Chapter 8: Planning to be Surprised
The Spirit, spontaneity, and the plans we make
Planning is an inevitable and important part of any worship ministry. Scheduling and
coordinating rehearsals, singers, players, selecting songs, making arrangements,
transposing songs into different keys, printing out copies of music, and so on - are all
necessary and good things. Without sufficient planning, people can feel lost and
confused or even alienated. Distraction in worship is often a result of poor planning. On
the other hand, it is also possible to be so planned that it removes any wiggle room for
the Holy Spirit’s interjection. So the question becomes, would you rather have good
music or the presence of God in your worship set? Haha - thankfully those ideas are not
mutually exclusive!
Worship leaders experience God differently based on their experience and personality
(how they are wired). Some are more inclined to find the Spirit’s leading IN the planning
process. Some are more inclined to find the Spirit’s leading IN the execution of the
worship experience. Notice I said ‘inclined’ - neither side gets to write off the other and
in fact, can learn from each other’s strengths. When life gets busy - it’s easy to revert to
our inclination rather than agree to seek God’s leading both before and during our sets. I
would encourage you, don’t give in.
Also, consider how people are affected by your planning and/or the lack thereof:
players, singers, lyric projection, lighting, sound, other people looking for cues for the
next item in the service order. Work out signs/signals ahead of time and communicate
with everyone involved. Remember, spontaneity should not feel chaotic.
Here are some ways I’ve seen worship leaders plan to be surprised:
The Bracket
Start with your first song, and for every subsequent song in the set - create two options,
like a fork - so that when you arrive at the end of a song, you can choose between the two
paths (based on where you feel God might be leading you). It works like a family tree or
a backwards sports bracket or like one of those classic ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’
books.Pros: Easy for your team to follow - while still allowing room for spontaneity.
Cons: Depending on how many songs are in your set, you can see how quickly the
rehearsal could become cumbersome and lengthy.
The Big Pick
I’ve used this extra spontaneous method for nights of worship at my church. Select 20 -
30 familiar songs and make a list. Sort them alphabetically and grouped by key (also
alphabetically):
For Example,
(A) How Great is Our God
(A) How Great Thou Art
(A) You Never Let Go
(C) How He Loves
(D) I Am Free
(D) O Lead Me
Print the list as a cover sheet for each sorted stack of music and distribute them to the
players for reference. During the set, you can simply mouth the title of the next song to
your players between songs - it should be pretty quick and easy for them to locate and
begin playing.
Pros: Uber-spontaneous
Cons: First, you have the right people in the right places - solid players who can
communicate with each other and are familiar with all of the songs, solid lyric operator
who is also familiar with the songs and can pick them quickly out by ear (you could also
assign a player to text the next song title to the lyric operator as it comes). Alternatively,
if your team uses in-ear monitors, you could configure a talk-back mic that is muted in
the house but that all of your players & key people are able to hear. This method works
best with transitions. Transitions between songs, aside from removing disruptions,
allows worshippers to remain in a moment while you’re setting the next song up - and
consequently, covers up the necessary team communication - creating a seamless flow of
music.
Selah Moments
I use this method most often. The word ‘Selah’ appears throughout Psalms giving sacred
pauses or space for reflection on what has just been heard. Selah moments can be
interjected anywhere in the set: they are the interludes between songs, the extra
instrumental measure between chorus and verse, the premature ending of a song. They
are the playing-out of the whispers of the Spirit.
A Selah moment may also be an un-metered song/chorus/bridge/scripture/poem/
prayer that creates aural space and invites engagement, interactivity, or response. Don’t
rush through these moments. Give them space. Watch your people. Listen to the Spirit.
Don’t force these moments either. Is it God speaking, or are you? Have you ever been
caught in a moment that you can’t get out of? Create space for discernment and move on
when it’s time. Don’t manipulate the situation. Approach it with humility and context
and at the end ask God, “Was I obedient?”.