Worship Ministry Manual

Brendan Prout
Revised/updated 2/4/15

Table of Contents:
Message to Worship Ministry 2
Vision Statement 4
Worship Visions & Goals 5
Philosophy of Worship 7
Standards of Serving 12
Expectations of Worship Ministry Team Members 14
Appearance and Leading worship – Dress Code 20
Expectations of Worship Ministry Team Leaders 21
Biblical Qualities of Leaders 24
Song Selection 25
Core Team - Expectations of Commitment 26
Job Descriptions 27
Planning Center Online Resources 31
Procedures & Routine Schedules 33
Covenant 35
Message to the Worship Ministry

You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of
anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow
down to them or worship them...”
Exodus 20:3-5

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your soul.
Matthew 22:37

Part of the word worship comes from the word worth. Of what worth is God to you?

Everything and every person in your life has a certain amount of value to you. The
person or things you value the most you tend to spend the most time with and think or
talk the most about.

You are giving that thing or person great worth, which is a form of worship. We were created
to worship, so we will worship something.

God is to be the One you value most, and the way that is declared publicly is by praise.
#1 on a list of 1.

Often times praising God becomes a time of thanking God for the things He has done for us.
Thanksgiving is good, but it is not praise.

Praise is simply giving God the honor due Him for who He is.
We have a tendency to put more value on what someone does than in who they are.

God says we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. He does not say
love all the things that the Lord does but love Him.

When we learn to praise Him for who He is and not for what He does, then we have turned the
corner in our understanding of worship. It is only then that we find that praising God and our
relationship with Him does not depend on our circumstances.

God must be very concerned with this topic, because it is mentioned in Scripture well over 200
times! One of the reasons God saved us in the first place was to establish a “worship team”
that would perform for eternity.

Notice carefully what God says in Isaiah 29:13 –

And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but
their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human
laws learned by rote.”

If you want to come back to the “heart of worship,” you must begin with the heart of you. On
the outside, people may see you bow your head, raise your hands, dance in the aisles, or
shout to the Lord – but all that is putrid pretense to Christ if your heart is in the wrong place.

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Corporate Worship
Our corporate worship gatherings are a vital way we magnify the supremacy of Christ, and so
we want both our hearts and our minds to be engaged, making prayer the visible engine of all
our efforts in ministry and worship.

To have your heart in the right place and truly worship God is to meet at least 4 conditions:

Condition 1: Grow up!

We are not “music professionals”, we are servants. Worship leaders should be theologians.
Choose mature, doctrinally truthful songs above emotionally driven songs.
Save such songs as can be saved, substituting bad lyrics for good. For example: “Above All” is
not a good worship song! “You thought of me above all...” undoes the rest of what is a good
song. Something like, “Now raised the King, above all,” could be substituted for that last line to
save this song.
There are many, many good choices. Choose wisely.

Condition 2: Show up!

The Bible knows nothing of a lone ranger Christian. If your times of praising God are limited to
when you are on stage, then you are missing the point. Leaders lead the way because they
know the way. You cannot lead someone somewhere you haven’t been yourself.

Condition 3: Make up!

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has
something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to
your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23-24

Too often we forget there is a key horizontal aspect to praising God. You cannot
simultaneously offer praise to God and harbor bitterness toward another. As far as it up to
you, do everything you can to be at peace with one another (Romans 12:18).

Condition 4: Look up!

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Pay attention to the focus of your heart and mind. Don’t worry if the
band is off-key, the vocals are flat, or the guy next to you has too much cologne on.

The worship leader of the church is Jesus and we are to do things as He directs.
Get away from performance driven experience, and get people into worship that the Lord says
is glorifying to Him.

Blessings to you as you serve Him,

Pastor Brendan

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Vision of Worship

We seek to build community with other believers has upon real relationships with our God and
each other. We proclaim God’s Word as authority, worship as priority, fellowship as necessity,
and service as responsibility.

This vision is supported by four goals:

1. Evangelism
How we accomplish the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20)
2. Passion
How love for God is nurtured and expressed (Matt 22:37)
3. Instruction
How people are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ
(2 Peter 3:18)
4. Change
How people are being sanctified to look more and more like Christ
(1 Thessalonians 4:3)

Mission:
Every member a minister

Philosophy of Ministry:
The philosophy of ministry flows from the vision of God’s glory revealed in Jesus Christ. We
exist to savor the vision in worship (John 4:23), strengthen the vision in nurture and education
(1 Cor 14:26, 2 Peter 3:18), and spread the vision in evangelism and missions (1 Peter 2:9,
3:15; Mat 28:18-20), doing all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).

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Worship Visions & Goals

Our Vision:

The purpose of the worship ministry is to lead the people of the church into a lifestyle of
worship.

The attitude and culture we look for in our members is one that is happy to serve wherever,
whenever, doing whatever. We want to foster an attitude that is not competitive and does not
compare or judge others, but rather considers others to be better, in real humility.

Rather than seek the spotlight of fame, our attitude needs to point toward Jesus in everything
we do, to place the spotlight on Him, to move from performance to praise. We want to “serve
the Lord with gladness.” (Ps 100:2)

We are not preparing songs; we are giving life using the tool of music. Our voices are not
tuned to the songs we are singing; they are tuned by hearts of love for Christ who gave His life
for us. We are engaging in the eternal, not in the entertainment of the saints. We need to
present our music with excellence because we are singing for the eternal God is deserves our
best offering of praise.

Yet, we want our people walking away from worship not saying, “What a great worship band!”
or “What a great preacher!”... We want them exclaiming, “What a Savior!”

Our goals:

-To focus on fellowship, unity, team development

retreats, activities together, rehearsals for each team

-To develop leaders & resource them

for each area of worship: Leaders of each area (teams, sound, media)

-To develop worship for small groups

training to help develop more worship leaders for smaller ministry settings

-To develop & resource talent in the body through individual lessons
guitar, bass, vocals, etc

-To develop multimedia & lighting usage to enhance worship experience & environment

-That everyone involved in the worship ministry be involved in the church’s regular community
– meeting together regularly for food, to study the Bible, to worship and pray together, and to
do life together

-To develop distinct team structure facilitating fully developed styles & personas

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Team structure long-term development:

Core Team – lead worshipers for main services and church-wide events

Creative arts team – picks worship songs, plan arrangements & transitions,
disseminates info. Receives themes, series plans from lead pastor & worship pastor.
Coordinates with media team.

Leadership team – decides & implement flavor of songs, leads teams & services

Tech team – coordinates worship environment: sound, lights, video

Media arts team – research & implement visuals, videos, drama, activities,
sanctuary décor

Outreach band – for community events such as Comic-Con, Del Mar Fair, Christmas on
the Prado, Mira Mesa Street Fair, parades, park outreaches, etc

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 Philosophy of Worship

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor
of holiness. – Psalm 29:2

Mission/Purpose:
The purpose of this Philosophy of Worship is to establish the basis for our expression of
worship within our church. If we are biblically on target with our theological description of
worship and the prescription of its function within our church, our expression of worship will
appropriately honor and glorify God.

Vision:
The purpose of the worship ministry is to lead the people of this church into a lifestyle of
worship.

