Instead of modeling personal worship on stage, focus on leading community worship. Worship is not a time to show off your own talents or worry about making yourself look good. You may not mean to glorify yourself, but pride often finds its way in undetected, so keep a watchful eye out for it.
A few things worth considering as you pray may include: Understanding of the lyrics you sing and the ability to convey that understanding Love for the people you lead Wisdom in selecting the songs and verses used for worship The ability to act on the truths you sing and speak The humility to lead in a way that glorifies God instead of yourself or the congregation The ability to guide the congregation to an improved relationship with God
You’ll also need to pick out short scriptural verses that go along with the songs and the overall lesson, as well.
People generally don’t sing songs that are unfamiliar to them. Stick primarily with songs you know the congregation will know. When you introduce a new song, plan on including it in multiple worship services so that people will have more opportunity to get used to it. Also note that some songs are meant for solo singers while others are more suited to group singing. Obviously, the songs you use for group worship should be songs that groups of people can sing together. You may have a superb vocal range, but know that most people do not share that same skill. The songs you pick need to fall within a shorter, more concentrated range so that more people can sing along.
As you practice saying these readings, emphasize verbs instead of pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Verbs typically convey the greatest amount action and meaning, so emphasizing them can help draw out the truth of the text. Learning the words you’ll be singing and saying beforehand will make you feel much more comfortable during public worship, which will allow you to lead worship in a more natural manner.
Make sure that everyone on your worship team knows when each song will be sung. Try to keep everyone as informed as possible so that there are no surprises. Listen to the input of others on your worship team. If the general consensus goes against your initial opinion, rethink your ideas and consider altering them as needed.
If you’re the sort of person who easily gets sick on a full stomach, make sure that you only eat enough to wake yourself up and not enough to make yourself feel queasy.
As a worship leader, try to show up 15 minutes or so before the rest of the worship team is due to arrive for your final practice. During that time, do sound tests to make sure that the equipment is set up, tune any instruments you’ll be using, and flip through your notes to make sure that everything is in order. [4] X Research source
Consider asking someone to take a video of you as you lead worship. Watch that video later and review your body language. Note which movements seem awkward or distracting and which are helpful. Make sure that you look the part, too. You need to look clean, and your clothes and accessories should be neat, modest, and understated. Maintain good posture and make eye contact during the service. Smile when appropriate and keep a friendly yet strong presence.
If people seem bored or confused, they may not know the song or feel comfortable singing it. You can encourage them to sing by making a statement like, “Let’s worship God together,” but avoid guilt tripping them with statements like, “I don’t hear anyone singing with me. " It’s also possible that a technical error prevented words from displaying correctly on the screen, so glance behind your shoulder to make sure that things are on track.
While you don’t need to “act out” each song, try to use body language and verbal language that matches the tone of the songs you sing. Smile and move around when you sing joyful songs. Be more subdued during serious or reflective songs. Your movements do not and should not be theatrical, but the right movements can emphasize the importance of what you’re saying more effectively.
You don’t need to cut out all the instrumental parts, but ask yourself which are really necessary and which aren’t. When an interlude provides a helpful transition, keep it. When the arrangement breaks up the flow of community worship, discard or shorten it.
As with the songs and the readings, your prayers also need to connect to the message or lesson being conveyed.
A little bit of honesty can go a long way, but again, make sure that you do not spend time focusing on yourself as you lead others in worship. Instead of saying, “I’m having a really bad day,” point out that there are times in life when praise can be difficult, but state that it’s important to continue worshiping during those times nonetheless.
A few things you might need to work on may include diction, volume, and pitch. You may not know how you’ll sound in the sanctuary until you actually lead worship there once or twice. Make adjustments to the way you speak as needed to compensate for things like echo and poor acoustics. If others critique you or make suggestions, listen to them humbly and with an open mind. [7] X Research source Some of the advice others give may not be practical, but some of it will be. Make sure that you’re able to honestly distinguish the difference between helpful criticism and destructive criticism without letting your ego get in the way.
Flaws and mistakes often serve as helpful reminders to keep yourself humble. Those imperfections can also remind the people you’re leading that all of us are only human. If you accept your own faults gracefully, you can encourage those watching you to do the same.
