When you hear the word “memorize”, you probably have one of two reactions.

1. I can’t do that.
2. Not a chance.

There’s something about memorizing that is scary to us, but I don’t think it has to be.

We all know there is something good about it, right?

• It helps us be more present in the moment.
• It serves congregational worship by having a more prepared team.
• It helps your rehearsals go smoother (if people practice).
• It helps move the music from a math equation to art.
• It’s a powerful tool for maturing your musicians.
• As worship musicians, it helps us engage in worship more.
• It also means we don’t have to kill as many trees or purchase a handful of expensive iPads.

Win win, right?

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This blog post is tough. Nobody likes to have difficult conversations and nobody likes to fire anyone.

But sometimes it’s necessary. And if it’s done in the proper way can be good for everyone.

One of the tensions every worship leader faces is caring for the culture of the team and caring for each individual. When those lines are blurred, everything becomes more difficult.

But the word “leader” is in your job description for a reason. That doesn’t give you license to be a jerk. You need to love, care for, and “pastor” your team.

But it does necessitate some difficult decision-making. Get your comments ready. This conversation will need a deep-dive.

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[Today’s post is a guest post by Rob Still. Rob is a worship pastor, songwriter, and author of the new book “resurrection power“. He blogs regularly at www.robstill.com. For today’s post, we’ll select 5 commenters to receive a copy of Rob’s book.]

Dear Worship Musician or Singer, 

Congratulations on a job well done! You’ve successfully finished the Easter service (or services!) at your local church.

For many churches, Easter is like Super Bowl Sunday. It’s the big day and we want it to be excellent. Nothing wrong with that.

But sometimes it means a lot of moving parts, more demands on limited resources, and tons of pressure.

After a big project, even one that is extremely successful, it is natural to experience a let down – to feel tired, depleted, or maybe even depressed. You might be asking yourself, “Is this all there is?”

I’ve felt that way too. It is important that we tend to our hearts and care for our souls.

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It’s funny how we say worship isn’t about us – that it’s all about the glory of God. But our focus doesn’t always reflect such a passion.

What are we most mindful of? If you’re like me, I mainly think about myself.

• How do I sound?
• How do I look?
• Who is getting blessed?
• Who out there thinks I should record this song?

When the flow of worship is feeling good, I can’t wait to bask in the praises of man. When it’s terrible, I want to go find the nearest cave and camp out.

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Worship Leaders, isn’t it easy to simply “dial it in” and get services done?

I mean, the more you lead worship the more you just know how to lead worship. Profound, right?

It’s not quite on the mindless level of riding a bike or brushing your teeth, but it’s easy to simply go through the motions and “check out” of what God is doing in the moment.

Both beginners and experienced worship leaders are prone to this.

You may be lacking “presence” if:

• You sing worship songs, but don’t “lead”
• Every service is the same
• You’re more aware of the music than what God is doing
• Most people watch you, instead of engaging

But do you know what’s interesting and exciting about corporate worship?

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