Our mission is to see people worship the Lord, not only on Sundays, but also throughout the
life that they lead the rest of the week. We strive to minister to the Lord through biblically
prescribed means and methods of worship, and to create an atmosphere in every worship
service that draws people into the presence of the Lord, and allows Him to minister to their
needs through His presence in their lives.

Our focus is on music that is biblically rich, theologically true, and doctrinally sound... our
greatest concern is that any artist who steps on our platform is there not to perform for the
church, but to minister to the Lord in worship; the far lesser concern of ours is the particular
style of the musicians.

Our goal specifically within the weekend service is to minister to God in song, and be the most
excellent doorkeepers in the house of the Lord as possible, ushering people into God's
presence so He can do spiritual business with them.

We recognize that songs teach theology as much as sermons do, so we're extremely careful
about the choice of songs shared from the platform. We are not overly concerned about the
style with which they're presented, except that it is to be a musical language that is spoken by
the culture of our church body; but we are very careful about the substance of the songs
themselves and the lives of the ones tasked with leading them.

Our goals are intentional toward the purity of worship using the artistry of music.

The worship expression is to be experiential, historic, passionate, Bible-driven and God-

exalting with a Christ-centered approach as our core focus (Revelation 19:10, 1 Chronicles
16:29, Psalm 95:6-7, Psalm 100:2, Matthew 4:10).

True worship should be in accordance with God’s commands.

(Genesis 22:2; Genesis 12:1,7-8; Deuteronomy 30:16-20; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 40:6-8;
Jeremiah 7:2; Daniel 3:28; Acts 13:2; Romans 12:1)
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True worship should give God the honor due to him.
(1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 96:8-9)

True worship should be orderly and reverent.

(1 Corinthians 14:40, 1 Chronicles 16:37-42; 1 Kings 18:30-39; 1 Corinthians 14:26)

True worship embraces all of life as an act of worship.

(Colossians 3:17, 23; 1 Corinthians 10:31)

True worship involves the whole of a person’s life and not just formal acts of worship. (Romans
12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19).

True Worship should not be mechanical. (John 4:23-24; Hebrews 10:1)

True worship enthusiastically embraces the coming together of the Body of Christ in united
expressions of worship (Hebrews 10:24-25; Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1,149:1).

True worship is costly. (2 Samuel 24:24; Mark 12:41-44; Romans 12:1)

True worship involves the worshipper’s heart, soul and mind. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew
22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27)

True worship is in the spirit. (John 4:23-24; Isaiah 29:23; Philippians 3:3; 1 Timothy 2:9;
Hebrews 12:28)

True worship should be grounded in godly and obedient living.

(Micah 6:6-8; Romans 12:1; Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:10)

True worship involves invested preparation for worship. (1 Corinthians 11:28; Leviticus 16:3-4;
2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Chronicles 7:1; Matthew 2:11)

True worship requires wholeheartedness. (Deuteronomy 6:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy

10:12; Joshua 22:5; 1 Samuel 12:24; Psalm 27:4; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27)

True worship displays confidence in approaching God. (Hebrews 10:22-23; Genesis 4:4;
James 4:8; Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 11:4)

We believe this to be the essence of biblical worship: That all of life would be lived with a
worship quality before our audience of One for His glory (Colossians 3:17, 23; 1 Corinthians
10:31).

Scripture Regulates Worship:

There is an inseparable bond between the centrality of the Word of God and the worship of
God. To this end, we believe: Scripture is the heart of our corporate worship. Paul told
Timothy, “Devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do
not neglect your gift…” (1 Timothy 4:13,14a). Thus Timothy’s priority was the proclamation of
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God’s Word to God’s people in the public setting of corporate worship. The content of God's
Word will be woven through whatever we do and will be our source for all authority.

God’s Word is wholly sufficient in that it provides all elements which are essential to the
corporate worship of the Church: reading of scripture, preaching and teaching, prayer, singing
and the two ordinances of the local church – baptism and communion. All of these are to be
done decently and in order so that God is glorified and the body of Christ is edified (1
Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 14:40, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). Acts of worship are proper only
insofar as they are in accord with the Word of God.

Worship: Three Strands

To simplify, an Upward, Inward, and Outward reverence is a proper expression of worship as

evidenced by scripture:

Upward--The upward segment of our philosophy of worship is the glorifying of God

through intentional praise and worshipful music, which assists in the preparation for
the serious study of His Word (Psalm 119:7). The first two of the Ten Commandments
establish God as the obvious object of our worship and devotion (Exodus 20:3-4). This means
that the “audience of One” in worship is God and not the congregation. True worship never
casts the congregation in the role of spectators but active participants.

Inward--The impact of worship is captured in the “inward” component of our philosophy

in that our worship experience, in the corporate gathering, prepares us for intimate
fellowship with Jesus during the remainder of the week. As such, our services provide a
worship perspective that is primarily transcendent in nature, rather than superficial and man-
centered. “Sanctify the Lord in your heart” was Peter’s admonition in 1 Peter 3:15. Jesus is to
be our treasure for “where our treasure is there our heart is also” (Luke 12:34). Worship is to
evoke and express a deep love for God.

Outward--The outward component of the worship experience provides the foundation

for those involved to bring a worshipful attitude into all other activities in their everyday
lives. Following God is ingrained in our lives and ought to be the logical result of each
component of this philosophy of worship whether we are obeying the Great Commission or
living a worshipful life, of which the main goal is doxological (to glorify God). The aim is to
experience God in such a way that He continues to be first in our affections freeing us from
carnal loves. That is, in the daily pursuit of encountering God in our lives, He is able to affect,
transform and sanctify us (1 Peter 3:15; Psalm 89:15; 100:4; 105:4; John 15:1-17).

Worship: What it’s not

What our philosophy of worship is not should be noted because we believe that the impact of
the status quo “man-centered” worship, seen far too often today has resulted, according to
John MacArthur, in “the loss of scripture’s centrality in the life of today’s church, which is sadly
both common and lamentable.” It is this loss that has allowed far too many churches to
transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, being good into feeling

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good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. That’s not what we are all about.
Scripture is replete with condemnations of false worship.

It is the desire that there be worship that keeps to the foundational themes of the New
Testament. Therefore we must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our
personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God’s
kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.

The Lord describes false worshipers in Isaiah 29:13 saying, “this people draw near with their
mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a
commandment taught by men.” We will strive to heed that warning, and warnings regarding
worship conducted in disobedience to God (Leviticus 10:1-2; Numbers 3:2-4; 1 Samuel 15:1-
23; 2 Kings 17:33), insincere worship (Matthew 15:8-9; Mark 7:6-7; Colossians 2:23), worship
lacking in due humility and reverence (Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:10-14), and worship conducted in
ignorance of God (John 4:22; Acts 17:22-23).

Worship Implications:

Our corporate worship will be authentic in its purpose and transparent in its presentation.
Because God “inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3) and “opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6) we steer away from “performance” based styles in
favor of congregational participation for the purpose of our people encountering the Lord.

Because we value a public worship form that communicates the supremacy of God in all of life,
it will focus on God. Although the form may vary the message will not. It will be designed to
encourage an expectancy and eagerness for God to draw near to us in reviving and renewing
power. This means that worship is not meant to serve our preferences, prejudices, or
pleasures (Ephesians 4:1-5).

