Worship ministry guidelines
Thank you for expressing interest in the Worship Ministry at Abundant Grace Community Church. As a part of this ministry, we have the opportunity to bring God’s people into His presence. We believe God has called each of us for this hour. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) As members of this ministry, we are fully committed and united in our mission to tell the world the Good News about Jesus Christ.
The psalmist David said we are to make His praise glorious. This requires not only our talent and a willing heart, but also our full commitment to the ministry. When the call of God draws upon our hearts, it requires us to become responsible for Him. Worship is birthed out of a committed heart towards our Heavenly Father. He longs and seeks for those whose hearts are pressing hard after Him. In worship, we boldly come before His presence, to behold the beauty of the Lord.
Our Vision:
To help people connect with God in a personal way, through exciting praise and intimate worship. We desire to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We long to enter into true worship where our spirit adores and connects with the Spirit of God, where the very core of our being is found loving and adoring Him.
Foundations:
• We are called to minister through worship, not performance
• The music is designed to encourage the congregation to be participants rather than spectators
• We desire to establish a balance between organized presentation and being spontaneous and flexible when following the lead of the Holy Spirit
Our Mission:
• To develop individuals within the AGCC Music Ministry to minister and serve in and through worship in a variety of services and settings
• To incorporate eclectic musical diversity to be able to reach different groups of people
• To teach and lead the congregation in experiencing God’s presence through praise and worship
The psalmist David said we are to make His praise glorious. This requires not only our talent and a willing heart, but also our full commitment to the ministry. When the call of God draws upon our hearts, it requires us to become responsible for Him. Worship is birthed out of a committed heart towards our Heavenly Father. He longs and seeks for those whose hearts are pressing hard after Him. In worship, we boldly come before His presence, to behold the beauty of the Lord.
Our Vision:
To help people connect with God in a personal way, through exciting praise and intimate worship. We desire to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We long to enter into true worship where our spirit adores and connects with the Spirit of God, where the very core of our being is found loving and adoring Him.
Foundations:
• We are called to minister through worship, not performance
• The music is designed to encourage the congregation to be participants rather than spectators
• We desire to establish a balance between organized presentation and being spontaneous and flexible when following the lead of the Holy Spirit
Our Mission:
• To develop individuals within the AGCC Music Ministry to minister and serve in and through worship in a variety of services and settings
• To incorporate eclectic musical diversity to be able to reach different groups of people
• To teach and lead the congregation in experiencing God’s presence through praise and worship
PRIMARY REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be a born again Christian
• Must be a committed member of AGCC
• Must be regularly attending church services and faithful to pray and tithe
Qualities we look for in a possible team member
• Called of God to be a part of the Worship Ministry (This is between you and God)
• A cooperative and humble attitude/submission to leadership and a team player
• A passion for God and a heart to worship
• A heart to see the lost saved
• A commitment to the responsibilities listed in these guidelines
COMMITMENT LEVEL
1. Church Services:
We, as team members, should come to church prepared spiritually and ready to give out of the overflow of your relationship with God. We all need to arrive ready to lead others into God’s presence and to pray/fast for the services during the week.
• Must be a born again Christian
• Must be a committed member of AGCC
• Must be regularly attending church services and faithful to pray and tithe
Qualities we look for in a possible team member
• Called of God to be a part of the Worship Ministry (This is between you and God)
• A cooperative and humble attitude/submission to leadership and a team player
• A passion for God and a heart to worship
• A heart to see the lost saved
• A commitment to the responsibilities listed in these guidelines
COMMITMENT LEVEL
1. Church Services:
We, as team members, should come to church prepared spiritually and ready to give out of the overflow of your relationship with God. We all need to arrive ready to lead others into God’s presence and to pray/fast for the services during the week.
2. Participation:
• All team members of the Worship Ministry are expected to faithfully attend services
• Prayer - We shall begin every service with prayer, followed by sound check. We shall meet in the main sanctuary ready to begin by 9:00 AM Sunday mornings. You are expected to be there 15 minutes prior to the hour, to set up and settle in.
• It is critical that your immediate family members are willing to accept the necessary time commitment and be supportive of your participation in this ministry.
3. Stage Presence:
• Because we worship on a very visible platform, our body language should express humility and joy in serving, singing, and playing for the Lord. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and awkward movements are clearly noticed. We are careful not to vocally or instrumentally draw unnecessary attention to ourselves, so as to not be a distraction. Equally important, we do not want to exhibit inhibitions or fear in expressing ourselves through worship.
