BEGINNING A TRANSITION
This session will deal with how to prepare, equip, and lead a church into the
beginning stages of transitioning to a new worship model. We will discuss the role
of the pastor, the role of volunteers (choir, accompanists, band members, etc...),
technology, and the worship leader. We will also discuss selecting contemporary
music for congregational singing appropriate for your church.
4 QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERING
1. WHAT IS THE VISION?
Do not move into a transition without a clear vision for where you want to
take the congregation. You wouldn’t drive a car without de-fogging the
windshield.
2. WHAT IS THE MOTIVE?
The integrity of our motives will determine the integrity of our outcome.
3. WHERE DOES THE PASTOR FIT IN?
If the pastor is not leading the transition, or at the very least, supporting it,
- - - IT WILL FAIL.
4. WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO PREPARE, AND LEAD YOUR CHURCH
THROUGH THE TRANSITION?
Not every situation is the same. Steps need to be prayerfully determined that
are specific to your congregation. What worked for church A may not work
for church B.
VISION
 “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one
who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” Proverbs 29:18
 Changing worship styles will not heal unhealthy churches. Pastors and
Worship Pastors, you have to minister to your congregation and teach them
what true worship is. Authentic and faithful Christian worship is not
contingent upon the right worship model.
 Excerpt from worshipleader.com
5 Steps to Discovering God’s Direction for Your Ministry
by Jeanelle Reider
Hearing His voice
Set aside time (either one-on-one with the Lord or with others in your
ministry) and do the following:
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1. Begin by reading Scriptures that will encourage you as you listen for His
answers:

Psalm 138:8

Jeremiah 17:7-8

John 10:14-15, 27

Ephesians 4:15-16

James 1:5-8
2. Pray for ears to hear what He will show you. Ask for wisdom about
following up (or not following up) with the things He shows you.
3. Ask Him questions about yourself, your ministry co-laborers, and your
congregation. Some examples might be:

How do we express our heart of worship?

What are our priorities and vision?

What values are important to us in planning a worship service?

What strengths do we have musically? What weaknesses?

Are various groups well represented (men/women, different ages,
ethnicities, preferences, etc.)?

What previous experiences and current expectations inform our
perspective on worship and church life?

Do we feel comfortable worshiping together? Do visitors feel
comfortable with us?

Do we connect with each other outside of our weekly worship
service? Do we connect with the world?

What factors contribute to the amount of time we can give to serving?
4. Answer each question specifically for yourself, your ministry teams, and
Your congregation. For each answer, write a K, P or W next to it:
K = Keep (do not change)
Elements that you believe should not be changed because
(a) they seem to be in a healthy place right now, or
(b) they are simply the way God has made you and your
brothers and sisters to be.
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P = Pray (ask God to change)
Elements that you believe should be changed, but that you can do
nothing about except pray.
W = Work to change
Elements that you believe can and should be changed, either now
or in the future, as your Shepherd leads you to address them.
5. Finally, thank the Lord for the unique calling He has given you, your
ministry co-laborers, and your congregation.
MOTIVE
 A Widow’s Offering – Luke 21:1-4
 Humility. Everything you do must be filled with humility. People are seldom
convinced into change by arrogance. Your best shot at change is to humbly
love them into change.
 Musicians must keep the ego in checkmate.
 Knowing the heart and voice of YOUR congregation is far more important
than what other churches are doing in their services. Do not get caught up in
competition.
Good Reasons
- Giving more people a voice
- Exploring new ways to worship
- Involving more skill-sets
(guitar, keys, drums…)
Not So Good reasons
- Growth
- Competing with a sister church
- Personal preference
PASTOR
 Do not lead your congregation to a place your pastor is not leading them.
 Know your pastor’s vision and follow his leadership.
 If you don’t have a good relationship with your pastor, work hard to improve
it.
 Do not disagree with your pastor publicly (ie. Committee meetings, staff
meetings).
 Encourage your pastor to be a visible presence in worship.
 Agree with your pastor on vocabulary for worship (labels, style, service
names, worship teams, and leadership).
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STEPS
1. Educating your congregation about what worship really is will help the
resistors, and those eager for change, follow in humility.
2. Cast the vision to the congregation. Don’t leave them feeling hoodwinked.
3. Introduce new things slowly. I’m talking about years, not weeks.
4. Provide lead sheets or hymn sheets for new songs for a while.
5. If you have a choir, keep the choir intact, and use them to lead and teach new
material. If you don’t have a choir, consider starting one that sings at least
once a month to help boost congregational participation, particularly in a
setting where older congregations are learning new music.
6. Keep your orchestra or instrumental ensemble. Most contemporary music
has a lot of orchestration and these can be found at praisecharts.com and
lifewayworship.com.
7. Be cautious with how you use the organ with modern music. Be honest with
yourself about how things sound. If you have an organist, I recommend
planning which songs they will play on in advance, making sure they keep
things simple on modern songs.
(One of the biggest differences between what we call traditional and
contemporary music is the role of the organ. In many cases the organ is
the primary instrument in traditional worship music. In contemporary
settings, the organ is a supporting member to the rest of the band, and
although it is heard in most modern worship music, it is actually a
keyboard or a classic Hammond b3)
8. Don’t frustrate your existing pianists/organists by only giving them chord
charts and/or lead sheets. Give them what they are comfortable with and
stick to the arrangement as much as possible.
9. Don’t add drums right away (unless you have an orchestra, in which case, it is
easy to sneak drums in). In many cases, acoustic guitar is the easiest
instrument to add and the most well received.
10. Invest in great presentation software like Pro Presenter or Easy Worship and
link your SongSelect account to it. This eliminates typos, which eliminates
distractions.
11. Keep technology within your church’s means both monetarily and ability.
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12. Prioritize your technology.
a. Word presentation (projector, computer, screen, software)
b. Sound system (this should include a drum shield or enclosure)
c. Lighting
d. Video capability
Song Selection
 Know your congregation’s heart and voice.
 Familiarity is more important than being thematic.
 Choose songs that help you avoid the “7-11” joke (the most popular critique).
 Keep your song selection/rotation small.
 Avoid songs that require virtuoso skill to perform (the 2nd most popular
critique).
 Leave out add lib and ooh, ahhh, lalala lines.
 Leave out instrumental parts of songs. (People are more likely to complain
about listening to guitar solos than organ preludes or orchestral offertories.)
 If your town has a Christian radio station, listen to it and select a worship
song they play frequently. Many in your congregation are likely to be regular
listeners.
 Choose strophic songs that have a hymn-like feel (10,000 Reasons, Stronger,
Cornerstone, Lord I Need You, etc.).
 Choose songs that make strong, non-controversial theological statements
(the 3rd most popular critique).
Joel Winters
Music & Worship Associate
Tallowood Baptist Church
Houston, Texas
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