We will worship with an appreciation for both the old and new (Matthew 13:52). We will be true
and relevant within our culture insofar as it provides effective communication of true worship to
the Living God from his bride the Church. Corporate worship will involve multiple worship arts,
implementing each with stylistic integrity. Our worship will be multi-dimensional and multi-
cultural, as it reflects God’s people He saved from all corners of the earth.

We view corporate worship as the biblical and fitting venue for the open expression of our
redemption, love and devotion. In our corporate worship services we will be diligent in our
desire to encourage, assist and equip the body for a lifestyle of worship.

We will sing, play, pray, and preach in such a way that people's attention will not be diverted
from the substance by shoddy ministry nor by excessive finesse, showmanship or refinement.
Natural, un-distracting excellence will be the standard of the worship ministry.

We endeavor to express worship that is authentic and Spirit driven, intently purposed towards
glorifying God, by recognizing and using gifts and talents He has given His people, and
offering those gifts back to Him as a sacrifice of praise. In John 4:23-24, Jesus instructs us to
worship in Spirit and in truth, telling us that God the Father seeks such worshipers.

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We endeavor to develop, equip, and challenge musicians to continually grow more adept at
their musical craft, and to model worship for the church. Psalm 33:3 instructs us to sing new
songs and play skillfully unto the Lord.

We commit to being fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, consistently seeking God in His
Word, in prayer, in devotion, and in expressions of worship. In Matthew 4:8-11, Jesus sets the
example of the standard of worshiping the Lord and serving Him alone.

We commit to upholding lifestyles and creating a worship environment that draws others into a
closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Romans 12:1 commands us to offer ourselves as living
sacrifices as a spiritual act of worship.

We commit to offering our hearts before God as the first fruits in our lives, letting the overflow
of our hearts be praise and thanksgiving to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, ascribing to Him glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and
forever. (Jude 1:25)

All forms of corporate worship expression will be diligently evaluated in light of the
following rubric:

They must be expressions of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs.

They must have a deep theological richness.

They must ignite the imagination and expand our Biblical vision of the triune God and His
glorious kingdom.

The songs we sing must have a radiant beauty of expression both lyrically and musically.

They must have a profound sense of the Holy Spirit's anointing.

Our hearts the offering:

“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in
sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalms 51:15-
17)

God the center:

Nothing keeps God at the center of worship like the biblical conviction that the essence of
worship is deep, heartfelt satisfaction in Christ, and the conviction that the pursuit of that
satisfaction is why we get together in the first place.
Come to church on the lookout for God, leave church on the lookout for people. “As the deer
pants for the water so my soul longs for you, oh God.” (Psalm 42:1)
Worship connects the parched soul with the presence of God where there is “fullness of joy
and at His right hand is pleasure forevermore.” (Psalms 16:11)
Worship is an opportunity for people to creatively relate to a relational Creator.
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 Standards of Serving

Qualifications:
1. Must Be a Believer in Jesus Christ

• "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not
have life." 1 John 5:11-12
• "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John
5:24

• "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God." John 1:12

2. Must Be a committed Member of the local church (or in the process)

3. Must Agree with the Doctrinal Statement of the local church
4. Must Fill Out a Ministry Application for consideration
5. Must Meet with a Pastor to Review the Ministry Application

Spiritual Disciplines:
1. Time in the Word

• "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2. Time in Prayer

• "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7

3. Time in Fellowship

• "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Hebrews 10:24-25

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Character & Integrity:

1. Obedience

• "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who
comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what
they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the
foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not
shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not
put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a
foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its
destruction was complete."
Luke 6:46-49

2. Lifestyle
• "In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in
much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths
of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is
nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women are
to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in
everything. A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and
his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and
great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 3:16-17

3. Spirit-Led

• "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not
become conceited, provoking and envying each other." Galatians 5:22-26

4. Witness

• "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans
1:16

• "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this
with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak
maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 1
Peter 3:15-16

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Expectations of Worship Ministry Team Members

General Worship Team Expectations:

Punctuality, preparation and a humble attitude, coupled with a passion for excellence. Humility
is having the boldness to stare our weaknesses in the eye without flinching. If we couple that
with passion for God, people and music, then such humility will fuel us to want to grow so that
we do this tomorrow better than we did it yesterday. We ARE performers but GOD is the
audience so give Him nothing less than your best as your act of worship! This act also teaches
the congregation to do likewise with our very lives, not simply with tunes.

Attitude produces altitude, so humility and passion trump even your singing/playing skills as
long as you have the basic fundamentals down.
You will have to be able to learn the music on a week to week basis.

It is at the worship leader’s discretion to give allowances for chronically late attendance and
missed rehearsals if a reasonable excuse is given. Examples might be because you are
serving/attending traditional service, a small group, helping out another church, or child-care
issues. Habitual tardiness will not be tolerated.

Know when you’re the ‘elephant’ and when another instrument is. Stay out of the way of the
way of the ‘elephant’ when it’s not you. When in doubt, less is more.

Our vision is served by our mission. Our mission is partially served by the music, its style(s)
chosen based upon the vision and mission. We are to serve the style of the song. Operatic
singing, contemporary anthemic rock, or throwing hair band 80’s guitar riffs and tones into a
traditional rendition is not going to serve the song even if it is done with great skill and talent.

Excellence in Preparation
“Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” – old US Navy axiom.
“He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” – John MacArthur

Plan ahead to have practice time when you are scheduled. The songs are most often up on
Planning Center Online for several weeks ahead of time. Take avail of that resource.

Practice ahead of time on your own. Learn the songs. Listen to them repeatedly. Learn the
parts you’re responsible for, and practice them until they are second nature.

Practice is personal; it’s what we do to ready ourselves and our instruments & voices with the
parts we are responsible for.
Rehearsal is relational; it’s what we do when we bring all our properly prepared parts together
in unity. Rehearsal is not time to learn the music, it’s time to rehearse as a band.

If you are playing the song by looking at the music, & seeing the words for the first time... that’s
practice, not rehearsal. Our expectation is that you arrive practiced up and ready to rehearse.

Excellence in Timeliness
“If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late.” –Admiral James G. Prout III
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“How do you spell love? T-I-M-E.” – Dr. Anthony P. Witham

Pride is often at the root of tardiness, and it has no place in the worship ministry. Thinking or
acting as if your life’s activities are more important that those of the rest of your teammates by
being consistently late is inherently prideful and sinful. Arrange your schedule in such a
manner that you put others ahead of you; being on time honors others the sacrificial giving of
others. It shows them love.

We will honor the Lord and each other with our commitment to be on time.

If the truly unforeseen does happen and you are waylaid by no fault of your own, you will
communicate that to the worship team leader before you arrive so he/she can communicate it
to the team with full integrity, honoring all, so that none may be stumbled by your late arrival.

Excellence in Presence
“We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling,
while keeping parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God,
under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is
all about.” ― R.C. Sproul

Lead by the example of your lives, whether or not you are on the platform. Be present, even if
you’re not participating on the team that weekend. Show the rest of the team your support,
and show the rest of the church your example, to lead from the pews. Strive to live out that
Romans 12:1-2 example in your life as a living sacrifice, and to let your lamp shine before men
as Matthew 5:16 says, to give glory to God! Be present in the body to encourage and build the
body.

