How to Start a Choir at Your Church

Have you ever thought about starting a choir but felt overwhelmed by where to begin? You don’t need a massive group or a complex system—just a simple, intentional approach to inviting people into worship leadership. Whether your church has never had a choir or you’re looking to restart one, here’s a practical way to build something meaningful.

1. Start Recruiting – Look for Worshippers

The best choir members are already in your congregation. As you lead worship, look out for those who are fully engaged—singing passionately, raising their hands, or worshipping with joy. Look for people who are demonstrating the type of worship culture you hope to build. These are the people you want to invite into your choir.

Pro tip: Don’t make a general announcement and hope people sign up. Instead, personally approach those who love to worship and invite them in. Even if you start with just a handful of people, that’s enough. Choirs grow best through relationships and personal invitations.

2. Keep Rehearsals Simple and Accessible

One of the biggest barriers to people joining a choir is the time commitment. Make it easy for them to say “yes” by keeping rehearsals low-pressure and achievable.

Try a three-rehearsal model:

• Week 1: Introduce the vision and run through the songs.

• Week 2: Practice and refine parts together.

• Week 3: Final run-through before leading in worship.

This structure removes the intimidation factor and allows people to commit in small, manageable steps.

3. Choose Attainable Music

Start with simple, accessible arrangements that help your choir feel successful. The primary goal isn’t to create a professional performance—it’s to encourage worship engagement. When the music is achievable, your choir members can focus on leading others in worship rather than feeling stressed about getting everything perfect.

A great choir isn’t about musical complexity—it’s about heartfelt worship and unity.

4. Let It Grow Naturally

Your choir doesn’t have to be huge or polished to be effective. As people see others participating in worship, more will be drawn to join. Keep inviting, keep the barrier to entry low, and watch as your choir becomes a powerful part of your church’s worship culture.

Starting a choir isn’t about perfection—it’s about participation. Just take the first step, and let it grow from there.

Rooted in Community: The Heart of Songwriting for the Local Church

Writing worship songs for the local church is a deeply personal and purposeful endeavor. It’s about crafting melodies and lyrics that reflect the unique stories, struggles, and joys of a specific community. This blog explores the heart of songwriting for the local church, offering insights and guidance on creating music that is deeply rooted in the life and needs of your congregation. By focusing on community and staying grounded in authentic worship, we can write songs that not only resonate but also serve to glorify God and uplift His people.

Community-Centered Songwriting: Serving Through Song

Songwriting for the local church is profoundly personal. Unlike crafting music for a global audience, it’s rooted in the real-life stories and experiences of the congregation. For example, consider a circumstance where families in your church were navigating loss. How could songwriting serve to meet these families where they are, offering comfort and hope in Christ.

The heart of this work isn’t self-expression but service. Songwriters for the local church use their gifts to encourage, uplift, and point others toward Christ. This act of creating music becomes a beautiful expression of love for God and neighbor, reflecting the essence of worship.

Guarding Against Industry Pressures

The worship music landscape is not without its challenges. It's easy to feel the pull of competition or the pressure to conform to industry trends, but songwriting for the local church calls for pure motives and a steadfast focus on glorifying God.

This requires regular self-examination: Why do we write these songs? What drives us to create? Worship songwriting should flow from a place of reverence for God, not personal ambition. The process itself is an act of worship, a means to glorify the Creator through grace-filled creativity.

A guiding principle for this is found in 1 Peter 4:10-11, which reminds us: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

This scripture calls us to steward our gifts with humility and purpose, keeping the focus on serving others and glorifying God. It’s a powerful reminder that our songwriting should not be driven by self-promotion or the desire for recognition but by a commitment to praise God and minister to His people.

Embracing the Uniqueness of Your Church Community

One common temptation for worship teams is to replicate what other churches or ministries are doing. It’s natural to be inspired by powerful songs from groups like Hillsong or Elevation Worship, but true authenticity lies in serving your community’s unique needs and stories.

Understanding your congregation’s specific experiences and spiritual journey should shape your songwriting process. Instead of trying to mirror another church’s success, focus on being fully present with your community. Authenticity and originality grow when we pursue our unique calling rather than emulate others.

This lesson became clear when one worship leader shared a story of attempting to imitate another church’s methods, only to find that it didn’t resonate with their congregation. The realization? God has equipped each church with distinct gifts and a unique purpose. By embracing this, songwriting becomes a powerful tool to serve others and glorify God.

Keeping God at the Center

At its core, worship songwriting is not just about crafting beautiful music—it’s a ministry. The purpose is to serve the church and administer God’s grace, keeping the focus on His glory. The ultimate aim is not to please the crowd or chase trends but to praise God through Jesus Christ.

