Introduction
Giving Quality Worship To The God Almighty goes beyond being a talented singer
A successful worship leader is the one who focuses on leading the entire congregation into God’s presence, through worship.
A simple guide for a worship leaders (a chorus leaders) and backup Singers to give a glorious worship to God and at the same time keep each person in the congregation in the flow, and in worship mood.
Being a choir member myself. I’ve discovered that even during worship- time, when a praise / Worship leader is leading the church in praise or worship songs, different people have different things that move them into the realm of worship and also sustain them at the same..
Some are easily moved and can also sustain their worship realm throughout the worship moment with songs only, while some can worship with songs and can at the same time switch to other methods of worship like Speaking in tongues or eulogising (Oriki in Yoruba language). Though these could occur as a result of a particular worshipper realm, but it’s also depends on the mood of each person in the congregation at that particular moment.
Some can speak in tongues, but sometimes they just want to continue to worship in songs. Some don’t want to, or just don’t know how to speak in tongues and could be distracted and cut off from the worship mood if the worship leader suddenly switches to tongues or eulogising (oriki) etc, and it’s taking too long.
So, for these reasons, a worship leader and his / her backup singers must be very sensitive, especially the backups.
When a praise leader is leading in songs and eventually switches to tongues, the backups must continue the chorus / song, but with a lower pitch. With this, they’ll sustain the worship realm of the entire congregation. Both the people who flow with the tongues and the ones who just love to sing along with the backups. If worship is going on like that and the worship leader suddenly switches to tongues, some people in the congregation will definitely switch with him and start to speak in tongues with him, while some other people may keep mute because they can’t speak in tongues, and this may easily distract them, if the Backup singers can continue with the song, those who can’t speak in tongues or just don’t feel like may continue to sing along with the backup singers. In that way, everyone is allowed to continue in his own convenient method to keep the worship going on with no distractions.
Role of backup singers in worship
Next to the Holy Spirit, (the one who ministers and inspires a worship leader), are his Backup singers. It’s not good enough if a worship leader is still struggling to back himself up after leading a chorus, this won’t give him enough time to express himself better and sing skillfully. A skillful chorus leader will always want to do something extra (which we call Ajasa in Yoruba language), but if his backups singers are not responsive enough, this won’t allow him to relax and add any extra thing to the song for the song to be more melodious. That’s why a backup singer must be ready to always do these few things I’m going to list below in other to better work together with his chorus leader as a team.
A Backup singer must be ready at all times to back up the chorus leader effectively.
A Backup singer must be very responsive. This means you must pick a song up immediately after your leader leads it once.
A Backup singer must always be ready to learn new songs, even during the worship. There are times a worship leader sings a song you are not familiar with, which you need to sing along with him, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, a teachable spirit, you can sing along with your team leader after he takes the song the second time. Be proactive in learning new songs.
A Backup singer must learn to continue a song solemnly if the worship leader suddenly switches to tongues or starts eulogising. While you keep singing with a lower pitch, you must be mindful of your worship Leader, because he might stop speaking in tongues, and come back to the song he was singing before or take a different song. And make sure your eyes are on him, for he wants to give you a sign either to stop or sing on, or if he wants to give a sign for any other thing.
A Backup singer must be reliable. Must be ready to cover up for the chorus leader if there're any lapses from the chorus leader. He can also help take up a chorus if he notice the leader seems not remembering the next song to sing, as a sensitive Backup singer, whenever you sense that your chorus leader just keep silent after taken a chorus, seems confused, trying to remember the next chorus he wants to take, and this continues at least 20 to 30 seconds. It’s your duty to inspire him with a chorus, sing it just once, or half way and leave it for him (worship leader) to continue. That’s a team spirit.
Always pray along with your worship leader (s) before the ministration. Pray for God's intervention, that He should take absolute control throughout the praise and worship time.
Role of a Worship Leaders
Once again, a successful worship leader is the one who focuses on leading the entire congregation into God’s presence by leading powerful songs with anointing. So as a worship leader, for you to always archive this goal, below are few things to do, because you must be filled with the Holy Spirit before you can help others.
things you should always do in other to be filled with the Holy Spirit and also be an effective worship leader (a successful worship leader)
Pray always.
Lead praise and worship always in all sincerity.
Let God lead you in picking your worship songs for each service.
Focus on picking powerful songs, not just popular songs.
Sing / lead skillfully.
Sing more of worship songs, and little number of prayer songs. Remember, it’s worship time, not prayer time.
Avoid taking or sticking on your listed songs (assuming you have your songs listed already in your mind or on a paper) when God is telling you to sing another. Sing the songs the Holy Spirit is asking you to sing for in it lies the wonders of the moment.
Make sure you always carry your backups and the congregations along with you when leading. And as a backup singer, you must always be ready to back up your leader effectively, and move with him / her in spirit to keep the flow proper.
Both the chorus leader and the backups must focus on ministering to the congregations and not just entertaining them for is the most quality time in God’s presence, and the most wonder things you can give unto the God Almighty is your praises, your worship.
Worship God with open mind, don’t struggle.
Avoid singing too many songs, sing powerful songs. There are times God may tell you to repeat a song for as many times as He wants, keep repeating it until you are freed in your spirit, do change to another because you have them plenty on the list or the songs are just coming in numbers. That particular song God is asking you to keep repeating might be the particular one God want to used to minister to His people or someone in the congregation, that’s why you must always be sensitive to God’s leading as you lead His people into His presence.
Avoid Pride, worshiping differs from entertaining, you can’t minister to a single soul if God is not involved. Remember, Satan was once a chorus leader, and a very powerful one indeed, but pride took him to hell. No matter what happens always see God as the all in all and acknowledge as the Almighty.
Be proactive in learning, especially in learning new songs.
Let your challenges prompt you to worship and lead His people to praise Him the more, avoid depression, the worship time is not just for the congregations, it’s also for you, it could be your miracle moment also, believe that God is touching you as you praise Him because as you are praising God, He is also raising you, for in the presence of God there’s fullness of joy.
Praise God always, it’s not compulsory that you should always loud your voice when you want to worship God on your own, you can keep singing praises to your God in your mind if you are not allowed to speak out loud where you are, keep singing in your mind, God is hearing.
Listen to gospel songs always, avoid worldly songs, most especially those songs that don’t teach any good thing. Thank God that now you can find gospel songs in every style or categories, in any style of your interest. Is it Raggal, hip-hop, Fuji, just name it. So there is no excuse, God has made everything perfect.
Always Remind the entire congregation that praise and worship moment is the best time to enter into the presence of God (psalm 100) and encourage them to worship God with the whole of their hearts.
Close your eyes while leading worship, to avoid distractions.
Love God and love to worship Him always.
Sing to worship God and not to show-off your skills.
Fast once a week at least, if your health allows you.
Both the worship leader and the Backup singers must depend and rely on God alone for perfection, as He alone can truly minister to His people.
Hope this guides help you do better in leading praise and worship the next time you are privileged to lead the people of God into His presence through worship.
Stay Blessed!
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