Worship Ministry Training Podcast (for Worship Leaders)

Affairs and infidelity are occurring often in the Church. Not just among the congregants, but also among staff and pastors. How many great and influential pastors have fallen into sexual or emotional affairs in the last several years? If infidelity can happen to them, it can happen to us. We must be diligent to guard our hearts and our interactions with the opposite sex. Dr. Zack Carter joins us to talk about setting up wise boundaries with the opposite sex in ministry. Dr. Carter is a researcher and professor at Taylor University and has studied hundreds of affairs. He teaches on marital preservation, attraction, and non-verbal and online communication with the opposite sex. If you are serious about being faithful to your ministry and your spouse for the long haul, you would be wise to listen to this important episode. More content at: worshipministrytraining.com Direct Download    I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!  EMAIL ME your thoughts on this episode or ASK A QUESTION that you’d like us to feature on a futur

Almost all churches have some sort of pre-service music playing while people walk in. Instead of just filling that Pre-Service Playlist with your favorite songs, here's a "Pro Tip" (I'll share it with you right here in the show notes): Use your church's pre-service playlist as a tool to subliminally teach your congregation new songs that you plan to introduce. I'll explain my process in this short bonus episode, so if you want to find out how to subconsciously teach your church new songs, check this one out!  Direct Download Link to iTunes Check out:  2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Worship Leaders 7 Ways to Improve Your Church's Announcements Say hi on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, or FACEBOOK   Our Sponsor This Month – Coresound Pads Add rich, beautiful ambient sounds to your mix in three simple steps. Coresound Pads are the best sounding worship pads I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried them all! Check out this video demo. Our listeners get an exclusive discount! Enter WLTPODCAST at checkout for 20% off the Deluxe Bundle (u

Great communication matters. We have only seventy minutes on Sundays to communicate to our congregants the things we feel are vital for them to know. We must think strategically and purposefully about every element of communication in our worship services: pre-service slides, announcements, prayers, lyric slides, videos and more. Brady Shearer, founder of Pro Church Tools, joins us today to help us improve our announcements and maximize our communication during our Sunday worship gatherings. If you play any part in planning Sunday worship services, or care about having an effective communication strategy at your church, this episode is for you. Follow Brady Online: Pro Church Tools Twitter Instagram SnapChat Follow Us on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, or FACEBOOK Direct Download Link to iTunes I'd love to hear from you!EMAIL ME your thoughts on this episode or ASK A QUESTION that you'd like us to feature on a future episode (this is a voice recording). Say hi on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, or FACEBOOK Resources: Canva The Noun

Many churches suffer from poor sound in their sanctuaries. It doesn't have to be that way. Today we cover seven principles that you can apply immediately to improve the sound in your church's sanctuary, whether you're in a big church or a small church. Enjoy the practical advice in this episode, and may it help you get clearer, cleaner, better sound for the glory of God! A good sounding system in a bad sounding room will still sound bad. -Tweet That! When arranging your song, spread your band's parts across the frequency spectrum to improve your sound. -Tweet That! No amount of EQ is going to fix crappy cymbals. -Tweet That! The sound tech is the most important person in the room (besides the Holy Spirit). -Tweet That! Direct Download Say hi on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, or FACEBOOK Resources: Acoustics: Roxul Acoustic Foam Bass Traps Gilford of Maine Acoustically Transparent Fabric CCI Solutions Stage Volume: Clearsonics Drum Shield Clearsonics Drum Shield with Roof Hot Rods Electric Drums Allen & Heath ME-1

  Traditional choirs are being killed off in churches across America, and quite honestly, I'm OK with that. However, there is one reason why I think you should consider keeping your choir, or starting one if you don't already have one.  It might be a reason you've never thought of before. Enjoy this short bonus episode, and let us know if you agree or disagree in the comments.  PS: Happy Birthday to the podcast! We turned 2 today! To celebrate, we're launching worshipleadertraining.com , a training website for worship leaders and worship team members! Check it out!  DIRECT DOWNLOAD   Our Sponsor This Month – Coresound Pads Add rich, beautiful ambient sounds to your mix in three simple steps. Coresound Pads are the best sounding worship pads I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried them all! Check out this video demo. Our listeners get an exclusive discount! Enter WLTPODCAST at checkout for 20% off the Deluxe Bundle (update: now all bundles!). Not sure? Try out some sample pads for FREE! Enjoy the podcast? Help us ou