• When singing/worshipping, be mindful and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the type of music being implemented. Be attentive to the leader’s cues, while remaining in a prayerful attitude. NOTE: If you feel the Holy Spirit is speaking and pouring into you a Word to share with the congregation, please speak with the Senior Pastor or Worship Pastor before speaking to the congregation. If you’re on the platform, utilize discernment to give the Word in a timely manner.
4. Dress Code
• We are called to love and respect each team member, the congregation, church leadership, and God. We honor Him and others with our dress. Anytime we are called to participate on any platform or venue, at any time, the expectation is that clothing be neat, appropriate, and conducive for full participation. I ask that each team member be proactive in ensuring that the appropriate modest dress standard (non-provocative, sexy or offensive) be upheld with integrity
5. Singing/Playing
• It is the responsibility of the worship team member to make himself/herself familiar with the selected music material.
• Musicians and vocalists alike, should to be musically skilled and proficient to follow a service which is “led by the Spirit of God.” But more than individual expertise, our musical goals need to be the ability to “flow” in the anointing of God, with the team as one unit.
• Singers or musicians, though highly gifted, but may have trouble flowing with team, due to vocal range, musical style, etc., are encouraged to share their musical gifts in other ways… home fellowship worship, musical specials, children’s church worship, creative arts, etc.
• The team occasionally leads worship for special services, conferences or meetings, at church or other venues.
• Periodically, as a team, we get together for food, fellowship, and fun.
• Because our desire is to be and give our very best to the service of the Lord, we must work at our instrument and/or vocal ability. This means a great deal of individual practice before we meet for rehearsals.
6. A Heart of Worship
We want to emphasize that we are not performing for the congregation, but ministering to God. As we sing/worship the Lord, He will minister to the body of Christ, His bride, the church… through us, His vessels. We desire to flow under His direction, power, and anointing. Many times prophetic worship is birthed. Prophetic worship is a combination of spontaneous music, a “new” song, a Word from the Lord, or dance. The prophetic word, in context, means “hearing God in your heart and communicating what He says. To prophesy is to speak, sing, play an instrument, or dance by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Prophetic worship services often include speaking in tongues, utterances, or proclamations of healing. At AGCC, we are blessed to be able to liberally worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth and often times the spontaneity in worship gives way to the prophetic.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES ON AND OFF STAGE (Addressing Character)
• Living a life of Example - we must live a life of righteousness before God and before man. The Bible tells us to flee temptation and avoid the very appearance of evil. It is our responsibility not to bring shame to the name of Jesus Christ. Our example of Christ must be strong and clean of any immoral conduct… speech and behavior.
• Atmosphere - We want to welcome the Holy Spirit into all of our preparation, individual practices, and rehearsals. This will cause excellence in ministry. Therefore, we need to be mindful of the manner of how we conduct ourselves. We want to be careful to stay away from gossip, competition, and strife. These types of behaviors are not acceptable in ministry and give way to division.
• Cooperation - Because there is a myriad of musical styles and songs, every effort should be made to cooperate with the Worship Pastor/Leader’s goal in considering the needs of church members while ministering to the whole body of Christ.
• Social Media - Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. We are called to be good stewards of our time. Since we are all exposed to some sort of social media, it is very important not to squander our precious time meandering various platforms. We humbly ask that you diligently utilize discernment when posting on any and all internet media public platforms, ie…Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. We have the moral responsibility to abstain from unwholesome, ungodly, negative, disrespectful communication, criticizing, debating, spewing hatred or insult. As vessels in the Lord’s hands, we desire to guard our eyes and our hearts, honor God with positive communication, and maintain a respectable presence on the platform. Possible questions to ask before posting… Is what you’re posting helpful in a positive way? Is it motivated by love, grace, joy, patience, faithfulness, or mercy? Are you looking to spew because you hold contrary opinions? Instead, our communication should be honorable to God and build people up. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
8. TEAM MEMBER REQUIREMENTS IN THE AGCC WORSHIP MINISTRY
• Interview and audition with the Worship Pastor
• Must be a member of AGCC and regularly attend church services
• Complete and submit the Worship Team Questionnaire
• Agree and commit to Worship Team Ministry Guidelines
• Meet attendance requirements for singing/playing at Sunday services… being on time, as well as being at rehearsal the Thursday prior
• New members will have a probationary period of minimum 3 weeks rehearsal with the team on Thursdays before being asked to serve on a Sunday service
PREPARATION GUIDELINES
• When you are scheduled, you are expected to attend Thursday rehearsals and Sunday services. Singers must attend Thursday rehearsal in order to sing at the next Sunday service. The only exceptions are when there is no Thursday rehearsal, or you are cleared by the leadership, after discussing it with the Worship Pastor.
