Nine Key Components to Introduce a New Song, Part 4
By Jon Nicol
6. The presentation
For my first vocational ministry experience, I was a youth and worship pastor in small church in a small town in Ohio. During that time, the acoustic guitar I had been playing since high school was slowly falling apart. One of the members of the church (we'll call him Rob, because that's his name) found out about it and secretly began a collection to buy me a new guitar.
The church, from what I was told, actually got really excited about it. How I didn’t find out about it is either a testament to their discretion or my obliviousness.
One Sunday when I was gone Rob gave a progress report. The amount they had raised was $666. Someone ran to the front with a dollar bill, not wanting any bad juju in the church. They eventually raised over a $1000 to give to me. For that church at that time, that was huge!
When the time came to give me the check, do you think Rob just mailed me a check and said, "A few of us chipped in. Here’s a grand for a new guitar."
No way.
The whole church wanted in on this. When I had finished leading worship one Sunday, Rob came up to the platform. He expressed how much they appreciated me and loved me and wanted me to put this money they had raised towards a new guitar.
There was clapping. And cheering. And hugging. And laughing at my gaped-mouth surprise.
The way they presented the gift made the content of the gift even more valuable.
We need to consider that as we introduce new songs. The way we present new songs matters. We add value to the song by presenting it well.
Here are just a few suggestions to do that:
1. Arrange.
Reshape both the instrumentation and form it to fit your church and team.
2. Prepare.
Know the song inside and out.
3. Internalize.
Get to know the lyrics that you’re singing, so you can reinforce with non-verbally expression what the song is saying.
4. Introduce.
Why are you adding this song? Why does it matter.
5. Teach.
Respect people enough to bring them along. They will embrace the new song if given the chance to learn it, versus having it sprung on them.
You can get more ideas for presenting a song well in the series 5 ½ Tips for Teaching New Songs.
This series is part of an ebook I'm working on to give worship leaders a solid system to introduce, rotation and retire their songs. I'd love your input, either with the discussion question below or any other input you want to give.
Question: What are some ways you present a new song to your church?
December 6, 2012
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