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If you want to give your worship team purpose, direction, focus, and encouragement to know when they’re doing a good job, a well-written worship ministry handbook is invaluable to any team, including your music ministry! A well-written handbook guides your team and sets them up for success.
Ask any music team what essential things are needed to do a good job, and you’ll get answers like these: singing on key, having instruments, playing skillfully, lighting, good sound, great songs, and maybe a good stage presence. These elements are all important, but there is one key component –– a foundational element –– that’s often missing from the list: a handbook.
How A Worship Ministry Handbook Helps
A great worship ministry handbook:
- Gives a great foundation to build on
- Sets volunteers up for success
- Shows your support of the larger mission & vision of the church
Gives Your Music Ministry A Great Foundation
A worship team handbook is crucial to your ministry! One of the most underrated tools and biggest misunderstandings in worship ministry is the need for a worship team handbook. This handbook isn’t just a set of rules! It sets your team’s purpose. In addition, it gives an understanding and brings to light the core values your team is built upon. Finally, it offers standards and keys to knowing what it looks like to be successful as a team.
Sets New Volunteers Up For Success
From the start, show the potential members you care about them and want them to succeed. Give them a copy of your handbook when they first inquire about joining your team. Tell them to come back to you after they’ve read it through. They will get the whole picture of your team’s ministry as they read it –– your purpose, standards, and how you define success. (Every worship team has different standards, purposes, goals, and ways to define a successful team –– as well as they should. God placed them to minister in congregations from small to large, rural to city, and differing objectives relating to the vision and mission statements of the churches they serve.
Shows Your Support Of The Larger Mission & Vision Of Your Church
Some worship leaders write the handbook independently, while others create it in a team effort. However it is done, it is absolutely key that your pastor or church board has a chance to look at it and agree with it. No ministry should ever stand alone in a church. No ministry is ever above others in the church.
Every ministry should have a level of accountability to the church leadership. You put effort and hard work into writing the handbook. You want to ensure it doesn’t come against or derail your church’s purpose, mission, or foundational core values. The best way to keep this in check is to have your pastor or church leadership read it and be on board before passing it out to your team and prospective members.
Who’s The Worship Ministry Handbook For?
A great worship ministry handbook communicates well beyond the team members. It’s also an effective tool of communication that …
- Helps possible future volunteers know if they are a good fit
- Communicates to visitors and newcomers curious about your ministry
- Increases understanding with ministry leaders in other areas
- Builds trust with elders, pastors, and church leadership
What To Include In Your Worship Ministry Handbook And Why
Worship Ministry Handbook Cover
Having a designated cover adds importance and weight to your handbook. It lets others know that it’s an important read and helps them understand they represent the church as members of the worship team.
Welcome Letter
The welcome letter lets you thank someone for their interest in serving with you on the team. You can remind prospective members of your church’s mission, the purpose of the worship team, and why they are getting the handbook.
Table Of Contents
Even if your handbook only has 3 pages, a table of contents lets the reader know what they will be reading about and where they can find the information they’re looking for.
“A Look At Your Ministry” Or “About Your Team”
This section contains what you want your team and prospective members to know about your team’s purpose, values, rehearsal times, personal character, and church involvement. It gives a good feel for who your team is and how it operates.
Job Descriptions
Job descriptions let your team members know the basics of their jobs. A good job description will tell the end result, and leave how it is accomplished up to the individual.
Check out The Small Church Ministry Podcast: Do You Need Written Job Descriptions For Volunteers In Small Churches?
Worship Team Standards
This section includes your standards for team members. Writing out standards eliminates confusion, gives a clear understanding of what is required, contributes to confidence, and positively affects your team!
The Definition Of Worship Team Success
Give a short bullet-point list of the top qualities and results you use to define a successful team. By doing this, your team members know if they are doing a good job. It also can serve as a point of self-evaluation or team evaluation –– are you getting to where you want to go?
Personal Character
Finally, for the sake of your team and its unity, it’s a good idea to include a paragraph or Bible verse or two about personal character. (Some churches desire all music team members to be active Christians; others allow non-Christians to join their teams.) Either way, if it’s important to you, be wise and include some encouragement to have and act with good character in your handbook. By including this, you are setting the standard against gossip & things that divide and for acting in kindness & patience. Stating these things goes far to keep your team on a good track.
The Importance Of Practice & Preparation For Music Ministry
This is your moment to tell prospective members the standards for preparation for ministry. You may want to include scriptures to support your thoughts. In addition, you should include short paragraphs or bullet points on preparedness in any or all of the following areas you give importance to: spiritual, musical, personal, and professional. Again, don’t overwhelm, but list your top points.
Dress Code Guidelines Can Be Included In This Section
In writing dress code guidelines, try to limit the rules and write up guidelines for the end results. Be sure to write out the reason WHY you have a dress code. This gives an understanding of the importance beyond just a group of rules made according to the leader’s personal preference.
Clear Communication Is The Key To Building A Great Worship Team
Writing a great handbook doesn’t just show off your communication skills; it also highlights your intention to not just perform but to represent the God of the Universe in your service.
While it takes a little time to put together, remember the impact it has.
- A great foundation to build on
- Setting up volunteers for success
- Support of the larger mission & vision of the church
What are you waiting for?
Watch for our next post, coming soon: 6 Easy Steps To Write A Worship Ministry Handbook to take you deeper into the specifics of each section included above.
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