Top spot in the respective groups will earn direct qualification, while the four best second-placed teams will also advance to the 2020 Finals.

Should the yet to be determined host for the Finals finish either top of their group or among the best four second-placed teams, the next (5th) second-placed team in the ranking among all groups will qualify instead.

The Qualifiers will be played on November 2-10, 2019.

The draw for the AFC U-16 Championship 2020 Qualifiers concluded at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur yesterday with the 47 teams discovering their opponents.

India have got tricky and difficult group comparing to other SAFF nations. Blue colts have qualified for last 2 editions, this time it looks difficult not just because of the draw but also because of our preparation. 

The Asian hopefuls will vie for top spot in their respective groups that promises direct qualification, while four best second-placed teams will advance to the 2020 Finals.

As the host for the Finals has yet to be determined, should the yet to be determined host finishes among the qualified as either top of their group or one of the four best second-placed teams, the next (5th) second-placed team in the ranking among all groups will qualify instead.

Dear Pastor, 

You encourage me.
You also challenge me to my very core.

You’re always looking to help me improve.
Though, sometimes I act like that’s not necessary or possible.

I don’t always feel like you get me.
But then again, sometimes I think you do more than I understand

You’ve honored me by letting me lead your people.
You give me an opportunity to use God’s gifts in me.
I don’t always take that as seriously as I should, but I am thankful. 

I’ve sung off key and messed up many a song,
But you haven’t given up on me.

You haven’t fired me,
Haven’t replaced me with a machine,
Even though you’ve probably thought about it.

You’re my boss and my pastor, which at times is challenging.
But this is something that God has called us to do together.
I’m not saying that it’s easy, but I believe that it’s worth it. 

No matter what has been behind us, or what lies ahead,
I want to take a moment and say that I am thankful for you. 

I appreciate you Pastor!
Your worship leader

Transformation.  

As leaders, its a prayer we pray, a decree we sing over our congregation. We cry out for a shift in holiness. We desire a change of heart, for our church to be refined by the experience of worship. It’s easy to lift up your voice to the heavens, declaring God’s goodness and mercy, but lives are changed through the act of sincere transformation.  

Stories are powerful, and when someone comes forward with a testimony, something stirs within us. We relate, we believe, we hope. And that is the power behind transformational leadership.  

I was recently listening to a John Maxwell sermon, and he spoke about this very topic. I can’t take credit for the 4 points I’m about to share with you, but when I heard them I knew it was something worth sharing.  

We can read all the books we want on the types and styles of leadership, and honestly, it will always come down to your personality and how God has called you to lead. There’s no right or wrong way. But there is a truth that remains universal, and that is that leadership calls us to live life at a higher level. Leadership that sparks change and inspires movement requires a lifestyle that leaves no room for safety or compromise.  

All transformation happens through a transformational leader. Look at Scripture, for an example. Paul experienced one of the most radical life changes we see, and without his leadership, we would be missing 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament  

The book of Acts, at its core, is about how men stood unified and influenced an entire religious movement. King Xerxes was transformed by Esther’s faith and courage. Moses led an entire nation to freedom because he made the choice to live a life of trust and risk. These biblical heroes are set apart by their intentionality.  

They chose things normal people were not choosing, they honored God in ways others were not. This is what transformational leadership is about.  

So let’s dig into what it looks like for us to be a transformational leader amongst our church and teams.  

Transformational leaders see things other people do not see.  

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? Many leaders passed by the man beaten and stripped that day. But it was the Samaritan, the unlikely hero, that saw what others refused to see. He transformed that man’s life through the power of touch and empathy.  

Are your eyes open to ministry moments? When you begin your rehearsals, are you so wrapped up in the sound check that you miss an opportunity to bless the new vocalist with introductions? Do you purposefully interact with those who serve unseen? Do you pick up the trash that everyone seems to dismiss? Honor is shown through the noticing. Begin praying for God to open your heart and prompt you as you serve each week.  

Transformational leaders say things other people do not say.  

Again, I am reminded of the story of Esther. She was told from day one not to reveal her Jewish roots. But when it came down to conviction, she had the courage to speak truth, and she was rewarded greatly for it. Transformational leadership takes conviction and bravery. People do not follow titles, they follow courage.  

What has God planted in your heart that needs to be spoken? What song needs to be sung? What person needs to be counseled? What words need to be said to yourself? Do not fear this part of leadership. Life and death are within the tongue, so use every opportunity to speak bold life over those God’s entrusted to you.  

Transformational leaders believe things other people do not believe.  

When Lazarus passed, the mourners came in droves, and Jesus was soon informed of his friend’s death. As He approached, Martha met Him there. She ran to Him and exclaimed, “If you had been here my brother would not have died!” The passage goes on as Jesus asks her if she believes He is who He says He is. She chooses to believe and even calls out her sister Mary to voice the same. This belief led to Jesus calling for Lazarus to rise from the grave, a miracle that confirmed that family's faith and legacy.  

