Guidelines

It is our belief at Jesus The Savior Church that the worship ministry is a vital part of this body of believers. Members should view their function as ministers of the gospel through music and worship. Those who serve in the worship ministry, therefore, should view their role as a calling from God.

Membership in the worship ministry is a position of Christian leadership. The primary function, then, is to lead the congregation in true worship under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). We emphasize that our purpose and calling is that of leading others into the very presence of the Living God. There is no calling issued for “performances” and “showmanship” – only true praise and worship. Therefore, members must strive continually through prayer and example to have a pure heart before God and others.

• It is essential for those who participate in the worship ministry to feel that they are “called, appointed, and anointed” to the ministry at hand.

• Lifestyle: Participants must be born-again believers of Christ, and their lifestyle must resemble that of a born-again Christian. Participants must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is consistent and growing through prayer, Bible reading, and church fellowship.

• Participants must be worshipers on and off the platform. Anyone who has difficulty worshiping at home or in the congregation is not considered ready to be a leader.

• Although we recognize the importance of a pure heart, musicians, and vocalists also need to have enough skill so that they can follow the Holy Spirit. Musicians and vocalists should have open hearts to receive advice, correction, and training, and should be committed to becoming proficiently skilled in their ministry. “Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it” (1 Chronicles 15:22). One does not need to be a professional musician to worship the Lord, but God honors the discipline of additional practice and preparation. “Failing to prepare is preparing for failure.”

• You must demonstrate technical competence as either a singer, musician, or audio/media technician.

• Singers and musicians must be comfortable on stage and expressive in their praise and worship before God.

• Worship team members are expected to live a lifestyle that is above reproach, avoiding even the appearance of evil (1 Timothy 3). Being a minister, especially one who is “up front,” adds extra responsibility because people see worship ministers as examples of what a Christian should be like. Therefore, you must consider the way you treat your fellow members and carefully guard your heart against impurities and pride.

• It is God’s desire and our desire to see our worship team members living a victorious Christian life, free from bondage. If there are any addictions or issues with which you struggle, please let us know—we are here to help you, not to judge you.

• You should be actively involved and dedicated to our vision and the leadership of its pastors and other leaders. This commitment includes their prayers, regular attendance, and tithes/offerings.

• You must be a committed attendee and giver at our church, such as regularly attending Sunday worship services.

• Committing to serving on the praise team means being asked to commit to weekly rehearsals. You are expected to do your best to make sure other commitments do not interfere with your ability to serve in the worship ministry on a weekly basis.

• Because we value the importance of family, you should not join the worship ministry without the full support of your family.

The following issues should be dealt with before any public ministry position is taken:

• Alcohol and drug abuse

• Sexual immorality

• A prideful attitude or anger/rage problems

• An inability to submit to the leadership

• Gossiping and stirring up strife

• An unbiblical lifestyle

• We constantly seek to expand our praise team. Anyone interested in serving must submit an application on this website and sign up on our Church Connect on ChurchTrac to access the monthly worship schedule as well as the songs that will be performed for any service. The worship ministry director or their assistants will review the application and see if the applicant can be considered. The prospective praise team member may also have a brief and informal audition after submitting their application.

• You may be a member of the worship ministry without having filled out the application. This is at the discretion of the worship ministry director and their assistants.

• You must be at least thirteen years of age (with some exceptions) and involved regularly at our church, usually for at least three months, before participating on the team.

• You are required to attend several rehearsals before “taking the platform.”

• Proper conduct regarding emails, social media, or other forms of communication is expected during the waiting period. Over-communication or inappropriate behavior can and will result in grounds for rejection from the worship ministry.

• Attendance and punctuality are highly important factors for being a worship team member.

• Weekly rehearsals are mandatory, and members should arrive ready to work on the designated material. Failure to do so will be prohibited from participating in the worship ministry on the coming service unless prior arrangements are made with the worship leader.

• Poor attendance and showing up late for rehearsals demonstrate a lack of discipline and respect for the Lord’s ministry and may result in rejection from participating in the worship ministry at the coming worship service or prayer meeting.

• There are other weekly services available outside of Sunday. Please attend at least one of the following if you're available:

  • • • • • Wednesday Bible Study

          • Friday Prayer Meeting

• Right before the start of any service, in other words, the emcee begins to speak, you must be in your position.

• Typically, each band member and singer will be scheduled once or twice per month based on their availability and monthly service schedules. You must be logged in to our Church Connect to be granted access to our monthly worship schedule and the songs that will be played as it will not be available on this website.

