Welcome!

We’re so glad that you are interested in becoming part of the worship ministry here at South Metro Vineyard.  Worship is our number one priority here at the Vineyard.  Although worship is a lot more than singing or playing songs, worshipping through music is a wonderful way to connect with God.

At South Metro Vineyard, many opportunities exist within the area of worship for people to get involved in:  small group worship leading, songwriting, sound-board techs, Power Point projectionists (visual worship), and of course, Sunday morning worship teams.

What are some of the requirements for becoming a worship team member?

• A heart of worship that is expressed in all areas of your life
• Musical ability
• Established relationships of trust and accountability within the church
• A commitment to the overall values and priorities of the Vineyard.  This commitment is expressed through involvement in serving the church in various capacities as well as involvement in a small group
• Calling and anointing from God to ministry in music (This is something that the various worship ministry leaders will help to discern.)  Many people are gifted musically; a smaller number of people are actually called by God to minister with music to the church.
• Involvement in a small group
• Regular attendee and giver
• Completion of Beginnings Class and Worship 101 evening

Other Considerations

• The personal preferences of the worship leader in choosing team members
• Whether or not there are currently any openings on any of the teams
• The timing of God’s call for each individual

How does the worship leader become aware of potential vocalists and instrumentalists?

• Casual social contact within the church
• The recommendation of friends or worship team members
• Attending a Worship 101 evening

Things we look for in a Worship Team Member

A. Character (select to find out more)

1. We want you for the long haul – therefore you should be a person who is stable, committed and who has their personal life in order.  We want a long distance runner, NOT a sprinter.

An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless – not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  (Titus 1:6-9)

2. We want you to know that being a part of the worship ministry is not about having a title, position, power, authority, pride, etc. Instead, you are in a position to pour yourself out in sacrifice to others in service. 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  (Mark 10:45)

3. You should also exhibit trustworthiness, with the ability to resist being bribed or bought.

But select capable men from all the people-men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  (Exodus 18:21)

4. It is vital that you are teachable and are able to receive reproof (correction).  This does not mean that you will be chastised in front of others, but that your heart is open to receiving loving correction from those in leadership over you.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1-3)

5. You should have a genuine love for Jesus and his church.  We give of ourselves because of our love for Jesus and his sheep (the church).  We never want to achieve any personal gain at the expense of the “sheep”.

For the third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”  He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”. (John 21:17)

6. We want you to be a “team player”, willing to help your fellow worship ministry volunteers, leaders and pastoral associates succeed.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)

 

B. Musical Ability (select to find out more)

1. To be on the worship team, it is necessary for you to play an instrument (e.g. guitar, voice, piano, etc.)
2. It is essential that you keep solid time (that is, even and consistent rhythms)


3. A professional background in music can sometimes be a negative factor:
   • In some instances, someone with a strong desire to “make it” in music may need to go through a radical “death to success” in order to focus on God during worship and not be competitive.
   • A worship team member doesn’t need to have a performer’s stage presence.  In fact, he should be full of humility, willing to decrease and let Jesus increase.

C. Anointing (select to find out more)

1. Are you sensitive to the direction of the Spirit during worship?
2. Do you worship when you are alone?
3. Is this the season for you to be involved in worship? 

We are looking for a F.A.T.S.O. =  
Faithful
Available
Teachable
Serving
Others

What we do, What is Important to Us,
and What it Looks Like

Our Values (select to find out more)

The following are the values which we hold at South Metro and seek to instill in those to whom we minister:

1. We DO worship solely for God’s glory and honor (Deut 5:6-10)
2. We DO  allow ourselves to be intimate and self-disclosing with God (Phil 3:10)
3. We DO NOT  do things for effect or to manipulate God and/or the people (1Kings 18:26-29)
4. We DO  commit ourselves to honesty and integrity (Eph. 4:15; Col 3:9)
5. We DO NOT want to work up emotions. (although our worship IS emotional)  We want to “Dial down” in worship and let our emotional responses flow out of our interaction with God. We are not cheerleaders trying to work up a crowd. (Rev 1:17)
6. We DO welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit in whatever way He chooses to work among us (1 Thess. 5:19)

Our Priorities (select to find out more)

1. Our worship is directed and focused upon God Himself.  We do not sing about God but to Him (Ps. 100:1; Rev 5:9-10, 12-13)
2. Worship is a two-fold communication process.  We worship God and He touches us.  Remember that the word worship comes from the term “proskuneo” (pronounced pros-q-nay-o) which means to kiss.
3. Worship is practiced as a lifestyle on both the corporate and individual level so it’s important to be worshipping together on Sunday mornings, but also when we are at home, work, school, etc. (Col 3:15-17)
4. We set aside time to worship together as a worship team.  It is vital for us to build community with one another and to invest in one another’s lives.  By spending time praying with one another, we build unity and trust among the worship team. We want to be able to lead the congregation to a place that we have already visited.
5. We invest money for musical instruments and sound equipment so that we will have quality in our worship.   (1 Chronicles 25:1-6)
6. We expend energy to rehearse, set-up, and prepare for worship.  Spontaneity is best when it is under girded with thorough preparation.
7. As members of the worship ministry, we are leaders and examples of how to worship.  We want to teach others how to worship so that they may experience intimacy with God (Col 3:16)
8. We feel free to integrate change as our worship grows and expands.  We are careful, though, to maintain consistency between our values and our priorities when we do initiate change.

Our Vision (select to find out more)

1. Everything we  do is found in the bible – either implicitly or explicitly
2. We encourage the whole person to enter into worship through the use of the:
   i. Body (raising hands, kneeling, bowing, etc)
   ii. Soul (reading of scripture, singing, shouting, recalling God’s works)
   iii. Spirit (spirit to spirit, love, tongues, etc)
3. We worship whenever we gather in various groups and settings.
4. We encourage an uninterrupted flow of worship.  Thus, we will sing many songs in succession without interjections from the worship leader.
5. We worship in a contemporary musical style using modern instruments and equipment.  This helps people identify with what they are singing to God and helps us to be culturally relevant.
6. We generally encourage moderate practices when we worship in corporate meetings so others are not distracted. We want to be free in our response to God without distracting from the person sitting beside us.

We always see to expand and deepen our present foundation.  We seek new songs, new modes of expression, and new experiences with God.