Worship Leaders
“You can’t lead others where you haven’t already gone yourself.” – Chris Tomlin

Prepare service plan at least 2 weeks ahead of time, or in the time frame directed by the
pastors. Remember each service does not stand alone, but is part of a greater whole, and
others are depending on you to contribute in a timely manner so they can make creative plans
further down the road based on what you built. Coordinate songs with the scripture to be
taught, if at all possible, by coordinating with the pastor/leader to be teaching. Plan additional
scripture to share along with the songs, to help people make the connection between modern
songs and the Word of God from which they are breathed.

Prepare yourself spiritually and practice worshiping on your own before you stand before the
team.

Print & prepare music for the team. Plan ahead if you need access to the office to accomplish
this.

Front-load any special video or media needs to media team.

Arrive at least 30 minutes before call time to set up, prepare, and deal appropriately with
unforeseen challenges. Be there to greet team.

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Plan to be present after rehearsal for prayer & meetings with individuals.
Lock up after rehearsal – check building room by room. Make sure no one is waiting for a ride
by themselves in the parking lot. Your team is your responsibility – shepherd them well!

Sound Team
“The sound engineer needs to listen to the songs as well as any other member of the team,
and needs to be prepared and rehearse!” – Jeremy Begbie

Arrive 30 minutes before call time to set up, turn on system, assist band in their set up time.
The band can’t properly set up & test instruments if the sound isn’t on for them, and this is your
responsibility.

Set aside any broken gear and label it so it can be fixed & notify sound ministry head.

Listen to the songs on Planning Center or Dropbox ahead of time so you have an idea of what
the mix should sound like. Is there a lead piano part that needs to be pushed at certain
places? A lead guitar part? Know the song as well as any of the rest of the band – YOU are
the most important instrumentalist in the band!!!

Instrumentalists
“Worship Culture begins with the leaders – if we’re not modeling, it won’t happen.” – Buddy
Owens

Arrive sufficiently early to properly set up instruments & gear such that all are ready at call
time. If that means you need to be there 30 minutes early to reset & troubleshoot your gear,
that’s when you need to arrive. If your instrument needs to sit in a room for 20 minutes to get
temperature and humidity acclimated to stay in tune, take that into consideration.

Make it a habit/priority to memorize the music to the songs. Take the music off the page and
put it in your hearts. Don’t let your eyes be locked to the music stand – it limits your ability to
groove with the rest of the team.

Be aware of your countenance – don’t be stagnant and solemn, but allow the music to move
you as you create it.

Bring equipment that is vital to your position. If you’re a drummer, bring your sticks (and
possibly a metronome). If you’re a guitarist, bring a guitar strap and picks. Bring spare strings
– or better yet, have a backup instrument for that inopportune moment when you do break a
string in service. Be prepared.

Drummers Expectations:
• Tight tempos
• A sense of dynamics
• Know where the song is going. The rest of the team cues off of you when moving through the
song structure from verses to choruses, etc. so it is important that you know the song
structures. Whether that means you use the charts, keep notes or memorize, that is up to you.
Do not play on the fly. Prepare.

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• Tastefulness. Don’t hold back on those flashy chops (if you have them in your arsenal), but
try not to overplay either, especially if it can make you drop the consistency of the meter. You
don’t need a fill every 2 bars. Fill to transition between elements, and keep it simple; simple is
best. Keep a tonal sensitivity.
• Remember the Three C’s of Drumming: Consistency, consistency, consistency!
• Don’t play like you’re in a jazz band (Play in a jazz band for that). Study the song, serve the
song. What does the song need? Do that, do that only, and do it well.

Guitarists Expectations:
Play for the style of the song. Throwing blues licks into a hard rock song is probably not going
to work.

Acoustic guitarists:
• It is generally a fact that you will only be heard during softer parts of songs. Don’t take it
personally.
• Learn to use a capo when appropriate.
• Do not use an effects board the way you would as a solo acoustic guitarist – it muddies up
your tone in the midst of an ensemble. Let the tone of your instrument be from the instrument,
with only minor effects such as reverb. Brighter is better, natural is better, less emphasis on
piezo sound is better.
Save the effects board for that soft solo moment when the soundscape is not cluttered with
other instruments.

Electric guitarists
• Tailor your tones for the style of the song.
• Listen to recordings of contemporary music for tonal cues (Lincoln Brewster, Hillsong, Jesus
Culture, Redman, etc…). From the secular side, Eric Johnson, John Mayer, U2’s the Edge and
even Slash have produced tones that can work very well within the genre. Things to stay away
from: Excessive use of effects that do not complement the texture of the song
• If you are a skilled soloist, I encourage you to give those skills to God as your act of worship.
Just try to be tasteful and make sure it fits the song or style. Always demonstrate such skills
with humility, performing for God and not for people. Let your attitude of humility inspire people
to ask, “Who are they playing for?” and your excellence inspire them to ask “Why is their
audience (God) so important that they give Him their all with such passion?” Just as light
appears brighter when in the presence of darkness, humility shines brighter when in the
presence of skill.

Bassists Expectations:
• Hit the right notes at the right time. While every musician has this challenge, it is probably
most important to the band for you to be on top of this, since your instrument so strongly
defines the harmonic structure. You are the anchor. Be the anchor.
• Sense of rhythm/groove. The bass is a sort of bridge between the pitch instruments and
rhythm instruments. Learn to play the grooves for each song and ‘in the pocket’.
• Know when to NOT play.
• Dynamics are the driving force. Play more when the song is big and less when it is small.
Don’t play at all when the song requires it. Don’t give in to the temptation to add “just a little
embellishment”... let the song breathe.

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• Don’t give in to the generic Motown shuffle rhythm structure. Learn what melodic rhythm
works for each song and stick to it. “Bumm... bum bummm... Bumm... bum bummm” is best
saved for when you’re actually playing Motown, not Hillsong or Passion or Lincoln Brewster or
Paul Baloche or Chris Tomlin...

Keyboardists Expectations:
• In many contemporary songs, the guitarists get to hog many of the fun songs. Just remember
that the last will be first! ☺ Songs like “We Are The Free” and “This Is Amazing Grace” were
written for you to shine, so own them!
• Use patches/sounds that are appropriate for the song and styles. In contemporary, these are
common patches/sounds:
Pianos, Organs, Strings, Ambient Pads
• Try thinking like an orchestra. You don’t always have to play chords. Sometimes playing
single note melodies, fills and counterpoint is just the ticket to put a song over the top! (Listen
to end of “Whom Shall I Fear” for example)
Where there are well defined lead keyboard parts, learn the lead keyboard parts. Take time to
work out the sound textures and implement them.

Vocalists
“Rehearse like it all depends on us, but worship knowing it all depends on Him.” – Aaron
Lindsey

Arrive sufficiently early to warm up your voice and be ready to start before call time. That does
not mean scurrying in the door right ‘as the bell rings’ for call time. Be present in a timely
manner.

Smile! It brightens the tone of your voice and sounds great! Be aware of not just the words
you are singing but how you are singing them, and how your body is presenting worship.
Model right worship, vibrant worship, passionate worship.

Memorize the lyrics to the songs. Take the words off the page and put them in your heart.
Don’t be locked to the music stand, as it won’t always be there, and we desire the freedom to
move about different songs as the Lord leads – even if it’s not on the page. Know the words –
it is your primary responsibility.

Vocalists Expectations:
• Sing in tune
• Sing in a style complementary to that of the lead vocalist for the song
• Moderate vibrato only as a backup singer
• Complementary vowel enunciations, diphthongs and trip thongs, glottal stops, etc. Watch
plosives and hard T’s as well! Do as the leader does. Blend.
• Blend with the other vocalists
• Facial and physical expressions communicate more than our words so communicate the
passion you have outwardly. YOU are all lead worshipers!

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Practice

Practice with the MP3 file as a guide to supplement the chord chart in order to determine
dynamics, accents, groove, song structure and most time signature lines – but do not live and
die by that exact arrangement! Expect that we will vary from the roadmap and style of the
original. Learn the parts faithfully so that we can then launch from there into our own flavor.

Rehearsals are not practices. Please give your fellow teammates the courtesy of practicing on
your own time so that rehearsals will run as smooth as possible.

Practice is Personal, Rehearsal is Relational.

If you’re coming to Rehearsal without having first practiced the songs, you are doing your
teammates a disservice and missing the point of the rehearsal. Come prepared!

Take notes on the charts if necessary.

As another courtesy, if you need to set up your instrument, please do so BEFORE the start of
rehearsal. No one likes waiting on you.

Teamwork

Partner together in ministry! No man is an island, and no ministry exists separately from
others. Leaders need to be in regular contact with each other to see how we can help each
other. We will not have a solo mentality. We will co-labor in Christ together for His kingdom
rather than build our own.

Choose to be exceptional, rather than to be the exception. Don’t be the person asking for
exceptions to the rules for the sake of doing something that departs from the vision, goals, and
directives given by the pastors. Instead, be the person asking how you can go above and
beyond in striving to attain those goals. Make it a joy for those in authority to serve you by
serving them likewise!

Be a team player. Your voice is important, and necessary to be heard – but strive to be on
board with the rest of the team, at the direction of the pastors, doing everything cheerfully and
not begrudgingly. At the end of the day we need to be in unity together, and that is every
person’s responsibility to make every effort to do so!

“It’s everybody’s responsibility to groove.” – Norm Stockton

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Appearance and Leading Worship – Dress Code

Dress Code
We are a casual, come-as-you-are church. We strive to usher our brothers and sisters into the
presence of the Lord for worship, and as such, will strive to present ourselves in a manner that
would facilitate that goal while minimizing distractions.

Our dress code for public worship leading follows these common sense rules:

Nothing too tight,

Nothing too short,
Nothing too revealing,
Nothing too shabby,
Nothing too showy,
Nothing too distracting.

We will dress in a manner that would not distract or hinder the worship of the majority of our
church body. Shorts are never appropriate for the platform, nor is clothing that is dirty, stained,
disheveled, or ripped. Modesty is always the best policy.

Team Leaders will take responsibility for their teams’ attire being appropriate for the venue in
which they serve.

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 Worship Ministry Leader Expectations
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 6:7

Can two walk together unless they be agreed?

Amos 3:3

Ministry is not always easy but it is always eternal!

Pastor Scott Lowther

Christian Leadership is serving others by leading and leading others by serving.

Pastor Brendan Prout

1. We Expect Loyalty -- We've got your backs and you have ours. We will always believe and defend you
first and we expect the same from you. If someone comes to us with a problem with one of our ministry
team staff members, we will take the side of the staff first. Obviously we will have the tough conversations
as needed but we will believe the best in our staff. There is no room for hidden agendas and private
kingdom building.
2. We Expect Excellence -- We will maintain a high expectation of excellence flowing from the top down.
We do not settle for second best. You need to have a "holy discontent." We need to keep getting better
and better at what we do. It is that commitment to excellence that allows us to grow into greater
responsibilities.
3. We Expect Personal and Spiritual Growth -- Your ministry needs to be an overflow of what God is
doing in your personal life. This is our primary concern. It is so easy for those of us in ministry to seek
God for others instead of seeking God for ourselves. We have got to do ministry out of the overflow of
what God is doing in our lives!
4. We Expect Passion -- for God, His people, and our ministry. If there is something that we are doing that
we cannot be passionate about, then we are doing a disservice to God and to His church.
5. We Expect Honesty -- Integrity at all times and in all matters is our top priority. We will work hard to
sustain a climate of authenticity that allows our people and our leaders to be real. This helps eliminate the
temptation to internalize struggles for a fear of repercussions. Integrity is a must. A lack of integrity is
grounds for dismissal.
6. We Expect Hard Work -- give 100%. When you are serving God through this church, give it all you’ve
got. The Lord hates laziness in ministry and so do we. God and the people with whom we have been
entrusted deserve our best. You need to put in your hours of availability and have your calendar updated
so that we know exactly when you can serve and when you cannot. Laziness will no longer be tolerated
period. Failure to follow any policies will result in disciplinary action. Being in ministry is a calling. You
must have a heart for the work. The heart for the work is reflected in the way we do the work. Each one
will carry their own load. We are accountable to each other, the pastors, the board, the members and the
Lord.
7. We Expect a Positive Attitude. Attitude really is everything. I’ve learned that how much you enjoy
ministry depends on who you’re doing ministry with. Let me just say it like it is: negativity sucks. Literally.
It sucks the life out of a team. A bad attitude is a reflection of a bad heart. We will not allow public
negativity from the staff about ministry, the church, leaders or elders. Unity is a must.
8. We Expect Occasional Mistakes – You are free to make them (once ). Experiments are allowed.
Risks are encouraged. However repeated mistakes due to a lack of preparation, responsibility or willful
neglect reflect a problem that we will address. Don't be afraid to try new things. We will try and circumvent
possible mistakes up front but in a situation like ours where we have to take constant risks, mistakes will
happen. When we do make mistakes we will learn from them and move on. It is safe to fail, just don’t
make a habit of it.
9. We Expect Wisdom – We must be wise in our use of words (what you say and how you say it) and in our
actions. We expect all decisions you make and every action you take to be done with wisdom (the
application of biblical truth to the situation). The Word has a lot to say about the consequences of
foolishness.
10. We Expect You To Verbalize Rather Than Internalize. We want a ministry culture where people can
have tough conversations about tough topics. We will always function with grace and truth. Truth means

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 we are going to be honest no matter what. Grace means we are going to love you no matter what. We
expect that if there is ever a problem or God is leading you to something new or somewhere else that you
will make that known so we can help you fulfill your calling.
11. We Expect Fun. We all have bad days. We all have long days. But if ministry isn’t enjoyable you need to
get out of the game! Can you believe we get to serve the Lord? We are among men and women most
blessed.

We expect Excellence in:

Communication & Planning

Timeliness
On time means on time! Not 5 to 15 minutes late. Leaders must set the example.
“If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late.” – Rear Admiral James G. Prout III
Tardiness as a habit will not be tolerated. Leaders should in general be the first to arrive and last to leave.
Be there prepared to welcome your team and assist them.
Be on time to corporate worship, not only rehearsals and meetings! Set the example for your family and the flock,
as well as those within the Worship Ministry whom you would lead.

Response and follow through to communications

Timely response policy:
Email – 48 hour response
Text & Vmail – 12 hour response policy
Planning Center- Check at least once a week, respond to PCO requests immediately upon receipt
Block out “off” dates on schedule at least 2 weeks ahead of time
Keep contact info updated with PCO and other ministry leaders!

Stewardship
Other people come first! Treat each other with care, respect, and honor.
Facility & gear should be treated with care. Keep in mind it was paid for sacrificially.
Clean up your own area – don’t leave it for the next person to clean up without asking.
Take your gear with you – don’t leave it at the church...
Facility is used 7 days a week; your things do get in the way of other ministries.
Believe it or not, things do get stolen. Take good care of what God has given.
Know the “neutral” setting for your room; leave it better than you found it!

Discipleship, Mentorship, Accountability

Our purpose as leaders is to train and equip other believers to do the work of ministry they are called to
by the Lord, and we ourselves must be always growing in skill, discipline, and maturity. Be intentional in
addressing each of these areas:
Who are you raising? Who is your Timothy?
Who is mentoring you?
Who is alongside you keeping you accountable?

Attendance
Ministry meetings follow the Amos 3:3 principle. Leaders need to be on the same page.
Be present at the weekend services and Ministry events – not just the big events. Show up to support,
encourage, & serve your fellow teammates in ministry, even/especially when you’re not scheduled.
If it were not important enough for you to be there, why would your team be there?
If it were not important enough for you to worship when you’re not on the platform, why would the church
follow you in worship?
Be present. Set the example by being there, and being there on time.
Love = TIME

Transitions
Entry of new people: actively seek out and recruit new members.
Give support & encouragement; provide sharing of resources, training, and assistance to being part of the
ministry.
Exit of old people: don’t let anyone slip through the cracks
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 Procedure for honorable & dishonorable discharge
Orderly transition of responsibilities
Exit interview with pastor

Flexibility
Willingness to lay aside personal preferences for the sake of unity is essential.
Ability to roll with changes applies both to musical ability & preparedness.
Willingness to try different approaches to technical or musical direction, per suggestion from either team members
or leaders, is essential.

Preparedness
Practice songs ahead of time. Come to rehearsal having expertly learned and mastered your songs, vocal &
instrument’s parts. Exercise personal responsibility and so be able to teach others & direct them.
Don’t dishonor the Lord or your team by winging it. Invest your own time first.
Practice = personal
Rehearsal = relational

Security
Have good Situational Awareness. Know who is in building at same times as you. Protect each other by keeping
doors closed/locked when you are not in the building. Keep back doors closed/locked except during services,
especially at night.
Refer crazy/disruptive people to speak to elders by contacting office during business hours, or call an elder/pastor
yourself if you deem it an emergency.
During a service, the Security Team may be contacted through the Ushers, or any elder.

DO NOT EVER GIVE OUT ANYONE’S PERSONAL CONTACT INFO!!!

You may certainly call a person and ask permission to give their information to another, but don’t give it out
without asking first.

Note: If approached by someone asking for financial assistance, we do not give out cash - ever.
Elders disseminate assistance to our own members first, then others on need basis.

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 Biblical Qualities of Worship Leaders
Attitude, Ability, Availability, Commitment, Character, Consistency

Live these out as an example, expect them from your team, and look for them in prospective team
members. The expectation is that all who would set foot on the platform to lead from the front would strive to meet
the same biblical criteria of leadership required of elders and deacons.

Biblical Qualifications to lead:

(1 Peter 5:1-5, 1 Timothy 5:17-22, 1 Timothy 3:1-12, Titus 1:6-9, Titus 2, Acts 20:28-29)
-Spirit filled
-not a novice or recent convert
-willing & eager to serve
-not greedy for money
-not arrogant or prideful or overbearing
-example to the flock
-submissive to elders
-humble
-able to be taught
-defender of the sheep
-above reproach with believers (good reputation with outsiders as well)
-not sharing in the sins of others
-husband of only one wife
-temperate/patient
-self controlled
-respectable
-hospitable
-able to teach
-not given to drunkenness, not indulging in much wine
-gentle not violent
-not quarrelsome
-manage own family well
-his children obey him, are believers, are not wild & disobedient
-their wives must be respectable & trustworthy, not malicious or gossips
-not pursuing dishonest gain
-must hold to truths of faith with clear conscience
-loves what is good
-holy
-disciplined
-encourages others through sound doctrine
-refutes those who oppose truth
-sound in faith, love and endurance
-reverent
-not slanderers
-kind
-integrity
-seriousness
-of sound speech
-not back-talkers
-not thieves
-trustworthy
-must be tested

Leading worship is a serious role within the life of the church body, so conduct yourself with dignity,
humility, selflessness, seeking the good of others, and serving the needs of others.

If you find you lack in any of the Biblical areas listed above, exercise the humility and maturity to
actively seek out other leaders who will help you grow in these areas, and so prove yourself to be a
worker worthy of the calling.

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 Song Selection

All songs used for corporate worship will be carefully selected to be Christ centered, Biblically
rich, theologically true, and doctrinally sound. To ensure that songs selected are consistent
with this rubric, a master list of songs that have been decided upon together by the Creative
Team and Worship Pastor will be provided to all worship leaders as the pool from which songs
may be chosen for corporate worship.

Songs for worship in settings of varying age levels and ministry groups will be selected
accordingly as appropriate to that specific group, and will still be held to the standard of Biblical
truth as a core value, subject to review by the Worship Pastor, Pastors and Elders.

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Core Team

The Worship Ministry will develop a Core Team, which will be main team tasked with the
responsibility of leading worship for main worship services and church-wide events.

Expectations of Commitment for Core Team

Leading our church in worship in the main services is not a role or responsibility to be taken
lightly. It is a privilege and an honor.

As such, we have an extremely high level of expectation for commitment in order to participate
in the worship ministry for this specific area.

In order to be included as part of the core team that leads in the main services, one must meet
all the criteria previously discussed: Attitude, Ability, Availability, Commitment, Consistency
and Character. Being a positive, encouraging, team player is a must. Being able to play with
any other member of the Worship Ministry is a must. We will not pick and choose those who
serve in ministry based on who gets along with whom. All who serve need to get along well
with all who serve. There isn't any other biblical option.

Core Team Participation Commitment Level:

There may be at any given time just one Core Team, or multiple Core Teams in a regular
rotation. Regardless of how many are in the mix, each Core Team will be expected to
rehearse weekly, 4 weeks out of 5 weeks, regardless of whether they are scheduled to lead
that weekend or not. Each team will hold to this consistent commitment to grow in excellence
in their development as a team, and as individual musicians.

Those who would step forward to be counted among the musicians on the Core Team will
make the commitment to be available to serve 4 out of 5 weeks. Those who cannot make this
high commitment level may be asked to serve needs of the Body in other areas of the Worship
Ministry, rather than in the main services.