Sometimes in ministry, we are called to believe beyond what even our pastoral leadership can see. Attendance, salvations, offerings, healings. Transformation happens when a congregation sees its leadership believing the unbelievable. It instills hope and trust in a God that is bigger than what we see. What do you, as a leader, need to be believing over your team, over your church, over your family in this season?  

Transformational leaders do things other people will not do.  

The story of Daniel has always been a powerful one in my life. When King Darius decrees that no man should pray to anyone but himself, Daniel continues to pray 3 times a day to God. When discovered, he’s thrown in the lions' den, and I think we all know how that turned out. God honored Daniel’s obedience and willingness to do what others would not do. It took courage, it took conviction, but Daniel’s belief in God was stronger than the consequences. His heart was settled.  

There will be times where you will be asked to do what others might not do. There may be convictions or levels of lifestyle you must obey because you’ve chosen this path of transformational leadership. Your life might look more conservative, it might look more dangerous, it might look more financially minimalistic. Whatever God is calling you to do or to not do, have the courage to say yes. Have the gall to live boldly in your conviction. This will always have a ripple effect among teams.  

Transformational leadership is not easy. It is isolating at times and misunderstood. But trying to lead without a heart of transformation can only get you so far. Without the courage to see differently, speak boldly, believe audaciously, and do rightly, you set your team up for failure. So as we move into the summer months, take this time of rest and reflection. Use it to examine your heart and see what God needs from you in each of these areas. What do you need to say? What do you need to believe this year? What do you need to do that will spark change? What will you see that will lead others' eyes to open? Ask God to transform your heart during this season, and watch as it transforms your leadership. 

Today, we're excited to introduce you to someone on the front lines of worship every single week at a local church, just like you!  He's a worship leader, pastor, husband, father and a good friend of the ministry: Jordan Merritt.

Jordan is currently serving as Worship Pastor at Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, SD, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country.  In addition to leading worship, he is a gifted songwriter. He co-wrote the Newsboys single, “You Hold It All,” and he has written songs for multiple projects with artists including Newsboys, Selah, Travis Ryan, and others. Jordan’s desire is to see the Church equipped, refreshed, and reminded of God’s promises through worship.

Thank you to Jordan for taking the time to sit down with us!  We hope you are encouraged by a "fellow soldier in the fight", who is leading worship in a local church every week.  Be encouraged and be confident that God has put you on mission as a worshipper in your church ... to restore the honor of God, to restore the People of God and to bring His presence into your services each and every week. 

Have a great week!

We are excited for you to meet our guests on the AAW podcast, Clinton Allen & Ryan Williams from River Valley Worship! They both lead worship at their church in Minneapolis, MN.  

In today’s interview, we’re talking with Ryan & Clinton specifically about their story as worship leaders and as songwriters. They talk to us about their current roles in their local church as worship leaders and leading teams. They also have some great insights about how they approach writing new songs for their church - considering the people that will be singing those songs and even their senior pastor - It starts with relationship!  They share experiences from leading REAL people in REAL ministry week to week, so we really believe this will speak to many of you listening that are also leading worship week in & week out.  You have authority as a pastoral musician. 

Last but certainly not least - you can find out more about River Valley Worship's brand new album!  Head on over to rivervalleyworship.org and find ways to listen below:

• Buy it on iTunes
• Listen on Apple Music
• Listen on Spotify
• Download on Amazon Music
• Download on Google Play
• Watch on YouTube

There's plenty of options there for you, there's no excuse!  Be blessed, and be sure to check out their new album —- “MILLION LIFETIMES”! 

The belonging Co worship leader Andrew Holt sits with us this week to talk about dealing with transition and celebration.

Andrew talks about his story and his transition into leading worship. Also, can we take celebration too far in church?  Some people may think we go too far ... how about you?  Listen in!

This is it ... a new beginning with the merging of two super-podcasts into one! The Worship Podcast is here, powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey). On today's pilot episode, all four hosts sit down to discuss the transition, as well as the resources and teaching they hope to provide to our listeners.  Listen in, and welcome to our brand new show!

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
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We have such a tendency to water down words. Lessening their impact through casual use: awesome, love, and worship were the three that came to mind. 

Worship? You might ask, “How has worship been watered down?” As I took time to think about the word, I began to realize something. Just as we have lessened the impact of words such as awesome and love through overuse, we have done much the same with the word worship through underuse.

We have so narrowed its scope until – in our current Christian culture – we often relegate it to just another music genre or a segment of time in our church services. Though from the first welcome to the benediction our services are designed to engage our congregations in worship; worship is so much more. Worship is an attitude, an action, a way of life.

As I reflected on the hundreds and hundreds of times I have had the privilege of leading congregations in worship through music, James 1:27 came to mind. 

