IY Worship/Production Expectations
Planning Center
> All general communication will be through Planning Center Services. Check the plans regularly!
> Accept/Decline all Planning Center requests in a timely manner.
> If you accepted and cannot make it, please decline as soon as possible AND communicate to a team leader.
Preparation/Rehearsal/Development Nights
> Rehearsal is not the time for learning songs, but for working through details as a team.
> Band and vocalists should know the songs already.
> Lyric/slide runner should know the songs in advance so that he/she can cue lyrics effectively.
> Give your best during rehearsal just like you would during the service.
> Feedback should be taken seriously and respected. The only reason feedback is given is to improve and develop you!
> Rehearsal on Sunday night begins promptly at 4 PM. In other words, the entire worship/production team should be present and ready to begin BY 4. Arrive 5-10 minutes early to ensure that you are in position when rehearsal starts.
> Development nights begin promptly at 5:45 PM on Wednesday nights. Just like with Sunday afternoon rehearsals, be in position before rehearsal starts.
During the service
> Current youth students should strive to be a part of the youth group as much as possible (i.e., participating in games, sermon, etc.).
> We honor Rhett and other youth speakers by listening and paying attention to the sermon whether we are serving or not.
> When serving on the worship team, make a point to come sit with the youth group (in the front-middle section of the Worship Center) once you leave the stage. This will only be distracting if you wait until the sermon has started. Try to make it into the Worship Center and sit down while Rhett is still in announcements!
> We lead the rest of the youth group by example through our actions.
> When NOT serving, worship/production team members are not allowed in the sound booth during the service. This would be disrespectful to those serving, the youth leaders, and fellow youth members.
Dress Code
> Guys - On Stage
SHIRTS: Guys should wear collared shirts/jackets, or nice-looking t-shirts. All shirts should be clean and ironed. Avoid distracting graphics or images. Don't wear tank tops or low-cut shirts. Be aware that we have very bright lights on stage which can cause light colored shirts to become see-through. Wear an undershirt if you're not sure!
PANTS: We always wear full length pants/jeans on platform. Jeans can be ripped at the knee but avoid rips above the knee or gaping holes. A belt is always a good idea.
SHOES: Your shoes should be an extension of the excellence of the rest of your outfit. Avoid sandals/open-toe shoes and aim for fully enclosed shoes or boots. Make sure you can move around comfortably without your shoes slipping or falling off.
> Girls - On Stage
TOPS: Wear shirts that cover your shoulders and underarms. If your underarms or bare shoulders are showing, wear a jacket or cardigan. Avoid distracting graphics or images. Don't wear tank tops, low-cut shirts, or crop tops. Be aware that we have bright lights on stage which can cause light colored shirts to become see-through. Wear an undershirt if you're not sure!
PANTS: Avoid skirts or dresses. Wear pants/jeans that are at least 3/4 length (cover your knees). Jeans can be ripped at the knee but avoid rips above the knee or gaping holes. A belt is always a good idea. If you wear leggings or other thin, tight pants, wear a top that covers both front and back down to your thighs.
SHOES: Your shoes should be an extension of the excellence of the rest of your outfit. Avoid sandals/open-toe shoes and aim for fully enclosed shoes or boots. Make sure you can move around comfortably without your shoes slipping or falling off.
> Production
Our Production team are ministers and protectors of atmosphere. We exist to create a distraction-free environment where it is EASY for people to worship God. Therefore, nothing we do should distract or detract from what is happening on stage - it should only ever add or enhance.
> General
Make sure you can express your worship (jump, raise your hands, etc.) comfortably and appropriately in your outfit. Most importantly, be conscientious and use discretion! The purpose of the dress code is to eliminate distractions and facilitate an environment of pure worship. We are not on stage to draw attention to ourselves but to Jesus, and our outfits should reflect this mindset.
