Amidst all the scheduling, song selecting, rehearsing, logistics, and actual worship leading in a service—we can’t forget that the skill of leadership is essential for the worship leader. I am referring specifically to leading your worship team. Musicians and creative people can be challenging to lead as our emotions can be a bit like a rollercoaster! Nevertheless, worship leading is a leadership position, so it would behoove us to learn and develop leadership skills!

You’ve seen the YouTube videos of worship events or churches where their worship just seems to flow like a river—people pouring out their hearts before the Lord, expressing their praise, and visibly adoring Jesus. Then you come to your Sunday morning worship service and…well…it’s just not the same. People are walking in 2 songs in, coffee in hand, with a look that says “I’m still waking up.” It can be disappointing and discouraging. But there is a way to bridge the gap. It comes down to one word: culture.

It’s the thing that can be the most awkward or challenging. But it can also be the thing that really lifts the atmosphere and helps people connect during times of worship…What is that thing? It’s what you’re saying while you’re not singing. Worship leading isn’t just singing songs, it’s leadership! In this article, I am going to share 3 keys on how to lead while you’re not singing.

We worship leaders can be all over the place. One day we’re up and another we’re down. Apparently, David and the other Psalmists dealt with that too. But at the same time, God chose David because of what He saw in his heart. Beyond all the highs and lows, David was a man after God’s own heart. If God is looking at the heart, what is He looking for?

Have you ever battled with confidence as a worship leader or musician? Be encouraged; It’s more common than you’d think. Even better news: There’s actually a way to grow in confidence so insecurity doesn’t get the best of you. But it does require time and effort.

Are you starting out in worship leading and wondering where to begin? Or maybe you’ve been leading for some time but are looking for some good foundational teaching. You’ve found the right place.

In this article, I’m going to lay out 5 foundational keys to being an effective worship leader.

For those of you who serve at a church, do you ever feel that what you’re doing is insignificant compared to the worship leaders who are front and center? Or have you wondered how much of an impact you’re actually making running ProPresenter...or running whatever position you’re in? The truth is, no matter where you’re at - you can lead worship and you can make a huge impact for Jesus.

Have you ever been in a time of praise & worship and the leader keeps repeating the same phrase over and over? Maybe you were annoyed...maybe you wondered why...or maybe you were so drawn to the Lord in that moment that repeating the phrase seemed to bring you closer to Him with each repetition!

Have you ever been in a worship service where the passion in the room was epic and the Presence of God electrifying? On the other hand, have you been in a room where it looked and felt like the people were baptized in the spirit of boring? In light of who we’re singing to and the gravity of what He’s done for us, passion should be the norm in our praise.

As a worship leader who loves the breakthrough aspect of God’s nature, I love to lead people beyond their comfort zone into new places. Whenever I travel, I usually take the first few minutes to assess where the room is at, find their “borders”, and then see what I can do to push them over the line! I know what it’s like to be led across my limitations and experience new things in God, so I want to help people get there as well! The Hebrew language has some compelling things to say to us about praise that will launch us into new encounters with God.

It’s obvious there’s been a war over our praise - especially if you live in California. We know our war is ultimately not with flesh and blood, it’s with the enemy of our souls. He knows the power that’s within our praise to God! God has given us a powerful supernatural weapon of praise. Let’s be careful to not invert our praise into complaining and use the sword the wrong way. It’s not a time to be silent, it’s a time to raise your voice - in praise to God!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were able to talk to your past version of yourself? Or even just thought, “If I knew then what I know now…”? I’ve been leading worship for around 17 years now and I am happy with how I’ve turned out so far (I know there’s more!). But just for the sake of clarity and assurance in my earlier days, I’d want to say a few things. I think these things will help anyone in ministry...wherever they are in the journey.