Back in August, Jules Burt, Jordan Dillon and myself had the enormous privilege of leading worship at Newday 2011. But this time we tried something a little different. Instead of each of us leading the different sessions over the week individually, we decided to co-lead all of them, all together, as a team.

What followed over that week was one of the most profound, exciting and fulfilling weeks of leading worship I’ve ever experienced. God led us places we’d never been; new songs and new sounds just came out of us; we journeyed deep into the heart of God. So after some thought, Jules, Jordan and I have pulled together 9 reasons why co-leading worship worked for us:

1. Breadth of gifting

God builds us to be a body of different parts (1 Cor 12:12-30) so each worship leader has different gifts – no one person has it all. Jules has a strong prophetic gift, I operate more from a leadership and teaching gift, whereas Jordan has a strong American gift. Leading as a team means we can all play to our strength and go places we wouldn’t have necessarily gone if just one person had led.

2. Breadth of songs

When say Jules is leading, there will be some songs she wouldn’t use as they’re more suited for a guys voice, so her song choice is restricted. Leading as a team means Jordan could step in for that song – opening a greater breadth of songs for her to choose from.

3. Breadth of prophetic songs

Sometimes one of us may have a new song to sing out in the moment, either prophetically or as a response song (Ps 96:1, Col 3:16, Eph 5:19). With more of us on the stage, there’s a greater breadth of style and song that would bubble up.

4. Stepping back, taking in

When someone takes over the lead for a bit, it gives you a chance just to step back and see what the Father is doing. It’s often easier to hear Him speak and see Him move when you step back and just watch, without having to lead the meeting. Then you can jump in again and take the reigns if and when is right.

5. More energy on stage

It surprises me how often I see people lead and play in worship bands who quite frankly look BORED. I feel like asking them “Do you actually believe what you’re singing??” Body language is such a big part of leading worship, we lead from our hearts, then our bodies. So having more people on stage, full of energy, zeal and passion for God, means people are caught up in a mighty celebration, rather than a dull life-less meeting.

6. Stops being about one person

Our role is to direct hearts to God and we always want Him to be the focus of what we do. Sometimes having one worship leader all evening, one face on the screen the whole time and one voice coming out of the speakers can be a temptation for us to place too much attention and value on that worship leader. Leading as team helps emphasise the fact we’re there to look to God, rather than enjoy a one-man show. It helps protect our hearts as leaders too.

7. Models team

Closely linked with number 6, there’s something about teams that God particularly loves. God Himself is a team; 3 persons, 1 God. They’re all equal, yet all honour each other. So in a world full of big egos, VIPs and X-factor celebs, it’s a great opportunity for us to try and model honouring each other, preferring each other, and respecting each other as we lead worship. (Note. I’m not comparing Jules, Jordan and I to the trinity. That would be wrong)

8. Sharing the load

Leading worship is spiritually and physically draining, so it’s great to know you don’t have to carry it all but there are others who can step in and carry the meeting with you. It’s like knowing you’re all in it together makes it seem easier!

9. It’s fun!

We love being team, dancing, celebrating and making a huge sound together!

3 leaders, 1 meeting?

So how did it actually work? Basically all three of us would be on stage, with different ones taking a lead in the worship at different points in the evening. One of us would still take more of a lead overall for that particular evening, planing song-list and deciding who’d lead which songs. But the idea was we’d lead as a team – if any one of us felt God leading it in a certain direction, we’d go with it – listening, honouring, respecting each other, and seeing what God would do. This is something I’d seen modelled amazingly well by Dave Fellingham, Stuart Townend, Lou Fellingham, Kate Simmonds, Paul Oakley and Matt Redman over the years, and more recently at Worship Central and was keen to give it a go….

Session 1 Friday pm

Let God arise (G) – Tomlin
This Is Life (C) – Brading
You alone can rescue (A) – Redman
Have You heard (Bb) – Brading / Kendrick / Fellingham
You chose the cross (Bb) – Layzel
Jesus lover of my soul (D) – Oakley
[ p r e a c h ]
The third day (F) – Brading / Redman

Session 2 Saturday am

Salvation (G) – Brading
Happy day (C) – Hughes
You never let go (B) – Redman
Hosanna (E) – Fraser
Be lifted up (E) – Oakley
I will give You all my worship (E) Ruis
I’ll stand (E) – Houston

Session 3 Sat afternoon (Prayer meeting)

Strength will rise (Bb)  - Brown / Reily
The third day (F) – Brading / Redman
Before the throne (D) – Bancroft  / Terrell
[ p r a y e r ]
Let the rain come (Bb) – Brading / Hall / Simmonds

Session 4 Sat pm

Our God He reigns (C#m) – Brading / Redman
We shall not be shaken (F) – Redman
Great is Your faithfulness (A) – Redman
My soul is well (A) – Dillon / Brading
It is well with my soul (A) – Spafford
I’m made rich (This Is Life) (A) – Brading
Consuming fire (G) – Hughes
[ p r e a c h ]
I will worship (G) – Ruis
He brought me to banqueting table (G) – Ruis
Saviour King (F) – Hillsong
One way (B) – Hillsong
Going Your way (B) – Brading / Tuson
Did you feel the mountaints (B) – Martin Smyth
Dance in the river (B) – Martin Smyth
This Is Life (C) – Brading
Dancing generation (D) – Redman

Well, it’s that time of the year where we up-the-game as a band, and take a quite few evenings out to rehearse rehearse rehearse like crazy as we’re leading worship quite a lot at events this summer, some of which will have albums produced from them… Together On A Mission, Mobilise, Newday, Rendevouz Bible Week France, CCK.

Some of us have been playing together as a band for the last 10 years, whilst the others have joined at some point over this last decade. Over that time we’ve learned a whole lot about what actually makes an effective, fruitful rehearsal… and what makes a frustrating, draining and fruitless one.

So over the next few days and weeks, I’ll try and organise my thoughts on this and get some succinct posts up answering the question ‘What makes an effective rehearsal?’ But in the meantime, here’s a little video of our rehearsal from last night..