  "How do I put together a compelling and engaging worship set?" Whether you're a veteran worship leader or brand new to the game, putting together a song set is something you have to do on a regular basis. But how do we go about it? Is there a formula? Are there filters that can help us decide which songs to do and in what order? Song selection and song order is a key element to congregational engagement. In this episode I give six steps to crafting highly engaging worship sets. Consider this worship leading 101. I hope it's a help to you!  "Songs well picked and well placed engage the whole person: emotionally, intellectually and spiritually." E-Book "Crafting Incredible Worship Sets" (Free w/ Email)"Crafting Incredible Worship Sets" on Amazon (.99¢)   Direct Download Link to iTunes     Our Sponsor This Month – Coresound Pads Add rich, beautiful ambient sounds to your mix in three simple steps. Coresound Pads are the best sounding worship pads I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried them all! Check out t

  Nobody begins ministry with plans to burn out, ruin their family, walk away from the faith, or have an affair, but unfortunately these things happen on a regular basis in the Church. So how do we guard ourselves from these things? How do we set ourselves up to be faithful and fruitful for the long haul? Worship ministry veteran Paul Baloche joins us today to talk longevity and fruitfulness in ministry. Paul has had a 25 year career as a worship pastor, songwriter, recording artist, and worship trainer, and he's still going strong! Enjoy the wisdom from Mr. Paul Baloche as he shares the things that have allowed him to have a long and fruitful ministry! Paul Baloche Official WebsitePaul Baloche Facebook PagePaul Baloche TwitterPaul Baloche InstagramPaul Baloche YouTube **Special thanks to Paul and Integrity Music for letting our listeners hear pre-release tracks from the upcoming album "Your Mercy" due out the first week of October 2016. Paul Baloche + The Church Collective Workshop - Nov 11-12 - Modes

  John 4 may be one of the most well known passages in the Bible about worship. But what exactly is "worship in Spirit and Truth"? And as worship leaders and pastors, how do we plan our services to facilitate the kind of worship that the Father is seeking? The venerable Bob Kauflin joins us on the podcast today to answer these very vital questions! I promise you'll be fascinated by his insights!  Be sure to check out Bob's excellent books for worship leaders. They are MUST reads:Worship Matters (Amazon)True Worshipers (Amazon)Bob Kauflin's Website ​Bob on Twitter - @bkauflin Direct DownloadSubscribe on iTunes     Spirit & Truth Worship: When the awakening of the Spirit to the work of the Son leads us to the Father. - Tweet That!  Spirit and Truth worship is a Trinitarian way of approaching God. - Bob Kauflin  - Tweet That! ​Jesus is the temple, the priest & the sacrifice, through which we can now worship the Father. - Bob Kauflin  - Tweet That! No one can worship the Father without being

  Big news! The Worship Team Podcast is now the Worship Leader Training Podcast!  When I started this podcast, I had it in mind to train my team members and team members from other churches. However, it quickly became apparent that I had much more to say to worship leaders than to team members. I have decided to change the name of the podcast to better reflect the content and make it easier for worship leaders to find.  My hope is to build an archive of helpful and relevant topics that will help new worship leaders do their job better, and remind seasoned worship leaders of things they probably already know, but that are good to hear again. FYI, I record my episodes months in advance, so I have one more episode with Bob Kauflin that will be branded "Worship Team Podcast", then on to a new a bright future! Thanks for being a faithful listener! Find me on Twitter at @wltpodcast   Direct Download​Link to iTunes

  Our first worship leader roundtable is all about auditions. Four worship pastors from different churches discuss how they do auditions in their church. What mediums do they use to announce their auditions? What does the lead up process look like? What does the actual audition look like? How do they tell people no? What happens after the audition? All these questions are answered on this episode of the Worship Team Podcast! Our Roundtable Guests:Brenton Collyer - @brentoncollyer - www.brentoncollyer.comChris Vacher - @chrisfromcanada - www.chrisfromcanada.comJustin Bell - @justinemerybell  Resources: Audition For Change E-Book (by Chris Vacher)Audition Email Template from C4 ChurchCalvary Monterey Online Worship ApplicationCalvary Nexus Audition DocumentsCypress Church Audition Documents​Sierra Church Online Application   Direct Download ​PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW ON ITUNES!

