How To Strengthen The Heart, Professionalism & Musicality Of Your Team

Wouldn’t it be great to have a team of the very best musicians?

Not only talented musicians, but ones who continued to learn and develop. Imagine this with me: team members who were constantly researching new gear, investing in their setup, trying new techniques.

Add to that the fact that their attitudes were top notch – they had a heart for the local church. They loved Jesus. They were on time, reliable, not big-headed, willing to do whatever was necessary no matter how glamorous.

Sound like a great scenario? What if I told you this was possible? But what if I told you it wouldn’t come easy and it wouldn’t happen overnight?

I know, it’s not a very sexy answer. Most worship leaders look to the ministries with a lot of notoriety. We wish we had the talent of Bethel. We covet the size of Hillsong. We long for the budget of a megachurch. We want to be handed an ideal situation without putting in the work to build something.

I just finished reading Live, Love, Lead by Brian Houston, founder & pastor of Hillsong Church. One of my main takeaways from the book was Brian and Bobbie’s commitment to building a local church. They weren’t interested in snagging up the next big opportunity. They weren’t looking for an easier road. They were committed to build a thriving local church and were willing to pay the price to get there.

We all know and love Hillsong Worship. But their worship department wasn’t built by head hunting the best talent and getting them all to come to Australia. They simply developed the people in front of them. They created a culture where people became better, which then attracted more people. What Hillsong has been able to accomplish is one church doing it right within their sphere of influence.

You aren’t called to build the next Hillsong Worship. You’re not called to build the next Hillsong Church. But there are some lessons you can apply. You are in a specific place. And rather than looking outside of where you are or longing to be somewhere with better equipment, better people, and bigger budgets, work as hard as you can to make your church awesome.

All it takes is for someone to take responsibility. And that person is you.

3 Ways to Push Your Musicians to the Next Level

For the scope of this article, let’s talk about how you can push your musicians to a higher level. Because we all know a thriving ministry can’t be built on the talent of one. It has to be built on the sacrificial giving of an army.

And if you are a leader, you need to set that army into motion. So let’s lay aside our worship rockstar dreams for a moment and talk about how we can build something bigger than ourselves. Sound good? Here we go:

1. Determine WHO You Are – As a local church, you need to know who you are. As a ministry, you have to know who you are. Otherwise, everyone will force their own agenda on the ministry. And all that produces is conflict. So here are a few practical questions you can ask to determine who you are:

• What do we expect of our musicians?
• What do we expect of our vocalists?
• What do we want our musicians to look like on stage?
• What do we want our vocalists to look like on stage?
• How prepared should our musicians be for rehearsal?
• What time to people need to arrive?
• What is our vision for balancing preparation & spontaneity in worship?
• What kind of guitar tone are we after with our lead and bass guitarists?
• What style of playing are we looking for in our drummers?
• What kind of vocal tone do we want to foster in our singers?

The questions could continue. This is merely a starting point to get you thinking. But it’s not enough to know who you are. It comes down to casting the vision and enforcing it.

2. Have Constant Conversations – I understand the value of missions statements and values, but they are also annoying. I’d rather forget missions statements over having personal conversations with people on what they need to do to become better.

I’ve written more forgotten missions statements that I care to admit. It all comes down to the one-on-one conversations.

Here’s how that sort of conversation can go:

“Brian (or whoever is on your team)…I want you to know something. We are so excited that you’re a part of our team. You’re not simply a volunteer filling a weekly slot. We are committed to seeing you become the best you can be, fulfilling your destiny for the kingdom of God. With that being said, here are some things you can work on…”

See how that went? It wasn’t an angry, rude complaint on someone’s performance. It was an investment into their life. And that’s why we are doing what we’re doing.

What I’ve noticed about these conversations is your best volunteers crave them. They want to know how they can improve.

3. Develop Culture – Once you know who you are and are having conversations, the culture will take care of itself. You just need to keep casting vision for the attitude you want to see. The worst atmosphere you can foster is one of entitlement.

• “I’ve been here the longest…”
• “I’m the best singer…”
• “Why don’t I ever get to sing a solo…”

Ugh. But there is a tension point here. While you don’t want people to feel entitled, you want to reward hard work, good attitude, and heart. You have to determine the hard work that gets rewarded. Build the culture that develops the kind of team member you’re looking for.

Ministry is about people. And it’s these simple habits done consistently over weeks, months, and years that creates a movement. Stop chasing the latest fad. Develop the people in front of you.

Let’s talk about your team culture. How do you cast vision, make change, and create the culture you want? What do you value in your team. You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Also, we’ve just released a brand new online course for keys players called Learn Worship Keys. To download a few FREE videos, add your email below!

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