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

I began to recall several settings in which I have lead worship; large churches, small churches, conferences, and festivals, in many states and denominational traditions. However, the two venues which most stood out were not of leading large congregations in worship, but they were found in the small church basement where I first lead worship with children from 2-10 years old, and the nursing homes where I, and often my family have lead these old dear saints in the singing of hymns and praise choruses. Each representing the opposite end of the age spectrum and both reflecting the childlike faith Jesus referred to in Matthew 18:3. 

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I believe we refuse to let the world corrupt us when we use our gifts to serve others including those who have nothing to give us in return – the children, the elderly, the sick. Yes, as I look back the most impactful worship experiences I have had are seeing these little children sing with reckless abandon, and the elderly – whom often could not even accurately communicate where they were or what day it was – with tears streaming down their face singing every word to every hymn along with me. 

For vocational artists it is certainly necessary that we are able to pay our bills. However, I am realizing more and more that our church salary or concert honorarium is not payment for services rendered, but rather an effort by those who write the checks to redeem the time we would otherwise need to use provide for ourselves and our families so that we can fully use our gift of music to freely serve the body, no matter whether it gathers in church basements, nursing homes, living rooms, soup kitchens, or auditoriums.

James & Dustin had a chance to sit down with Jonathan Brown - President of Integrity Music - to discuss unity and division among the people of God, and among worshipers in the church.

JB (Jonathan Brown) and Dustin both had the chance to be part of a tour with WeAreWorship, where they visited multiple church leaders in multiple cities.  There were so many great things experienced and along with that, there were so many things learned.  At the end of the day, we want unity in the the people of God and especially among the leaders of God's Church, and we need to have inspired conversation on this topic. 

Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

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On today's podcast, we wanted to cover a very important topic. It's forefront in our culture, yes, but it's also important in the church, too. Specifically, in worship and songwriting.  That topic is ... women in ministry. 

We here at The Worship Podcast (All About Worship & WeAreWorship) completely affirm and believe in the ability, anointing and commission of women to minister to the church body, and of course, to others around them. In a way, it's strange to even feel the need to type that sentence.  But as society and culture is starting to have some real confusion and controversy over this gender topic, we believe as Christians we should lead the way in freedom!  We should set the example in empowerment, equal contribution in the Kingdom of God and a general attitude of preferring one another.

Now, this is a huge topic!  So we wanted to sit down with someone who is making a real difference in this world.  Her name is Krissy Nordhoff.  She leads a ministry called "Brave Worship".  She's also an accomplished songwriter, anointed worship leader, wife, mother, and lucky for us, a friend of The Worship Podcast ministry!  It doesn't matter what "side of the aisle" you believe you are on when it comes to this topic - we can all benefit from having genuine conversation and even more important, listening.  

Find out more about Brave Worship and make sure to check out their podcast, as well!

And oh yeah, last (and certainly least in this case), Dustin & James don't mince words about their travels to India ... stomach issues and all.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
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From the moment you read the title of this blog you probably started to formulate what you thought it meant. This is something that we all do on a regular basis without much effort… it just happens naturally. We see a title or just a snip-it of something and automatically start drawing conclusions as to what the context is. This is a habit that I am personally trying to break in my life and I hope that we (the church at large) can get better at this as well. But with that said… it is pretty natural to do so. 

This blog is not so much about the theological contradictions that we sing or write. It’s not about the actions we sing about and don’t do. (Like singing, “I lift my hands” while I play guitar and can’t. Or something like, “I bow down” while I am literally standing. Or even making grandiose declarations of what we are going to do for God but have no intention of really doing them.) I can think of a bunch of these but nevertheless… I digress. 

A few years ago I was prepping to speak at a worship school. It was in the early morning and I was asking the Holy Spirit what direction we should go. I had my Evernote App full of great ideas to speak on but then I heard the Spirit say something I wasn’t expecting… 1 Corinthians 13. To be honest, I kind of rolled my eyes. I was like, “The love stuff? Why? This in not a wedding or even Valentine’s Day. Why this passage for the worship school?” I open up my bible and read this: 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV

I immediately felt the Spirit overwhelm me with a thousand different thoughts, verses, experiences, and revelation. Through the tears the Holy Spirit connected the dots for me. Jesus boiled down most of his theology and teaching on the law to this: 

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  - Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

These few verses bring together the simplicity of living out a pure Christian life. I want to highlight them briefly for the sake of context. “Loving your neighbor AS yourself” begins with YOURSELF. This portion of the verse shows that you can only love someone else to the extent that you have learned to love yourself. If your love for yourself is conditional then your love for others will be conditional. If you cannot love the image of God in you… you will have a really hard time loving or even appreciating the image of God in someone else. This is reflected in 1 John 4:20 NIV 

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

 About 8 years ago I had an encounter with Lord that shook me. I was in the middle of a meeting somewhere that I won’t mention. I ended up leading worship in a service where the speaker was a very public figure that had a very public failure. As I stood in judgment over this man I heard these very clear words from the Father: “Who are you to judge the extent of My redemption? If you can’t love him… then there is a lot about Me you don’t love. No matter what he looks like to you now… he was created in my image. If you can’t love him, a man created in my image, then there is a piece of Me you are choosing not to love. It also shows that you’re ashamed of what you see in yourself somewhere deep down and haven’t learned to love yourself fully because you feel he deserves punishment. Deep down you feel you deserve punishment. Your view on this man is a reflection of your view of Me and yourself.” As I heard this I wept and repented. There was more said but for the sake of this blog you get the picture. 

