HOW TO LEAD THE WORSHIP SERVICE

WHAT IS WORSHIP?
It comes from the word Worth - ship
(Pagpapahalaga)
- An act of affirming God’s worth
- John 4:3
- We can worship God even the simplest form,
even by just using our voice. He is not
impressed by the pageantry of the setup.
The one who leads the worship service has three
main tasks :
1. The leader ushers the congregation into the
presence of God.
- He is like the receptionist or personal secretary that
lead visitors into the office of his boss. The worship
leader prepares the worshipers for the presence of
God. As the worship begins he calls the attention to
the love and mercy of God, and also to His holiness
and majesty.
The one who leads the worship service has three
main tasks :
2. The leader promotes an atmosphere conducive to
worship.
- The atmosphere that draws us out in worship is that
delicate balance between reverence and joy, order
and spontaneity, fear of the Lord and freedom in
Christ. God’s people rejoice in God’s presence,
(Psalm 149:2-3), yet tremble before such an
awesome Holy God (Psalm 2:11, 5:7).
The one who leads the worship service has three
main tasks :

2. The leader promotes an atmosphere conducive to

worship.
- Worship should be not only be reverent but also
happy. Joyful worship, however, should not lead to
overfamiliarity with God’s holy presence. An
overemphasis on precise liturgy stifles freedom and
flexibility, but spontaneity in worship should not be at
the expense of order and proper decorum.
The one who leads the worship service has three
main tasks :

3. The leader encourages congregational participation

and at the same time keeps order.
- The whole congregation must be actively involved in
every aspect of the worship and Praise-singing. The
Worship Leader makes sure that the worship is orderly,
decent and reverent.
Personal Preparation

What the worship leader is, the congregation will

usually be. If the worship leader is reverent, the
congregation will be reverent. If, on the other hand, the
leader takes God’s presence lightly, the congregation
will also likely take God’s presence for granted.
Spend time with the Lord

If the worship leader is to usher the congregation into

God’s presence, he himself must first have been into
God’s presence. The worship leader does not really
“create” the atmosphere for worship. He somehow
carries with him the atmosphere. Or, more precisely,
the Holy Spirit works through the worship leader to
create the worshipful atmosphere.
Spend time with the Lord

The Holy Spirit prepares us to lead the worship service

when we spend time in prayer. Confess to God all known
sins in your life as part of your personal preparation. During
the week prior to leading worship, pray for the church. Pray
for the pastor and for the other leader of the church. Pray
for the fellow church members by name. Pray for the choir
and other worship participants. Ask God to glorify His name
in the coming worship service. Spend time with God.
Spend time with the Lord

Moses’ face shone after spending time with God

(Exodus 34:.29). The congregation will know if you
have been in God’s presence or not. They will know if
you are speaking from the heart or simply speaking
from your notes. You could speak from the head
through study. But, you will speak from the heart only
as you spend time with God – in prayer, and meditation
on His Word.
Internalize the theme of the worship service

Ask the pastor or the preacher to give you the title or

theme of his sermon and the Scripture Passage he will
expound several days before the worship service. Read
the Scripture Passage repeatedly – in different bible
versions if possible. Use the passage for your personal
mediation.
Internalize the theme of the worship service

Select songs to be sung days before the service. Try to

memorize the lyrics of the songs. Privately sing the
songs during the week. Try to research circumstances
that led to the writing of there songs. Read and study
the Scripture Passages they quote or allude to.
Prepare carefully written notes

Write out the worship service procedure. If you are new

to leading worship services, write out your opening
remarks, and even your opening prayer. In
fact, write out everything, that you will say – especially
when it’s your first time to lead. Written notes force you
to think more clearly and are indispensable against
mental block or sudden distractions.
Preparing the Order of Worship

List some of the elements you have to prepare or keep

in mind in leading a worship service. Follow the
liturgical arrangements or Worship program of the
church. Keep in mind that everything said or done
during the service should contribute to the praise and
worship of God.
Preparing the Order of Worship

1. INTRODUCTION
- Clearly state the purpose of the service. In two or
three brief sentences remind the congregation of the
significance of worship and the awesome implications
of entering into the presence of God. Remind the
congregation of the need to be joyful yet reverent in
God’s presence.
Preparing the Order of Worship

2. WELCOME GUEST AND VISITORS

- Announce your welcome, in behalf of the church, to all
your guest and visitors. Encourage your guests and
visitors to introduce themselves – to say their names and
mention one or two things that others need to know about
them. If someone, however, is unwilling to introduce
himself, do not insist. Respect the visitors desire for
privacy and anonymity.
Preparing the Order of Worship

