Mastering Worship Team Rehearsals: A 5-Step Blueprint

Would you like to run your worship team rehearsals more effectively and with purpose?

You can.

The key?

A well-crafted plan.

Many worship leaders stumble into rehearsals without a clear roadmap and hope for the best.

But as a worship team leader, you’re called to more than just hitting the right chords; you’re called to lead your worship team musically, relationally and spiritually.

That’s where our 5-step blueprint and ready-made schedule come in.

Let’s walk through it and make your next worship team rehearsal your best one yet.

Run Effective Worship Team Rehearsals In 5 Steps

1. Start & End On Time ⏰

Set a start time. Pretty straightforward, right?

But let’s talk about something that doesn’t always get the spotlight: setting an end time.

Here’s the beauty of it – when you stick to those times, something incredible happens. Those habitual latecomers? They start showing up, on time, like clockwork themselves.

And let me tell you, it’s a total game-changer when you’re bringing new band members on board. You simply say, “We’re in from 6:30pm to 8:00pm,” and you couldn’t be clearer.

Everyone knows exactly what to expect.

By being consistent with start and end times, you’re telling your team, “Your time matters. You can count on us.” That trust? It’s the glue that keeps a team strong.

And speaking of decisions, ever notice how they tend to expand to fill the time available?

Well, with a set ending time, decisions get snappier. Arrangements, keys, harmonies – they all fall into place, smoothly and efficiently.

So, it’s not just about watching the clock. It’s about setting a rhythm of respect and trust and creating a space where everyone can give their absolute best.

Now, who wouldn’t want that?

2. Check-In With Each Other 🤝

Now let’s take care of the relational side of things. Your crew isn’t just a band; they’re a tight-knit team. Bands jam together, but teams build relationships.

Every time you get together for worship team rehearsal, carve out a little space for connecting. It doesn’t need to be long or drawn-out; 5-10 minutes should do the trick.

Here are a handful of icebreakers to kick things off.

It could be as simple as going round the group and asking them to share:

One good thing that happened in the last week
One challenging thing that happened in the last week

I would have this check-in session in a different spot than where you play. It keeps the team engaged as they move through different spaces in your church during rehearsal.

3. Do A Worship Devotional Together 📖

One of the signs of a great worship leader is they raise up the next generation.

You see, your team aren’t just musicians. Whether they’re strumming a guitar, keeping the rhythm on drums, or plucking a bass, each one is a worship leader in their own right.

And now, you have an opportunity to invest in them spiritually.

Sure, you could go with a run-of-the-mill Bible study. But why settle for that? Let’s equip your team with something that truly fuels their spiritual journey as worship leaders.

That’s where Worship Ministry Training comes in.

They offer 52 weekly, ready-to-go devotions you can use in your rehearsals.

Take a peek at an example:

What makes these devotionals different is the thoughtful questions at the end.

They’re not about you speaking at your worship team for 15 minutes – they’re designed to encourage conversation and thoughtful discussion.

4. Run Through Your Setlist 🎵

Now, let’s dive into the musical side of things – the run-through.

I assume you’ve got a handle on this, but here are a few tips:

Set The Stage For Success: Before everyone arrives, make it clear this is a rehearsal, not a practice session. Encourage your team to come prepared, knowing their parts inside out. This isn’t the time for impromptu guitar solos or drum fills.

Harmony In Motion: Remind your team that the songs you’ve chosen aren’t random – they’re a carefully curated setlist. Treat this run-through like you’re performing on Sunday – after all, practice makes perfect.

Nail The Transitions: Practice those in-between moments too. Prepare the Bible verses you want to share. Plan what to say before worship starts and between songs to avoid any awkward silences.

5. Pray As A Team 🙏

Finally, I like to end our worship team rehearsals with prayer.

Take a moment to pray for each other and for God’s presence to move during the service, and for any specific situations in your church.

Have team members lead and get the praying for each other as it builds their confidence and reinforces that each one of them is a worship leader.

Worship Team Rehearsal Schedule 📅

So there you have it – the step-by-step blueprint for a worship rehearsal that covers all the bases spiritually, relationally and musically.

Now let’s break it down into a schedule you can follow:

Start time: 6:30pm
End time: 8:00pm

6:30pm: Check-In/Devotional

6:45pm: Set List Run-Through

7:30pm: Prayer

7:45pm: End

Not a strict cutoff at 8pm—leave some room for grace. Maybe you need a bit more prayer time or a final run-through of a tricky song. Plus, no one will complain if you finish a little earlier.

All in all, follow this formula and an hour and 30 minutes should be long enough to have a great worship team rehearsal that leaves everyone feeling energised and ready to bring their A-game on Sunday.

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Worship Team Rehearsal FAQs

Worship Team Rehearsal Vs. Practice: What’s The Difference?

A worship team rehearsal is a scheduled session where members of the worship team, including musicians, vocalists and sometimes technical crew, come together to prepare and refine the music and elements to ensure a smooth and powerful worship experience for the congregation.

Practice is something worship team members do in their personal time to prepare for worship team rehearsal.

And practice is what allows everyone to turn up prepared. Without it there’s no way you could run through your setlist in 45 minutes or less.

So make sure your team have the right tools to learn the songs and practice beforehand.

Use resources like RehearsalMix and WorshipTogether to give your team the tools they need to turn up ready to rock.

How Often Should A Worship Team Rehearse?

Most worship bands rehearse at least once during the week and then have a quick runthrough on Sunday mornings before church.

How often your worship teams reheareses really comes down to

Should You Run Worship Team Rehearsals On Sundays Or During The Week?

It really depends on your local church setting, how complex is your service and the ability of your band.

If it’s a bigger church with various multimiedia and transition elements then you’ll probably need to do a full runthrough.

If you’re a smaller, simpler church than you could get away with rehearsing an hour before the service.

Any Other Burning Questions?

Ask away in the comments – it could be anything at all worship-related.

And if you found this guide on how to run worship rehearsals helpful then check out these articles designed to help you up your worship leading game:

Remember, the life of a worship leader is an ongoing adventure so never stop learning, keep the questions coming and let’s grow together to create great worship experiences!