This perspective shifts priorities and motivates songwriters to create from a place of humility and devotion. Music becomes a vehicle for worship, pointing others to the greatness of God.

Your Unique Calling

As worship songwriters, leaders, and creatives, we are uniquely crafted to serve a specific purpose at a particular time. Embrace the calling God has placed on your life, and let your music reflect His glory. Whether you’re writing for a small congregation or a broader audience, remember that your authenticity and faithfulness to God’s calling will have a lasting impact.

Let’s create music that serves, uplifts, and glorifies our Lord, staying rooted in our local communities while keeping our eyes fixed on eternity.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re looking to dive deeper into songwriting for the local church, check out the Songwriting for the Church series. This series offers practical insights, encouragement, and training to help you craft songs that serve your church community and glorify God. Start exploring today!

Psalms, Songs, and The Human Experience

“We are humankind, not stones.” – John Calvin

Humans are made in the image of God who Himself has emotions, and few things capture our experiences and emotions like songs. Everyone has songs that remind us of particular times, places, events, experiences, and people. Some are good, some are bad. Some helped us through a hard time and others helped capture what it was we were actually feeling. Some gave us a way to celebrate and others a way to mourn. The psalmists capture the entire breadth of human experience in Scripture’s song book. And these multi-faceted songs, written by multi-faceted people, from multi-faceted perspectives were used by the people of God in worship.

They corporately celebrated. They corporately mourned and questioned. The corporately remembered.

David engaged with God, and God engaged with him, in real time, in the midst of his anxiety (Psalm 131). David poured out his heart to God and remembered and looked to better days in the midst of His despair (Psalm 42-43). David engaged God with brutal honestly and contrition, and begged God for mercy amidst his sin (Psalm 32, 51). The psalmist cried out for God’s justice amidst abuse and oppression (Psalm 10). David rejoiced in God’s protection, presence, and real time interaction with him (Psalm 16, 27). The sons of Korah cried out in desperation, wondering where God was and why darkness was a closer friend than God (Psalm 88). God’s people delighted in the mighty works of God to deliver them in the past to boost their confidence for what is to come (Psalm 107).

The Kaleidoscope of a Congregation

Every single time the people of God gather there are a kaleidoscope of experiences and emotions represented. People walking through miscarriage, adultery, adoption, graduations, depression, addiction, pornography, new marriages, promotions, etc. are all standing in front of you every single time you set foot on stage to lead worship, and they need to know and experience God. Worship leaders have the unique opportunity to put words in the mouths of the congregation that give voice to the full depth of human experience, and how God meets them in the midst of it.

There are songs that celebrating people need to sing. Songs that speak of the God who provides for our needs, who gives us victory, who gladdens our hearts with good gifts and with the gift of His presence. Celebrating people, who need to rejoice because God has given them freedom from that sin that has afflicted them for years. This is a good and right thing.

There are songs that doubting and despairing people need to sing. They need to sing about the valleys, the storms, the sufferings of life and how Jesus Himself can empathize with our weakness and has borne our sorrows and grief. They need to engage their heartache and be honest with God about it. They need others to sing over them when they can’t find the strength to sing. They need to have people sit in the dirt with them and not just quote Romans 8 to them. This is a good and right thing.

So, if this is true, how do we know what songs to choose to sing on a Sunday?

The Necessity of Biblical Literacy

In order to lead your people well, you must dig deeply into the Word to see all of the ways that God engages with happy, hurting, struggling, and celebrating people. What part of His character is on display amidst the struggles of people? By the words you say and the songs you sing, you can point people to the character of the God they need.

Always be on the lookout for songs with good, biblical lyrics. Songs that point to the character of God, the truthfulness and reliability of the His word, the grace of Jesus, the hope of the new creation and the Holy Spirit empowering us to keep going in the meantime.

What this doesn’t necessarily mean is that you need every song to sound like Grudem wrote Systematic Theology in iambic pentameter. Good doctrine is essential, but not all people resonate with songs that sound like a term paper. We should search for songs with deep theology, that communicate it in a way that is deeply comprehensible, and that will connect to our particular congregations, both cognitively and emotionally.

Theologically right lyrics that our people do not understand or are presented to them in a cold, aesthetically unpleasant way, serve to inform the mind, but do not engage the heart. This can create dispassionate, robotic, singing. On the other hand, aesthetic beauty that communicates things that are unclear at best, or untrue at worst, engage the heart but lead away from what is true about God. We want our songs to communicate what is true, good and beautiful, in a way that is honest (true), good, and beautiful.

We Must Know Our People

The congregation to which I belong is likely in a different place in terms of maturity, needs, challenges, pains, ethnicity, socioeconomics, education, etc. compared to yours, at least in terms of the emphasis or prominence of a particular need or demographic. Perhaps your church is walking through a season like mine did several years ago, where we had multiple families experience miscarriages within a few short weeks. There was a sense of mourning that marked us for a time, and we sang songs that reflected that.

