Paul Baloche answer a faq about resolving conflicts on the worship team. Paul's "Modern Worship Series" DVD's contain practical instruction for worship leaders and teams and are available at leadworship.com
Finally, if multiple attempts to resolve a conflict with a team member fails, invite an executive pastor to sit somewhere in the auditorium during a rehearsal or Sunday morning sound check to observe. Then, you have someone on your side with additional eye witness testimony if the time arises to approach the unruly team member as a group and ask their cooperation in stepping down from the team and seeking another area in which to serve. Hope these tips help! I've seen my church do all these!
Couple brief points that I think will provide some practical help: Matthew 5:24, we have to be reconciled with people before we can lead worship, otherwise, you'll just feel like a big contradiction up there on stage. Remember also, in regards to peaceful relationships, Paul encourages us to "be at peace with all men, SO LONG AS IT DEPENDS ON US." If we've done our best to pray, humble ourselves and seek peace with our associates, then we've done our part and we've fulfilled what God required.
Thanks Paul for your leadership and thoughts, even in this. I too, have lead worship for years… and have found that relationship matters… not only with our God but also with one another. How healthy are our relationships? Can we be open and transparent? Humble hearts are the best… we are all learners… at all times. Thanks again for your insight. Good stuff!
For all the leaders out there, we are not perfect but we have to uphold our role to be role model worshippers. If we are under strongholds or our members, it is best to go and nourish in the truth, the word of God. Pray and always involve your pastoral leaders. If a troubled member rejects God's word in any sense, talk to them and put them in another ministry. Do not be afraid to do what you have to do for your team, church, and for God. Pray and then pray harder. Ask God for wisdom. He put you there for a reason but do not do it alone. God is with you.
And for your own reputation and honor, always season your speech with salt, and don't succomb to anger or reaction. Keep your cool. God has a way of filtering people out and I believe it's His way of rewarding us for patience. James 1:19, always be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. And always respond in love. Perfect love casts out fear.
I agree, we had to really pull together after we lost our worship leader. we were lost for months. Our keyboardest who was very shy became our worship band leader. We had some tough times, loss, divorce, the Church lost a pastor. but it pulled us together and made us a family. we are more in tune to each other now and it shows.
I have seen very spirit-filled people who have very bad manners and lack leadership skills. Paul is nailing on PRACTICAL STEPS to dealing with people. You will not need all the Psychology to be effective leader but lack of understanding of who different people do things can make you overstep barriers, be confrontational, overbearing or just authoritarian in your leadership style and especially in leading a worship band. We must learn from Paul Baloche.
You can't say that a certain people is filled with the spirit just because they appear to be emotional or convincing during worship times. The only clear sign that a person is filled with the spirit if one has the Gifts of the Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means it is planted in you and the fruits of it will be visible in your life if one truely has the Spirit in them.
Temporarily postponing a conflict by suggesting you talk about it later in private provides some time for everyone to calm down. Immediately dealing with an issue is best so it doesn't grow like a fire over time, but if you don't have time to immediately handle it, assure the concerned person with a statement like, "I value your concerns and I want to hear them. Please schedule an appointment with my assistant so we can meet about this exclusively. You like coffee?"
There's a lot of books inthere inspired by the Bible that teach abour "psychology" or how to deal with different personality! God made all of us different and it's obvious that you should not deal with everyone the same way! I agree with you, mr baloche!
Some people are just not ready to have peace, and that's an issue with their heart, not with us. Some practical ways of handling conflict during rehearsals: Honor the person by suggesting you discuss their concerns later "in private" when there's not an audience around (band members, choir, pastors, etc). Also, resolving conflicts privately is biblical (Matthew 18). Simply say, "I'd love to hear your concerns about that, but let's do that later in private, after rehearsal."
