, free-praise phrases, etc… I do keep track of all the songs we play so as not to repeat too often, but I never really thought about categorizing according to themes, and I never really thought to write down some phrases to say either. This would be so helpful in my case! Thank you!
Wow, Dave, thanks so much for sharing the blogs! My heart is happy to see it spread into some Catholic communities. I am grateful. Would love to see an example of the document you described. Or maybe just another comment of some of the things you keep on there. Great idea!
This was perfect for me today. Thanks for being such a minister to my heart. I was wondering, when you invite people from outside the church to attend, how do you engage with them during the service? That’s my issue…I’m loathe to invite people who will have to sit there alone or with people (no matter how kind) who they just met. I try to come down and sit with them during the sermon, but as that is only about 1/10th of the service, it feels like I invited them just to ultimately ignore them. How do you handle this? Peace be with you today.
Jessica, as a worship leader, I always try and keep in mind the new person who is there. I address them and try and make them feel comfortable. If it’s someone I invite, I just try and sit with them as soon as I can after worship. Also introducing them to some other people they can sit with is nice as well.
Wow, thank you for these words. They highly encourage me.
“worship leading is the art of getting “lost” in God without leaving your congregation in the dark”
I am not a worship leader but I have been playing in our band this past year. When I was part of the congregation, I could close my eyes and enter into worship. Easy.
I had to overcome my fear of “performing”. I love playing in the band. “Luckily” most of us get to play every week. Without judging the band or the leader, how do I get from playing songs to worship? I’ve just stumbled across “David Santistevan” today and have learned so much already from reading lots of blogs and comments. I read music and playing by ear does not come naturally. I found myself glued to the song sheet in the past and then I dont connect with the people or God!
Thank you all for your input in my “understanding worship” from a band member’s perspective.
I have led worship for the past two years with simply a band and the congregation. I have recently been asked to lead worship comprised of a band, praise team and choir without a choir director and I feel so lost. For one I am not a permanent fixture, we have a well established worship leader who I’ve been asked to alternate with and it’s hard standing on a foundation that has already been laid. However, you told me just now, to lead myself first, then I will be able to lead others. I know exactly what you mean, I simply have to get back there. Please pray for me. When people yell it’s hard to follow her, that discourages me. Thanks for listening!