You can’t communicate enough! The number of details surrounding the modern worship service is astounding.
Leaders should strive to communicate the details, changes, and plans to all the folks who help make the service happen. It’s also nice if you can build systems so that things don’t fall through the cracks. Find (most likely, develop) other leaders with whom you can share the load. Give them a small group to work with so they can help pass along information and vision.
Here are three systems (maybe reminders) for accomplishing this goal and making each worship service excellent.
Collaboration in Planning
Develop a planning meeting schedule so that you can include others in the work. Without the framework of a meeting time, it’s going to be difficult to get others involved. Collaboration in planning may not always mean everyone has to be at the one meeting, but it allows for ideas to be created early enough so that other people can have a hand in developing it for the upcoming service. Dramas, videos, special graphics, music and other creative components require time. Work hard to build a system that will allow time for the worship leader, pastor and other key players available to collaborate together, then pass along the vision to others so you can involve many people and their gifts for worship!
Check-ins with Team Members and Others
Create systems for checking in with team members, the worship band and tech. Planning Center Online helps with this immensely, as it helps schedule and send reminders. But I also like to make sure that I text the group for Sunday and fill them in on a couple “quirks” or something new that will be happening. Often on Tuesday, before the Wednesday rehearsal, I will text the worship band and say something like, “We’re doing this song, but we’re changing the key since a female voice will be leading. Take a look at PCO and double check that song.” Other times, I might text the tech team or the leader of the tech team to remind them that rehearsal is a little early due to an event or that Sunday set up is going to be a little wild since we had the youth conference over the weekend.
Another way to check in with your team is related to the personal side of life. This doesn’t have to be a group text, but can be depending on the nature of the conversation. Maybe you heard it’s a team member’s birthday that weekend, so you send a text to the group: It’s so and so’s birthday this Sunday, and I’ll bring the cupcakes!” Or maybe you hear on Facebook about a celebration because of a new job, family event or something else – you can be sure to make a note to visit with them about that. You may also hear other news for a team member’s family – health issues or something else. In this case, it’s not public, but check in with your team member to let them know you’re praying.
Finally, checking in on the aspects of the worship you delegated is essential. If there is a special component, a follow up to the service that someone is setting up in the back, a special song, photo, art or tech component, make sure you check in with them to see if things are all good. Reminders are nice for a couple of reasons – they keep building accountability for what has been delegated. Secondly, even more critical, it keeps growing friendship and partnership with those serving in ministry around you.
Pre-service Updates
No matter how hard you try, there always seems to be a change in the weekend worship plan. Something comes up, staging or set up is different, you didn’t know about an announcement, etc. A quick update with your key leaders just before worship is very important. Most often, this happens naturally and out of neccestiy. But building a system to check in just before morning sound check or the service will help set people at ease. Of course, the goal is for everyone to know what to expect, and most services shouldn’t come with major surprises just before. However, the worship and tech team should do their best to accommodate whatever is needed for the things to be great – mics, screens, staging, music, etc. We’re there to serve. The pre-service update will help people know what’s going on.
