LEADERSHIP
LEADING BETTER IN 2020 | Doug Doppler
Whether you’re a worship pastor, worship SPIRITUAL DISCIPLESHIP for drummers, helping your worship leaders
leader, worship musician, and or tech, you The way people worship often reflects the get comfortable is key to supporting them as
play a vital role in leading people into God’s posture of their heart, both toward God and they lead your congregation on worship. Telling
presence. Noting how easy it is to fall into people. Spiritual discipleship provides an people, the why behind the what is key, as is
the weekly rhythm of church, the beginning amazing opportunity to grow the person that giving them some hands-on training via click
of a new year presents a great time to reflect makes the music, not just the musician. It also workshops.
on what’s working – and what’s not. Here are creates opportunity to speak into people’s some thoughts on places to start! lives, situations, and background from a place MIX TALK //
of relationship. This is invaluable to building a Whether it is the worship pastor, MD (musical
TEAM SPIRIT rock-solid team, both on and just as importantly director), the worship leaders, or some
Team nights and BBQs are a great chance to (if not more so), off the platform. collection thereof, chances are the musicians
bring everyone together and foster relationships
have a clear idea of how what they want in
that aren’t solely centered around Sunday PRODUCTION PROWESS morning. These kinds of events are also great From to Don’t blame it on the sound team if you don’t
for building unity and community between post-service recaps, many teams miss the tell them what you want and why. They’re not
worship and tech teams. incremental weekly opportunities that can mind readers, nor is it fair to expect them to be.
PCO
(Planning
terms of a front of house mix and vocal blend.
Center
Online)
result in massive long-term growth and
TECH TRAINING progress. Here are some specific suggestions WORKSHOPPING SONGS //
Using in-ear monitors and a personal mixer can on how to maximize some of these life bringing We are missional about helping teams maximize
be really intimidating and musically awkward opportunities. their talent and grow their capacity. Giving songs
for the un-initiated. But, it doesn’t have to be,
and arrangements proper time to take root with
nor should it! Whether in person or via a video PCO // the way your team plays them is key. Looping
shot on your iPhone, help on-ramp new team Getting your teams rostered one or preferably sections to nail the groove and dynamics is a
members by providing some training on how to two months out enables you to pick and powerful vehicle for doing this. We’d suggest
get used to using and operating the gear. share the songs at least a month in advance, using a 1-10 (low to high) scale for mapping the
once this become part of the monthly routine. level of dynamic intensity to your arrangements.
This also equally true, if not more so for tech Having a current song list in something like PCO is a great place to document this, as is the
teams. The “This is too complicated to teach Google Sheets allows you to track which keys top of the chart when you’re workshopping a
someone…” attitude we’ve seen displayed your worship leaders prefer. This makes it easy song. Looping the transitions between section
more than once is both counterproductive and to roster musicians, songs, and assets like is also a big help, especially for keyboardists
diametrically opposed to the kind of ‘raise from tracks and charts in the right key with plenty who might be new to changing patches on the
within’ approach that builds teams in terms of of advance notice. FYI, a YouTube video in fly. All of this is especially true if you’re missional
size, capacity, and camaraderie! the wrong key is a great way to frustrate the about trying find and grow their own sound. If
more serious musicians on your team, which is you want to write worship music that impacts
counterproductive in numerous ways. your congregation like songs from Hillsong,
MUSICAL DISCIPLESHIP
In the first episode of The Worship Guitar Show
Bethel, Elevation, or Jesus Culture, you need to
on the [WM] YouTube channel, we’re showing CLICK TALK // actively do the thing they do to workshop your
people how to map chord progressions using Quiet sections in slow songs quickly reveal arrangements.
diatonic numbers. Our heart is to see more which vocalists don’t have the click up in their churches doing this kind of training and we’re mix as they wander out of time from the rest dedicated to helping support that process with of the band. While seasoned instrumentalists this show. What are some of the things you build their prowess by woodshedding with the could do at your church to inform, equip, and click, unless they’ve taken piano lessons, many inspire growth in the people on your teams? if not most vocalists need time to get used to
singing with the click. While the same holds true
70
February 2020
Hope that’s a help!
Doug Doppler
Doug is the Editorial Director for Worship Musician
and Gear Tech + Recording magazines.
WorshipMusician.com
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