• Diligently, plan on being at each rehearsal and service in a timely manner (6:45 PM Thursdays and 7:45AM for Spanish Service and 10:30am for English Service on Sundays)
• If you cannot attend a scheduled rehearsal or a Sunday service, please notify leadership. Excessive absences or patterns of lateness are signs of lack of commitment to the ministry, which can result in dismissal.
• Team members are responsible and expected to conduct individual practices before attending rehearsals. When no preparation is done, rehearsals are slow and learning and mastering the material is hindered.
• You’ll need to download the Planning Center Online App (PCO) for schedules and access to music sheets, mp3s, videos. https://login.planningcenteronline.com/
• Recommended to download the Loop Community App, which the team utilizes for music tracks.
https://loopcommunity.com (This App is currently only available for Apple Devices)
COMMITMENT FROM LEADERSHIP
I humbly ask that you keep our music ministry in prayer. We understand the Lord calls us at different times to serve Him in many ways. If at any time you feel the Lord is calling you to a different ministry or place, kindly discuss it with the Worship Pastor. Everything must be done in love. I am here to serve you. We are held to a higher standard and must lead by example. I’m committed to support, equip, encourage, and lead you in this ministry. In my leadership capacity, I’ll strive to help stir and develop your musical abilities. Ultimately, the final decision as to who becomes a member of the Worship Team is made primarily by the Worship Pastor. Carefully weighed input from other members of the Worship Team and/or church leadership will be acknowledged.
Very Respectfully,
Mio Cabeza
Worship Pastor
Abundant Grace Community Church
miocabeza@gmail.com
956.219.6035
• All team members of the Worship Ministry are expected to faithfully attend services
• Prayer - We shall begin every service with prayer, followed by sound check. We shall meet in the main sanctuary ready to begin by 9:00 AM Sunday mornings. You are expected to be there 15 minutes prior to the hour, to set up and settle in.
• It is critical that your immediate family members are willing to accept the necessary time commitment and be supportive of your participation in this ministry.
3. Stage Presence:
• Because we worship on a very visible platform, our body language should express humility and joy in serving, singing, and playing for the Lord. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and awkward movements are clearly noticed. We are careful not to vocally or instrumentally draw unnecessary attention to ourselves, so as to not be a distraction. Equally important, we do not want to exhibit inhibitions or fear in expressing ourselves through worship.
• When singing/worshipping, be mindful and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the type of music being implemented. Be attentive to the leader’s cues, while remaining in a prayerful attitude. NOTE: If you feel the Holy Spirit is speaking and pouring into you a Word to share with the congregation, please speak with the Senior Pastor or Worship Pastor before speaking to the congregation. If you’re on the platform, utilize discernment to give the Word in a timely manner.
4. Dress Code
• We are called to love and respect each team member, the congregation, church leadership, and God. We honor Him and others with our dress. Anytime we are called to participate on any platform or venue, at any time, the expectation is that clothing be neat, appropriate, and conducive for full participation. I ask that each team member be proactive in ensuring that the appropriate modest dress standard (non-provocative, sexy or offensive) be upheld with integrity
5. Singing/Playing
• It is the responsibility of the worship team member to make himself/herself familiar with the selected music material.
• Musicians and vocalists alike, should to be musically skilled and proficient to follow a service which is “led by the Spirit of God.” But more than individual expertise, our musical goals need to be the ability to “flow” in the anointing of God, with the team as one unit.
• Singers or musicians, though highly gifted, but may have trouble flowing with team, due to vocal range, musical style, etc., are encouraged to share their musical gifts in other ways… home fellowship worship, musical specials, children’s church worship, creative arts, etc.
• The team occasionally leads worship for special services, conferences or meetings, at church or other venues.
• Periodically, as a team, we get together for food, fellowship, and fun.
• Because our desire is to be and give our very best to the service of the Lord, we must work at our instrument and/or vocal ability. This means a great deal of individual practice before we meet for rehearsals.