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CBC Worship Ministry Job Descriptions

Worship Pastor
Gives oversight for all areas of worship and media, serving and providing support to all worship
ministry leaders and media ministry leaders. Leads worship services or otherwise ensures that
worship is accomplished in an appropriate manner for the main church. Responds directly to
Lead Pastor. Responsible to ensure all leaders are equipped, trained and skilled in their
particular area of oversight. Responsible for shepherding and caring for the people serving in
the worship and media ministries, and communication of ministry vision, direction, goals and
expectations to all volunteers; responsible for ensuring that song selection, music
arrangement, team preparation and overall worship environment is appropriate to usher the
people into God’s presence to worship Him. Responsible to ensure all volunteers serving are
equipped, trained and skilled in their particular arena. Ensures all activities of this ministry are
executed with excellence befitting the Lord.

Worship Leader
Gives oversight for a specific team or area of worship, such as Children’s Worship, Heritage,
Young Adults, Youth, Vocal Chorus, etc. Leads worship under direction of Worship Pastor in
partnership with Pastor/Elder overseeing the specific ministry they support. Responsible to
ensure all volunteers serving are equipped, trained and skilled in their particular arena.
Ensures all activities of this ministry are executed with excellence befitting the Lord, at a level
appropriate to the portion of the body they serve and those whom would serve alongside them.

Creative Team
Members of the Creative Team are selected from the Worship Leaders. Responsible to meet
together monthly, collaborate and prayerfully select songs to be used in corporate worship for
main services in concert with the upcoming Bible verses being taught. Responds directly to
Worship Pastor.

Musician
Responsible for being trained and skilled on his/her instrument to serve and lead the people in
song, to worship and glorify the Lord. Responds directly to the Worship Leader given
oversight of their team or area of worship. Responsible for knowing and heeding the
expectations and guidelines in the Worship Ministry Manual. Most of all, responsible for
mastering their instrument and the songs they would play, so as to use their gift in the most
excellent way to give glory to God!

Vocalist
Responsible for being trained and skilled with his/her voice to serve and lead the people in
song, to worship and glorify the Lord. Responds directly to the Worship Leader given
oversight of their team or area of worship. Responsible for knowing and heeding the
expectations and guidelines in the Worship Ministry Manual. Most of all, responsible for
mastering their talent and the songs they would sing, so as to use their gift in the most
excellent way to give glory to God!

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Media Director
Gives oversight for all areas of Sound, Visuals, Graphics, Lighting, and Media. Responds
directly to Worship Pastor. Responsible to ensure all volunteers serving are equipped, trained
and skilled in their particular arena. Ensures all activities of this ministry are executed with
excellence befitting the Lord, and as a steward sees that all equipment is properly cared for,
maintained, and in condition to serve the needs of the church.

Sound Ministry Leader

Gives oversight for all Sound Techs. Responds directly to Media Director, under Worship
Pastor. Ensures all volunteers serving are equipped, trained and skilled in sound engineering.
Provides scheduling of sound techs for all events requiring sound. Ensures sound equipment
is properly set up, used properly, put away and cared for to serve the needs of the church.

Sound Tech
Directly supports the Sound Ministry Leader and the Video Tech in their weekend duties,
serving under the Media Director and Worship Pastor, to perform live sound engineering for
both the main house mix as well as export a streamed mix for remote listening on campus.
This person should have a servant's heart with a passion for the evangelical influence of
worship music on God's people. Prior experience or musical training with general aptitude in
technical skills is preferred. Must be available for Thursday evening music rehearsals and
weekend services (5pm Saturday, 9am & 11am Sunday, 6pm Sunday). Must be able to make
a commitment to regular scheduling, with some flexibility for special events.

Camera Tech
Responsible for operating a camera during the weekend services and at events that take place
in the sanctuary. Responds directly to Media Director. An understanding of how to use focus
and zoom control in a studio setup, being able to frame a shot as per Video Director's
preference (using pan and tilt) is preferred but not necessary. Training is required and
provided. Must be able to commit to either one service in the evening (5pm Saturday, 6pm
Sunday) or two services in the morning (9am, 11am Sunday).

Media Tech
Responsible for recording, editing, exporting, and uploading of sermon video & podcast to
iTunes and Vimeo server. Responds directly to Media Director, under Worship Pastor.
Coordinates linking of uploaded files to website via cooperation with the Webmaster and Office
Manager.

Webmaster
Responsible for maintaining website and posting/updating of all content. Reports to Office
Manager. Receives content and direction from the Media Director through the Office Manager.

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Social Media Coordinator
Responsible for maintaining social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, posting
appropriate content in a timely manner, disseminating information to the church body, keeping
information synced with weekly announcements of upcoming events and church website,
creating event pages and sending out invitations to church members online. Reports to Media
Director.

Visual Graphics Tech

Works with digital still images to create artwork for background slides, social media,
announcements, banners, etc. Reports to Media Director. Ensures there is never just a blue
background slide in service. Creates weekly worship preview graphics for use in social media.

Video Tech
Creates and edits video for use in service and online, including video announcements, sermon
recordings, etc. Reports to Media Director.

Slides Tech
Creates and controls lyrics and graphics during weekend services and at events when
necessary. Reports to Media Director. Should have a good understanding of the Mac platform.
Knowledge of the software Pro Presenter is a necessity. Training is required and provided. A
musical background is preferred for accurate timing on lyric slide advancement. Must be able
to commit to either one service in the evening (5pm Saturday) or two services in the morning
(9am, 11am Sunday). Participation in midweek rehearsals is encouraged.

Duplication Tech
(performed on as-needed basis)
Serves by assisting the staff with duplication and organization of teaching resources (CDs,
DVDs). Reports to Media Director. Times and dates to serve are Sundays immediately
following the morning Worship Gatherings. Serving days and times during the week vary
based on the need for duplication of resources.

Photographer
Serves by capturing digital still photographs of people and events. Reports to the Media
Director. Ensures that image files are provided to the Media Director in a timely manner so as
to be most beneficially utilized. Must have own personal photographic equipment to capture
images. Flexibility in availability for different events and services is desired.

Videographer
Serves by recording digital video of people and events. Reports to the Media Director.
Ensures that video footage is provided to the Media department video techs in a timely
manner so as to be most beneficially utilized. Flexibility in availability for different events and
services is desired.

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Lighting tech
Ensures that theatrical lighting in the main sanctuary and auxiliary auditorium (Room 700) are
kept in proper working condition and used properly in conjunction with achieving the desired
environment at the direction of the Worship Pastor and Media Director. Responsible to replace
burned out light bulbs, color gels, and report when equipment needs to be repaired or
replaced. Will make recommendations to the Media Director on best uses of existing gear as
well as purchase recommendations for new gear.

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 Requirements for contributing to Planning Center Online shared resources

Planning Center is a pooled resource. Everyone in every area of Worship Ministry may utilize
it. Therefore, we will strive to keep it as useful as possible by making sure when we contribute
a song that it is a complete resource, with consistency in the song charts, documents, files,
and attachments.

