Thanks you brother for addressing this issue. Managing a worship team is very challenging yet exciting. You will always have some members who are very enthusiastic and will show up for every rehearsal session. On the other hand, they might have genuine reasons to skip a rehearsal. So, we have two rehearsal sessions; the first is either on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon, and the second is on Sunday, 90 minutes before the service begins. If you don’t attend at least one of the rehearsals, you will not be on the stage with us on Sunday. Therefore, we tried to make it flexible and accommodating, and it’s working well for us.
Well said! There's a "flow" that happens as we gather for rehearsals that translates to the actual worship time on Sunday. The unity of that spirit must be preserved.
Ok I need help with a question I have been playing bass for a church. For about 8 yrs and rehearsal has been one of the biggest issues. And it has gotten out of hand. I try to be diligent when it comes to practice and rehearsal. But members of my praise team don't have the same passion. I feel like playing a instrument or singing is privilege. We give honor to God when we do. But for the past several years its worse. But Sunday morning they use that time for rehearsal. The worship leader will put in chat please be there at 10am. Some will come at 1030am or later. But of course things will go wrong. This has really dampered my spirit and motivation to playing now. But I need so advice I love my church family. But I'm between a rock and a hard place. Need some advice. Thanks
Yep. Purely because we don’t have a rehearsal. We have a run through on Sunday morning an hour and half before where we have a devotional and prayer before we do a run through. And the people I schedule show up early Sunday. I think that this day and age with shifts etc, people can’t always make it. So my standard is the Sunday morning run through.
okay, so, I am probably in the minority here, however, let me say it this way. 99.9% of the time, I agree with this approach. there are times however, when things simply put just can't be avoided. let me give you an example. let's say that one of the team members has a small child. let's also assume that this team member has been on your team for over a year, and out of those 52 weeks in the year, they have yet to miss even one single rehearsal, and out of the times they have shown perfectly for the last year, not even one time have they been late. in fact, they are probably one of the most reliable team members you have. one week however, they call you earlier during school hours, and tell you they just had to pick their child up from school as their child got into an accident, and now they are going to be at the emergency room for the rest of the evening. therefore, they can't make rehearsal. you know as the leader from experience, you have performed the songs you're doing before, and you know that they are very confident with the material. are you going to deny them to play on Sunday when this is the first time ever since they joined the team that they have missed, not to mention, this was totally 100% out of their control? it's not like they just couldn't show up for no apparent reason. this was an actual emergency that came up at the last minute. of course I would say no if this was not their first time around, but it's the first time in a year. my thought is, outlined in my conduct rules, I will let it slide two times within a year. if you go past that, the answer is no, non debatable, regardless the situation. if it's the first time ever however, I think we then need to take off the worship leaders hat for just a moment, and maybe put ourselves in that person's shoes. if it was simply my first time not showing and I was told no, quite frankly, I would be quite offended. especially if me not showing was due to something I absolutely under no conditions had any control over.
I have- only because knowing how small my church was at the time and knowing how I knew being on the worship team was more than music but I knew that everyone most likely thought worship was just music and nothing else. We don’t know the hearts of men and women… so I can’t tell someone they can’t be up there because I feel like they’re not spiritually there- it’s dangerous cuz we can seriously hurt the body of Christ. I believe God puts us in a certain area for a particular season. So know the people who want to come so we can serve them and go or their calling in the season their in. Sometimes the worship leader is there to lead behind the scenes and that means stewarding certain conflicts and peoples heart with wisdom.. but that’s just my 2 cents. I’m not saying you’re wrong and I’m right. Blessings!
How about change the rehearsal day to day of church? It makes no sense why there is a separate day for rehearsal. People have lives outside of church. Why would the pastor not change the rehearsal day????
I thought about how sometimes things happen beyond our control...or the songs are well known...you can give and take...but not letting them sings is sad...heartbroken
Thanks you brother for addressing this issue.
