WORSHIP TEAM
3 RULES FOR SURVIVING CHRISTMAS | Jon Nicol
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That is THE SCHEDULES 3. KISS
if you’re not a worship leader. Here’s a carol I Then there's your team schedule. This person No, not black and white face paint with platform
rewrote for you as you’re entering the tinseled can’t sing on the second weekend. That one is shoes. In this case, KISS means this: Keep It
fray of Yuletide madness. out the next. Another has an office party during Super Simple. As much as possible, simplify
rehearsal. And half your team travels out-of- your services and music.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my church
town on Christmas Eve.
For
gave to me…
Twelve new arrangements
every
song
that
requires
extra
woodshedding and rehearsal time, make sure
Shoot me now.
three other pieces can be nailed with a quick
Eleven days no day-off
Ten techs complaining Add to all this your own nutty schedule: kids’ run-through. And when plans for stage design
Nine cables failing programs, parties to hit, presents to buy, cards become more elaborate than a JJ Abram's film
Eight late rehearsals to send, family gatherings to attend (or avoid), set, pull your team back to reality.
Seven pitchy choirs etc. It's the stuff everyone goes through. But Six sloppy segues not everyone is also a worship leader. And they Remember, people love and respond to the
F I V E…D I V A S…S I N G... just don't get it when you try to explain. musical traditions of Christmas. Well-executed
simplicity trumps the noisy pageantry of trying
Four calling off
Three no-shows THREE YULETIDE TIPS to impress people who only attend church
Two tardy subs So let me give you three survival tips for a twice a year.
And a five-service Christmas Eve. chance of glad tidings this Christmas.
NEXT YEAR
My friend, if you can sing that without feeling a 1. SPEND MONEY VERSUS TIME. You may already be sucked too far into the
pit in your stomach, you are not, nor have you If you can buy a chart, recording, guide track, Vortex of Christmas Craziness to make any real
ever been, a worship leader at Christmas. piece of gear, etc. to make life easier for you changes this year. So keep these tips in mind
or your team, do it. It might even mean hiring for next year. And rather than wait till your mid-
Don’t get me wrong. The Advent season is some outside musicians. I’m usually not for year planning meeting in July, plan a thorough
a fantastic time to minister and reach our that, but Christmas gets crazy. post-mortem in January, while the trauma—er,
season is still fresh in your minds.
community through special services. But, wow,
it’s bananas for you.
THE MUSIC
Start valuing your time over the church’s money.
And if the ‘money people’ don’t allow you to My last encouragement to you is this: try to
spend it, go without. carve some margin into this month to celebrate
Emmanuel—God with us—on your own terms
You scoured CCLI to find fresh arrangements
for the ‘heard-it-and-sung-it-a-million-times’ 2. DON’T LET THE HOLIDAY 'SHOULD' ON YOU. and in a way that feeds your soul. I wish
holiday music. And when you couldn’t find Friends, co-workers, and especially extended you a merry Christmas (even in the midst of
one, you created your own. How many hours family tend to ‘should' on you at Christmas. the chaos).
did you sink into that chart and recording? And Everyone has expectations for you to attend you still heard complaints from your team that it their party, program, shopping trip, family wasn't quick enough. gathering, and on and on. And don't forget the added pressure to make You, my friend, have the busiest job in the sure everyone's favorite carol is covered at church between now and December 25th. some point in December. Who forgets to sing (Santa’s at the North Pole thinking, "Sheesh, I’m “The First Noel” the entire Advent season? glad I don’t have her job.”) So find a way to say Apparently, I did. Which one did you forget? ‘No’ more often and ignore the people trying to
drop ‘should' on you. Protect your emotional
Jon Nicol
Jon’s the founder of WorshipWorkshop.com and
WorshipTeamCoach.com, two sites that help
worship leaders build strong teams and lead
engaging worship. This is his first Christmas not
leading a worship ministry in nearly two decades.
He recently handed off his ministry to focus on
equipping leaders and teams full-time.
WorshipTeamCoach.com
health and relationship with your family.
54
December 2018
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