Minimum requirements for uploading new song to Planning Center:

Correct Info: Title, Author, CCLI number, Publisher, Date

Chord charts: Primary document must be in .pdf format

Seconday source may be Word .doc format (not .docx, to allow greater access),

Arial font, 1” margins. Must show Title, Author, CCLI#, date, publisher at top. Chords in bold
above lyrics. Each song chart should fit on one single page. (See attached for example).
Secondary charts may be multiple page documents, or use other formats such as .rtf

Song file: May be mp3 format or Youtube link, must have at least one.
Using both is recommended.
When uploading mp3 file, save file name as:
“Name Of Song (Artist) – Key of song.mp3”
Example: “God Of Wonders (Chris Tomlin) – G.mp3”
We have the capability of transposing the original key of mp3 recordings
to match the key being used in service, to serve as an additional
resource to our musicians. To have an mp3 transposed, please ask the
Worship Pastor for assistance.

Notification: When you upload a new song to the database, please notify the Worship Pastor
so he can ensure the song resource is complete, and is added to the official song roster.

Sample format worship song chart document follows on next page:

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 10,000 Reasons
Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin
2011 ThankYou Music, CCLI# 6016351

Chorus
A E B/D# C#m
Bless the Lord O my soul, O my soul
A E Bsus B
Worship His Holy name
A E A B/D# C#m
Sing like never before, O my soul
A B Esus E Esus E
I'll worship Your Holy name

(last time – vamped ending)

C#m A B C#m
I’ll worship Your holy name
A B E
Yes, I’ll worship Your holy name

Verse 1
A E B C#m
The sun comes up it's a new day dawning
A E B C#m
It's time to sing Your song again
A E B C#m (pause)
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
A2 E Bsus B E
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Verse 2
You're rich in love and You're slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons For my heart to find

Verse 3
And on that day When my strength is failing
The end draws near And my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years And then forevermore

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 TECH: Standard Operating Procedures & Routines

SOP’s
There is a book of Standard Operating Procedures which explains the how-to’s of most
of the equipment in the sanctuary, with detailed instructions in step-by-step fashion of how to
do everything from turning the theatrical lights on and off, to operating the sound board, to
getting projected media to work.
This SOP book is a black binder located in the sound booth, kept to the far left side of the
sound board.

Stewardship principle
We operate and handle all equipment and the facilities themselves as stewards, given
responsibility for the care and gentle treatment of the gear we are blessed to have use of.
Please treat the equipment well, because it belongs to the Lord, not to us. Treat each other
even more carefully than you treat the gear, because while we do belong to each other, we
belong to the Lord first, and each person who serves is of immeasurable value to God.

Rehearsal prep
In preparing for rehearsal, it is important to note that the musicians cannot do their jobs
unless the tech team has done theirs first. When you are scheduled to run tech for a
rehearsal, please take the time to make note of what instruments are scheduled, how many
microphones will be needed, forecast the stage arrangement, and be prepared to get it all set
up with your fellow volunteers.
Use Planning Center to get familiar with the songs and the service plan. Forecast in
general what the service is going look and sound like, and make plans along those lines.

Rehearsal setup
Check on Planning Center ahead of time to see which musical instruments are being
used, how many vocalists will be singing, etc, so that their stations can be planned for in
advance. It makes for a much faster setup. Some stations can be set up prior to musicians
arriving, such as laying cable and direct boxes, setting out music stands and mic stands.
Some stations require the presence of the musician, such as for setting a mic on a guitar amp
– but as much as possible, please try to get the stations in place before musicians arrive.
The sound system should be fired up and the monitor system completely booted up
before the musicians arrive, so that they can check for signal and tune their instruments.
Please double check mic placement on the drum kit, as they do sometimes get moved.
Checking the mics on the piano routinely is a good idea as well.

Weekend prep
Check with the worship leader ahead of final setup to see if there have been any last
minute changes to the tech needs, such as a mic for a previously unplanned baptism, child
dedication, introduction, etc. If there are any tech problems, alert the worship leader as soon
as possible so accommodations can be made, if need be.

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Weekend setup
As best as possible, try to make sure that cables are not underfoot of the musicians on
the platform, and not placed in a manner that would be a potential trip hazard.
Please do all walking of the room during sound check and rehearsal, testing for sound
pressure levels and frequencies. Once the service starts, we want to eliminate distractions as
much as possible by remaining out of sight and out of mind.

During services
Please politely discourage anyone from hanging out in the sound booth, unless they are
working with the tech team, or training with the tech team. Other than the momentary visits
from deacons and elders tending to deposits in the safe, there should not be anyone else in
that area.
Please plan ahead how you will handle “helpful” feedback and critique from church
members when they come calling. Find a positive way to receive their concerns or
suggestions quietly and assure them that the need will be tended to, but as best you can, try
not to let them linger in the sound booth area, vulture over the wall watching you serve, or
provide any distraction to those worshiping.

Tear down and room reset

Following the service, please do encourage musicians to help break down their stations
and show them where the gear needs to go, in order to reset the room to a neutral condition,
so that it can be used by the next ministry group utilizing the facility. Cables, stands, etc, all
have their proper places. If a particular musician has left their gear behind, please do what you
can to assert whether they’d prefer it be left in place or if it would be a blessing to them to take
it down for them. Try to leave the place in better shape than you found it – and that goes for
the backstage storage areas as well. Please try to keep it tidy and well taken care of, to be a
blessing to those who will use the gear next.

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Covenant
Worship Ministry Covenant
As a member of the worship ministry you act as a facilitator of worship. Your role is to help others acknowledge
and respond with all their heart to the greatness and worthiness of God. Our role when we lead worship is to be,
by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, the conduit to help all present connect significantly with God. He is
the audience -- not us and not the congregation. We are not there to be distracted musical spectators, but willing
and enthusiastic participants in the worship experience. In order to achieve this, there are a few things that we all
need to agree upon to help usher our church into a deeper understanding of and freedom in worship.

Worship Ministry Standards:

1) Personally and corporately, as part of this ministry, you must have a relationship with Jesus Christ and a
commitment to seek after God through the pursuit of a lifestyle of worship.
2) Be flexible – we all come into this ministry with our own musical tastes and our own picture of what
worship “should” look like. There is nothing wrong with having ideals and preferences, but for the sake of
unity, we need to always set our own musical ideals and preferences aside.
3) Willingness to learn and grow – none of us have “arrived” as musicians, though some are more trained or
experienced than others. What you might have in skill, someone might have in heart or creativity. A
willingness to learn or even ask for help/advice in this ministry (a.k.a. humility) will always be a higher
priority than musical excellence.
4) Be willing to go outside of your comfort zone – we must all be willing to be stretched musically, spiritually
and creatively.
5) If your heart is not right, it is your responsibility to confess and deal with it before the Lord and anyone
else involved prior to any rehearsal or corporate worship gathering.
6) Attend your team’s scheduled rehearsals and services, as well as any team building events and worship
ministry meetings.
7) Be in an accountable discipleship relationship and/or involved in a small group.
8) Be committed to praying for your team and their individual prayer requests.
9) You must be a committed member of this church body and consider it your church home.
10) Submission to leadership – be willing to submit to the leadership of the church.

The specific area(s), both spiritual and musically, in which I am committed to growth as a musician/artist/sound
engineer/ team member of the worship ministry this year is (are)…

As a committed participant in the worship ministry, I commit to upholding the standards included in this ministry
covenant.

Name Date

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