Worship leaders should be encouraging their church.
You don’t need to sugarcoat the tough realities of life. You also don’t need to fabricate good news either.
Following Jesus and leading people closer to his presence through worship are the important things.
Here are four ways to encourage your church through worship leadership:
Focus on Jesus
Jesus gives us hope. Jesus gives us purpose. Our lives are different when we follow Jesus. There is a foundation that allows us to live in joy, trusting him. Songs come and go. Lyrics are important, but fade. But Jesus is the central figure in our faith – he’s alive and his spirit is present here. Your focus on Jesus first will allow all the peripheral things – scheduling, music, lighting, production, live feed, streaming, etc – to become authentic and powerful. You’re leading worship because the church has her hope in Jesus and in Jesus alone.
Incorporate Scripture
Your words of exhortation help the church engage, but it’s scripture that withstands the test of time! Rely on scripture to sustain you, help you create, give you vision and lead the church. Use God’s word to call people to worship, invite them to pray, and help them discern. Refer to scripture as you are writing songs, creating music and helping people.
Minister to those who respond
As the world and the church is regaining a footing after the 2020 pandemic, we need to lovingly minister to those who respond. Statistics are providing that most church gatherings are only a percentage of what they were pre-covid. It’s easy to get down about that – it’s hard to lose people in worship attendance! We grieve, but keep working to connect! However, the agenda has always been the same – as a worship team, we lead those who are there. We minister to those who respond. We seek to reach out, invite, share and engage… but the best encouragement you can give to those gathered each week is to help them grow closer to Jesus.
Celebrate
One of the best ways to encourage your church through worship is to celebrate God’s name and what God has done! Sing songs that celebrate God’s saving grace. Begin worship with a song of God’s faithfulness. Even in tough times, we can all gain perspective in life as we worship the Lord and live in gratitude for his faithfulness.
JOIN US ON THE FB COMMUNITY
We’d love to have you join us in the conversation with the worship leader toolbox community. Ask to join here.