One of the most biblically mandated yet commonly neglected roles in worship ministry is discipling those on our teams. Why? We over-focus on the weekly grind and under-focus on the long-term spiritual formation of our team.

Experience is NOT the best teacher. Experience can be cruel. It can flatter you. It can lie to you. But evaluated experience is a fantastic teacher. Debriefing after leading is a must.

As we continue the series on how each Fader approaches the main tasks of worship ministry leading, today, we explore that moment of leading worship.

Every professional athlete has a pregame ritual.

Here are five unique and famous pregame rituals that athletes are known for:

You know that verse about not saying we’re gonna do this and go there and make business happen but rather say, “If God wills, we’ll do this or that”?

Three short stories. (they include your goals for 2025)

Do you struggle to learn new songs? Before you say you don’t, let me clarify what I mean.

I was going to say the last several months have been quite a battle, but honestly, the last five years in Costa Rica have been a battle. What’s been the effect on me?

We are living on a coffee plantation. Most weekday mornings, the small crew of coffee pickers come through the gate, dragging along their nine and eleven-year-old children to play while they pick.

But what if no one is ministering to the Lord?

When we start something, we’re never amazing at it. This Fertilizer is dedicated to worship leaders, teams, and techs in their first five years of serving.

Seeing where you’re going is more important than you think. Ask any of us who have meandered through a dark house on the way to a bathroom break in the middle of the night only to find out just how flexible our little toe is compared to the coffee table leg. Right?

Whenever I browse social media, I consistently see posts about “the only 5 magical things that can do everything better…” #clickbait

Have you been hurried into thinking that doing work for God is like being with Him?

“What if where you feel the tension you discover God’s intention for you?”

Seven years ago, my life changed. We added a dog to our family. The idea of getting a dog was not mine.

I was a little naughty.

My college roommate, Troy, was visiting me in Pennsylvania from his home in North Carolina. I had just started getting to know a cute girl (who I later married.)

Next week, I fly to Columbus, Ohio, to encourage a worship and creative team. I’ll be rehearsing them and leading the Sunday services as part of the training weekend. In preparation, I’m sending them notes on one of the songs we’ll lead.

Imagine this: the students who bravely stepped into high school amidst the whirlwind of the pandemic are now on the verge of graduating. Wow!

I was speaking with a church that has been without a staff worship leader for nearly a year.