Service-Leading

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The ministry of Service-Leading

God’s people gather to do a number of things:

The service-leader is responsible for integrating these elements by planning and directing the parts of the service so that they flow and hold together in a helpful way. The service-leader’s role is the glue that appears between all the other elements, but does not dominate. Different service leaders have different styles, which helps avoid a ‘rut’ in service style, but variation works best within a consistent framework that allows those present to know what to expect.

For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.  The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
1 Cor 14:31-33

Tips & Tricks

  • Be warm and helpful, but avoid the temptation to be the main feature or the stand-up comedian.
  • Contact all the service participants in the week before to ensure no surprises
  • Bring a printed service order to hand-out to the participants
  • Read the passage and speak to the preacher to see if you can reinforce the theme of the night with other parts of the service
  • Be prepared to change the order on the fly, e.g. by dropping a song if the service goes over-time.
  • Don’t introduce every part of the service – cue other participants to come straight up.

Links and resources

Service Leader Quickstart

bettergatherings.com
Leading services is a ministry, and therefore it has various things in common with other ministries. We should strive to do it as well as we can, in order to glorify God and bless others by our service. Prayerful preparation is an important expression of this aim. It is not helpful to put together a service a few minutes before starting! Moreover, the service leader is more than a ‘master of ceremonies’, introducing various items in a concert. The responsibility is to lead others to encounter God and play their part in the encouragement and strengthening of his people.