“Extraordinarily beneficial!” “Worth every penny!” “Speechless” ”Phenominal” “High mark in my ministry” “Challenging”
These are just a few of the things Intensive attendees express on their video testimonies. Watch them below.
NOTE: Email us if you’re interested in coming in 2013 (exact date TBA). If you end up being able to come, then you’ll get 10% OFF just by letting us know NOW that you’re interested. That’s it! (For more info about the Intensive, go here.)
Got this question from a worship leader the other day about his pastor’s song request versus God’s leading him. Would you have advised this person differently? –Dwayne
My pastor had requested for us to do a song this past week. I had it on my original song list. However, as I was driving to worship practice I was praying. God said to me He wanted songs of surrender. So I changed the entire second half of the song list. I had to take out pastor’s request, for the sake of time. He was clearly upset after the service by what I’d done. How could I have handled this better?
Dear Worship Leader, here’s my advice to you:
When the pastor asks for a song, as far as you’re concerned, that IS God’s voice, speaking through him to you. Never go against the directive of your pastor, under any circumstances. He is your spiritual leader and boss. I know you meant nothing disrespectful by disregarding his request. You were simply trying to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit (which is commendable!) But next time you feel potentially led in a different direction than your pastor has requested of you, I strongly suggest the following steps:
1. Talk with him or her beforehand. Explain why you would like to change the song to something else.
2. Humbly ask him if he is OK with the change you want to make.
3. If he says yes, then go with it, and plan to do his request at a service in the near future if he still wants it.
4. If he says he really prefers you go ahead and do his song as requested, then joyfully submit and do it.
5. Trust God with the outcome either way. God will hold you responsible for following your pastor, and He’ll hold your pastor responsible for following Him.
Here’s our service order for this Easter. It’s simple yet unique–especially the “rumor” dramatic effect at the beginning. (Bet you’ve never seen this done in a service before!) Substitute songs for songs that work best for your congregation.
EASTER SERVICE 2012
The Station Church
1. Video about Easter (from Sermon Spice) as a call to worship
2. Opening dramatic presentation
–Scripture reading from Luke 24:1-9 (read by a child)
–Praise team enters from back going down isles asking people, “Have you heard? He’s alive!”
–”He’s alive!” *rumor spreads across the room (dramatic effect) (bridge to My Savior Lives begins playing/building in background) (singers replace the words ” My Savior lives” of bridge with “He is alive.”)
3. 1st Song Set
My Savior Lives
Your Great Name
4.Welcome — Pastor
5. 2nd Song Set
You Gave Your Life Away (Play brief edited clip from The Passion movie of Jesus being crucified at start of You Gave Your Life Away.)
-Worship leader segues by saying “Aren’t you thankful he didn’t stay dead? He arose!”
Glorious Day
6. Message
7. Possible Response to message: Your Great Name (reprise)
*To do the Rumor dramatic effect: Worship leader says to the congregation: “We need the first person on each row to turn to your neighbor on your left and say, ‘Have you heard? He’s alive?’ Then that person will turn to her neighbor on her left and say the same. Let’s spread this news all the across the room.”
Worship Leader Media has given Dwayne’s new book 4.5 stars in their review! Heaven’s Praise: Hearing God Say “Well Done” is Dwayne’s newest Bible study. We’re thankful to Jeremy, Suzie and the gang at Worship Leader Media for this great review.
Cast: Choir, narrator, 3 brief speaking parts for choir members, Jesus (no speaking parts)
Run-time: approx. 30 minutes
Props/costumes needed: palm branches, simple rock or backdrop for the Garden of Gethsemane scene, costumes for some choir members and for Jesus, signs for a few of the choir members displaying various thoughts of desertion
Scene 1
Choir is in place on stage. Some are dressed in biblical attire, and others are in regular, modern clothes. House lights are off. Spotlight up on narrator who is standing on stage right.
Narrator: Here we are in the city of Jerusalem. It’s their annual Passover celebration and the place is packed with out-of-town guests. But this Passover is different than any other one they’ve seen. This is the day Jesus enters the city triumphantly. Imagine what it must have been like that day. Imagine Jesus walking past us now, riding on a donkey. (music begins building) Wow, the streets of Jerusalem are erupting with praise for this man who is also God. This is their Messiah. This is the One they’ve been waiting for so long. This is the King who’s come to save them! And they’re obviously very excited to see him and proclaim him the King of Kings! Let’s join them in praise to the King!
Choir Medley – O Worship the King (verse 1), Agnus Dei (full song), How Great Is Our God (chorus, verse 1, chorus, bridge, chorus 2x), (Suggestion: end the medley with the ladies singing the chorus of Agnus Dei while the men continue the chorus of How Great Is Our God.)
Narrator: (Reads passage about Jesus entering Jerusalem and them singing “Hosanna”.) Yes, they were singing Hosanna alright. It’s like they couldn’t shout it loud enough: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Song — Hosanna (by Hillsong United) (verse 1, chorus only) As song continues, the choir fans out so some are both sides of the congregation while some remain on stage. (Spotlights search throughout auditorium) They all begin to wave palm branches and join in singing “Hosanna” over and over, louder and louder. Then they begin to hand palm branches randomly to people in the congregation as everyone begins to sing “O Come let us adore Him.” The enthusiasm of praise continues to rise until the end of the song.
To download the entire drama, please complete the form below and submit it. Thanks!