So getting back to “The Contradictions in our Worship.” In 1 Corinthians 13:1 Paul uses the illustration of a cymbal or gong. This illustration stuck out to me that morning as I was studying for the Worship School. A cymbal or gong creates a crashing sound. We have all heard it before. They can be powerful and even beautiful in the right context surrounded by melody and song. Alone they can be hard, brash, and abrasive. As someone who spent many years drumming I knew this first hand. Scientifically a cymbal’s frequencies look like a big crash when viewed on a live monitor. These are contradicting frequencies that create something called dissonance. As I pondered the science of cymbals I began to question how many contradicting frequencies were in my worship? How much contradiction was in the Love I portrayed publicly and privately? How much contradiction is coming from the body of Christ in general? 

It’s like our body language is off. It’s like when someone tells you that they love you with no expression on their face or body to back it up. It’s harder to believe because the body language is not in line with what is being communicated. Jesus is the head saying and being the truth but we, His body, are doing a poor job at communicating his true intentions for the earth and people. Our actions are not lining up with our words. I could write another whole blog just about this but for the sake of staying focused… I digress again. 

So imagine this with me… I have a drummer come to the stage, sit down, and tell him, “When we start singing I want you to bang those cymbals as hard as you can.” I have the sound man cut up the overhead mics as loud as possible and ask the crowd to sing a worship song with me. As we begin to sing, a crash of cymbals hits the air! It is so loud that it drowns us out completely. We do this for about 30 seconds then stop. I turn to them and say: “This is what our Worship sounds like to heaven if we can’t love. If our love for ourselves, the people we’re leading, and Him don’t start coming together… the melody of our life is drowned out in our contradiction. It’s not that heaven doesn’t want to hear you… there is just a sound that is louder than your love in that moment and it sounds like the crash and dissonance of contradiction.” As I said all of this I began to hear people weep. It was so powerful. We all repented together for the contradictions in our worship and to this day it remains one of my favorite moments.  

Since this blog is directed mainly towards “Worship Leaders,” hear me on this. I believe some of the most powerful worship leaders I have ever heard have been the ones who learned to fall madly in love with the people they are leading (the Body of Christ.) Like really love them. Not just tolerate them. I believe that this is the doorway to the purest worship, heaven’s sound, or whatever metaphor you want to use. The sound we all long to hear and be a part of is found through some of the simplest teachings of Jesus. Love Him fully, love yourself fully, and love your neighbor fully. I don’t care how talented you are. If you’re doing these simple steps that Jesus lays out… your worship WILL be pure. Your worship and life will start to be free of contradiction. 

My challenge to you is this: Let’s get better at loving. I’ve done multiple albums… of course I care about excellence and writing great songs… but all of the most perfect worship sets and songs in the world could not compare to the sound of a people who have learned to love. Love well so that it keeps your motives pure. Love well so that heaven can hear the melodies/worship of your heart. Love well so that His body language is being communicated to the earth. Love well until the earth looks like heaven. 

On today's podcast: What do you believe? 

That's the question we discuss with Gabe Finocchio (The Royal Royal) as we dive into the, sometimes complex, worlds of doctrine & worship.  As worship leaders, we can easily neglect God's word & focus more on the songs themselves or our own church services.  Well today, we talk with Gabe about that journey between theology & our song.

We think what comes out could surprise you. Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast and find the show notes:
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Malcolm du Plessis has quite an incredible resumé when it comes to worship.  He talks about his background in this episode of The Worship Podcast.  However, he also talks about something - we believe - that is critical for every worship pastor, leader and song writer to understand.

And that is the evolution of worship over the past few decades.  Malcolm has experience and studied knowledge in this area, like few others do.  Listen in today with a close ear, and you may just find some answers to the question, "Why do we do things that way?", you've been asking.

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast and find the show notes:
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Practical time. Yep, this will be short and sweet but it changed the way I view people and how I now develop teams that can actively work together no matter their background, age or race. How? Here’s how:

John 13:34 - A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Whaaaat? It’s that simple? Oh yeah. That simple. Let me explain.

When I first started playing on worship teams, I was all about the production, the glitz, and the glamour. Now, I’m not saying any of that is bad, because it all can be quite good, if the motives are right. My biggest problem was that I didn’t care about anyone else on that stage, or in the congregation. My focus was on myself. That sounds vain and narcissistic for sure, and it was, but I soon learned that without knowing the people around me, the people that the above scripture was commanding me to love, I would never change.