3. OPENING PRAYER
- The opening prayer should be mainly praise,
and thanksgiving. It may, however, also include
confession of sin in general. The person in-charge
of creating the program assigns somebody to do the
Opening Prayer.
Preparing the Order of Worship

4. READING OF PSALMS
- The reading of Psalms is done by the person
assigned to read the Psalms. In some cases it could
be the MC or Worship Leader. It is best if the
Scriptures to be read is given several days before
for purpose of meditation and spiritual preparation
of the reader.
CHOSING SONGS FOR WORSHIP
- Select a song that testify to who God is and what
He is like. Introduce the song with a very brief
comment on its significance and message. To
underscore the song’s message you may read the first
verse to the congregation before the song is sung.
Preparing the Order of Worship

5. SINGING THE FELLOWSHIP SONG

- Fellowship through singing of praise encourages
healthy relationships among believers. The leader’s
for love for God should be evident in every aspect of
leading and motivating others to worship.
Preparing the Order of Worship
6. SINGING OF PRAISE
- If the Worship Leader do not have singing voice or are
not gifted in leading congregational singing, request
somebody else to lead in the singing. Assign the Song
Leader several days before the worship service so that
he may also prepare himself spiritually. Pulling
someone out to lead the congregational singing
minutes before the service begins is not helpful.
Preparing the Order of Worship

6. SINGING THE SONGS OF PRAISE

- You may also lead the congregation to worship
through the singing of appropriate choruses. Be sure,
however, to carefully plan your use of time. Worship
through singing should not eclipse your worship
through listening to and meditating on God’s preached
Word.
Preparing the Order of Worship

7. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Announcements can be facilitated by the MC, Worship
Leader or through video presentation.
Preparing the Order of Worship

8. TESTIMONY TIME
- Giving of testimony or witnessing can be facilitated
by the MC or Worship Leader. This is to inspire or
motivate the church to share their life in Christ for
the glory of God.
Preparing the Order of Worship

8. TESTIMONY TIME
- Individual members of the church may be given
time to tell their testimony about God’s grace in
their lives during the previous week. The leader,
however, should monitor the time, and take care to
end the worship service on time.
Preparing the Order of Worship

9. INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

- If the Worship Leader is also the MC he/she may
introduce the Main Speaker
(provided with a prepared speech or a brief interview
with the Speaker).
For Guest Speakers, the Pastor is usually the one who
introduces.
Preparing the Order of Worship

9. INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

- You need not give the guest preacher’s full biodata.
Take time, however, to describe that part of the guest
preacher’s background or current responsibilities that
qualify him to preach on the topic of meditation for that
day.
Preparing the Order of Worship
10. LISTENING TO THE SERMON
- Being the worship leader, you should be a good example
to the rest of the congregation. Give your full attention to
the preaching of God’s Word. Listen carefully to the
teaching, taking notes if you find it helpful. But do not use
this time to write out what you will say or do in the
remaining part of the worship. To fail to listen to God’s
Word, after challenging others to do so, would be
hypocritical.
Preparing the Order of Worship

11. RESPONSE SONG

- Select a song directly related to the sermon. Explain
briefly the connection between the song and the
sermon. Resist the temptation to add to what the
preacher said. Carefully choose a song that would
help the congregation express their response to
God’s preached Word. Pastor may suggest what
song to sing.
Preparing the Order of Worship
12. PREPARATION FOR THE GIVING OF
OFFERINGS
- In our set-up, the MC should be the one in-charge of
announcing a 2-minute break before the Offertory
Message. Pastor is the one who gives the Offertory
Message or to somebody who is assigned
for that matter.
In the absence of MC or Pastor, the Worship Leader
can assume this by...
Preparing the Order of Worship

13. GIVING OF OFFERINGS ( by the worship Leader )

- Reminding the congregation in one or two sentences
why believers give Offerings. You may Read ( 2
Corinthians 9:6-7 or a similar passages of Scripture).
Properly receive what has been given and lead in
prayer dedicating the offerings to God – for the building
of His kingdom and pursuance of His work.
Preparing the Order of Worship

14. OFFERTORY SONG

- Do not take the offering while the band sings Offertory
song. The congregation will be unable to give its full
attention either to the singing or to the corporate act of
giving offerings to God if the two are simultaneous.
Preparing the Order of Worship

