Creative Connections: Leading the Crowd to Intimacy with God

Originally Published in Worship Leader Magazine

By Rick Muchow

Do you wish your congregation participated more during your worship services? Are you looking for creative ways to more effectively communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ in your worship services? Are you frustrated, feel like moving on, or giving up on ministry? Before I share the backstory of the importance of creativity in the local church, check out these practical principles, that must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to work. I hope these ideas will encourage your creativity and benefit your ministry as they have mine.

• Lead with love
• Pray your songs
• Greet the congregation before you get on stage and after
• Lead songs in the culture of the congregation
• Sing songs in the key of the congregation (see my app)
• Sing familiar songs—Incorporate new songs regularly but sparingly
• Use theologically accurate lyrics with terms that guests can understand
• Choose tempos that fit the meter and message of the lyric
• Display or print lyrics clearly and in the correct order
• Prefer the congregation’s or community’s musical style preference over the staff’s
• Don’t choose songs solely based on radio or polling popularity
• Put the songs in a sequence that take the crowd on a journey toward intimacy in worship
• Feature vocal melody as the prominent sound in the mix: Congregations sing to singers 
• Clearly, intentionally, and affably invite the crowd to sing
• Focus on connection, not perfection—excellence is valuable, but it’s not the goal
• Always do your best—be prepared
• Use songs that support the sermon theme