Fortunately, I had a pastor in my life who knew the power of community and the power of this scripture.  As a worship team we were already spending a lot of time together (four services a week plus a practice night), yet we didn’t really know much about each other. Weird right? You can spend hours and hours with others and not know them at all. How much do you really know about your team? At times we can become so involved with our personal lives, we forget about those around us. THAT is not Kingdom.

The change started out easy for our team. Every once in a while instead of our practice nights, we would all go out for coffee. It was a simple gesture but it was super effective. We began to talk to each other, find out about job situations and families, likes and dislikes. Then, wouldn’t you know it? We began to like each other, prefer each other, LOVE each other. Now, it didn’t happen overnight. Not even in a month. But little by little we saw our lives begin to intertwine together. We had dinners, birthdays and special events together. And the more we began to care for each other, the more powerful our services became. Our worship began to come alive! God began to pour Himself out through our congregation and our community.

I know there is power in loving one another and it’s proven itself over and over in my life, in any circumstance. Maybe it’s something we always hear, but never consider? Perhaps making this lesson a season in your worship team could turn the tides for whatever breakthrough you are needing today.

The wonderful thing is, once it begins showing itself through your worship team it will naturally begin to reach into your congregations and communities.

Let love be the power that unifies your team today.

On today's podcast, we're sitting down with some powerful women in the faith - Krissy Nordhoff and Amanda Blankenship.  We're talking about an important subject for church leaders in general, but especially Worship Leaders, the motivation of ministry.  Enjoy!

The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
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linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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Today's podcast is a sit down with the hosts of All About Worship, Dustin Smith & James Galbraith, talking about the important of valuing people, over the titles or positions we hold.  God has asked us to be responsible - able to gauge a response - for the people we lead.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
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linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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Today's podcast is a car ride talk with one of our favorite people in the world - Michael Farren.  We're talking about the dangers of isolation ... it's a sneaky weapon of the enemy uses (many times) against creatives and leaders alike.  When you don't know you're isolating yourself from people and relationships, you need an answer; A shift.  Listen in to find out what that shift was for these guys, and what it might be for you too. Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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On this episode of The Worship Podcast, Dustin & James talk funny stories from leading worship, break down what community really means in a team environment, and do we really know how to do it effectively?  Worship leaders have to care about people.   Not unlike .... well you'll just have to listen.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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On this episode of The Worship Podcast, Dustin and James talk about their experience in revival movements, as well as lessons learned and things to consider for your worship experience.  What's the new sound?  Where is the sound of worship headed?  You might be surprised at their answer.

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship in partnership with WeAreWorship.

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One of the battles that every worship leader faces, and will face until their time in ministry comes to an end, is that of valuing and expressing said value to the members of their worship teams. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Battle seems like a strong word,” but trust me, I used it for a reason. The battle is not whether it is essential and vital to the growth and strengthening of a ministry, rather the struggle lies in being intentional on a week-to-week basis when every moment of your day is already spoken for. There’s no doubt that the vast majority of you hold a deep appreciation for those who serve on your teams, but let’s face it, sometimes demonstrating that appreciation can start to feel like a chore when time is limited and funds are even more scarce. 

The people on our teams give and give of themselves and their resources, most often uncompensated - sometimes once or twice a month, sometimes weekly, and sometimes multiple times a week. We get our systems in place for how things operate so that hopefully no one is stretched too thin, then before we know it, it’s been 3 months since we displayed any form of gratitude. So how do we approach valuing our team members in a way that is genuine and effective, but doesn’t take up so much of our time and energy that we start to lose the heart behind it?

I’d like to put 5 ideas and strategies on the table. Some of them at first glance might not seem like a direct form of appreciation, but the result is still a well-valued team member with a desire to serve as faithfully as ever. Some of these systems, once they’re in place, still have the same punch of esteem but don’t require as much from you as you might think, which makes for a win-win if you ask me. Let’s dive in . . .

Foster Community

This is the single-most important thing you could do for your team in order to produce longevity and an all-in attitude. There is only so much bonding and knitting-of-hearts that can happen in a 1-hour rehearsal and 30-minute sound check. But creating opportunities outside of a Sunday morning for your team members to be together and get to know each other can cultivate a depth of relationship that will translate onto the stage in a powerful way. And what’s great is that it doesn’t have to be a lot of work on your part. It could be a family meet-up at a local park one Saturday afternoon, a potluck at the church one evening, or reserving a big room at a restaurant where everyone goes dutch. Maybe planning things like that aren’t in your wheelhouse - that’s okay - tap a couple of team members or their spouses and let them run with it. They’ll love owning a special piece of the ministry and you just get to enjoy loving on your people. Another great way to foster community is to do projects together. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a recording project either. It could be a special Christmas or Easter production. Some of the most memorable and team building times for the worship ministry I served on staff with for 12 years before moving to Nashville were our productions and live projects. You’re all there working together, rehearsing, fine tuning, tweaking . . . then the day comes where all your hard work pays off. And what you’re left with is a new depth of relationship and trust that wasn’t there before. The old saying is true . . . “the family that plays together, stays together.” You’ll be amazed at how far such a small investment will take your team.

