- How would you describe your calling to be a Worship Pastor? …
- How do you choose the songs for Sundays? …
- What does your personal, spiritual time with God look like? …
- What has been the most frustrating aspect of being a worship pastor?
I’ve had the privilege of serving for over 25 years as a pastor, worship leader, and worship leader trainer. In that time I’ve also had the privilege of developing many worship leaders one-on-one, in groups, and online, who were at different levels of maturity and skill.
I’ve worked one-on-one and life-to-life with 4-5 worship leaders, very closely with at least 80-90 worship leaders (in live, extended mentoring situations), and less intimately with a few thousand other worship leaders through online training experiences. At some point, I settled in on what I was looking to see in a beginning worship leader, and what I was looking to see in someone who was wanting to mature as a worship leader.
Here are some ideas from my experience that may help you – whether you are a pastor, worship leader, or a developer of worship leaders.
A worship leader is a spiritual leader, and is modeling spiritual leadership for the congregation every time they step up to lead worship. For that reason, all the qualities that we look for in any spiritual leader in the Church – be they a pastor, elder, small group leader, or youth worker – apply to the worship leader as well.
These are the 12 questions I am always quietly asking in the background as I prepare to work with a worship leader, at any level of skill or maturity. I hope these questions can help you as you do the same.
The answers to these questions will determine our approach to mentoring any worship leader, and their potential to express greatness in the spiritual leadership of worship.
In summary, we must identify what we are looking for in a worship leader. If we have no target, we’re sure to hit it.
In a worship leader, we are looking primarily for a serious disciple of Jesus who is strong (or rapidly growing) in character, and additionally has blossoming musical skills that can adeptly create a space of worship for a specific community. We don’t need a rock star; we need an effective leader of a local, worshipping community.
What are we not looking for? We are not primarily looking for someone who is highly gifted as a musician (though some skill and gifting is necessary). If they are starting “weak” in their walk with Christ, or they are hiding ego and a hunger for platform behind the veil of worship leading, we need to think twice about investing time in them until something deeper shifts.
In other words, who a person is in the secret place of their heart must be infinitely more important to us than how they play their instrument, sing or function in front of a crowd. You can train the hands; it is much harder to train the heart.
Both character and skill matter, but if worship leadership doesn’t start in the heart, we should stay away from the “gifting” with a 10-foot pole. Or disciple it – and do it fast if they are currently playing in front of a crowd.
It is true that we should value the power of beautiful and well-played worship music – but only if it flows from the hearts of people who are content to give Jesus, and others, the place of prominence.
3 Qualifications of A Worship Pastor
What would be the five songs you would want to introduce to any congregation where you are leading? This will help you understand not just the musical leanings of a worship leader, but their theological persuasion as well. Songs are contextual, theology is not. You are looking not just for a competent musician, but a competent theologian to build set lists and shepherd your people from the platform.
What does your workweek look like? The smallest part of the time we as worship leaders spend in our week is the visible part – actually leading the congregation in corporate sung worship. What does preparation look like for this worship leader? How are they using their time not just to execute a weekly service, but to build into and grow the team, grow their own personal relationship with the Lord, and move this particular area of ministry ahead?
How would you describe the working relationship, and dynamic between you and your previous pastor or pastors? The relationship between a pastor and a worship leader can be tense. Whether the previous relationships have been healthy or completely dysfunctional, hearing how people speak about former coworkers or employers communicates a lot about their hearts. And understanding their history will help give you a sense of the type of hurts they may be carrying into a new team.
What is worship? Basic, I know. But you’re not hiring a musician primarily, you are hiring a theologian and shepherd. It is imperative that the person filling that role has at least a basic grasp on a theology of worship. And an understanding of how worship fits into the corporate gathering, and the rhythms of life.
What is the purpose of the corporate gathering? What you are trying to understand from this question is if the worship leader understands their role narrowly (only responsible for music), or as a small piece of a larger story – and how their role fits into that larger story.
Are you going to be interviewed for a worship position? Any job interview can be unnerving. Here are 99 great questions to think through, to help you prepare for that important interview.
Don’t let the questions intimidate you—just be prepared to give honest answers. What other questions have you been asked in an worship interview?
This question can help interviewers determine your level of commitment to the faith and how well you know its teachings. They may also want to see if you have a good singing voice. Show them that you are passionate about your religion by describing what it means to you and why you chose this particular faith.
This question can help interviewers understand how comfortable you are with public speaking and performing. They may also want to know if you have experience leading a group of people in song, which is common for worship leaders. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention any specific skills or experiences that make you feel confident about your ability to lead others in song.
Worship leaders often need to rehearse with their team before a service. This question helps the interviewer understand how you plan your rehearsals and what type of rehearsal schedule you prefer. Use examples from previous roles to explain how you organize your rehearsals and ensure that everyone is prepared for each service.
Example: “I think one thing that makes me stand out is my ability to lead others through worship. I have always been passionate about music, so I am constantly learning new ways to incorporate it into my services. For instance, I recently learned how to play the guitar, which has allowed me to create more musical pieces for our congregation. This has made our services more engaging and enjoyable for everyone.”
Example: “I start by reading reviews of new songs online and listening to samples on YouTube. Then I’ll listen to the song in its entirety before deciding whether to add it to my playlist for that week. If I decide to use the song, I’ll practice singing along to it so I’m familiar with the lyrics when I lead the service.”
Example: “I’ve led worship services for my church’s youth group for the past five years. I started out leading small groups within the service, but eventually took over the entire service when our previous pastor left to start his own church. Leading the service has helped me develop my public speaking skills and learn more about how to lead others in worship.”
To help you prepare for your interview, we have gathered some sample questions and answers that will help you shine.
If you are applying for a worship pastor position, you will likely be asked questions about your experience leading worship, your musical abilities, and your understanding of the Bible. You may also be asked about your philosophy of worship.
Worship pastors are often responsible for creating and delivering sermons to their congregations. Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your process for researching and preparing sermons. In your answer, describe the steps you take when planning a sermon. You can also mention any specific tools or resources that help you with this process.
Example: “I would first ask everyone why they wanted to sing their song next. I would then listen to each person’s reasoning and decide which one I thought was best. If there were multiple reasons for singing a certain song, I would choose the one that seemed most important to me. Then, I would tell everyone what my decision was and explain my reasoning.”
FAQ
How do I prepare for a pastoral interview?
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6 Crucial Tips to Nail a Pastoral Candidate Interview
- Do Your Homework. …
- Always Alert Your References. …
- On-Time Is Early. …
- Bring Your Own Questions. …
- Prepare Yourself for the Salary Discussion.
What makes a good worship leader?
What should I say in a pastoral interview?
What makes a good worship team?