Regarding Sexual Sin
We believe that the scripture teaches that sex was created by God as an expression of intimacy between a man and a woman within the context of marriage. Volunteers who embrace lifestyles or behaviors that conflict with this teaching will eventually find themselves having to pretend to be something they are not or believing something they don’t. In an effort to protect you from a potentially awkward situation, we ask the following:
- If you are involved in a sexual relationship and are not married, we ask that you do not participate on the worship team ministry at this time.
- In the spirit of being a good role model, if you are single and living with a member of the opposite sex, we ask that you not lead at this time.
- If you are married and have recently been involved in a sexual relationship outside of your marriage, we ask that you do not lead at this time.
- Our standards for personal purity extend to your regular viewing of pornographic materials. If that is a current area of struggle, we ask that you do not lead until you are experiencing significant freedom in this area.
Regarding Substance Abuse
If you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse, this might be something God uses in a positive way to influence others to go in a different direction. However,
- If you have been arrested for or convicted of an alcohol or drug related offense in the past twelve months,
- If you have used any illegal substances during the last twelve months,
- If consuming alcohol to the point of being unable to drive or to the point of being illegal for you to drive yourself home is a regular part of your weekend or weekday/night routine,
We ask that you do not serve at this time. If you feel that this is part of your journey, we would love to talk with you further. We don’t want to miss an opportunity to partner with what God is up to in your life.
Regarding Social Media
The people we lead judge the credibility of our message by the content of our lives. Substance abuse and sexual integrity are but two areas they’ll watch; our financial stewardship, the way we engage with politics, our social media practices, how we treat our families and the way we respond to crises are some of the things they will notice.
The participants in this ministry will visit your social media pages. If you blog or maintain a Twitter account, some in this ministry will opt to connect with you through those mediums as well. While social media can be a great connection tool, it also serves as a window into your life beyond this ministry involvement. In light of that, we ask that you approach social media with your ministry role in mind. Be conscientious of the things you post, like, and share - and be aware that people in the church may be following you. We know that this is a judgment call, we just ask that you remain aware and use discernment.
> All general communication will be through Planning Center Services. Check the plans regularly!
> Accept/Decline all Planning Center requests in a timely manner.
> If you accepted and cannot make it, please decline as soon as possible AND communicate to a team leader.
Preparation/Rehearsal/Development Nights
> Rehearsal is not the time for learning songs, but for working through details as a team.
> Band and vocalists should know the songs already.
> Lyric/slide runner should know the songs in advance so that he/she can cue lyrics effectively.
> Give your best during rehearsal just like you would during the service.
> Feedback should be taken seriously and respected. The only reason feedback is given is to improve and develop you!
> Rehearsal on Sunday night begins promptly at 4 PM. In other words, the entire worship/production team should be present and ready to begin BY 4. Arrive 5-10 minutes early to ensure that you are in position when rehearsal starts.
> Development nights begin promptly at 5:45 PM on Wednesday nights. Just like with Sunday afternoon rehearsals, be in position before rehearsal starts.
During the service
> Current youth students should strive to be a part of the youth group as much as possible (i.e., participating in games, sermon, etc.).
> We honor Rhett and other youth speakers by listening and paying attention to the sermon whether we are serving or not.
> When serving on the worship team, make a point to come sit with the youth group (in the front-middle section of the Worship Center) once you leave the stage. This will only be distracting if you wait until the sermon has started. Try to make it into the Worship Center and sit down while Rhett is still in announcements!
> We lead the rest of the youth group by example through our actions.
> When NOT serving, worship/production team members are not allowed in the sound booth during the service. This would be disrespectful to those serving, the youth leaders, and fellow youth members.
Dress Code
> Guys - On Stage
SHIRTS: Guys should wear collared shirts/jackets, or nice-looking t-shirts. All shirts should be clean and ironed. Avoid distracting graphics or images. Don't wear tank tops or low-cut shirts. Be aware that we have very bright lights on stage which can cause light colored shirts to become see-through. Wear an undershirt if you're not sure!