Dive Deeper

While relational community within your team is critical, the other side of that coin is depth of spiritual community. If you are relying on the lyrics to the songs you lead each week being the sole source of spiritual development, you will be left sorely disappointed. As their worship pastor, you are not just their team lead, you are a shepherd. It is imperative that you seize or create opportunities to pour into their spiritual well-beings on a regular basis. This doesn’t have to be super time-consuming. it can be as simple as a 5-10 minute devotional at the start of rehearsal or a once-a-quarter time of worship and prayer together. Whatever it might look like, just make it intentional. The return on investment will be a team of people who are not just helping lead songs on Sundays, but are actually living them out daily. This will undoubtedly take the effectiveness of your ministry and its influence to the next level. 

Create Accountability

This falls into that category of “how exactly does this show value?” But I promise it will set your team up for success you didn’t know was possible. Within a worship ministry this can look several different ways. It can be as simple as having a set of requirements regarding church attendance and membership, small group participation, or reliability. Beyond that it can look like expecting continued growth in skill, willingness to serve where needed versus where preferred, and expectations regarding behavior outside of church. I know that it can seem sticky when you’re dealing with a team of volunteers because if you’re not paying them, it feels awkward imposing and enforcing a list of requirements and expectations.  BUT it is hard-wired into our DNA that when we are held to a high standard, we will work harder to rise to the occasion and do so with pride. In my experience, a huge shift took place within our ministry when we began setting up systems of expectations and disciplines for not meeting them. Our team members began stepping up and serving in ways we didn’t know they could. Musicians began growing, vocalists became more confident, tech volunteers started serving with a deeper since of honor. Why? Because they had an understanding that they were part of a team that not just anyone can walk onto. They were part of something that, if accepted, means you have something important to bring to the table. So as their leaders, we should have no qualms with holding them up to that standard. 

Expect Excellence

Excellence does not equate to perfection. I realize that seems like an obvious statement, but sometimes we can unknowingly heap undue pressure onto our team members rather than push them toward a new level of mastery in their particular skill. That’s where expecting versus demanding comes into play. To demand excellence communicates that 1) they’re playing for you and not for the Lord and 2) their place the table is contingent solely on their performance. To expect excellence from your team members forces us as the leaders to share in bearing the responsibility. If there is a certain standard of skill you need on the stage each week, then it’s your job to make sure your audition process is streamlined in such a way that only certain levels of players and singers make the team. ** Side note - if this is the case, then it will behoove you to make sure you have other opportunities for those not quite ready for the main stage to serve. This will set your worship ministry up for years of success. ** Once your team is in place, it’s also up to you to make sure that your set lists each week are in step with the skill level of your band. I’m not saying to dumb down songs for certain players and save the big ones for others. But I think there is a fine line between challenging your band and setting them up for failure. If we are going to expect excellence of our teams, then it is our job to make sure that the songs we choose are able to be executed well and with confidence. When we hold up our end of that bargain, then we should be able to expect nothing less than excellence. In return, your team members will feel valued because it will be clear that much thought and consideration has gone into the preparation and choices for that week. 

Communicate Appreciation

I specifically chose the word communicate here because this gives us a blank canvas to work with when it comes to conveying how we value our team members. Most of what we’ve talked about up until now have been passive means to show your appreciation. This piece is a proactive, intentional effort to express your gratitude and regard for the work your volunteers put in weekly. It can be as simple as we follow up email to those who served that week letting them know how much you appreciate the time and energy they gave or as personal as a phone call expressing something specific you value in that volunteer. Even as personal a touch as a hug on Sunday morning followed by a specific word of encouragement will fill up a volunteer’s tank for weeks. If you’re part of a church that has a decent budget, then putting your money where your mouth is speaks volumes as well. Again, the range for how this looks is wide. It could be anything from donuts and kolaches before sound check on Sunday morning to a quarterly dinner with the whole ministry team where you take the chance to express how thankful you are for each of them. However you approach it, the only essential key is communication. Our words are powerful and directing them toward building up our teams will bear immeasurable fruit.

At the end of the day, valuing and expressing that value to your worship team will set your ministry apart in the best way. It can seem daunting to some, but it doesn’t have to be. Eventually, after some practice and with a little creativity, it becomes a natural overflow because you see the effects of it almost immediately. Not to mention the fact that in just about every case, that same value and appreciation will be reciprocated back to you from your volunteers, so everyone wins! 

Today Dustin and James talk about all those pesky little distractions during worship. Is flag waving, pottery and painting true expressions of worship? I mean…really? Can someone be too loud during our praise and worship sets? Are these really distractions to us? Take a listen and let’s find out.