• When you are assigned to a role for an upcoming service, an invitation will be sent via email and/or text message. You must respond to the invitation as soon as possible.

• Arriving on time and ready for worship practice is essential for each member! An intense rehearsal is necessary to present worship music that is both excellent in quality and anointed. The more you practice, the freer you are to worship and lead others in worship.

• Worship leaders must finalize their song outline:

  • • • • Five days before leading the next Sunday Service.

        • Two days before leading the next Friday Night Prayer Meeting.

• Learn your instrumental and vocal parts before you come to either of the following rehearsals:

  • • • • Friday Night Rehearsal: 7:00 to 7:30 PM (Eastern Time)

        • Sunday Rehearsal: 2:00 to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time)

• There may be a workshop on Saturday, if you are scheduled to attend one of them, you must do so and arrive there on time.

• If at any time, you (including visual equipment operators, sound engineers, etc.) cannot attend a service, rehearsal, etc., it's your responsibility to notify the worship leader in advance if at all possible so that proper adjustments can be made.

• A modest & dressy (not sloppy), culturally relevant style is key.

• No overly tight clothing. Women: no short skirts or short dresses.

• No revealing clothing (i.e., see-thru material without an undershirt).

• Proper footwear: no slippers.

• No gaudy/oversized jewelry (anything that might be a distraction).

Sunday Worship Attire:

• Men: Nice shirt & pants: optional jackets, sweaters & vests.

• Women: Blouse & pants, skirt, or dress (knee-length). No pants that are tight to the ankle unless you wear a long top that goes mid-thigh. 

• Nice dark dress jeans are also acceptable.

• Although those in the technology sector abide by different guidelines than those in the music sector of the worship ministry, they are still important members.

• You must arrive at the start of a rehearsal to set up equipment such as the live stream camera, projector monitor, etc., and ensure that the necessary equipment is connected and working before the start of any service.

• If for some reason, a piece of equipment is not properly working, even during the service at any time, do not panic, even under urgent circumstances; calmly fix them until it's properly working.

• If you are assigned to the sound system on a particular service, you must constantly check the sound quality as it affects the instruments and the sound of the live stream.

• Projectors must operate the presentation during the entire service, be attentive to the entire service, and be ready to make changes “on the fly” where necessary. They are also responsible for setting up the live stream and must check if it's streaming correctly in terms of connection, volume, orientation, etc.

• Typically, the songs that will be performed for a particular service will be provided unless it's added at the last minute.

• Live streamers must set up the camera and streaming software and have it all ready by the start of any service. They must observe the camera and sound fluctuations at all times to ensure that the live stream is functioning correctly throughout the entire service.

• Proper dress code is still required.

• No food or liquids including drinks are allowed near the equipment; they must not be damaged!

• Unless you're using it for worship purposes, phone use is prohibited during rehearsal and service.

• No food or liquids including drinks are allowed near any instruments! The exception is foods and drinks that will be consumed for communion but even with that, please do your best to distance yourself from any equipment.

• Music submission requests are available to everyone, not just worship leaders. Please read the submission guidelines before submitting requests. The link to submit music is here: https://jesusthesavior.churchtrac.com/submit-music

• Violating the guidelines will result in repercussions ranging from a warning to not being able to participate in a role at the upcoming service and to suspension or even expulsion from the worship ministry for severe or repeated violations.

• Missing a service where you're assigned a role and the worship leader wasn't notified will result in prohibition from participating in a role in an upcoming service. Repeated cases may result in a suspension.

• Damaging any equipment will result in fines depending on the value of the equipment and will result in a minimum repercussion of suspension.

• Look in the mirror and watch what you look like—jump, clap, bow, dance, raise your hands, and be engaging. If something appears awkward, adjust it to make sure you are communicating what you want to communicate.

• Do not let the congregation determine your level of expression. Sometimes they will not be engaged in worship. As leaders, we always need to be engaged. Show them an example of how to express worship. Most of the time, they simply need to see worship to learn how to express it on their own.

• Be sincere. Worship from your heart. Give a warm smile from within. We are leading people from all different circumstances, so remember those warm smile ministers more than you realize.

• Musicians: Be sure to stay engaged in worship. Practice ahead of time and memorize your music so you don’t have to focus on your instrument the whole time. Sing while you play. Seeing a musician singing from their heart can help people worship. Move around your area. Use your space to the fullest. When there is no movement, the platform can look stagnant.