Three tips for leading congregational worship

How can we prepare well to lead congregational worship?

Someone asked me that recently, and after some prayer and reflection here’s where I got to:

1. Walk with Jesus

Our ministry is the fruit of a life lived with Jesus. Walking with Him each day, knowing His voice and communing with Him in prayer are foundational – not simply to leading congregational worship, but to a life of worship. To help others behold Jesus, we must be beholders ourselves, saturated with His word and walking with Him in holiness.

2. Prayerful dependence

Prayerful dependence is essential to discerning God’s message to us in the Scriptures, and to wisely planning a service that helps people connect with that message.

I often plan our gatherings around a simple shape to help with this: God – Humanity – Christ – Response. It’s important to be in conversation with the preacher about their message and be ready to amend our plans as we become clearer what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, not only in the moment of leading, but as we prepare during the week.

3. Love His people

A desire to lovingly shepherd people for Jesus’ sake will inform how we lead. This affects big things like song choice and style and details like tempos and keys. Ask what songs, Scriptures and themes will most help God’s word dwell richly in the hearts and minds of those you serve, and think creatively about how you can highlight those truths musically for their sake, too – all for God’s glory.

As we walk with Jesus, depend on Him in prayer, and love His people, may He be greatly honoured in our gatherings and in our lives.