6. A Heart of Worship
We want to emphasize that we are not performing for the congregation, but ministering to God. As we sing/worship the Lord, He will minister to the body of Christ, His bride, the church… through us, His vessels. We desire to flow under His direction, power, and anointing. Many times prophetic worship is birthed. Prophetic worship is a combination of spontaneous music, a “new” song, a Word from the Lord, or dance. The prophetic word, in context, means “hearing God in your heart and communicating what He says. To prophesy is to speak, sing, play an instrument, or dance by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Prophetic worship services often include speaking in tongues, utterances, or proclamations of healing. At AGCC, we are blessed to be able to liberally worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth and often times the spontaneity in worship gives way to the prophetic.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES ON AND OFF STAGE (Addressing Character)
• Living a life of Example - we must live a life of righteousness before God and before man. The Bible tells us to flee temptation and avoid the very appearance of evil. It is our responsibility not to bring shame to the name of Jesus Christ. Our example of Christ must be strong and clean of any immoral conduct… speech and behavior.
• Atmosphere - We want to welcome the Holy Spirit into all of our preparation, individual practices, and rehearsals. This will cause excellence in ministry. Therefore, we need to be mindful of the manner of how we conduct ourselves. We want to be careful to stay away from gossip, competition, and strife. These types of behaviors are not acceptable in ministry and give way to division.
• Cooperation - Because there is a myriad of musical styles and songs, every effort should be made to cooperate with the Worship Pastor/Leader’s goal in considering the needs of church members while ministering to the whole body of Christ.
• Social Media - Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. We are called to be good stewards of our time. Since we are all exposed to some sort of social media, it is very important not to squander our precious time meandering various platforms. We humbly ask that you diligently utilize discernment when posting on any and all internet media public platforms, ie…Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. We have the moral responsibility to abstain from unwholesome, ungodly, negative, disrespectful communication, criticizing, debating, spewing hatred or insult. As vessels in the Lord’s hands, we desire to guard our eyes and our hearts, honor God with positive communication, and maintain a respectable presence on the platform. Possible questions to ask before posting… Is what you’re posting helpful in a positive way? Is it motivated by love, grace, joy, patience, faithfulness, or mercy? Are you looking to spew because you hold contrary opinions? Instead, our communication should be honorable to God and build people up. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
8. TEAM MEMBER REQUIREMENTS IN THE AGCC WORSHIP MINISTRY
• Interview and audition with the Worship Pastor
• Must be a member of AGCC and regularly attend church services
• Complete and submit the Worship Team Questionnaire
• Agree and commit to Worship Team Ministry Guidelines
• Meet attendance requirements for singing/playing at Sunday services… being on time, as well as being at rehearsal the Thursday prior
• New members will have a probationary period of minimum 3 weeks rehearsal with the team on Thursdays before being asked to serve on a Sunday service
PREPARATION GUIDELINES
• When you are scheduled, you are expected to attend Thursday rehearsals and Sunday services. Singers must attend Thursday rehearsal in order to sing at the next Sunday service. The only exceptions are when there is no Thursday rehearsal, or you are cleared by the leadership, after discussing it with the Worship Pastor.
• Diligently, plan on being at each rehearsal and service in a timely manner (6:45 PM Thursdays and 7:45AM for Spanish Service and 10:30am for English Service on Sundays)
• If you cannot attend a scheduled rehearsal or a Sunday service, please notify leadership. Excessive absences or patterns of lateness are signs of lack of commitment to the ministry, which can result in dismissal.
• Team members are responsible and expected to conduct individual practices before attending rehearsals. When no preparation is done, rehearsals are slow and learning and mastering the material is hindered.
• You’ll need to download the Planning Center Online App (PCO) for schedules and access to music sheets, mp3s, videos. https://login.planningcenteronline.com/
• Recommended to download the Loop Community App, which the team utilizes for music tracks.
https://loopcommunity.com (This App is currently only available for Apple Devices)
COMMITMENT FROM LEADERSHIP
I humbly ask that you keep our music ministry in prayer. We understand the Lord calls us at different times to serve Him in many ways. If at any time you feel the Lord is calling you to a different ministry or place, kindly discuss it with the Worship Pastor. Everything must be done in love. I am here to serve you. We are held to a higher standard and must lead by example. I’m committed to support, equip, encourage, and lead you in this ministry. In my leadership capacity, I’ll strive to help stir and develop your musical abilities. Ultimately, the final decision as to who becomes a member of the Worship Team is made primarily by the Worship Pastor. Carefully weighed input from other members of the Worship Team and/or church leadership will be acknowledged.
Very Respectfully,
Mio Cabeza
Worship Pastor
Abundant Grace Community Church
miocabeza@gmail.com
956.219.6035
IF YOU AGREE WITH THE GUIDELINES STATED ABOVE,
CLICK THE RED BUTTON TO PROCEEED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE
CLICK THE RED BUTTON TO PROCEEED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE