Here's a typical Sunday setlist planning session...
10:00 Breathe a quick prayer
10:0� Pull up the topic for the service
10:07 Read the main scriptures
10:08 Sip my Pike Place Roast
10:10 Look through the songs I've been doing, checking for smoldering embers
10:20 Check my "songs I want to teach" list for candidates
10:23 Watch one of them in the New Song Caf� at worshiptraining.com
10:31 Do a topical/keyword search through the master song list
10:44 Begin assembling songs in groupings
10:59 Hit the wall
Yeah, that's about right. My Sundays come around with amazing regularity. And I'm thinking about a ton of factors when I pick songs. Did they "work" last time? Am I "feeling" them? Can the band I'll be leading "pull them off" well? Did I get any "feedback" that encourages (or discourages) using them? Do I feel God's "yes" to lead them for this particular event?
All good questions.
I've been wrestling lately with how to prepare to prepare to lead worship. (that's not a typo) I mean, how do I get my heart and mind ready before I start planning songs. Certainly, my whole life and relationship with Jesus needs to be alive and connected. I have to "live my life before the Lord" and if I am not "abiding in the vine" my life in general will be wilty and fruitless. (ew!)
But I ask myself the following questions when that moment in my week comes when I'm actually picking songs...