WORSHIP TEAM COACH
[ THE WORSHIP TEAM HIERARCHY OF NEEDS | Jon Nicol ]
1943. The average cost of a new house was from “I’m trying not to suck” to “I’m
$3600 and a bottle of Coca Cola was a nickel. trying not to instigate a train wreck.”
Oklahoma had just opened on Broadway, and
The Great Depression had officially ended. Survival players are self-absorbed.
A baseball team owner by the name of Philip Now, most aren’t narcissists; they
K. Wrigley gave us The All-American Girls just can’t get their heads out of their
Professional Baseball League (since his Cubs music stands or their eyes off their
and others were off fighting the war), and a instruments.
psychologist named Abraham Maslow gave us,
well, a pyramid.
CONNECTION
The Connection level player has
Actually, it was a “Hierarchy of Needs” moved past “just surviving” and
illustrated by a multi-level triangle. Maslow was can connect with the music and
trying to show the layers of human needs and the other musicians. It’s a welcome
motivation. It goes like this: place to be after white-knuckling
The needs towards the bottom are about basic Elevation songs week after week.
survival and safety needs, like food, water, and
NOT getting eaten by a bear. In the middle needs Musicians who have made it here
are psychological needs, like relationships and have learned to not only enjoy
the feeling of accomplishment. At the top is playing and singing, but they enjoy
something Maslow called self-actualization—a playing and singing WITH the team.
rather “woo-woo” term for achieving one’s full There’s musical camaraderie.
potential.
The problem is when the worship
One of the things that this Hierarchy of Needs team
teaches us is that people don’t typically search Connection stage. For this team
out the higher needs unless they’ve met the member, it’s too much about the
lower ones. In other words, you’re not going music, and she won’t be able to
to worry about your self-esteem when you’re reach the next level.
member
stays
in
the
ENGAGEMENT
being chased by a bear.
Team members at the Engagement level are
EXPRESSION solid musicians who love God and worship
As I was thinking about development process The Expression level is the convergence of Him wholeheartedly. But their worship isn’t
of a worship team member from a beginner to confident musicianship and biblical worship. just vertical. It’s sacrificially horizontal. They
a fully mature team member, I realized there’s The person who reaches this level not only are about loving and serving the congregation
similar “hierarchy of needs.” And just like knows her stuff musically, but she also is able whom they lead.
Maslow’s model, each “need” for the worship to freely engage in musical worship and show team member usually has to be met before the genuine expression.
For instance, a worship team member at this
next higher one can be achieved.
level may study platform presence, not as a
This is a rewarding place to be as a worship way to look good, but to better engage with
So here are the Worship Team Hierarchy of musician. And that can be a problem. Once and serve the congregation. And she carries
Needs, starting from the bottom of the pyramid: a team member reaches this level, he often her love for the congregation off the platform,
doesn’t feel like he needs to go any higher. If a too. There’s no hiding in the green room
SURVIVAL worship team member stays here, it becomes between services for her. She’s out with her
The worship team member at this level is all just about his musical and spiritual “fulfillment” church family.
about, well, survival. Survival playing can range in worship.
October 2017
continued on page 60
WorshipMusician.com
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