Praise Team System

System Owner: Kristi Bond

Purpose and Scope:
This system is to guide the praise team in facilitating an atmosphere of praise and worship that creates an opportunity for everyone who attends services at theCrossroads to have a meaningful experience with God.

Procedure:

1. New Member Responsibilities: 
  1. All new members will receive and sign theCrossroads’ Leadership Honor Code and will uphold all expectations as outlined in this form.
  2. All new members will be trained on microphone use.
    • How to turn microphones on/off/standby
    • Battery replacement
  3. All new members will be trained on how to use Planning Center Online (PCO).
    • New members will know how to respond to scheduling requests.
    • New members will know how to access service schedules.
    • New members will know how to access song lists, song lyrics, and chord charts. 

2. Member Responsibilities: 
  1. All members will have access to PCO.
  2. All members will receive PCO emails/notifications informing them of the service dates and times that they are scheduled to sing and/or play for the upcoming month. (Members should learn how to make “block-out dates” in PCO in advance of any services they will not be available for.)
  3. All members will accept or decline scheduling requests, sent via PCO, at least one week prior to the date that they are scheduled to sing and/or play. 
  4. If a member must decline a scheduling request, that member should do so as soon as possible to allow appropriate time for the praise team leader to find another appropriate singer/musician to replace their position for the service that they have declined.   
  5. All members assigned to sing and/or play for any services are expected to participate in the weekly practices. (So that everyone gets familiar with all the songs and material that we cover).
  6. All members are expected to be familiar with the songs that are scheduled for the upcoming service, prior to practice. 
  7. If a member is not available to attend a scheduled practice, that member is expected to notify the praise team leader and will not sing or play during the following service for which the practice is being held (unless otherwise specified by the Lead Pastor).
  8. All members are expected to arrive on time for practice and be ready to begin rehearsal upon arrival.
  9. All members should rehearse during practice as they would sing or play during the actual service—with excellence.
  10. All members should strive to remain on task during practices, with respect for one another’s time and with focus on the task at hand (keeping sidebar conversations at a minimum).
  11. All members are expected to have each song rehearsed and ready to minister when they arrive to service.
  12. All singers will be assigned a specific microphone (indicated by color), and will use their designated microphones each time they are scheduled to practice or sing.

3. Praise Team Leader Responsibilities:
  1. The designated praise team leader will have access to, and a working knowledge of PCO (services).
  2. The praise team leader will select two to three praise/worship songs (or as otherwise specified by the Lead Pastor) for all services each month, and will add them to PCO service schedules for praise team members to access and review. 
  3. Any new songs sung/played by the praise team must be approved by the Lead Pastor prior to being placed on the service schedule. 
  4. The praise team leader is expected to refer to the Preaching Plan or communicate with the Lead Pastor directly, in order to select songs that compliment a sermon, series, or theme for special events.  
  5. The praise team leader will ensure that selected songs will be available for review in PCO at least one week prior to the service for which they are scheduled. 
  6. The praise team leader will ensure that all selected songs sung and played by the praise team contain lyrics and chord charts, and are easily accessible in PCO. 
  7. Before loading a song selection into PCO, the praise team leader is responsible for making sure all songs selected for their designated service are in the right key to match the vocal range and/or abilities of the team.
  8. The praise team leader is expected to provide a song list and lyrics to members of the multimedia team who are scheduled to operate Pro-Presenter for designated services, prior to scheduled practices. 
  9. The praise team leader is expected to select songs that encourage praise and worship, edify the congregation, and flow smoothly in transition (with consideration for scriptural soundness/content, style/genre, themes, keys, and tempo). 
  10. The praise team leader will send out links to new songs (youtube, worshipiclub, etc.) via email, and/or text, at least one week prior to the scheduled practice of these songs. 
  11. The praise team leader will be in communication with the creator of the church’s master schedule and will send him/her a rough draft of a praise team singer schedule, during the last week of each month, for every upcoming month. 
  12. The praise team leader will schedule singers and musicians for designated services (in accordance with the master schedule) and will send members PCO scheduling requests at the beginning of each month.  
  13. The praise team leader will communicate with all members when changes in the praise team practice schedule occurs (cancelled or postponed practices, etc.) via text, email, or phone, at least 48 hours prior to the originally scheduled practice. 
  14. The praise team leader is expected to stay aware and watch for any signals or changes directed by the Lead Pastor during the worship portion of the service and will follow accordingly.
  15. The praise team leader must get approval from the Lead Pastor prior to adding new members to the praise team. 
  16. The praise team leader will ensure that all new members receive the appropriate training required (microphone/PCO use) to increase effective integration on the team.

4. Mid-Week Service Responsibilities:
  1. Praise team members will receive a PCO scheduling request at least 48 hours prior to midweek service and will familiarize themselves with the song scheduled for that particular service. 
  2. Praise team members will arrive to church at least 15 minutes prior to the start of mid-week service. (For brief soundcheck, and prayer etc.)

5. Worship Responsibilities: 
  1. All members should be present on the platform and ready to lead in praise/worship at the time specified by the Lead Pastor. 
  2. All members are expected to lead the congregation in praise and worship by example (as active participants during the song service, preaching, etc.). 

6. Post-Worship Responsibilities:
  1. All members are expected to exit the platform at the end of worship set(s), prior to the reading of scripture/beginning of sermon, unless otherwise directed by the Lead Pastor.
  2. All members are expected to attend the rest of the service as a member of the congregation.
  3. The musician designated to the piano/keys will be attentive throughout service and ready to return to the platform for the altar call at the appropriate time of service (as indicated by the Lead Pastor).
  4. The praise team leader or designated band member will select a song for altar call that places emphasis on the content preached and that matches the theme of the service. (Unless already given and altar song by pastor or speaker).
  5. The praise team leader, pianist/designated band member, and multi-media worker (on Pro-Presenter) will be in communication regarding the song selected for altar call, to ensure that said members work together to facilitate a welcoming, worshipful atmosphere during this portion of the service.  
  6. Specified singers are to be ready to return to the platform during the altar call as instructed by the Lead Pastor or Praise Team Leader.

7. General Responsibilities: 
  1. All Team Members are expected to attend the church’s weekly prayer meetings as well as any other scheduled services. 
  2. All members will participate in pre-service “Tag-Ins” prior to worship services to review the service schedule and pray together, as directed by the Lead Pastor. 
  3. All members are to follow theCrossroads’ Ministry Expectations guidelines without exception. (Please see Pastor or Praise Team Leader for an explanation of any expectations that are not clear to you prior to signing.)

Acknowledge:
This system has been reviewed with me and I have had an opportunity to ask questions and discuss pertinent details. I understand my role on the team.