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Have you ever had a worship team member that just goes too far?  We have.  And one of them may be on this show!

Join Dustin, James and special guest, Erica, as we talk about how to best manage your worship teams in the most dire situations. Being a worship leader means working with people and people aren't always perfect! How do you handle those issues?  How do you keep things right on your team with God, but also care about the individuals?  We talk through hypotheticals, but for some of you listening, these circumstances might not be hypothetical.  Have a listen and see if you can relate.

We'd love to hear from some of our listeners about situations you've found yourselves in, and how you handled them with your team!

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It's been said that, "change is a part of life."  Why, then, do we tend to struggle with it?  Whether in your personal life, your professional life or anywhere else, change can be uncomfortable.  In today's episode, Dustin and James talk about change from the perspective of worship teams, and how to not only get through it, but to grow through it.  GASP!

We'd love to hear from some of our listeners about situations that have changed in your world of worship, and how you handled that - both good and bad!  How did your team handle the change, and how did God help you lead them through it?

And of course, we hope everyone has an awesome & restful Thanksgiving with friends & family.  Until next time!

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Over the years I have found myself in the midst of teams, as well as leading them. Here are some of my thoughts around qualities that make a great worship team member. 

1.  THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF UNITY

They champion the vision of the church, team and leaders, and they are responsive and vocal about it.

They esteem others! They celebrate the wins of the team and individuals.

They always speak well of church, team, and leadership. 

2.  THEY ALWAYS COME PREPARED AND READY

They learn the songs. They know the repertoire.

They maintain their instruments and gear at a professional level.

They always bring their best to the platform, and they understand that this is a part of their worship. 

3.  THEY ARE TEACHABLE

They are willing and eager to learn.

They don’t just wait to be told, they are pro-active in asking ‘what can I do better?’.

They have the maturity and humility to handle correction, even when it is something that they may find hard to hear.

4.  THEY ARE CONSISTENT

They always have an attitude of excellence.

They live, not without, but above their emotions.

They are always warm, friendly and kind. They are approachable and relational.

They are loyal, reliable and faithful.

5.  THEY PRAY AND READ THEIR BIBLE

They have a devotional life of their own.

They prioritise their relationship with Jesus.

They are regularly in prayer and the word of God

They are a worshiper!

For more articles by Dan and the C3 staff, visit www.c3music.com/blog/. 

Dustin and James answer YOUR most pressing questions. On this episode we cover everything from distractions to multiple services, being the authority to playing at the back of the church. You won’t want to miss these tips on living a better church life!

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Christmas, a time for reflection and awe for the upcoming…PRESENTS!! Wait, what? Just kidding, its for Jesus. Right? Join James and Dustin as we talk about the stresses of the Christmas season and how best to overcome it.

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Welcome to 2019!!

Today we're talking about the top New Year's Resolutions!  And guess what?  They're very similar to 2018 :)  Which begs the question, are we doing ourselves any favors with making new resolutions?  But it is still good to set goals ... hmmm ...

Listen in and see where it all ends up!

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Dustin and James talk about the current worship culture. Big topic right? They talk through image and what the culture of worship looks like, and maybe what it should (and could) look like.

You won’t want to miss the insights here from some of the best worship leaders in the world. OK, that's highly debatable, but they’ve been around for ages, at least ...

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This episode we went LIVE! With special guest Michael Farren, we discuss working with different leaders, and different personalities and strengths those people have in leadership.  It begs a big question, "how can you best communicate with those in leadership over you?"  Sometimes it's best to ask those questions to people who have had years of experience, in the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful.

Listen in and find out!

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This week James and Dustin talk through the importance of discipleship and how it can strengthen our day lives. Do we really need it? How does true discipleship function? See what the guys have to say in this weeks episode. 

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Over the years many scriptures have come alive to me as I sought out what it means to be a worshipper of God.  Not all scriptures that have made an impact on me were nice little encouragements. I am not sure how God speaks to you, but He is usually pretty straightforward with me.  One of the more straightforward scriptures that have molded my worship is found in Amos 5:21-24(MSG),

“I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans, and goals.  I’m sick of your fundraising schemes, your public relations, and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.”

Ouch!  Yep. That definitely cuts to the chase.  This is a great reminder to take a step back from all of the activity and the noise and realize it is easy to lose focus of what and who really matters.  We can sing our songs, say our prayers, amen through every sermon and when it is all said and done, never really put into practice the things we just heard and declared.  A.W Tozer said it best when he said, “Christians don’t tell lies, they just go to church and sing them.”