Managing a worship team is very challenging yet exciting. You will always have some members who are very enthusiastic and will show up for every rehearsal session. On the other hand, they might have genuine reasons to skip a rehearsal. So, we have two rehearsal sessions; the first is either on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon, and the second is on Sunday, 90 minutes before the service begins. If you don’t attend at least one of the rehearsals, you will not be on the stage with us on Sunday.
Therefore, we tried to make it flexible and accommodating, and it’s working well for us.
Well said!
There's a "flow" that happens as we gather for rehearsals that translates to the actual worship time on Sunday.
The unity of that spirit must be preserved.
Ok I need help with a question I have been playing bass for a church. For about 8 yrs and rehearsal has been one of the biggest issues. And it has gotten out of hand. I try to be diligent when it comes to practice and rehearsal. But members of my praise team don't have the same passion. I feel like playing a instrument or singing is privilege. We give honor to God when we do. But for the past several years its worse. But Sunday morning they use that time for rehearsal. The worship leader will put in chat please be there at 10am. Some will come at 1030am or later. But of course things will go wrong. This has really dampered my spirit and motivation to playing now. But I need so advice I love my church family. But I'm between a rock and a hard place. Need some advice. Thanks
Yep. Purely because we don’t have a rehearsal. We have a run through on Sunday morning an hour and half before where we have a devotional and prayer before we do a run through. And the people I schedule show up early Sunday. I think that this day and age with shifts etc, people can’t always make it. So my standard is the Sunday morning run through.
A much needed video for a sensitive topic. I fully agree with your take. There must be set expectations.
okay, so, I am probably in the minority here, however, let me say it this way. 99.9% of the time, I agree with this approach. there are times however, when things simply put just can't be avoided. let me give you an example. let's say that one of the team members has a small child. let's also assume that this team member has been on your team for over a year, and out of those 52 weeks in the year, they have yet to miss even one single rehearsal, and out of the times they have shown perfectly for the last year, not even one time have they been late. in fact, they are probably one of the most reliable team members you have. one week however, they call you earlier during school hours, and tell you they just had to pick their child up from school as their child got into an accident, and now they are going to be at the emergency room for the rest of the evening. therefore, they can't make rehearsal. you know as the leader from experience, you have performed the songs you're doing before, and you know that they are very confident with the material. are you going to deny them to play on Sunday when this is the first time ever since they joined the team that they have missed, not to mention, this was totally 100% out of their control? it's not like they just couldn't show up for no apparent reason. this was an actual emergency that came up at the last minute. of course I would say no if this was not their first time around, but it's the first time in a year. my thought is, outlined in my conduct rules, I will let it slide two times within a year. if you go past that, the answer is no, non debatable, regardless the situation. if it's the first time ever however, I think we then need to take off the worship leaders hat for just a moment, and maybe put ourselves in that person's shoes. if it was simply my first time not showing and I was told no, quite frankly, I would be quite offended. especially if me not showing was due to something I absolutely under no conditions had any control over.
I have- only because knowing how small my church was at the time and knowing how I knew being on the worship team was more than music but I knew that everyone most likely thought worship was just music and nothing else. We don’t know the hearts of men and women… so I can’t tell someone they can’t be up there because I feel like they’re not spiritually there- it’s dangerous cuz we can seriously hurt the body of Christ. I believe God puts us in a certain area for a particular season. So know the people who want to come so we can serve them and go or their calling in the season their in. Sometimes the worship leader is there to lead behind the scenes and that means stewarding certain conflicts and peoples heart with wisdom.. but that’s just my 2 cents. I’m not saying you’re wrong and I’m right. Blessings!
Good stuff!
How about change the rehearsal day to day of church? It makes no sense why there is a separate day for rehearsal. People have lives outside of church. Why would the pastor not change the rehearsal day????
Good stuff....indeed....
I thought about how sometimes things happen beyond our control...or the songs are well known...you can give and take...but not letting them sings is sad...heartbroken
No, we didnt allow them to sing/play on sunday when we were leaders
1. Worship isn't "playing".