Last year, I printed out 25 copies of these notes and gave them to everyone in our three bands. We were about to transition to autonomous bands for each of our sites and I wanted to get everyone on the same page. We talked through these points one night after practice, and in some ways it might have felt assumed, but if I've learned anything it's this: Leadership is the art of assuming nothing.
If you're a worship leader, assume less, explain more. Don't ask someone to do something without equipping them to do it. Don't expect something you've never explicitly asked for or agreed on.
Here are a few things we want at the center of our band culture:
SERVE YOUR LEADER
- Be faithful to serve the mission and vision of Resonate Worship.
- Be available and reliable. (Let your yes be yes.)
- You won’t be a good leader until you’re a good follower.
- Humble service always trumps outspoken ambition.
- Ask your leader if there is anything you can do to help.
- Some of you are organized. Don’t get frustrated with those that aren't. Step in to serve.
HONOR COMMUNICATION
- Think ahead about Facebook or emails. Check for them.
- Kyle is your go-to with scheduling or song questions.
- Commit to a 24-hour email response time. Err on the side of over-communication.
BE PROFESSIONAL AND CONSIDERATE AT REHEARSAL
- Show up on time. 6:30 Set-up, 6:45 Devotional, 7pm play.
- Bring all necessary gear for your instrument.
- Know your lead part or vocal part or drum part beforehand.
- Be present. Don’t be on your phone or uninterested.
- Help clean up/tear down after.
PROTECT YOUR SATURDAY NIGHT
- Worship Leadership starts on Saturday night.
- Little sleep or bad decisions will lead to short patience or guilt-filled worship.
SPEND TIME WITH JESUS BEFORE SET-UP
- Your heart is your most important instrument in worship. Tune it.
- Holiness is more important than giftedness.
- Draw near privately before you draw near publicly.
LEAD WORSHIP BEFORE WORSHIP STARTS
- Contribute a healthy attitude to the set up process.
- Understand the spirituality of set up. Be an encourager.
REFUSE TO TAKE SHORT CUTS
- Rehearse well. Don’t say “it’s fine.” Push for excellence.
- Set up the stage cleanly. Everyone commit to this.
- Push each other to be excellent in life and song.
BE PASSIONATE ABOUT PERSONAL HOLINESS AND DISCIPLINE
- Personally seek the Lord through His Word.
- Privately fast and pray.
- Live in community and confess sin.
I hope this is helpful to you. Maybe you already do this... but I'm assuming nothing.