Perhaps your church is in a season where there is pronounced maturity and growth, where people are experiencing victory that they have long prayed for. Sing songs that reflect that.

But in order to know what songs to sing, you must know your people. Take them to coffee, buy them a meal, invite them to your home, serve your community with them, visit them in the hospital, counsel them. Make an intentional point to spend meaningful time with the people God has called you to love and serve.

Worship leader, you have a chance to deeply and meaningfully minister to your people and allow them the opportunity to minister to one another as they "teach and admonish one another by singing". (Col. 3:16) Do the songs that you sing reflect and help people amidst the seasons of life they find themselves in? Would the songs that you choose to sing be a balm to the heart of the 35-year-old, same-sex attracted women who feels isolated, alone, and unseen? Would the songs you sing encourage the alcoholic in your church who "fell off the wagon" on Wednesday? Would the songs you sing give voice to the joys of new parents?

Maybe you won’t engage with all of these issues every week in the songs you sing, but we do well to engage them often. The psalmists captured the complexities of the human experience while still making their songs about God. We can too, as we seek to know the Scriptures, know our people, and point them to Jesus who knows how scary it is to be like us, but triumphed over all that plagues us, to give us hope.

Are these things that you consider as you plan? The cold communication of doctrine is insufficient, as is the warm and fuzzies of beautiful music that lack theological depth. We, as people with emotions and with minds, need to be engaged on these levels.

Questions for Reflection

-       Which are you more prone to overemphasize, accurate lyric or aesthetic presentation? Why do you think that is?

-       What steps will you take to move towards moving toward having both deep theology and aesthetic beauty?

-       Do you have a negative evaluation of a theological stream or church near you because they emphasize something different then you? What good can you look for in what they do and seek to apply some of it to your ministry?

Recommended Resources

-       Rhythms of Grace – Mike Cosper

-       Recalling The Hope of Glory – Allen Ross

-       Adorning The Dark – Andrew Peterson

-       Worship Matters – Bob Kauflin

The Necessity of Development

In the early years as a worship leader, much of our development at times comes from watching other leaders. We tend to observe other worship leaders that we respect and try to mimic what they do. What we may think is a great approach can often turn into a ministry that looks polished on the outside but lacks depth and honesty. This is likely because we were neither discipled or developed as a worship leader, nor do we realize how life-giving being “developed” really is.

We need faithful friends and ministry partners who are committed to seeing us grow.

The following four facets of development can not only help us develop as worship leaders, but can also provide some practical advice for discipling other worship leaders..

1. FOCUS ON CHARACTER OVER COMPETENCE

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

Chances are that, as artists in the church, our tendency will be to focus more on our skill than on our character. We can probably all agree that it’s much more fun to sit down and practice guitar than it is to practice spiritual disciplines. But this is what God has called us to cultivate––not only personally, but also in the people we disciple.

Whether your church is big or small, whether your worship team is huge or just a handful of volunteers, God is always more interested in the inward character than in what someone brings to the table externally. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” The eyes of the Lord always see the condition of the heart.

Practically, this can play out in a variety of ways. We have found that one of the best approaches to evaluate someone’s maturity is to observe their willingness and faithfulness in the smallest of areas of service.

For example, if someone comes up to you at the end of a service and wants to be involved in your worship band, one of the first responses shouldn’t necessarily be, “sure when can you serve?” but rather “that’s great! How about you stay after service with us and help roll cables and take down the stage?”

The point behind this is to test someone’s character because if the person asking doesn’t have the humility to even roll instrument cables and serve, it is likely that he/she shouldn’t be trusted to lead God’s people in worship on the stage. At least not right now.

As leaders, we must focus on character over competence because that is the same heart God wants His people to have––especially the leaders of His church. Now, I’m not saying to not focus on competency. We should pursue excellence in our craft as artists in the church––just not at the expense of godly character.

Just as you would practice your instrument, practice being godly. And push your team members and the worship leaders you're developing to do the same in the way they lead and in the way they serve.

2. DEVELOPMENT DEMANDS DELEGATION

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus… Philippians 2:3-5

We should want to give to others what we most desire for ourselves. Think of this through the meaning of the word, "RELINQUISH." More than flippantly dropping something out of your hand, relinquishing something is allowing that thing to be released to a place where it can have a profound impact. Think of this in the context of Jesus. He had everything, He was co-eternal with the Father in Heaven.

Yet, He chose to relinquish all He had by giving of Himself so that mankind would have a way back to the Father. We as believers now have a way to flourish because of Christ’s redemptive, sacrificial work.