15. GIVING OF OFFERINGS

- The giving of offerings may be accompanied by a soft
music, or simply by silent meditation.
Preparing the Order of Worship

16. OFFERTORY PRAYER

- The pastor is the one expected to lead in prayer or a
church elder assigned in advance. This prayer will be for
the needs of church members and in thanksgiving for
blessings received particularly during the week. It is also a
prayer made for the nation and for concerns in other parts
of the world.
Preparing the Order of Worship

17. VICTORY SONG ( CONCLUDING SONG )

- Select for your concluding song one that
expresses the believer’s joy in the Lord, trust in God
or commitment to obey God’s Word.
Leading the Worship Service

1. Be Visible yet Invisible

- The congregation should be led. Worshipers should
literally see the worship leader. Stand on something
elevated, if possible. The congregation should see you
and hear you loudly, distinctly and clearly.
Leading the Worship Service

1. Be Visible yet Invisible

- The worshipers should catch your enthusiasm,
happiness and reverence in coming into God’s
presence.
Leading the Worship Service

1. Be Visible yet Invisible

- On the other hand, the congregation should see God,
not the worship leader. Your presence should not
distract the congregations from concentrating on God’s
holy presence. The worship leader is to be like the
conductor of an orchestra. The conductor’s effort and
direction are largely responsible for making beautiful
and harmonious music possible.
Leading the Worship Service

1. Be Visible yet Invisible

- Yet the effective conductor is inconspicuous,
drowned, forgotten even, in the beauty of the
composition. You are an effective worship leader when
the congregation is almost unaware of you as they
behold God.
Leading the Worship Service

2. Be Natural
- Do not imitate someone else’s voice, or gestures, or
accent, or looks. Gestures should be natural, not planned.
The congregation’s concentration is generally better when
the worship leader uses a minimum of gestures. Whatever
you do, be spontaneous and sincere. Eliminate anything
that does not contribute to an atmosphere conducive to
worship.
Leading the Worship Service

3. Be Audible
- Speak loudly and clearly. You lead with your words,
therefore your words should be audible and
understandable. Speak a little slower than in ordinary
conversation and say every word distinctly.
Leading the Worship Service

3. Be Audible
- When you are uncertain of the next word in the middle
of a sentence, pause and think silently, rather than
making a humming sound. To frequent “Hmmmm..’s”
and “Aaa…h’s” annoys the listeners.
Leading the Worship Service

4. Maintain Eye Contact

- You lead with your words. You can also lead with your
eyes. Your enthusiasm, happiness, and spirit of
reverence are communicated through your eyes. Look
at the congregation, not on the floor. Do not look at one
person only or only at a particular section of the
congregation. Be sure to look at the whole
congregation.
Leading the Worship Service

4. Maintain Eye Contact

- The congregation is your barometer. You should be
able to read their signals of positive or negative
response – their enthusiasm or boredom. You will need
to look at your notes occasionally, but do not do so all
the time. Do your best to maintain eye contact with the
congregation.
Leading the Worship Service

5. Be In Control of the Proceedings

- Make sure all the participants in the worship know
exactly when they should come in. Before the worship
service begins, agree with the ushers, pianist, choir
directress and preacher what signals you will use to
indicate when they should take up the offerings, play
background music, sing the choir anthem, or ascend
the pulpit.
Leading the Worship Service

5. Be In Control of the Proceedings

- Deal with contingencies. Take effective control during
brown-outs, or when someone hostile disrupts the
service, or when a baby in the congregation begins to
fret and cry during the most solemn part of your
worship together. Control the testimony sharing time.
Start on time and end on time.
Leading the Worship Service

6. Be sensitive and Flexible

- The procedure of worship services need not to be
unalterable. There will be times when sensitivity to the
Holy Spirit will leads us to spend time in prayer instead
of immediately concluding the worship. On another
occasion sincere caring for one another may lead us to
allow extra time to one sharing a testimony.
Leading the Worship Service

6. Be sensitive and Flexible

- God is the God of order, not chaos. If the length of
the worship must be extended, be sure the reason
for doing so is not merely lack of discipline in the
use of time or failure in proper planning, but willing
obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Other Considerations
1. Dress Appropriately
- The clothes of the worship leader should not distract the
worshipers – by their flashiness or shabbiness. Clothes should be
clean and neat, not necessarily expensive. Impressive-looking
clothes are not required, but informal clothing should be avoided.
Be sensitive to the clothing culture of the congregation you are in.
Listen to the feedback – so you would know better what to wear
next time. In worship you come into the presence of the King of
Kings. The way you dress should show your reverence of God’s
presence.
Other Considerations