ok. im going to try and take 2 years and sum it up into one comment... but here it goes. i was a touring musician that ended up getting saved, got married and started a family. my heart changed and decided to use my talents for tge lord. i joined the worship team at the church. Things went well for sometime and our keyboard player passed away. He was by far the furthest in the faith than any of us. after his passing things started to crumble. my wife and i dived into the bible more and seeking God and His will. in the meantime.... a singer on our team was arrested for felony theft. She stole $2,800 from her job. she bought in ear monitors for herself at the church. among this, she would get angry if my wife was given two songs to sing on sunday. tensions built and i noticed she was never in the services. i prayed about it and her heart didnt change. her brother is also on the worship team. he gets angry if i stop the song in practice to correct a chord, tempo or rythm. he would roll his eyes or even yell, "we arent here to be perfect"... he is self taught and i respect that... although, i studied classical guitar and music theory from age 6-18 and toured... i like to play the songs correctly. we ended up having a meeting on the issues. he came out and proclaimed he doesnt believe everything in the Bible to be true. which really concerns me because i feel the holy spirit is hindered by these two people. nothing was really solved in the matter because the worship leader, is their uncle... a soundman that is in the bars all weekend.. i understand i may be judgemental. but i believe we as leaders of worship in our fathers house are to be heald accountable for our actions and beliefs. i gave up everything for HIM. i quit gigging which brought in extra money for my family and trusted God to provide. i quit smoking and drinking. i got married. i did everything to get right with the lord and no one else takes this role seriously. Coming in for sunday worship hung over! angry! and with a chip on their shoulder because they had the inpression i would be arrogant.. up until the meeting i stayed quiet... never told them how i felt and rarely gave advice on song structure. i stayed quiet for the reason to remain humble. the pastor even recognized this. i tried my best to stay humble and respective of everyones personal faith walk and knowledge in music. i guess my question is this, an i being too picky? am i just being judgemental? or do i actually have a reason to feel conviction for this team. i feel these issues need to be resolved before i can continue in the worship team
+Bret Bunton Hey, I know you commented 5 months ago but I hope you see this. You aren't being judgmental. It bothers me that a lot of so-called "Christians" like to say "Nobody is Perfect", to excuse their ungodly behavior. While no one is perfect, we still live the life that God has called us to live. As you mentioned, You gave up so many things to get right with God. If you can do it, so can they. At our church, if you don't live a pleasing life to God, you can't serve in the Worship team. We have "strict" rules. I am a worship leader at my church and I am shocked that your pastor allows the people to serve. God doesn't want people who are only Christians on Sundays, he wants us to worship him with the way we live our lives. God would rather have 1 person on stage with a terrible voice but a clean heart rather than the worlds best musicians with their heart placed on other things. I would recommend you try talking to your pastor to take authority and do something. I'll be praying for you,. God Bless !
How about this one... PRAY. Pray with each other, pray alone, pray often. It's easy to over complicate things. Check these out too: 1 Thes 5:17, Matt 11:29-30, Matt 18:20
When I was in this small worship team we were a 4 member team until one of them left for an another church he was like our leader and since he left everything went downhill and I had to quit cuz my team wouldn't cooperate or listen to me and I was the one who did everything for the team and towards the end they even stopped coming to practice and I couldn't see a future for the worship team so I quit :C
it looks like Psychology ( books etc.. ) I think it is better to say that if you are a worship leader you should be full by the Holy Spirit so that Jesus is in your life and puts His love and then you know how to deal with people because it is not you anymore but Jesus through you...
How would you manage a previous female worship leader who towers over you with criticism often? When I was hired she demanded that she still be there 3 Sundays out of the month. This was a red flag in hindsight but I accepted the opportunity because it is my passion and felt God was calling me here. She seems to regimented and not open to new songs unless we practice them a month at a time. She rebuked me 3 times and I'm not sure why really other than I don't measure up to her musicality as she is a professionally skilled musician. I went before her, then my pastor alone, and now she wants me to meet with the elder (her husband) I want to take it before the church. It's biblical. I need wisdom and knowledge because I want to see the Lord glorified and the church grow Spiritual worship. Thoughts anyone? shawn hoffmaster RLVBIC worship director
Couldn't disagree more. Read the bible. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Get to know the person underneath and ask God. Be an example of the virtues you expect to see in others. Do not put musicians into boxes. Be sensitive to them. They serve you, remember? As leaders you will be held accountable for what you do here on earth with God's bride the church.
