These Additions Make or Break Your Church Worship Service Planning
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 20, 2019
Whether your church is small or large, modern or traditional, part of a denomination or non-denominational, someone or some group is planning your worship services. Like any kind of planning, there are best practices for worship service planning. Do you know what they are?
This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, just 3 items, but it’s based on over twenty years of service planning, both in teams and as an individual. Here is my best thinking on what makes or breaks worship service planning:
Evaluation. Weekly review of the worship service is critical to future success. Find a few people who will be honest about technical matters, the look and feel of the service, and the effectiveness of the content. Take notes and look for repeated problems and issues- those are the areas that need your attention.
Details. If you don’t have a weekly time to check the details of upcoming services, you are exposing yourself to the possibility of missing something important. Plan out as far as you are able, and each week review the plans you have made. Is there someone in charge of each element? Is the music prepared accurately? Give special attention to transitions between elements so the services flow smoothly. Jim Collins says there is a small distance between good and great. Part of that small distance is attention to detail!
Planning. How thoroughly do you think through the planning of each service? A well planned service will have the best chance of honoring the Lord and inspiring people. If you know the theme of the message, think about songs, videos, and participation elements that would fit the theme. Make a list with everyone’s idea on it and find the best fit. Determine what action you want people to take as a result of the service. Is there a flow to the service that will help people take that action? What kind of environment do you want in the room? What is the overall mood of the service? Are there ministries or events that fit with the theme and can be promoted?
Finally, don’t forget to pray through the process and for the services you are planning. Do your best and trust God for the rest!
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