PANTS: We always wear full length pants/jeans on platform. Jeans can be ripped at the knee but avoid rips above the knee or gaping holes. A belt is always a good idea.
SHOES: Your shoes should be an extension of the excellence of the rest of your outfit. Avoid sandals/open-toe shoes and aim for fully enclosed shoes or boots. Make sure you can move around comfortably without your shoes slipping or falling off.
> Girls - On Stage
TOPS: Wear shirts that cover your shoulders and underarms. If your underarms or bare shoulders are showing, wear a jacket or cardigan. Avoid distracting graphics or images. Don't wear tank tops, low-cut shirts, or crop tops. Be aware that we have bright lights on stage which can cause light colored shirts to become see-through. Wear an undershirt if you're not sure!
PANTS: Avoid skirts or dresses. Wear pants/jeans that are at least 3/4 length (cover your knees). Jeans can be ripped at the knee but avoid rips above the knee or gaping holes. A belt is always a good idea. If you wear leggings or other thin, tight pants, wear a top that covers both front and back down to your thighs.
SHOES: Your shoes should be an extension of the excellence of the rest of your outfit. Avoid sandals/open-toe shoes and aim for fully enclosed shoes or boots. Make sure you can move around comfortably without your shoes slipping or falling off.
> Production
Our Production team are ministers and protectors of atmosphere. We exist to create a distraction-free environment where it is EASY for people to worship God. Therefore, nothing we do should distract or detract from what is happening on stage - it should only ever add or enhance.
> General
Make sure you can express your worship (jump, raise your hands, etc.) comfortably and appropriately in your outfit. Most importantly, be conscientious and use discretion! The purpose of the dress code is to eliminate distractions and facilitate an environment of pure worship. We are not on stage to draw attention to ourselves but to Jesus, and our outfits should reflect this mindset.
Regarding Sexual Sin
We believe that the scripture teaches that sex was created by God as an expression of intimacy between a man and a woman within the context of marriage. Volunteers who embrace lifestyles or behaviors that conflict with this teaching will eventually find themselves having to pretend to be something they are not or believing something they don’t. In an effort to protect you from a potentially awkward situation, we ask the following:
- If you are involved in a sexual relationship and are not married, we ask that you do not participate on the worship team ministry at this time.
- In the spirit of being a good role model, if you are single and living with a member of the opposite sex, we ask that you not lead at this time.
- If you are married and have recently been involved in a sexual relationship outside of your marriage, we ask that you do not lead at this time.
- Our standards for personal purity extend to your regular viewing of pornographic materials. If that is a current area of struggle, we ask that you do not lead until you are experiencing significant freedom in this area.
Regarding Substance Abuse
If you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse, this might be something God uses in a positive way to influence others to go in a different direction. However,
- If you have been arrested for or convicted of an alcohol or drug related offense in the past twelve months,
- If you have used any illegal substances during the last twelve months,
- If consuming alcohol to the point of being unable to drive or to the point of being illegal for you to drive yourself home is a regular part of your weekend or weekday/night routine,
We ask that you do not serve at this time. If you feel that this is part of your journey, we would love to talk with you further. We don’t want to miss an opportunity to partner with what God is up to in your life.
Regarding Social Media
The people we lead judge the credibility of our message by the content of our lives. Substance abuse and sexual integrity are but two areas they’ll watch; our financial stewardship, the way we engage with politics, our social media practices, how we treat our families and the way we respond to crises are some of the things they will notice.
The participants in this ministry will visit your social media pages. If you blog or maintain a Twitter account, some in this ministry will opt to connect with you through those mediums as well. While social media can be a great connection tool, it also serves as a window into your life beyond this ministry involvement. In light of that, we ask that you approach social media with your ministry role in mind. Be conscientious of the things you post, like, and share - and be aware that people in the church may be following you. We know that this is a judgment call, we just ask that you remain aware and use discernment.