Plan In Bulk
If you can help it, never plan one week at a time.
BATCHING
It’s called “batching.” A term from the business world where you group similar tasks and do them at once rather than switching back and forth from other tasks. If you do a month’s worth of the same task in one sitting, it’s more efficient than doing it every week.
So you can do the planning for four services in about two hours, a task that would take eight hours if done each week. Seriously! While we’re talking about planning, there is value in doing so as a team and avoiding silos. Especially in the context of the Five Faders, involving other Faders can lead to a well-balanced outcome.
BUT MY PASTOR…
It might be that you plan in themes to match the pastor’s sermon. Your song choices are closely tied to the pastor’s message, but what if he only plans one week at a time? In that situation, you can still plan the majority of the songs in bulk, to have a healthy rotation of well-known songs. However, don’t decide on the song that will go just before or after the sermon until the week he’s ready.
Well-intentioned worship leaders can make the mistake of tying all the songs to the sermon perfectly, only to experience a congregation that doesn’t sing, because the songs are unfamiliar or not worshipful. That’s why you can plan the bulk of the songs with no context for the theme and have more engagement because you’re rotating great songs well. Sure, there are exceptions, such as when the theme dictates a very specific feel, but it’s unhelpful to make a rule based on an exception.
THINK SEQUENTIALLY
A transcendent worship service (that exceeds the usual limits) is a journey. It has a peak, a pinnacle where everything is headed. (The same is true for each song!) Be sure to build up to each peak.
The best plans have purposeful transitions. I’m amazed at how little thought often goes into what happens “in between” all the elements. Nothing can derail a moment like an awkward or insensitive transition. You are holding the hearts of all the gathered worshipers. What do you need to jump from one song to the next?
Know how to choose songs based on where you want to take the people. When they walk in, where are they? Knowing this will help you find the right opening song. Then, sing through it and ask, “Where does my heart want to go next?” Once you know where the sermon is headed, ask, “What do I need to affirm, declare, or pray to prepare myself to hear this message?” And then, “What would be an appropriate heart response after hearing this?”
What is your biggest time-waster each week?
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
Plan In Bulk (Nº 478)
Why do some leaders succeed at building lasting worship ministries while others fail? In the Five Faders, Dave Helmuth explores the process of development and breaks down the lies, myths, and traps keeping you from being the fruitful leader God desires. Using decades of evidence-based insights, Dave reveals how understanding what motivates you is the first step in becoming a Five Faders Leader.
With our framework for becoming the best Artist, Shepherd, Priest, Educator, and Producer, you'll learn to slide each Fader up or down as Love requires you in each moment of leadership. Through relatable stories, insight gained from years of coaching worship teams in every kind of setting, and step-by-step advice, readers learn how to become the healthy expression of their Fader, build a culture of honor on your team to bring out the best in everyone, and be the most effective leader in the ever-changing landscape of ministry. Whether you’re looking to relieve frustration, increase confidence, or outlast change, this book offers the tools to become a Five Faders Leader.
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