A craftsman must keep his tools sharp. No matter what your trade or calling is, if you want to do it well, you need to have the proper tools. There is nothing more frustrating or inefficient than trying to do something without the proper tools. And leading worship is no different. Worship leading is a high calling and should not be taken lightly. It is important to have the proper tools to do it well. I am not just talking about your voice and guitar; although those are important, too. There are several tools that a worship leader can and should use at different times. Here are some common tools that a worship leader can and should develop. These are helpful for identifying your strengths to lean into as well as some areas that might need developing.

What: An exhortation is a brief phrase or sentence that urges people to do something (stand, sing, worship, reflect, consider, shout, clap, raise hands, give praise, etc.,). Anytime you tell the congregation what to do or what to think, you are exhorting.

Why: Exhorting is one of the primary roles of a worship leader. It is simply telling people what to do and when to do it. And people always need to be led. If we tell them to reflect on the love of God or if we tell them to be grateful for forgiveness, we are shepherding the room. And these exhortations can be life alterning.

When: Exhortations should happen frequently before, during, and after songs. Anytime we want the church to do something or think something, we need to tell them to do it. Good leadership requires frequent exhorting.

How: Speak with confidence and authority. Use your pastor voice, but be genuine. Ask yourself, what needs to be said to lead the church well to encounter God in this moment.

Steps for Growth: Map out the song in advance and ask yourself what words or prompts might help shepherd the congreation best. For example, if the first line of the chorus says “shout to the Lord,” maybe just before you sing that phrase you encourage the church to engage by saying a phrase like, “Because God is worthy!” Writing out exhortations in advance and watching worship leaders who do this well are some of the ways to grow in this area.

What: A corporate prayer is a prayer that is voiced over the congregation during worship.

Why: Corporate prayers are prescribed throughout the Bible and are one of the most valuable tools for leading worship. Sometimes songs can be prayers, but othertimes prayers can specifically say what the song may not say. 

When: Prayers can be voiced briefly between songs or phrases (God you are worthy!) or as a longer prayer at the end of a set. Depending on the moment, a prayer of praise confession might be the most fitting way to lead the church to encounter God’s presence while shepherding their hearts.

How: Pray with authority and boldness adding Scripture whenever possible. Corporate prayers will shape the way people in the congregation pray on their own, so this is a great opportunity to infuse scripture and theology. Prayers don’t need to be done in a somber tone unless it is specifically a prayer of lament or repentance.

Steps for Growth: Praying through Psalms in private is a great exercise for training our hearts and words in prayer. 

What: Corporate Scripture reading is when a verse or passage is read or recited aloud during worship. 

Why: God’s Word has the power to change lives and is an essential component of corporate worship. God’s Word carries a lot of weight, and when read over a bed of music, it is often one of the most powerful and impactful tools in worship.

When: Scripture should be used whenever possible (during calls to worship, moments, prayers, exhortations, etc.,) throughout a set. There really isn’t a bad time for Scripture. Usually a few verses from Psalms serves as a great call to worship at the beginning of a set. Sometimes a long instrumental (like “O Praise the Name” is a good opportunity for reading an inspiring passage as well.)

How: Scripture should be read or recited with expression. It can be read to the congregation, or the congregation can be invited to read along out loud. 

Steps for Growth: Starting the set with a verse or two from Psalms is a great place to start. Instead of just saying, “Good morning, let’s stand and worship,” you could say, “Come into his presence with thanksgiving.” We can only draw from the Scripture we know; so, the best way to grow in this area is to spend more time in the Word. Include Bible study in your weekly set preparation. Use search engines to point you in the right direction for themes and topics.

What: Telling people why we do something or what something means.

Why: There are always unbelievers or new believers that don’t understand what we’re doing in a service unless they are taught. Giving the “why” behind what we do is always helpful for personal growth.

When: During a call to worship before or after singing a confusing lyric or phrase (ex. Jireh, Yahweh, Thank you Jesus for the blood applied), when asking people to do something that has a deeper meaning than the action itself (ex. raising hands in worship) or when it is beneficial for growth (ex. “We can trust God because this verse says he will never leave us.”)

How: Teaching can be done directly in a few sentences (ex. “As we sing this lyric ’Yahweh,’ we are declaring that he is the Lord of all creation and that he is sovereign over all,” or briefly with an exhortation (ex. “Let’s call out to Yahweh which means he is Lord of all creation.”

Steps for Growth: Being in tune with the people in your church is extrememly helpful for knowing where they are. When you are preparing your set, ask yourself if the songs are clear or if they need explaining. This doesn’t need to be overdone, but in small doses it can be extremely helpful. 

What: Sharing a personal or corporate story to setup a song or create a moment.

Why: Stories are engaging, relatable, and powerful because they speak to our emotions in any given situation. Stories can help teach a concept or drive a point home with emotional weight. 

When: A story can be told any time before or after a song if the moment calls for it. Usually somewhere later in the set after people have had time to settle into a worshipful posture is most effective.

How: A story should have a clear Biblical tie to the song it precedes, and it should be told with an authentic and honest tone. Stories are meant to bring hope or inspire. 

Steps for Growth: Storytelling comes naturally for some people, but not everyone. If you have a story to share, consider writing it down in advance. Make sure that your story is serving a specific purpose in the service. 

What: A sung phrase or word that is not part of the song.

Why: Ad libs can edify the church by emphasizing a biblical truth, and also keep people engaged during instrumentals. These could often be considered corporate prayers that are sung. 

When: Ad libs can be sung over instrumentals, between song sections, or after a song to create space for people to process.

How: Ad libs should be tasteful and not distracting. Understanding what melodies work over a chord progression is essential for a successful ad lib. This can comes with a little practice ad libbing over chord progressions or a pad. 

Steps for Growth: Practice ad libs in advance. Songwriters are usually the best at this because they do it often while songwriting. Consider songwriting to grow in this area. Learning what scale degrees sound like (for example, you know what the 4 and the 1 of a scale sounds like) are important for having the confidence to ad lib in the moment. 

These are some of the most common tools for worship leaders that can be sharpened. What other tools or development techniques would you add to the list?