You’re joining a new worship team and it’s a mix of excitement and nervousness. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Here’s a few things you can expect that will hopefully make your transition easier.
1. There’s a lot of pressure on new worship team members.
I’m not saying this to scare you, but to prepare you for some of the pressures you may feel. Regardless of the culture that your local church tries to implement, or even the perspective of your pastor, the worship team and those who serve in it are looked to as the face of the local church. This is due to one specific fact: they’re presenting on stage for a portion of the scheduled service. And when someone is given stage time, they are perceived as being an influence and a core piece of that expression of the local church. With this understanding, most pastors and staff have higher expectations for the lifestyle and way that members lead, both on and off stage. Since the list of qualifiers vary per church, it’s wise to have a conversation (if you haven’t already) with the worship pastor and ask what the expectations are for serving in your new position.
There can also be pressure from the congregation due to comparison with others who share the same role, whether at your church or elsewhere. Unfortunately, people find it easy to criticize and compare performances, especially those in a creative field. Your local culture will impact whether or not you hear these critiques but you will probably feel the pressure to sound, look, or lead like other people – be it members of your team or even professionals from teams like Bethel, Elevation, Lakewood, etc. While it can be difficult, especially when starting out, don’t take these comparisons to heart and do your best to discover your own style and sound. Becoming secure in who you are as a leader takes time but it can eliminate the pressure to be like someone else when you lead.
2. Your first rehearsal will be awkward.
Most worship teams are composed of hobbyist-musicians and vocalists who want to serve God with the skills they’ve developed through trial and error, many teams have not been formally trained in their craft. This doesn’t mean they’re not good or qualified, but that some areas in leadership or skill may be lacking as we all grow together. Often, on-boarding new members is one of the areas lacking in this structure. It’s not that you’re not welcome, but merely that most teams aren’t used to incorporating new members or sharing the various processes that the team members have begun to understand along their journey together. Don’t let yourself feel unwelcome, there will be a lot of new things to learn but they will come with time.
3. You may not have all the skills you need to lead worship at first.
As with anything, time, experience, and humility are going to grow you into the role. Even if you’re a skilled musician, there’s always a curve when learning to play with a new team. Be patient with yourself and others and understand that we’re all learning and growing in our craft and leadership together.
4. Practice on your own before rehearsals and be prepared for changes.
Some organizations plan everything out ahead of time and rarely veer from that plan. Others put limited time into planning and prefer to stay flexible. There are pros and cons to each model, but with either, practice never goes wasted. If you’re in an organization that prefers the planned method then your work is cut out for you. If you’re team doesn’t pick songs until that day (or even in-service), then practice probably looks more like picking growing your skill in the basics like chord progressions and general tone selection, as well as learning the general flow of new songs as they’re released. In either scenario, be prepared for changes in rehearsal. Sometimes songs don’t come together the way they did in the recording, or the key isn’t right for the song leader. Be flexible, take notes, and support the other members and your leader.
I hope these tips are helpful. If you have been through this transition and have other tips to share, drop them in the comments.