Building a Setlist

Once the worship leader has cultivated their own ministry with the Lord and refined their musical talents for the purpose of the glory of God, there comes a time to pick a list of songs. Paul Baloche highlights the need to consider the setting, personnel, and context of the service he's preparing for. For example, the age of the congregation is important for choosing type of song in terms of currency. Baloche also describes how he consults the person teaching that week for pointers as to the theme of songs he should decide upon. After all of this, Baloche sits down and chooses songs and, importantly, keys. He points out that the congregation should be able to sing in the key he chooses. It's not about them watching the band perform, but participating and engaging in worship instead. 

I love how Baloche emphasizes the idea of putting yourself in the moment beforehand. This helps with musical preparation, but it also prepares the heart for service. However, I would've like to hear Baloche stress the idea of choosing songs PRIMARILY because of what they say. As worship leaders we cannot fall into the trap of picking songs simply because they're popular, they sound good, or people get excited about them. There are plenty of contemporary songs that are top of the charts in terms of popularity, but lack scriptural truths. Jesus calls us to love the truth, and that means proclaiming the truth of his word when we worship musically. Before we even sit down to practice, we must make sure that the songs we choose are coherent with scripture and meant to inspire spiritually, not just emotionally. 

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