Worship Training Instructor1 Courses • 42 Media Sessions

Mark Cole

Jesus follower, husband, father, worship leader, writer, pastor, church consultant, founding arranger for PraiseCharts.com, squash & tennis player, blogger & outdoor enthusiast (biking, hiking, skiing). Check out Mark's book - "Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure" available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions. This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

Courses by Mark Cole (1)

40 LessonsWorship Leading

Following God: The Grand Adventure

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Videos, Audio & Articles by Mark Cole (42)

Worship Leading: 7 Keys To Becoming Invisible

Have you ever been in a great worship service and the worship leader and team seemed to disappear and your complete focus turned to worshiping Jesus? Strong worship leaders know that worship is never about them, it's about putting our gaze and attention on Jes

A Great Script For A Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Pastors and Worship Leaders: Are you looking for a script that really works for a one hour Christmas Eve Service(s)? Here's one that I developed and have used successfully. You are free to copy and use it. I've also added links to the songs and media. Apple Ci

10 Keys To Improving Your Singing

I have worked with average to great singers on the road, in the recording studio, in church and other musical settings for many decades. Here is what I have learned so far about helping singers improve: 1. Learn to Breathe Properly Learning to breathe deeply a

10 Tips On Improving Your Worship Band Rehearsal

I have spent many days and evenings at rehearsals. It is the price you pay if you want to do music at a good musical level. It is the price you pay if you want to get past the music and be able to worship God freely. I have had rehearsals with orchestra's, cho

12 Keys To Picking Great Songs For Worship

Picking great songs for worship is one of the most important skills a worship leader needs to learn. There are many different kinds and levels of worship songs. Some songs are written about God, some songs are written to express our feelings, some songs are su

10 Ways To Improve Your Worship Team

I believe great teams always start with great leaders. Leadership is crucial. What are you doing as a leader to improve? Here are some areas to look at when you are working on improving your leadership and your team. Generally speaking, teams never rise above

How To Use An iPad For Live Music

One of the biggest changes that I've made onstage is using my iPad for carrying and reading all my charts. I love that it holds hundreds of songs, has great lighting for the stage, is small and portable, has a great built-in metronome, has a smaller footprint

Attitude Is Everything

I have been leading congregations and other crowds in worship for over twenty-five years. In my busiest seasons, I have led worship up to fourteen times in a single week. I did not always feel like it. Sometimes I just wanted to stay home and relax. But, I hav

10 Tests Of A Good Worship Leader

How are you doing as a worship leader? How do you know if you are a good worship leader? Are there any guidelines that will help to quantify your leadership? Let me suggest a few. Tell me if you think these are reasonable guidelines. 1. Is the congregation sin

Strong Worship Leaders: The 18 Things They Avoid

Strong worship leaders develop good attitudes and habits. They keep their heart, mind and spirit right before God and man. Check out these things that strong leaders don't do, so you can grow and improve. 1. They don't miss out on a daily time with God God is

How To Deal With Difficult People

There will be times in life when we will have conflict. This happens to all of us. God made all of us with different gifts and personalities. We will look at life and situations from different perspectives. We will come at life from different angles. Sometimes

Mentally Strong Christians: The 12 Things They Avoid

Mature, fruitful followers of the LORD have healthy habits. When you look at the lives of Paul, Joseph, Daniel, Jesus and other inspiring Bible figures, you see great examples of healthy minds and habits. They managed their emotions, thoughts, and life in ways

Worship Ministries: A Call To Excellence

What is excellence in music ministry? What role does excellence have in our service to God? Is excellence a standard that it used in the Bible? I have been mulling these issues over in my mind for the last few days. When I think about well-known Biblical figur

What I've Learned About Starting A Youth Worship Band

I was recently asked if I could give some advice on how to start a Junior High Worship Band. One of the churches that I worked at had a small Christian school and I was put in charge of working with the worship team. I worked with that team for a number of yea

How Do You Choose Your Songs For Sunday Worship?

Worship leaders, do you have a process for deciding what songs you are going to sing this Sunday? I was recently asked how I decide what to sing. Here is some insight into what has worked for me. 1. Compile a list of the top 50 songs for your congregation What

Three Ways To Put God First In Your Life

Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second greatest commandment is love your neighbor as yourself. Here are some suggestions as to how that looks like in daily life. 1.

