WORSHIP LEADERS
THE DOS AND DON ’ TS FOR LESS-STRESS AND MORE ENGAGING ADVENT SERVICES Matt Miller
CHRISTMAS : it ’ s the most wonderful time of year . Except for worship leaders . But there ’ s hope !
The Advent season really is a special ( and potentially wonder-filled ) time of year . But somehow , too many churches internalized the exaggerated truth ( read : a lie ) that it has to be “ extra ” special . As in more and better than last year . So making it “ extra ” special requires an increasing amount of … Extra time . Extra energy . Extra focus . Extra people . Extra money .
There ’ s nothing wrong with making the Christmas season a meaningful time for your church family and guests . But our extra efforts to make Advent extra special too often just adds extra complexity and stress for you and your team in an already-busy time of year .
So , I wanted to give you 10 rules - four DON ’ Ts and six DOs that help you make Christmas special without the excessive pressure , complexity , and worship team overtime .
Now , these are my rules . Some might resonate with you . Some might infuriate you . I don ’ t expect you to agree with all my rules . But keep an open mind as you read them .
Let ’ s start with the DON ’ Ts .
1 . DON ’ T “ bait and switch ” your guests . Too many churches bring a level of pageantry and production into their Christmas services that aren ’ t sustainable beyond December 26 . They lure people in with a promise of a fantastic experience . But what delights guests in December bears little resemblance to what they ’ ll endure if they come back in January .
Besides the risk of a disappointed and confused crowd , the “ bait and switch ” is detrimental to you and your team . How many Christmas Eves have you come home emotionally and physically spent with little left for your family ?
In my current church , I ’ ve been grateful to have a senior pastor who doesn ’ t buy this lie . While he wants to engage and connect with the guests coming to our Christmas service , he also doesn ’ t want to create a false picture of what our Sunday gatherings are like .
So , we focus on retaining the feel of our usual gatherings but adding intentional elements along the Advent journey . There might be a kid ’ s choir one week . Or a little more “ special music ” ( solos / performance songs ) during
December . Or we ’ ll create themed readings or a short drama .
While these elements add some extra work , it doesn ’ t rise to the level of insanity that many of my worship leader friends are experiencing . And if the Chreasters ( those who only attend church on Christmas and Easter ) happen to return in January , the gatherings will still feel familiar .
2 . DON ’ T butcher the beloved carols . Maybe you ’ ve experienced something different than I have . But over 15 years of vocational ministry experience , I ’ ve observed that most people just want to sing the standard Christmas carols . You know , the way they ’ ve known them since they were wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a ma — er … church nursery crib .
But instead , we give them geneticallymodified mutant versions of the classics they ( used to ) love .
For example , people know The First Noel in 3 / 4 . Most don ’ t actually know that the time signature is 3 / 4 . But they do know that when their worship leader plays it in 4 / 4 , it doesn ’ t feel right . And , they stop singing .
Sure , if you play it enough times , people will
30 November 2023 Subscribe for Free ...