5 Questions to Ask when Evaluating your Service
When was the last time you watched a video of yourself leading worship?
I know that may seem like a silly question after many of us spent a year or more (or still are!) doing all video services, but how often did you actually watch yourself/your team? How often did you evaluate your leadership?
If your answer is, “Not often! I was more concerned with whether or not the video would even work week to week!” you’re not alone. Many of the worship leaders I work with haven’t had time to evaluate themselves in over a year. It’s just been too hectic. And that’s understandable. Now that things seem to be getting back to normal, though, many are ready to work on personal and team development again. If that’s you, I recommend you start by watching and evaluating your latest worship service. I liken it to watching game film.
If you're a sports fan or played ball in high school or college, I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept of game film. If you're not, it's pretty simple to understand. Game film is video footage of a game that coaches and teams look back on to see what they did well and where they can improve.
A camera is an excellent tool for evaluation because it doesn’t lie. It shows you exactly what happened. The first few times, you probably won't like what you see. That's okay. If you see something wrong and make adjustments, you'll begin to see improvements.
This exercise will show you where individuals on your team are engaged with the service and where they’re not. It will show you if you look bored or excited. It will allow you to see what your posture is communicating. It will tell you if you stumble over yourself speaking or if you get straight to the point.
Like I said, you may not like what you see, but if you really evaluate yourself, make adjustments, and try again, you will see improvement!
As you’re watching your game film, ask yourself these questions:
If I were a congregant in the service, would I want to follow those leaders? Why/Why not?
Do the words I’m hearing make sense? (In speaking moments)
Is the band engaged with what’s going on?
Do the people on stage look like they believe what they’re saying?
How am I/how is my team modeling worship?