From Audition to Team Building
So you have the task in developing future worship leaders. However, you have a sense this may be a difficult process for you. The reality is — there is no easy way of developing worship leaders. With time, patience, and humility, things are able to work in your favor. Throughout this blog we will discuss some ways on how to develop worship leaders as well as learning the audition process that follows within the development. This blog will also give some insight on how our future development should look like.
Different Dynamics of Development
Throughout every church, there are different dynamics on how development is done for individuals who have expressed their interest in leading worship. For example, Elevation Worship has designed a ministry school that displays a way for individuals to become developed into their calling as a worship leader. This would be classified as a mentorship program. Some churches provide guidelines on what they are specifically looking for within leading worship for the church body. This is more of a strategic standpoint. Whichever way is being conducted, we have to always remember that we have to provide evidence that would edify the church body.
Colossians 3:16 states that “let the word of Christ dwell among each person richly with teaching and admonishing one another with wisdom in singing hymns and spiritual songs while having thankful hearts.” As we develop worship leaders, we have to also teach them with thankful hearts as well as giving them wisdom by giving feedback on positives and negative things even when they are opposed to hearing it. This creates a foundation for the future of your development of your worship team.
Audition Process
When individuals think of an audition process for leading worship, they sometimes automatically think of what they see throughout reality TV shows such as American Idol or the Voice. This is not the case. Worship leader auditions are designed to equip you in knowing how to serve correctly as a worship leader as well as giving you constructive criticism and wisdom on what next steps to improve within their time on the worship team or not.
Typically there are 1–2 pastoral leaders that will conduct the audition. You may be asked to sing several songs. With this in mind, you must always be ready for change at any moment. During the audition process, if both leaders feel as though you are a good fit for the worship team, they will design a plan specifically for you in setting you up for success in leading worship for the team. If you do not make the team, do not fear. You should be receiving some encouragement on how they can help you serve within another ministry by asking you topical questions about what other desires makes you happy in serving within the church. Most of the time, the worship pastor will take the new leader through a development class to see what things are best for the leader as well as learning his/her strengths and weaknesses. Soon after, the worship pastor will begin to most likely let the leader begin to sing at the start of 1–2 services within the next few months until they are fully comfortable in leading worship.
Future Development
Since our generation is always creatively changing, we have to simply create more solid ways of developing worship leaders for our next generation. During these times of development, our practical standpoint should exceed the expectations of the worship leader to feel confident in knowing how to serve in a positive way for the worship team. We must also begin to train our younger generation for them to understand the logistical standpoint on how to lead worship and to utilize those skills throughout their everyday lives.
