Here are 3 things you should do every week to prepare to lead worship:
1 | Run through your songs
It seems obvious but here's your friendly reminder: you should be running through the songs on your set list every single week.
We've all been there before. You get into the rhythm of just coasting and you think "I already know these songs. I've played them a thousand times before. I don't need to run through them." But the purpose of running through your songs isn't always to learn them, it's to prepare to lead worship. Each week your songs fit together differently and you'll only learn those pieces if you take the time to do a run through.
You'll learn where you can create space in your set or where you need to iron out a transition... which brings us to our next point.
2 | Practice your transitions
Practicing your transitions allows you to say what you're going to say on Sunday before you're in front of your church. You don't have to make your transitions up on the spot - you can and should practice them ahead of time.
Before you lead, figure out where you need transitions and then plot out what point you want to get across in that moment. It might turn out that you need to go a different direction when you're in the moment but having a plan is always better than not having a plan!
3 | Let it marinate
After you run through your songs and practice your transitions - take a break. Let your thoughts marinate. Your first idea is rarely your best idea so give yourself time to flesh out a version 2.0 (or 3.0 or 4.0).
This is where most worship leaders who prepare get stuck. In order to reflect on your plan, you've got to give yourself time. Run through your songs and practice your transitions as early in the week as possible. Then, as you go throughout the rest of your week, those thoughts will be in the back of your mind and you'll find new and better ways to do what you've already planned.
What's one thing you always do when you prepare to lead worship? Let us know in the comments below!
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