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Mike O'Brien
Worship Training Instructor5 Courses • 65 Media Sessions

Mike O'Brien

Mike O'Brien is passionate about teaching and mentoring worship leaders and teams. His calling is to use his experience as producer, worship leader, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist to come alongside musicians, helping them more fully worship God with their instrument and lives.

Courses by Mike O'Brien (5)

6 Creative Chords For Acoustic Guitar
6 LessonsAcoustic Guitar

6 Creative Chords For Acoustic Guitar

In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to freshen up those basic acoustic guitar chords in 4 different keys (C, G, D, and E). Introduction and bonus material also included.

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On Stage Sound With Mike O'Brien
3 LessonsAudio & Tech

On Stage Sound With Mike O'Brien

On Stage Sound With Mike O'Brien

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Winning The Volume War
4 LessonsDrums & Percussion

Winning The Volume War

Winning The Volume War

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Worship Team Development
38 LessonsWorship Leading

Worship Team Development

Worship Team Development

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The Visual Litany Collection
7 LessonsAudio & Tech

The Visual Litany Collection

A Litany Responsive Reading Video Series

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Videos, Audio & Articles by Mike O'Brien (65)

12 Go To Apps For Worship Leadingebook

12 Go To Apps For Worship Leading

Increasingly, I find myself pulling my phone out before, during and after worship gatherings. Not so much to update my social media, but for reference and support as a worship leader. Here are 12 helpful apps (admittedly, some of these are only shortcuts to we

5 Hacks For Attracting Worship Team Musiciansebook

5 Hacks For Attracting Worship Team Musicians

Many churches have a serious problem attracting and keeping volunteer musicians. Let's face it, getting a team of musicians to show up to church and play music at 8 AM on a Sunday can be a challenge. Usually there is sub-par monitoring, messy stages and lots o

Simple Christmas Eve Candlelight Serviceprint

Simple Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

In many streams of Christian faith the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service has become a common tradition. Typically these services are short and sweet, including many traditional hymns and scripture reading. Several years ago, worship pastor Mike O'Brien develop

Designing Goals for Worship Leadersebook

Designing Goals for Worship Leaders

For many, our worship ministries and personal leadership have plateaued. Sure, we get the weekly worship set out and go through the motions, but there is something deep inside that says there could be more. Download Mike O'Brien's DESIGNING GOALS FOR WORSHIP L

A Worship Leader's Guide To Surviving And Thriving This Christmasvideo

A Worship Leader's Guide To Surviving And Thriving This Christmas

As the Christmas season approaches the demands for those overseeing the worship experience in our churches multiplies exponentially. Just like everyone else, our calendars fill up with parties, pageants, and family gatherings but unlike everyone else, as music

The $200 Voice Lessonebook

The $200 Voice Lesson

The $200 Voice Lesson What I learned from a world-class vocal coach Written specifically for the Worship Team vocalists, this simple PDF shares some life changing tools that worship leader Mike O'Brien learned in his one-hour, $200 voice lesson from a world cl

Nine Great Gifts For Your Worship Team (Updated Edition)ebook

Nine Great Gifts For Your Worship Team (Updated Edition)

Inspire your worship teams this Christmas season by sending this list of GREAT GIFT IDEAS full of unique tools every musician will appreciate and actually use! Your teams will appreciate this thoughtful list full of tools and inspiration for the home, stage an

On Stage Sound For Singersebook

On Stage Sound For Singers

Great sound starts on stage! In church the voice into the microphone is potentially the most important instrument on stage. Songs are defined by lyrics and the way we use our voice and microphone on the stage will play a crucial role in the overall sound and e

How to Record Your Worship Teamebook

How to Record Your Worship Team

HOW TO RECORD YOUR WORSHIP TEAM: Making Your Own Greatest Hits It used to be that only major labels and artists willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars could record their music. Today just about any worship ministry in a local church can afford to record

Dear Pastor - Here's Why Worship Leaders Struggle To Play Fast Songsebook

Dear Pastor - Here's Why Worship Leaders Struggle To Play Fast Songs

When the Church gathers on Sunday, those that are leading worship should be hopeful and expectant. Pastors generally want an engaging and energetic service, yet at Monday evaluation meetings, many may be thinking: The music was great, but can we up the tempo a

Winning The Volume War - For Pastorsvideo

Winning The Volume War - For Pastors

Leaders and communicators have a significant role in the sound culture that our services embody. We will walk through three ways pastors can relieve the tensions around this topic. Both relational and technical, we will explore some ways leaders can influence

