Encounter: The Art of Worship Leading
by Jason Thompson
I am from time to time asked about how I lead worship. Of course, everyone has their style, and each tradition has their own values for musical worship. I simply wanted to share practically some suggestions and tips for worship leaders, whether in a small group context, for those that lead at a Sunday morning church service.
I think it is helpful for people to know a little bit of my worship leading background. I came to faith through a campus ministry that valued diverse expressions of worship. I think this has had a huge influence on how I practically lead worship. Later I was so blessed to have learned worship leading from leaders in very different types of churches and Christian traditions. I feel just as at home in a liturgically led worship gathering as I do in a spontaneous, charismatic expression of worship. I would encourage any worship leader to pursue experiencing worship in as many different expressions of the church as possible.
Being a Person of Depth
Of utmost importance is our relationship with Jesus as worship leaders. For there to be fruit in our ministry as worship leaders, it must be done out of a deep relationship with God. How much time do you spend alone worshipping? How deep are you going in your relationship with God? How diverse is the time you spend alone with God? Jesus said it simply, apart from him we can do nothing. This holds true for us as we lead worship.
Spiritual Preparation: Prayer and Discernment
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Take time to pray and give thought to a theme for the time of worship. This could be rooted in a verse or passage in the Bible . Ask the Lord what songs to do that are appropriate and connected to the theme of the gathering and/or knowing where people you will be leading are at (spiritually, physically tired, excited etc)
Confidence
There is a need for us to lead out of confidence that God has invited us to guide people in beholding and being present to Him. We need to communicate clearly where we are and where we are going as we worship.
Beginning the Time of Worship
Give people space, to prepare their hearts. You can ask a question (ex. What are you thankful for? How have you seen Jesus working in your life? ) or you can give an encouragement here. While people are reflecting you could play a simple chord progression in the background, as people pray or are silent. This could be as simple as playing two chords back and forth (G - C for example)
Space for Prayer, Scripture Reading, Prophecy, Spontaneous Singing and/or Instrumentals
Ephesians 5:18b-20 Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Give people space during the time of worship to pray, prophecy, read scripture or just sing their own melodies and hearts to the Lord. As well, allow for the music to develop spontaneously with just instruments playing and creating new melodies. This could be a simple as just finger picking on the guitar or playing a melody with accompaniment on the piano.
Challenge
John 1:29 The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
As you are led, call people’s attention to what they are singing or just sang, have them be engaged, not just passively singing
Vocal Leading Prompts
Often when I lead worship, I prefer to arrange a song as it is being sung. This gives me the freedom to repeat a verse, chorus or bridge or even a line or two of lyrics of a song. The easiest way to do this is to cue people a bar or two with the lyric of the next section of the song. Simply put, saying or singing the lyric of the next section just before it is to be sung.
Repeating Chorus(s) or Line in a Song
Revelation 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Sometimes you may want to repeat several times a chorus or sentence in a song.
There are times when I will do simple choruses from different songs one after the other that people know, so that they are able to reflect deeply and for a longer time ponder and pray from what they are singing in response to the Lord. This is particularly helpful if people do not have the song lyrics in front of them.
Playing worship songs from memory
As much as it is possible, it is very helpful to learn as many worship songs from memory. Being able to play songs on our instruments and sing lyrics from memory makes it possible for us to have freedom to easily choose a song spontaneously and to play songs that are appropriate to the moment.
Ear Training
Another valuable skill to develop is the ability to play and sing either what you hear being played by others or being able to play what you hear in your head. This enables us to play our instruments and lead worship with greater degrees of freedom. Here are two suggestions for basic ear training:
1. Learning songs and being able to recognize chord progressions from a song you already know being played in another song
Finding an app or online resource that can help you improve your ability to hear chords and melodies
Silence
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Make space in your time of prayer and worship for silence. This can go for as long as you feel like the Lord is leading.
Dynamics
Have times of playing loud, have times of playing soft. Have times where just the voices are singing and no instruments are playing
Same Key
Keep songs in the same key, or in related keys. This helps people to not be distracted by capo changes or abrupt key changes. As well this helps to keep a flow going musically and makes it easy to go to other songs in the same key. Of course it’s ok, to do key changes during worship, just be sure to have a plan how you will do it…either musically, or you could have people pray or be silent as you make changes. Gently ease people into key changes, another example could be quietly begin playing or simply strumming the root chord for the next song. Be sensitive
Transitions :Ways of moving between and connecting songs
Decrescendo / Silence
Inviting people to cry out and praise God
Prayer : Ending a song with a prayer
Asking a few people to pray out
Reading a passage of Scripture
Staying in same key and using a simple progression- 2 chords to transition songs or simply staying on the root chord
Changing to common keys. Ex….From G as root to D as root key of next song using common chords
Easy transition chord - using for example G/FM7 to go to C major
5 chord sus to next root key
Cross Fade Synth or Guitar Pad - moving from root chord of a song to root chord of another song
Drums Crescendo on Cymbals at end of song to transition to next song
