again: duplication works. The team was fine because I’ ve been intentionally sharing leadership. I’ m not the only one who can cue the band or carry the set. I’ ve invested in others, and they were ready.
MORE THAN MANAGING SUNDAYS At WorshipTeamCoach. com, one of the consistent themes is that your role isn’ t just to manage Sundays— it’ s to develop leaders who can manage ministry. There’ s a big difference. Managing Sundays means you’ re focused on execution: song lists, slides, rehearsals, making sure the mic batteries aren’ t dead, and that everyone gets to service on time. That’ s important. But leading a ministry means you’ re focused on multiplication: developing people, equipping others, and creating systems that outlast you.
Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 4:11 – 12: church leaders exist“ to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ”( CSB). If our ministry stops with us, we’ ve missed the assignment.
THE PACKERS ANALOGY Now, let me confess something: I’ m a huge Green Bay Packers fan. I’ ve followed them for years, and one of the things I love about this team is the way they’ ve developed quarterbacks.
The Packers have enjoyed decades of stability at quarterback because they didn’ t just rely on one superstar— they invested in leadership development. Brett Favre set the stage and carried the team for years. Then Aaron Rodgers took over, learning behind Favre before becoming one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. And now Jordan Love is stepping in, already showing signs that he can lead the team for years to come.
That’ s not luck. That’ s leadership development. Worship ministry works the same way. If you’ re running a one-man offense— doing all the planning, singing all the leads, carrying all the weight— your ministry is fragile. But if you’ re training others to run plays, to call audibles, and to take snaps when needed, then your ministry can thrive even when you’ re on the sidelines.( And yes, as a true fan, I’ ll just go ahead and say it: I still believe this is our year.)
THREE PRACTICAL STEPS TO DUPLICATE YOURSELF So, how do you actually do this? Here are three practical ways to begin duplicating yourself:
Invite Others Into Planning Don’ t just hand your team the setlist each week— bring them into the“ why” behind it. Ask another leader to suggest songs. Let them connect scripture with the flow of the set. Invite them to help craft transitions. It might be slower at first, but you’ re training them to think like a leader, not just a musician.
Give Away the Microphone Start small. Let another team member lead one song in a set. Over time, invite them to welcome the congregation, pray, or share a scripture. Yes, you’ ll need to coach them— but each step is a deposit in their growth.
Coach Behind the Scene Teach your leaders how to run rehearsals, how to give healthy feedback, how to pastor the team. If you’ re the only one who can start a rehearsal on time, troubleshoot sound, and shepherd the band through conflict, your ministry is bottlenecked. Share the load.
FIRST DOWNS, NOT HAIL MARYS Here’ s the truth: duplication doesn’ t usually happen in dramatic“ aha” moments. It happens the same way football teams drive down the field— steady gains, one first down at a time. Week after week, you equip your team. Week after week, you let others carry the weight. Over time, you’ ll look around and realize you’ re not leading alone anymore.
And yes, it can be uncomfortable. Giving away leadership feels risky. It requires humility. It forces you to step off center stage at times. But the reward? A team that thrives even when you’ re sidelined.
WHY IT MATTERS Let’ s be honest: none of us knows what tomorrow holds. I didn’ t expect to be sitting in a doctor’ s office in September 2023 hearing the word cancer. I didn’ t expect my voice to give out in the middle of rehearsal. You probably have your own version of those curveballs.
The point is this: if your ministry can’ t function without you, then your ministry isn’ t healthy. Duplication isn’ t optional— it’ s essential.
FINAL WORD When you duplicate yourself, your ministry becomes more resilient, your team becomes more engaged, and your church experiences the richness of worship that isn’ t dependent on one person’ s voice— or one person’ s health.
Because worship ministry isn’ t about spotlight— it’ s about presence. And God shows up, even when we don’ t.
And maybe most importantly for me: duplication means my daughter will grow up watching a church with healthy leadership. She won’ t just see her Dad carrying everything on his shoulders; she’ ll see a team of people stepping up, leading together, and equipping the next generation. That’ s the kind of legacy I want her to inherit— one where ministry is sustainable, leaders are multiplied, and Jesus gets all the glory.
Matt Miller Matt Miller lives in Cincinnati with his wife Kara and their daughter Melody. When he’ s not leading worship or coaching leaders, he’ s probably drinking coffee, playing pickleball, or convincing himself that this is finally the Packers’ year. WorshipTeamCoach. com WorshipWorkshop. com
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