  We all know that private worship is supposed to fuel our public ministry, but some days our times with God are dry, boring, distracted or distant. Stephen Miller joins us to discuss the power and importance of personal worship and give us some tips for keeping our walk with Jesus fresh and vibrant! Connect with Stephen online: www.stephen-miller.com@stephenmillerLiberating King - AmazonWorship Leaders We Are Not Rock Stars - Amazon   Direct DownloadLink to ​iTunes     Jesus sets the precedent for being extremely busy with ministry, yet making time for the Father! - Tweet That!  Private worship is the foundation of our public ministry. - Tweet That!  Many worship leaders aren't exactly sure how to worship God OFF the stage.  - Tweet That!  They are called Spiritual Disciplines for a reason. Disciplines are hard! - Tweet That!  Look for under-utilized blocks of time that you can use to be with the Father. - Tweet That!  One reason for feeling distant from God could be unrepentant sin. - Tweet Th

  There comes a day for most Worship Leaders when they have to leave their current ministry assignment. Very few worship leaders get to serve the same congregation for 40 years. Sometimes the leaving is painful, under less-than-ideal circumstances. Other times, it is a joyous launching and hope-filled transition into an exciting new season. Whichever the case, it is vitally important that we leave our churches well. We should do everything in our power to leave well and set our churches up for success when we're gone. Today, our long-time guest Brenton Collyer joins us and we give you a step-by-step guide for how to leave your church well.  Check out Brenton's new blog for worship leaders: www.brentoncollyer.com Direct Download​Link to iTunes     The grass is not greener at some other church! The grass is greener where you water it!  -Tweet That!  Most worship leaders don’t stay at one church for 40 years. When you leave, leave well.  -Tweet That!  Don’t make this decision in isolation! Seek godl

  With so many great new worship songs out there, there's a temptation to grab whatever is flashy and cool and throw it into your next worship set; but we must be much more intentional about the songs we choose and introduce to our congregation. We are the "Gatekeepers" of our church's "worship vocabulary". We put the words on their lips that shape their theology and view of God, so we must be very intentional. In this episode, I give 5 questions that you should ask before introducing that new song, as well as a few tips for the song curation and introduction process. Enjoy, and please share with anyone who may be helped by this episode!  ​  Direct DownloadLink to iTunes     There are many great songs. But that doesn’t automatically make them great congregational songs.  -Tweet That!  We are the gatekeepers of our churches' "worship vocabulary". We must be intentional about the songs we put on their lips.  -Tweet That!  Your church's master song list should contain a "balanced diet" of theological

  David Santistevan joins us this month to discuss organization, productivity, and efficiency as a worship leader. Many musicians have a bad rap for being lazy and disorganized, but this should NOT be the case in the Church! David is the host of the well-known “Beyond Sunday Podcast” (a podcast for worship leaders that you should DEFINITELY be listening to), as well as an author, blogger, worship leader, songwriter, album producer, music instructor and family man! So David clearly knows a lot about time management and productivity! In this episode we talk about why organization and productivity matter for Worship Leaders, how to set goals, the difference between consumers and creators, fighting distraction and staying focused, tips and tools for being efficient with your tasks and time, keeping people and God first while chasing God-sized dreams, and keeping your motives pure while you seek to do something BIG for the kingdom of God. If you like the episode, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes.

