ACTIVE WORSHIP LEADERS REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVE WORSHIP LEADERSHIP

As an active worship leader at the Gadsden Vineyard, you must take on certain responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with the authority you have agreed to take on. Below, this authority and responsibility is explained, so that all our active worship leaders know what is expected of them.

Not all worship leaders at Gadsden Vineyard must be considered “active.” If you can’t take on this level of responsibility, or if you need to lay it down for a while, this doesn’t mean you can’t ever lead worship. It only means you shouldn’t be in regular rotation for the main service. This service is where we have the widest cross-section of regulars and visitors, mature Christians and baby Christians, and all manner of opinions (and differences of opinion) on spiritual and doctrinal issues. This is where everyone in spiritual authority must take the most care to walk under the umbrella of that authority in order to be a good steward and leader to an impressively varied flock. There is no particular restriction on how often you may lead worship in other services, small groups, or Bible studies. However, you must of course still heed church leadership where any instruction or correction is given in those settings as well.

On the other hand, a worship leader who is not in the regular main service worship rotation may choose to be considered active if they can take on the responsibility. In fact, they are encouraged to do so, to help in having greater accountability and continuity in other services, as well as in setting an example for the rest of the congregation in worship and church life in general.

What does it mean to be an active worship leader?

An active worship leader, as opposed to an inactive one, makes a conscious decision to place him or herself in a place of spiritual authority in the church, which means agreeing to abide by the standards listed below. But think of it this way: your position is really no different than what it would be if you were the only worship leader in the church (which is the situation at most other churches). Just because we’re blessed with an abundance of Godly musicians who can share the task of leading worship from week to week, it doesn’t mean that we water down the accountability required to do it right. On the contrary, we have to take more care to stay on the same page spiritually. When our worship is out of whack or uninformed by God’s direction over the fellowship, it’s those we’re leading in worship who suffer for it. We have lots of different flavors, but we all gotta be ice cream.

What are the responsibilities of an active worship leader?

When leading worship:

1. Plan your worship prayerfully and deliberately. Sometimes God will change things on you at the last minute, and we’re all about accommodating that. But don’t just “throw it together” without taking time and consulting God about what He wants to say or hear. Song selection can be very important, but even the details like what order they should be in, what keys, and the musical arrangements, should be prayerfully considered.

2. Start and finish the worship on time. We’re all about being open to God’s will at every moment, even if that means disrupting how the service is normally run. But it’s not your job, as worship leader, to decide when this should happen. It’s the pastor’s job. When we step outside the allotted time without either the direction or permission of the pastor, we’ve stepped outside of our authority.

3. Be mindful of all the items on the worship leader’s checklist 
(a copy of this checklist is posted on stage, where you should consult it before and after worship to make sure you’ve remembered everything):

a. Pull overheads. Make sure you have time to type one up if you can’t find it, and please use the Gadsden Vineyard format. Copies of lead sheets are NOT acceptable.

b. When you set up, keep all equipment inside the carpeted area of the stage.

c. Start worship at 10:30 (it’s best to be done with rehearsal by 10:20 so band members can go to the restroom and grab a cup of coffee).

d. When finished, put everything back like you found it. Put up any extra cords or stands you borrowed from somewhere else. If you moved speakers around or switched any inputs, put them back like they were.

e. Put overheads you pulled back into the box in their correct alphabetical order.

f. Clean up copies of your lead sheets. They don’t have to go home, but they can’t stay here.

4. Abide by any additional direction given by the pastor about how worship should be conducted.

Outside of leading worship:

1. Attend worship kinship meetings whenever possible. This is where we seek God together, and where the lion’s share of necessary communication and coordination takes place. You should make it a priority, and plan ahead, to be there unless there is an unavoidable conflict.

2. Attend Gadsden Vineyard church services often. If you’re only there when you’re leading, you are probably not involved enough in “church life” to have the necessary insight and understanding of where we are spiritually. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever miss a service. On the contrary, visiting other churches can be a great source of new ideas, inspiration, and cross-congregational relationships. But Gadsden Vineyard should be your primary church family.

3. Take responsibility for your worship when you’re not leading as much as you do when you are. It’s up to you to decide what that looks like, but when you’re worshipping off-stage, you’re still a leader. Help to set the example for real and honest worship for the rest of the congregation.

4. Foster other worshippers who have a desire to be involved in leading worship by taking opportunities to include, teach, and encourage them.

5. Should you have any disagreements with the pastor or other church authorities that challenge your relationship with them or cause you to be uneasy with any aspect of their authority, you should discuss these issues with them and come to a place of understanding as soon as possible.

6. Whenever possible, take advantage of worship workshops and any other opportunities to learn from others and cultivate your leadership skills.

7. You are encouraged to take opportunities to go out and share your worship with other groups or fellowships. It’s a spiritual principle to give of what we have to those in need, and this is something we have. Of course, always keep in mind that when you worship in other places, you should always honor the rules and authorities in place there that may be different from ours.

8. Foster other worshippers who have a desire to be involved in leading worship.

9. As in any position of church authority, a worship leader should set a good example in all areas of life, dealing with others in accordance with Christian principles and approaching life with responsibility, honesty, honor, and love.

MAY 2013

- Liz Finlayson Wood