Winning The Volume War - For Drummersvideo

Winning The Volume War - For Drummers

Mike O'Brien has over 17 years experience leading worship alongside hundreds of different drummers in all types of rooms. Winning the Volume War for Drummers presents 4 simple tips on how to help control volume and perceived volume in our services. The drum se

3 Music Stand Tipsvideo

3 Music Stand Tips

Is your Music Stand a Friend or Foe? Mike O'Brien gives 3 tips on the use, placement, and handling of music stands that will change the dynamic of your worship experience on a weekend service. Every vocalist, musician, and worship leader must understand these

Winning The Volume War - For Sound Techsvideo

Winning The Volume War - For Sound Techs

Winning the Volume War for Sound Techs highlights 4 ways sound personnel can assist in the volume management in our worship services. Knowing the rules about decibel levels and master faders is important, but there are other issues that will address the root p

On Stage Sound The Bass Ampebook

On Stage Sound The Bass Amp

Great sound starts on the stage! The on stage bass amp can be one of the most critical pieces of the overall sound equation. It's size, placement, and adjustments can make a significant difference in the sonic worship experience for the bass player, the band a

Winning The Volume War - Introductionvideo

Winning The Volume War - Introduction

Winning the Volume War Introduction highlights 8 variables that affect perceived volume in our worship contexts. Knowing the rules about decibel levels and master faders is important, but there are other issues that will address the root problems of worship th

Creative Chords Key of Cvideo

Creative Chords Key of C

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

Creative Chords Introductionvideo

Creative Chords Introduction

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

Creative Chords Bonus Materialvideo

Creative Chords Bonus Material

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

Creative Chords Key of Evideo

Creative Chords Key of E

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

Creative Chords Key of Gvideo

Creative Chords Key of G

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

Creative Chords Key of Dvideo

Creative Chords Key of D

Have you or someone on your team reached a ceiling in their acoustic guitar skills? When is the last time you've challenged yourself to learn some fresh ways of playing the basic worship chords? In this 6 part series, Mike O'Brien will walk you through how to

5 Worship Ministry Hacks You Can Do Nowprint

5 Worship Ministry Hacks You Can Do Now

After 18 years of leading worship for the same church (14 of those in the same building), Mike has had the privilege over time of adding some helpful tools to the setup that serve the congregation and band in simple ways. Check out these 5 simple Worship Minis

4 Quick Tips For Church Bass Playersvideo

4 Quick Tips For Church Bass Players

Playing bass in a worship team is a joy! Here are some ideas to think about the next time you play at church: 1. Don't Play 2. Start High then Go Low 3. Use Space! 4. Lead the Lyric

4 Quick Tips For Church Acoustic Guitar Playersvideo

4 Quick Tips For Church Acoustic Guitar Players

Playing acoustic guitar in a worship team is pretty common and it's a position many of us take for granted. Here are some ideas to think about the next time you play acoustic guitar at church: 1. Don't Play 2. Play Diamonds (or whole notes) 3. Play With Dynami

5 Unique Backstage Guitars For The Churchvideo

5 Unique Backstage Guitars For The Church

Having some unique instruments near the church stage can really open up creativity for your volunteer church musicians. Here are 5 unique instruments Mike keeps nearby and uses from time to time for church services.

Designing & Leading Life-Giving Worship Rehearsalsvideo

Designing & Leading Life-Giving Worship Rehearsals

This is a summary of Mike's Designing and Leading Life-Giving Rehearsals talk given at Lee University.

Better Sound In Quarantinevideo

Better Sound In Quarantine

Do you want better audio for your church at home setup? Mike O'Brien provides some practical tips and gear suggestions for improving the audio for speaking and music if you are doing church from home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀â

Three In-Stock Video Tools Every Pastor (And Worship Leader) Needs Yesterdayvideo

Three In-Stock Video Tools Every Pastor (And Worship Leader) Needs Yesterday

Welcome to the new reality of the online church, online small group and ZOOM video conferences galore. These 3 in-stock items (at the time of this writing!) from Amazon will up your video game immediately. You might not care what you look like, but if what you

My #1 Congregational Participation Tipvideo

My #1 Congregational Participation Tip

The most important instrument is the collective voice of the gathered people of God. What if we started with the most vital and familiar part of the song and gave it to the congregation to sing before we did anything else? Check out this creative idea for wors

4 Essential Keys To Leading Worship Onlineprint

4 Essential Keys To Leading Worship Online

A huge component of any worship gathering is, well, the gathering. It's OK to grieve the loss of the physical connection. Don't rush, and don't try to make a virtual meeting more victorious than it is. Nothing will compare to the physical connection of people.

