Lighthouse Community Church

WORSHIP TEAM CRITERIA

The following is a list of criteria indicating the preferred qualifications for a member of the worship team in this church.

1. Committed member of this church - Music ministry is not the right of the talented but the privilege extended to the committed and faithful. - We are open to receiving special music from those who are not committed to this body of believers but the regular, ongoing and leadership nature of this ministry requires a strong commitment to the people and leadership of this church.

2. Worshipper - To qualify for the worship team, one must be a worshipper. Every member, musicians and singers alike, must have a love for praise and worshipping the Father.

3. Spiritual maturity - As stated earlier, this is a leadership type ministry and, hence, is ordinarily not a place for new or immature Christians. - Everyone in the worship ministry is a leader of worship.

4. Musical abilities - The musicians and vocalists need to be skilled enough to follow a service which is led by the Spirit of God. We don't want to limit what God will do simply because we can't handle it musically. - Note that the standard of musical proficiency required may vary as the church grows.

5. Time commitment - Practice sessions, preparation before each meeting and ministry are mandatory. In addition, we encourage members to look for seminars, training classes, instructional materials, etc. - The worship ministry requires a fairly large time commitment.

6. Support of family - It is important that the individual's immediate family members are willing to accept the necessary time commitment and be a support to the individual.

7. Ability to flow with the team - Some people are very gifted musicians and/or vocalists, but for one reason or another (vocal range, musical style, etc) they have trouble flowing with the team. These individuals are highly encouraged to share their musical gifts in other ways (musical specials, special events choir, outreach outings, etc) with the body. Musical proficiency does not automatically make someone a top candidate for the worship team.

8. The Body of Christ
We are uniquely created and different from one another. As part of the body of Christ we are called to accept our differences so we can blend and worship as a family.

WORSHIP TEAM GUIDELINES

This list explains what is expected of the people once they are a part of the church worship ministry team.

1. Probationary period - There will ordinarily be a one-month probationary period during which the individual will attend practice sessions but will not play/sing with the team during services or other special functions. - The purpose of this directive is to ascertain who is genuinely interested in helping lead worship for the glory of God, and who wishes to be in the team for other reasons. In addition, this period allows time for the individual and the rest of the team to gel musically.

2. Practice sessions - All team members are required to attend the general practice sessions on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sabbaths of the month from 2:30pm to 4:00pm. Whenever a team member is scheduled to participate on a particular Sabbath, he or she will be required to attend the morning practice from 8:30am to 10:00am. (Singers, band members, and technical staff)

3. Other functions - On occasion, the individual will be invited or may volunteer to minister with special music at the discretion of the Pastor and the Worship Director.

4. Commitment to being spiritually prepared to minister - Our spiritual preparation directly affects the impact that we can have as a music ministry team. We need to come ready not only to sing and play music but to worship God and minister to His people. The essential element in this ministry is our relationship with the Lord. Without a close relationship with Him, the worship team will NOT be effective regardless of musical proficiency. As a leadership ministry, we need to be committed to maturing in Jesus. Stagnant spiritual lives means a stagnant worship team. Encourage and challenge one another.

5. Commitment to musical skills - We need to work at our instrumental and/or vocal ability to become the very best we can be. This means a great deal of individual practice (maybe even lessons) as well as playing with the team. Keep in mind that the team will only be as musically proficient as the individuals that make it up.

6. Commitment to "flowing" with the team - More than individual expertise, our musical goal needs to be the ability to "flow" with the team. We need to look at our team as not just a collection of separate musicians and singers but as a single unit with a single purpose. Our heart attitude should not be to shine forth our own technical skill but to use that skill to enhance the team as a whole. Worship ministry is a team effort.

7. Dress standard - It is expected that members of the worship team will present themselves at meetings in a manner both glorifying to God and acceptable to the human eye considering that they are in an ‘up-front' ministry. We need to draw attention to God and not to ourselves.

8. Punctuality - Accurate timekeeping will assist the goal of the worship team. Team members who continually disregard starting times for rehearsals and meetings will be put on probation. If it is not possible to make a rehearsal on time, it is considered polite to notify the Worship Director or the Band Leader in advance.