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 experience, here are my standards and guidelines for my worship team. GUIDELINES FOR WORSHIP MINISTRY

• Must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is consistent and growing through prayer, Bible reading and church fellowship.
• Be a committed attendee and tither of our church, including regular attendance at Sunday Services.
• Demonstrate technical competence as a singer, musician or audio/media technician.
• Singers and musicians must be comfortable on stage and expressive in their praise and worship before God.
• Maintain a faithful attendance record.
• Be committed to practicing an hour or more per week on their Sunday songs at home.

COMMITMENT TO A GODLY LIFESTYLE

• Worship team members are expected to live a lifestyle that is above reproach, avoiding even the appearance of evil. (I Tim 3). Being a minister, who is up front, adds extra responsibilities because people see us as examples of what a Christian should be like. Therefore, it is imperative that we consider the way we treat each other and carefully guard our hearts from impurities and pride.
• It is God's desire and our desire to see our worship team members living a victorious Christian life, free from bondage. If there are any addictions or issues with which you struggle, please let us know – we are here to help you, not to judge you.

The following issues should be dealt with before any public ministry position is taken:

• Alcohol and drug abuse. Sexual immorality
• Prideful attitude. Anger and rage problems,
• Inability to submit to leadership, gossiping and stirring up strife
• An unbiblical lifestyle

DRESS CODE General Dress Code: Modesty & dressy, culturally relevant styles are key.

• No overly tight clothing. No short skirts or dresses.
• No sleeveless tops (without a covering).
• No revealing clothing (i.e. see-thru material without undershirt)
• Proper footwear: polished shoes or dress running shoes.
• No gaudy/over-sized jewelry (anything that might be a distraction)

Sunday Morning Attire:

• Men: Collared shirt & slacks: optional jackets, sweaters & vests.
• Ladies: Blouse & pants, skirt or dress (knee length). No pants that are tight all the way to the ankle unless you wear a long top that goes mid-thigh. No gaucho or cropped pants of any kind.
• All: Nice dark dress jeans are also acceptable. Old & baggy jeans are not acceptable. If in doubt, wear dress pants. No hats.
• Colors: Stick to neutral tones: Black & all grey tones, browns and all its tones, light/dark blue, dark purple, white and off-white. No loud prints.

SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS:

• Typically each band member and singer will be scheduled twice per month based on their availability and monthly service schedules.
• Arriving on time and ready for practice is essential for each member! In order to present worship music that is both excellent in quality and anointed, a strong rehearsal is necessary. The more we practice, the freer we are to worship and lead others in worship!
• Thursday Night Rehearsals: 7:30-9:30 pm *mandatory
• Note: Only that Sunday's team practices the Thursday night prior.

TIPS FOR BETTER PLATFORM PRESENCE:

• Look in the mirror and watch what you look like – jump, clap, bow, dance, raise your hands, and be engaging. If something appears awkward, adjust it to make sure you are communicating what you want to communicate.
• Do not let the congregation determine your level of expression. Sometimes they will not be engaged in worship. As leaders, we always need to be engaged. Show them an example of how to express worship. Most of the time, they simply need to see worship in order to learn how to express it on their own.
• Be sincere. Worship from your heart. Give a warm smile from within. We are leading people from all different circumstances, so remember that a warm smile ministers more than you realize.
• Musicians – Be sure to stay engaged in worship. Practice ahead of time so you don't have to focus on your instrument the whole time. Sing while you play. Seeing a musician singing from their heart can really help people worship. Move around your area. Use your space to the fullest. When there is no movement, the platform can look stagnant. (check out: Where Is Your Brain On Sunday Morning?)

Question: What do you agree or disagree with in these guidelines? What is working for your team?