Heart Health

I was recently reminded of the importance of keeping my heart spiritually healthy. What does that look like in your daily life? It is such an important practice. Solomon said it this way, " Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your

What I've Learned About Picking New Songs For Worship

The Secret To Learning Difficult Skills

Have you ever seen a musician or an athlete and wonder how they got that good? Each of us are born with different talents. But none of us becomes an expert at something overnight. That is where diligence and personal discipline separates people who are good an

Seven Keys To Longevity In Ministry

I recently celebrated 40 years since I started into full time ministry. There have been some incredible highs and a few lows along the way. But, I have always been amazed at the faithfulness of God. Here are a few things that I have learned about running the r

7 Keys To Starting In A New Worship Ministry

Are you starting to lead worship in a new church? Has God called you to a new ministry? It can be intimidating! I have been working in music ministry for over thirty years. Let me share what I've learned from my personal experience. 1. God has called you and H

10 Ways To Improve Your Worship Leading

1. Study under a great worship leader This is the best way to learn and it can take on many forms. Jesus used this method to teach His disciples. His disciples ministered alongside Him for three years and then He sent them out to do it for themselves. If you h

The 10 Commandments Of Great Worship Team Members

Sometimes I lead the worship band and sometimes I play in the band. Both are important roles and have specific responsibilities to do them well. As both a leader and a player/singer, here are my ten most important rules as a team member: 1. I will be available

What I've Learned About Improving Your Singing

What I've Learned About Memorizing Music For Worship

Lately, I have been reminded about the importance of memorizing the music when I lead worship. I have found that memorization brings my leading of the congregation and worship of God to a whole new level. I lead on either the guitar or the keyboard depending o

It Is A Privilege To Lead Worship!

One of the greatest privileges that I have is leading people to God, through worship, every Sunday morning. I spent ten years traveling around the world leading worship, but there is something quite special about working with a local team of musicians and your

Guidelines For A Strong Worship Team

In any quality organization there are codes of conduct and concrete expectations. A number of years ago I attended a worship conference at Gateway Church in Dallas and was totally impressed by their worship team. Based on Gateway's code of conduct and my own e

Where Is Your Brain On Sunday Mornings?

Leading public worship at a good level is challenging. There is leading the band and singers and getting the best out of a group of volunteers of various abilities. There is picking the right songs for your congregation. There is working on good arrangements o

The Five Most Important Facts About Worship

Years ago, I realized that I often had only one shot at communicating with an audience in some of the countries that I would visit. So, I asked myself, if I could only speak once to an audience, what were the most important things on worship that I could share

The Personal Life Of A Christian Musician

Have you read Colossians 3:16-17 lately? This great passage gives solid advice for musicians and Christians in general to follow. 1. Let Jesus' teachings and message fill your life! Years ago, I was challenged to get to know Jesus at a deeper level. (Frankly…

Top 10 Guidelines For Successful Worship Leaders

Here are my Top 10 guidelines for successful worship ministry. I have been leading worship teams for 30 years but I still go back to this list to see what I need to work on! Drum roll please….Let's start with #10 10. Never stop growing Are you practicing your

My 10 Favorite Bible Passages On Worship

John ~ I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great

Learning To Transcribe And Write Music

I recently transcribed the toughest piece of music that I have ever been asked to do. The Christmas medley entitled ' Christmas Songs ' is almost 11 minutes long and includes a full symphony orchestra and choir with two soprano soloists. It's from a recording

Leading Worship: Your Personal Best

My definition of excellence is 'to do your personal best'. Excellence can be an elusive endeavor. What is excellent for one person is not excellent for another. A few years back I did my personal best on the Grouse Grind in Vancouver. The Grouse Grind is a 2.9

Actions Speak So Loud

Years ago, I learned that the old proverb, 'actions speak louder than words,' was true. If people hear you saying or singing one thing, but your actions speak another thing, they tend to believe your actions rather than your words. I am in love with the Creato

Going From Song Leading To Worship Leading

Leaders, how do you go from just leading songs to leading worship? How do you get a congregation to get past just singing songs to actually worshiping God? Let me suggest some insights to help you grow as a worship leader.

Worship Leading: 4 Keys To Improving

Leading people in worship to the Living God is an awesome privilege and really involves four major areas: music, worship, leadership (people) and your relationship with God. The more you understand and grow in each area, the stronger your worship leading shoul

Worship Ministry: 12 Keys To Growing

Mark loves to help worship leaders and worship pastors grow and become all that God has called them to be. Here are 12 keys to challenge you toward growth in your ministry. Mark has been leading worship and pastoring for over 30 years but still goes back to th

The Secret Of Going From Good To Great

6 Keys To Learning A Musical Instrument

Over the years, I have heard numerous people comment on how they wish they could play a musical instrument. Along the way I have learned to play over a dozen instruments. My love of playing instruments and worshiping God has opened the door for me to travel ar

8 Tips On Taking Your Sunday Morning Worship To The Next Level

mI love leading God's people in worship. I have been blessed to have led church worship teams at home and around the world for over twenty-five years. Here are a few things that I have learned along that way. 1. Pick Great Songs Picking great songs of worship

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7 Tips On How To Take Your Sunday Worship To The Next Level

Worship Pastor, Artist, Author and Arranger Mark Cole talks about taking your worship to the next level. Join Mark as he shares ideas on picking great songs, memorizing your music and more.