That’s what you’re doing when you’re leading a team and you consider others more important than yourself. You are relinquishing control and letting go of things you consider valuable so that others may flourish.

One of the biggest pieces of development is delegation. Think through your weekly rhythms, weekly meetings, services that you lead. If you are currently developing someone, invite them into those things. Then, take it a step further by letting them lead or have ownership in those tasks.

Some of the most impactful moments in leadership development occur when we are given specific tasks or opportunities and are trusted to carry them out fully. While it may require hard work and involve some apprehension, the confidence gained from being entrusted with responsibility can lead to significant growth.

You will NEVER develop people the way you want to unless you are willing to relinquish control in order to let others flourish. Consider others more important than yourself by delegating to them in order to develop them. Using people to get tasks done isn’t enough; use those tasks to help “get people done” in their development journey.

3. PROXIMITY IS INFLUENCE

You need proximity to the people you lead. Influence doesn’t happen from a distance. Just as Jesus lived among His disciples and spent time in close relationship with them, we need to do the same with those we disciple. John 1:14 tells us that “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Jesus didn't teach and lead from afar; He entered into our world, walked alongside us, and lived life with us. This proximity allowed Him to profoundly shape the lives of His followers.

In the same way, we are called to do more than just lead from a platform on Sundays or send a text during the week. To truly influence others, we need to sit across from them, share meals, hear their stories, and engage with the joys and struggles of their lives. When we take the time to invest personally in those we are discipling, our influence becomes far more authentic and transformative.

Ministry is about relationship. If you’re not spending time with the people in your ministry outside of scheduled rehearsals or services, you're missing opportunities to influence their lives in meaningful ways. Influence is built when we are present in the lives of our team members, walking with them through life’s highs and lows. It's in these seemingly small, personal moments that long-lasting development occurs.

Ask yourself, are you building the kind of influence you desire with your team? If the answer is no, maybe the next step is to be more intentional about proximity. Just like Jesus entered into the lives of His people, we must do the same if we truly want to lead others well.

4. GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK

This last section is an area where many of us struggle, but it has a significant opportunity to shape us. Giving constructive, thoughtful feedback is the absolute best way to develop someone.

Over the last few years, we've found more and more people, especially in the church, where this is not true of their ministry. Feedback is just not part of their regular rhythm. Unfortunately, we believe this is the case for two reasons:

1. We’re afraid it might hurt or crush the person we’re wanting to develop.

2. We don’t take the time to care about it.

To help demystify this term, feedback should be thought of through the lens of a surgeon. If you had a large tumor in your leg that needed to be removed a surgeon’s first instinct most likely wouldn’t be, “well, I’m just gonna chop off your leg and get this over with.”

Instead, a surgeon is meticulous. He’s going to carefully take his scalpel, cut open the skin at just the right spot, remove the tumor by carving out only what needs to be cut out, and sew you back together.

In essence, the surgeon finds the root of the problem, points it out, and goes after that one thing so it doesn’t spread to other parts of your body.

Feedback works the same way. While we aren’t “chopping body parts off” so to speak, we are meticulously and very carefully pointing out what doesn’t need to be there and removing it. The entire goal of feedback is to make someone better, not to tear them apart.

Proverbs 27:6 says it best: Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

If we truly care about our team, then we have to be willing to say the hard things. We also have to be willing to hear the hard things.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted. Whenever many of us first start receiving feedback, we often are floored by it because most of the things we hear may be things we never knew and had never thought about. The sad part is that many of us have been leading with some of those bad habits for a long time! Whenever giving feedback is difficult, we should push through it and not avoid it because ultimately it is an expression of love and trust.

Also, expect to receive feedback. It’s a healthy part of life and ministry and in the end, it is for your good. Be a leader that craves feedback, and when you do, know that you’re being shaped into a better leader and shepherd.

In the end, we should have the confidence to give and receive feedback to those we’re developing because we rest in the truth of the Gospel. Just because we hear something that cuts a little doesn’t change at all what the Father thinks about us. Our identity has been given to us and is held by Jesus Christ. This should help us crave feedback more because as we get better at pressing into areas we need to grow in we will also get better at pressing into Jesus and trusting Him with it. And that’s ultimately all that we need.

DEVELOPMENT IS NOT AN OPTION

Jesus saw kingdom potential in people, and He sought to cultivate it. The moment we start turning our eyes towards ourselves in saying, “I can do this in my own strength. I don’t need others,” is the moment that our ministry starts heading towards failure. Look around you, find the people who are in your midst, and move towards intentionally developing them. Then go do it, test their character, delegate the things you see as most important to them, have proximity to them, give them feedback, and trust the Lord with the outcome. It is immensely crucial that we value development in our churches, for the glory of God.