2. Be extremely careful with your contents

- Be careful with ad libs. Your ad libs should not call
attention to yourself – your wit, or humor, or learning, or
intellect. Everything in the service should contribute the
worshipful atmosphere of reverence and joy. Keep ad libs
to a minimum. Unplanned comments are usually unwise.
Your comments must not put anyone in the congregation
“on the spot” or “cast anyone in bad light”.
Other Considerations
2. Be extremely careful with your contents
- Do not comment on the sermon just delivered. Simply thank
you the preacher or the pastor for the sermon – If the sermon
was good. If it didn’t seem helpful to you, make no comment
at all. Do not add to what the preacher said. If you were to
say something very useful – it would show inadequacy of the
preacher and would be in bad taste. If you said something
trivial or tangential you spoil the worshipful atmosphere and
the lead the congregation away from God’s Word.
Other Considerations

3. Be sparing with jokes

- Jokes should be natural, never contrived. Be spontaneous.
Do not plan your jokes. Jokes are better made during the
early part of the service. Refrain from making jokes after
sermon – at the time the congregation is meditating on the
lesson of the Word. After the preaching, the Holy Spirit will be
speaking in the hearts of the worshipers. You could silence
God’s voice with a misplaced joke. The congregation is
gathered to worship, not to be entertained.
Other Considerations
4. Help prepare the place of worship
- When you are to lead in worship, NEVER BE LATE. You could
not possibly promote the atmosphere of reverence and joy if
rushed and came to the service drenched in perspiration, and
panting in breath. Arrive early to check the place for worship.
Arrange chairs appropriately. Test the sound system. Ask
someone to go the back of the worship hall and check if your voice
projection is loud and clear. Determine the best distance between
you and the microphone. Speaking too near to the microphone
distorts your voice.
Other Considerations
4. Help prepare the place of worship
- Have time in prayer with the pastor, the choir members, and
others involved in the service before the worship begins. If the
preacher is an invited guest, be sure to inform him where he will
sit, when he will preach and where he will stand to give his
sermon. Find out what the preacher will need – perhaps a glass
of water. Before the service, interview your guest preacher for
relevant and accurate information about him, so that when the
time comes you can introduce him properly to the congregation.
Other Considerations
5. Keep sober and fresh
- Avoid late night activities on the Saturday before you are to lead the
Sunday worship. The atmosphere during Sunday worship is
significantly affected by what happens on Saturday night. A good
night’s rest is a most helpful preparation for leading the worship
service. Keep your conversations to the minimum just before the
service. Raucous conversations is not good preparation for leading
the worship. Gossip and irresponsible talk make the worship leader
spiritually ineffective. Limit yourself to sober and pleasant
conversation just before the worship begins.
Other Considerations
6. Avoid distracting mannerisms
- Being up front may cause you to do things unconsciously – in your
nervousness. Without being aware of it, you may have distracting
mannerisms like repeatedly scratching your head, putting your hands
in and out of your pockets, constantly adjusting your wristwatch or
eyeglasses or playing with your notes. You may unconsciously shake
your head when making a point, close your eyes most of the time,
blink rapidly, or nervously walk back and forth. Find someone who will
tell you honestly about any mannerisms or unnecessary gestures.
Watch yourself and eliminate these distractions next time you lead in
worship.
Other Considerations

7. Have someone evaluate your leading of the worship

- Look for mature, responsible and sympathetic
assessment. If you are married, normally your spouse can
give you your most helpful evaluation. After leading in
worship, you may feel terrible, and discouraged, thinking
that you bungled the whole thing. You will need the
encouragement and prayers of a sympathetic friend. At
times, you may think you were “simply terrific”! You will
then need someone to remind you of your total dependence
on God.
Other Considerations
8. Go ahead and Lead
- Go on and lead the worship service as well as you are able, even
if you cannot yet be everything that you should be as a worship
leader. Do not wait to be perfect before you agree to lead a
worship service, or you may never lead. Leading in worship is a
process of learning. Trusting God for enabling as you lead the
worship is an exciting adventure. God looks at the heart, not on
the outside appearances. If your heart is right with God, you are
ready to lead in worship. Your best qualification for leading in
worship is a heart that longs for God and rejoices in His presence.
 GOD BLESS YOU!
Thanks for attending the
Worship Leading Seminar.