We speak of hope but ignore the hopeless. We sing about healing but never reach out our hands to the sick. We cry out for prosperity, but mostly for self-preservation. We ask God to give us the nations, but don't speak out against racial injustice in our own communities.  There is such a thing as worthless worship. It is worship that has words but no action. It is worship that has sound but no heart. Jesus defines it in Mark 7:6-7, when he quotes the prophet Isaiah saying,

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’"

Those two phrases, “Their hearts are far from me” and “They worship me in vain”, shake me to my core.  I don’t want to be that type of worshipper. I refuse to just go through the motions. I have been a part of the church for a long time, and many times it has felt like we were saying all the right things, but doing nothing.  We have made powerful declarations, sung all of the songs, prayed the prayers, but God is asking us to take action. He doesn’t want to hear us just talk about love; He wants to see it lived out. He is not only asking us to sing about justice; He wants to see us fight for it.  He doesn’t want us to just dream of every nation, tribe and tongue worshipping; He wants us to facilitate it. May we be a people whose hearts burn for God and may our worship become justice that flows like a river and mercy that runs like a stream!!

Managing creatives can be a tough job, throw in the element of youthfulness and it can be downright chaotic! So, how should we managing those wanting to be all they can for God without all the wild and crazy, or is the wild and crazy a good thing?

So many questions! Take a listen as James and Dustin tackle this important but needed topic.

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Chuck Bentley is CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, the largest Christian financial ministry in the world, founded by the late Larry Burkett. He is the host of a daily radio broadcast, My MoneyLife, featured on more than 1,000 Christian Music and Talk stations in the U.S., and author of his most recent book, Money Problems, Marriage Solutions. I recently spoke with Chuck about his advice for managing our money during difficult financial times. Why is it important to follow God's principles for...

Jane Goodall has seen wild chimpanzees dance and bristle with excitement around roaring waterfalls — and she thinks it’s an experience of awe and wonder — and possibly a precursor to animistic religion. 

But can we ever know why our ancient human ancestors developed spiritual beliefs? Can evolutionary science uncover the roots of religion?  

At some point our ancestors went from admiring waterfalls to worshipping them - and all kinds of spirits and gods. They developed sacred rituals and turned stones into totems. And then came the Battle of the Gods. 

This was produced in partnership with the Center for Humans and Nature, an organization that brings together scholars from a diversity of disciplines to think creatively about our relationships with nature and each other. What do you think evolution can tell us about love and morality? Share your thoughts at humansandnature.org. This episode was made possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation.

Original Air Date: May 14, 2017

Guests: 

Jane Goodall — Laura Kehoe — Frans de Waal — Barbara King — Ara Norenzayan — Jeff Schloss — Andrew Newberg

Interviews In This Hour: 

Do Chimpanzees Have Spiritual Experiences? — How 'Big Gods' Transformed Human History — An Evolutionary Biologist Searches for God — What Bliss Looks Like In Your Brain — Are Morals a Part of Our Evolution?

Further Reading:

Center for Humans and Nature

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Years ago, the mayor of my city appointed me as a government official. The weight and the joy of serving at this level were astonishing. It was weighty because my input could affect many lives. I found joy in this role because of my passion, ability to lead, personal experiences, academic training, love for people, and desire to honor God through my service. As a government-appointed official, my responsibility was to steward my role and the people I represented well. I often prayed for wisdom...

The International Fire Code requires annual visual inspection of all fire-resistance-rated assemblies and the protection features – firestopping included. Fire doors can be the entry to building owners to help them satisfy the annual visual inspection requirement in NFPA 80 and the International Fire Code.

Ever wonder about the arguments that happen over “I, we, they, Him” in songs? Ohhhh we do.

We put the debate to the test as James and Dustin talk through what the appropriate verbiage to use in worship really is. Check it out!

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The ACI Foundation announced its 2024-2025 fellowship and scholarship recipients.

The ACI Foundation is now accepting applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The Refractories Institute announced the 2024 recipients of college scholarships for students pursuing an education related to refractory science. TRI, which is comprised of approximately 50 member-companies that operate in the refractory industry, awards scholarships annually.

Looking for a solution for projects with tight budgets and deadlines that call for rush delivery? We have the answer for you: Rondolo Quick Ship by Decoustics.

Westlake Royal Building Products announced three partnerships that will distribute Versetta Stone (Lumbermen’s Inc., Mid-Am Building Supply and Wausau Supply Company). These partnerships will expand the Versetta Stone footprint in the Midwest as well as the East Coast.

Westlake Royal Building Products announced Nov. 28 expanded partnerships with U.S. LUMBER and Amerhart, which are both Specialty Building Products brands, that will encompass multiple products and locations. U.S. LUMBER and Amerhart are leading distributors of building materials.

The racial justice charity accepts the wording and statistics used in posts about the Chris Kaba case ‘were not as carefully expressed as they should have been’

Walls & Ceilings names the second winner of its annual Leadership Award.

The agreement will be drawn up over the coming months; voluntary sector leaders say it is a 'foundational moment'

The proposed measure presents a ‘real chance’ for meaningful partnership but will require commitment to collaboration, Baroness Delyth Morgan tells the House of Lords

No charity can go it alone these days: real leadership involves bringing your organisation together with others