Don’t Go All-Out For A “Big” Sunday Worship Service

There are some Sundays on which you feel intense pressure to make things perfect. To name just a few…

• Easter Sunday
• Christmas Eve
• September back-to-church kickoff
• An all-church gathering
• A bring-your-neighbor Sunday

These kinds of events often get an outsize measure of attention.

Sometimes we feel we need to impress visitors and get them to come back.

There’s nothing wrong with that. But here’s a warning: don’t make it too good. What do I mean? Read on.

[convertkit]

Don’t Overdo It On One Particular Sunday

As worship leaders sometimes we feel we need to put on a big show. Sometimes, though, it’s not us. Our pastors, too, get grand views of what the Sunday should look like.

So we work in extra rehearsals and choose epic songs. We hire a professional drummer and guitarist. We rent lights and fog machines.

Mistake.

I stopped doing this kind of thing and here’s why.

Let’s say you put 10 hours into rehearsals and create amazing arrangements for each song. That Sunday, everything goes splendidly and everyone is impressed. Visitors, regulars, pastor…everyone.

The next Sunday, it’s business as usual. Visitors come back, but are surprised at how regular the band sounds. They realize the previous Sunday was just a show, not a true representation of your church.

The plan backfires and you lose what few visitors gained by your awesome production.

Maintain Consistency

Don’t put all the extra effort into a one-off show.

Rather, take that energy and figure out how you are going to make your worship team better week after week.

Does that mean implementing a mid-week rehearsal, investing in the right worship gear as a church, or implementing the use of a click track? Those are the kinds of strategic plans that last long after the “big Sunday” has come and gone.

If your worship team has a high standard of excellence each week, it doesn’t have to be over-the-top on a particular day.

Besides, that’s where you will attract your long-term, committed church members and Christ followers. Visitors who see a genuine representation of your church and worship team will stick around if they like what they see. If not, you won’t keep them there anyway.

So do yourself a favor and resist the temptation and external pressure to go “big.” Instead, make your “regular” better.

Sign Up For Worship Updates

If you liked this post, why not sign up for more?

Just enter your email address below, and I’ll send you future worship updates, song ideas, and tips.