  Being an effective worship leader involves SO much more than just leading songs on Sunday mornings. Today we talk to Chris Vacher, award-winning blogger and Creative Arts Pastor at C4 Church, about what it takes to be a great worship leader when OFF the platform. The other parts of the job, like pastoring your team, keeping your walk with Jesus authentic, constantly learning, and making sure you are caring for your own family. Enjoy the wisdom from Chris as he gives us some things to focus on (and work on) in between Sundays. Make sure to keep up with Chris online by using the links below.  Chris on Twitter: @chrisfromcanadaChris' Blog: www.chrisfromcanada.com Direct DownloadLink to iTunes     Being on the stage is an important part of what we do, but it's HARDLY the main thing we do. -Tweet That! 4 things effective worship leaders do between Sundays: private worship, pastor people, grow/learn, & enjoy family -Tweet That!     

  Publisher of the Year, Stephen Duncan, joins us from Nashville to discuss the ins and outs of writing great, God-honoring worship songs for your congregation. Every congregation is unique and is walking through a unique set of experiences and circumstances. It is vital that we as the worship leaders give our church the language and words to express their prayers to God. Find Stephen Online:www.nextlevelsongs.com - song critiques, mentorships, conferences, and worship coachingFacebookTwitter Direct DownloadLink to iTunes     Songs are time-capsules, altars, weapons and medicine. - Tweet That! Songs meet people where they are at and yet move them one step closer to Christ. - Tweet That! Our job is to put the truths on our people's lips that they need to be singing. - Tweet That!  

  We've all heard horror stories of the wars that go on behind closed doors between worship leaders and their senior pastors. What's the deal?! Why can't worship leaders and senior pastors get along? Today we talk with Ben Sobels, Senior Pastor of Cypress Church, about what it takes to have a great relationship with your closest ally in ministry. If you're a worship leader struggling with your senior pastor, or if you're a senior pastor wanting to have a better relationship with your worship leader, this episode is for you! Feel free to pass it on to anyone you know who is struggling with this issue.    Direct DownloadLink to iTunesShow Notes

  What's the big deal with in ear monitors? Does your church need them to be musically viable? On today's episode we talk to Taylor Knight, Technical Director of Harvest Bible Chapel and sound engineer for Vertical Church Band, about the popularity of in ear monitors, the pros and cons that they bring in a church environment, the different set-ups you can buy for your budget, how to get the best sound out of your current gear and more. The hope is that by the end of the episode you'll know whether or not in ear monitors are right for your church, and if they are, how you can get started! Enjoy the episode, and please feel free to leave us a rating on iTunes if you have found this podcast helpful!  Contact Taylor on Twitter - @taylorknight_   Direct DownloadLink to iTunes     Gear Referenced:Avioms Allen and Heath ME-1s Shure PSM1000 Shure PSM300 1964's Ultimate Ears Westone Shure SM-81 Audio Technica Shotgun Mic

  Worship Leaders often pray for God to send some new, professional musicians to their church and onto their teams, but what if God wants us to change our prayer? Maybe instead of praying for new, better musicians, we should ask God to help us be faithful to train and pour into the ones He's already entrusted to us! It's all about stewardship today; taking what God has currently given you and cultivating it to be the best that it can be. Jason Houtsma of Worship Artistry joins us to share some practical ways to get the best out of your team! Contact Jason:www.worshipartistry.com@worshipa_jason   Direct Download Link to iTunes     It's not about wanting something better, but WORKING to make what you currently have better!   -Tweet That! What we have available can dictate WHAT we do, but it shouldn’t dictate the quality we can do it with -Tweet That! Worship Leaders, it's never been about the product of the music, but about the people who make the music. -Tweet That! 

  Healthy churches are filled with people from multiple generations:  from Great-grandparents to newborn babies. How can we as worship leaders lead both young and old to sing together and actually enjoy it? That's what we talk about today on the Worship Team Podcast! Direct DownloadLink to iTunesShow Notes     Your goal is not musical coolness, but congregational engagement!  - Tweet That!  Get down from the stage and get to know the people in your congregation. If they trust you, they will let you lead them.  - Tweet That! If you’re going to introduce change to your congregation, do it with sensitivity and slowness.  - Tweet That! The power of the song is in its familiarity to the people of that generation. Don't change the melody of a hymn!  - Tweet That!  Your worship team should look like a cross section of your congregation.  - Tweet That! Lights down in worship makes it an individual experience. Lights up makes it a corporate experience.       - Tweet That!