Someone sent me this question the other day. How would you advise her? – Dwayne
“I have a guy I am letting vocal lead a song here and there in the Sunday set. He leads his songs pretty well…I am training him and helping him learn to do vocal cues, signal the band, sing on pitch…etc so he is slowly growing in all this. But during services–while I am leading my designated song or another person on my team is leading their song–this guy will sing “fills” or cue the next part of the song. He doesn’t stay on his vocal line or try to blend with the other vocals. The catcher is he only does this during the actual service never in rehearsal. As you can imagine sometimes this becomes confusing to the band, to my other vocals and the congregation–especially when he tries and sings a riff that goes out or tune or out of his range. (I have had complaints) It is distracting. I just feel like he is going into his own personal worship sometimes and forgetting where he is. I have not ever experienced this with my other vocal leads…there has never been a problem in communication to them …so I know there is a training issue with him and somehow I am not communicating in a way he is understanding. SO I guess my question is how can I coach him? He is somewhat sensitive like all of us can be. Have you ever experienced this and do you have any ideas or ways of communicating to him that could help me encourage and build him up but also correct and train him?” — Sarah
In a case like Sarah’s, here’s what I recommend:
1. Group teach. Use a new song you are introducing for the first time to them. Say “Ok everyone, sew-in-sew is going to sing the lead part on this new song.The rest of us are NOT the leader on this song. We are just the backups. Our job is NOT to stand out, but rather to blend in and support in the background. Thus we must sing only our rehearsed part, and we must be sure we are not as loud as the leader is. Does everyone understand why this is important?” Make sure they all acknowledge it and act as though they agree–especially your challenging person(s).
2. Reinforce. Now that you’ve carefully explained what you need and WHY, you must reinforce that. As you rehearse, look for a time or two when you can pause and say, “for me, I’m tempted to add an extra line in right there. And I’m sure I’m going to want to sometimes during the actual services. But I can’t. And WE can’t. Why? Because that could distract and interfere with what the one leading the song feels led to do. Remember, our job is to be background vocalists.”
3. Teach the scriptural principles. There are a couple biblical principles that need to be taught and understood here. First, God is our audience. Thus, Our rehearsal times are worship services too. We shouldn’t wait until we get on stage on Sunday to “feel led” to do some add-in part. And how we practice something is how we should do it on Sunday–as much as possible. God is able and wants to lead us in advance of Sunday as we prepare and worship in our rehearsals. Second, esteem others higher than ourselves. It’s called submission and humility to respect others and willingly fade into the background. This is being a servant to our fellow singers on stage. There can only be one leader leading any given song. And we must yield to what that leader feels led to do. Our role is to do what we rehearsed in advance, so the leader knows what to expect from us. Think about it, if you were leading a song, wouldnt you want to know for sure if someone else is going to repeat a phrase or do an obligato part? If you don’t know in advance, then you can end up confused and distracted from leading, can’t you? And so does the congregation! You might even get a little frustrated, making it hard for you to personally worship. Let’s honor those who are leading by doing the song as we rehearsed it. That will actually end up giving more opportunity of freedom to the leader to follow the Spirit himself.
4. Apply these principles to the bigger picture. Say, “During the services on Sundays, there is one main leader–besides our pastor–who is in charge of the whole music time. And between songs, that person is the default speaker and seque person. Your job is to listen and support the main leader by remaining quiet and in the background. Now, just so happen, I’m the main leader in most services–lucky for you (smile)! That means giving me that same level of support and respect as I would you, if you were the main leader during the service.”
5. Repeat, repeat, repeat. One time will not be enough to curb this problem and get through to your challenging person(s). There are some deeper beliefs and habits inside him that took years to form about this. Thus, expect it to take some time and much prayer and patience with him. You will have to gently but firmly continue to remind him or her of what you said and why. Do it immediately. For example, the next time that person “goes off” during a service, then immediately after the service take a moment and explain why that’s not normally a good thing. Suggest that it might have better if he or she had been a bit more restrained. Be sure to it in a very positive and encouraging manner. Don’t act upset or defensive about it. Rather say, “We’re on the same team, and I so appreciate you wanting to be a team player.”
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How would you advise Sarah? What would you add or subtract from what I wrote her about it? Please leave a comment. Thanks!
Dwayne Moore, author of Pure Praise: A Heart-focused Bible Study on Worship, teaches a webinar on how to grow your worship team spiritually. This is part 1 of the original webinar. In this 40 minute teaching video, Dwayne describes the four levels of effectiveness–one of which every person on your team is on.
In Part 2 (Developing Your Worship Team Spiritually), Dwayne gives four proven methods to move your worship team to the next level.
In this second part of a recorded webinar, Dwayne Moore explains how to move worship team members to a higher level of effectiveness as ministers. Dwayne gives four proven methods to bring about real change in your team. Be sure to watch “The Four Levels of Worship Leaders” to understand what a minister through music looks like.
You’re invited to receive praise–from the Creator Himself!
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Join the Worldwide Online Study of Heaven’s Praise!
Starts Monday, February 6, 2012
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Learn how you can hear God say “well done”! Join Christians from around the world on this exciting online adventure through this powerful 6-week Bible study by Dwayne Moore, who also authored the award-winning book, Pure Praise.
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Click here to join the online study, presented by The Worship Community.
Are some people more special to God than others? Is possible to find special favor with God for you, your family, your job?
In this powerful and ground-breaking message, author and teacher Dwayne Moore explains how we can position ourselves to receive the awesome favor from God that is ours because we are His highly favored children.
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“Extraordinarily beneficial!” “Worth every penny!” “Speechless” ”Phenominal” “High mark in my ministry” “Challenging”
Worship Leader Media has given Dwayne’s new book 4.5 stars in their review! Heaven’s Praise: Hearing God Say “Well Done” is Dwayne’s newest Bible study. We’re thankful to Jeremy, Suzie and the gang at Worship Leader Media for this great review.
A Palm Sunday Mini-musical & Dramatic Presentation for Choir & Narrator
Written by Dwayne Moore
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Are some people more special to God than others? Is possible to find special favor with God for you, your family, your job?