15 Gift Ideas For Worship Leadersebook

15 Gift Ideas For Worship Leaders

It's that time of year again when you want to get the perfect gift for the church musician in your life. Buying something thoughtful or useful for a musician can be hard; they know what they like and they know what actually works. Because finding the perfect s

Worship Pastor > Worship Leaderprint

Worship Pastor > Worship Leader

There are song leaders and there are worship leaders. There are worship leaders and there are worship pastors. Regardless of your specific title, let's zoom in a bit on some approaches we can think about in regards to pastoring our worship community better and

The Case For Cleanprint

The Case For Clean

One of the chief enemies of creativity in the church is disordered, cluttered, and mismanaged spaces. That well-meaning clutter pile needs to be purged. We must take action for a new, functional, and creative space for your teams.

Removing Obstacles To Jesusprint

Removing Obstacles To Jesus

As we recruit, train and encourage our sound and media teams it's vital to remind them of the importance of invisibility and "seamlessness." Certainly, the Lord can use imperfect productions for His glory, but when our tech work is smooth and seamless it clear

Graceful Dismissalprint

Graceful Dismissal

Everyone will eventually leave your church...including you. So teaching volunteers how to quit can make a big difference in your church (and the quality of your life.)

Face Facts: Your Church Is A Concert Venueprint

Face Facts: Your Church Is A Concert Venue

If you have a stage, you have a church concert venue. The goal of a concert is pure entertainment; the goal of the church is active participation of the people. As Christians, we know that behind the stages, lights, and sound speakers there is a significant an

Be Prepared: Build Your Dream Gear List Before You Need Itprint

Be Prepared: Build Your Dream Gear List Before You Need It

Mike O'Brien suggests every ministry tech leader, at every size, have an ongoing list of technical gear that they need, want and dream to have. Is there something that if the church had, could better disciple people, increase the effectiveness of its mission,

Singing Through Your Micvideo

Singing Through Your Mic

The way you approach and sing into your microphone is crucial to how you sound in your monitor and in the sanctuary. Mike O'Brien (Vineyard School of Worship, Atlanta GA) gives some unique insights on how singers can work with the microphone to best serve the

Keys Of Authority > Who Are You Empowering This Year?video

Keys Of Authority > Who Are You Empowering This Year?

Mike O'Brien (director of Vineyard School of Worship) gives a compelling vision for multiplication and release of leaders for the next year. Who will you invest in the next year? Who can you give authority to in spiritual and practical ways? For worship leader

Shepherding The Bandvideo

Shepherding The Band

Mike O'Brien (Director of the Vineyard School of Worship) gives vision for worship leaders to think pastorally before they lead musically. How are you shepherding your band? Has perfect performance taken the place of relationship?

Kingdom Theology And Advent Part 3video

Kingdom Theology And Advent Part 3

The Kingdom of God in Advent is slow, contested, and unexpected. For worship leaders, the weeks preceding Christmas are a fitting time to highlight the tension in the Kingdom of God as we wait for the Messiah. In our prayers, songs and language we once again e

Kingdom Theology And Advent Part 1video

Kingdom Theology And Advent Part 1

The Kingdom of God in Advent is slow, contested, and unexpected. For worship leaders, the weeks preceding Christmas are a fitting time to highlight the tension in the Kingdom of God as we wait for the Messiah. In our prayers, songs and language we once again e

How To Talk To Your Sound Techebook

How To Talk To Your Sound Tech

In many churches, communication with the sound tech is a touchy subject. In this eBook, Mike O'Brien shares a few ways to engage your tech and make your church culture one that honors these valuable servants.

How To Talk To Your Drummerebook

How To Talk To Your Drummer

For many worship leaders communicating with your fellow musicians is a huge challenge. It can be very intimidating to give an opinion about an instrument you don't play. Since the drummer and the drumset play such a critical role in the overall sound of our ba

Setting Up A Click Track For Your Worship Teamvideo

Setting Up A Click Track For Your Worship Team

Adding a click track (metronome) to your worship team setup is easy and the video below shows you how to do it. Despite what some believe, adding a click will not automatically void the Holy Spirit from your church or kill the "feel" of your musicianship. Watc

A Worship Leader's Guide To Cleaning Toiletsprint

A Worship Leader's Guide To Cleaning Toilets

"Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a scepter but a hoe." - Bernard of Clairvaux This is my story of going from worship star to janitor in one day. Hours of vacuuming communion crumbs, dusting unseen spaces and

The Perfect Worship Set List Posterprint

The Perfect Worship Set List Poster

Print, and place on music stands, on office walls, in rehearsal rooms, or foyers. Any place worship teams (or worshippers) gather. Or, use it as a digital training resource for your team. These full-color, printable worship posters are available in three stand