WORSHIP TEAM COACH
[ HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS ON A WORSHIP TEAM? | Jon Nicol ]
How does a worship team measure success? goal setting terms, are called “lead measures.” about how you can work at these and hold each
What does “winning” look like? For some Lead measures are what you can influence other accountable to these lead measures, as
worship teams I’ve led, we asked, “Did we and predict. If I hork down two Big Macs and well as others that you come up with.
avoid a train wreck?” If the answer was yes, that a strawberry milkshake several times a week, Sunday landed in the “win” column. Avoiding that’s predictive behavior of a severe muffin top.
a mid-song meltdown is a good thing. But
• A daily practice of creating space to worship
once you move past mere musical survival, So, what if instead of just relying on our typical
what does success look like? Some would post-service
say excellence. team members and leaders started measuring
excellence-analysis,
worship
the behavior that produces excellent worship
Unfortunately, measuring excellence for the
leadership on the platform.
I’d like to suggest that the behavior we need
• Did I do a good job inviting and encouraging to start measuring is engagement. I like to
others to worship well?
have
musical
• Worship with the same enthusiasm on the
Sundays I am off the platform as I do on.
• Practice community and accountability with a
• Intentionally create space the night before
• Did I worship well?
I
God and allowing Him to work in me.
few trusted friends.
worship team is subjective:
• Did
Engaging with God:
and
technical...
awesomeness?
Measuring our success is tough. But measuring
teach that worship team members need to Engaging the congregation:
engage in seven critical commitment areas. • Prepare my music to the point where I can
But there are three that we can hone in on be free to express worship (and engage
which will both predict and influence successful something other than my music stand).
platform leadership:
• Intentionally practice good platform presence
our failure? That’s easy:
• My head was stuck in my music stand the
entire set.
• She closed her eyes the whole time and
ignored the congregation.
during rehearsals and run-throughs.
1. ENGAGING WITH GOD - If this area of commitment
and engagement isn’t happening, forget
about it. Everything else is in vain. I’ve had too
many seasons where I looked good on the
• He botched two transitions. Sunday stage but wasn’t worshiping God off-
• You fumbled the words on that verse. platform. Jesus had some choice words for
• I came in late on that bridge. people like me (Matthew 23). Remember this:
It’s tough to improve when you’re chasing some
vague notion of “excellence” with no tangible
• Watch videos of previous services to assess
my platform presence.
• As a team, plan out how each song
should “look.”
• Spend time getting to know and love the
people of the church that I’m leading.
Our platform worship will never exceed our Engaging with the music:
private worship. • Listen to the music… a lot.
2. ENGAGING
THE
CONGREGATION
-
Lead
milestones to gauge progress. And, “Try not to worshipers, just like the Old Testament
suck,” is not an excellence-inspiring goal. priests, have a dual role of worshiping God
and serving the people. Too many worship
But think about this: If I’m trying to lose weight, team leaders and members on the platform
what’s my measure of success? The numbers close themselves off physically and relationally
on the scale? The fit of my “larger-sized” pants? from the congregation they’re supposed to
Now, if I’m serious about losing weight, those
services to prepare spiritually.
• Learn my songs before rehearsal.
• Arrive at rehearsals and soundchecks before
the posted start time.
• Listen to and interact musically with the other
vocalists or band members.
• Spend that extra time between rehearsal and
the service to internalize the songs.
be leading.
can’t be the only things I measure. Those are 3. ENGAGING WITH THE MUSIC - This involves So just imagine if your team got intentional about
known as “lag measures.” They show up after everything from learning and practicing it measuring these things. Not only will it transform
I’ve done the work. I can’t stand on the scale and (before rehearsal, please), rehearsing it as your worship ministry, but probably your entire
will it to read my freshman-year weight. a team, and then playing/singing/mixing it church. I’d call that a win.
on Sunday.
What determines the scale numbers are other
numbers: the kettlebells I swing, the water I As I close up this article here, let me give you
drink, the carbs I consume, and the late-night a few “lead measures” for successful worship in
snacks I avoid or devour. Those numbers, in each of these engagement areas. As a team, talk
54
January 2018
Jon Nicol
The founder of WorshipTeamCoach.com, a resource
that helps worship leaders build strong teams and
lead engaging worship. He lives in Lexington, Ohio
with his wife Shannon and their four kids.
WorshipTeamCoach.com
WorshipMusician.com