As a worship leader, you’ve probably faced the challenge of not having enough musicians to support your ministry. You’ve already asked your pastor to announce the need for musicians from the stage, but still nothing. So, what do you do next? While there are short-term fixes for musician shortages, this article will focus on the long term solution to cultivate a worship team and environment that attracts more musicians.

Creating a sustainable worship team involves three key components: striving for excellence every week, establishing a clear pathway for involvement, and developing a farm system for future musicians. Let’s unpack each of these:

An excellent worship service begins with authenticity. Authentic worship breeds authentic worshipers. When musicians in the room observe a team full of humility, joy, and passion, they will want to be part of it. A team that loves the Lord will love each other, and this makes joining the worship team even more appealing.

To say that Jesus was creative is an understatement. He used stories and metaphors to create moments that moved people, and we should do the same week after week. Worship leaders, don’t just lead songs; lead people. Create moments in your worship service that resonate with the congregation. Whether it’s through song choices or engaging storytelling, these moments can be life-changing. It takes a little planning and preparation, but it’s worth it. When musicians see the impact of their art, they are more likely to want to be part of that life-changing experience.

While passion and authenticity are crucial, proficiency cannot be overlooked when talking about excellence. Nothing is more distracting in a worship service and more deterring to potential team members than musicians playing wrong notes or out of tune instruments. Don’t be discouraged if this sounds like your team. Take steps in development by casting vision to your team to see the value in getting better and challenging them to grow. If your team plays well and it sounds good, musicians will be more motived to contribute to what you’re doing. 

If a musician wanted to join your team today, would they know how? Would they know where to go and what to do? If not, here are some things to consider:

Create audition opportunities online or in person (or both) and put it out there for everyone to see. Maybe add your auditions slide to the rotating announcements before and after the church service. Post it on social media. Make sure it is easy to find on your website. If auditions don’t gain traction, maybe a pre-audition interest meeting would draw some people. Keep the opportunities in front of people.

Make sure that your audition process is clear and that all audition resources and expectations are easily accessible. There are already a thousand reasons why musicians may not audition, but not being able to know where to go or what to do should not be one of them. By removing obstacles, you make it easier for musicians to join your community. One of the greatest assets for recruiting musicians is having your worship team visible and accessible in between services so that interested musicians know where to go.

Your audition process needs to be as simple as possible, especially if you have a musician shortage. If your process requires the musician to learn five different songs and complete a lengthy application, maybe consider how to simplify things on the front end. Remember, we want to remove obstacles. Consider adjusting your audition process to be brief and simple by moving things like applications and team interviews to the onboarding process after the audition. (Read How to Say No After an Audition)

Building a sustainable team isn’t just about finding experienced musicians; it’s also about encouraging and cultivating talent from within your community. Most musical skills can be taught and coached. Here are some strategies to consider:

Ask your team, small group, or other church members if they know of any musicians, even if they aren’t quite ready for your Sunday team. Most people know someone who plays guitar or sings. This is a great starting place. 

Reach out to music programs at nearby Bible colleges or community colleges. Many aspiring musicians are looking for opportunities to serve or gain experience, and they might just need a personal invitation to come to your church. If you’re really desperate, try guitar center 🙂

Consider creating a mentorship or training program (it doesn’t need to be as sophisticated as it sounds) where experienced musicians guide newbies. Encourage students or anyone willing to pick up an instrument to keep working at their craft, and create opportunities outside of services to keep them motivated to grow. When your team invests in others, you’re not just filling positions; you’re fostering a culture of growth and leadership development.

The immediate solutions may offer temporary relief, but the long-term strategy is what will transform your worship ministry. By focusing on authenticity, creativity, and proficiency in weekend services, making the audition process straightforward, and nurturing new talent, you create an environment where musicians want to join what you’re doing.