Our worship and production ministry exists to partner with the mission of the church through strategic planning and excellent execution. The mission will not change but the strategy may.
1. Being set apart
We consider being on the WoPro team a calling from God. This calling is not simply about talent, but about one's identity as a worshiper of God. While all of God's people are called to be worshipers, we believe there are some who are called to be lead worshipers. We are not just attempting to build a band; we are also building a team of worshippers.
2. Carrying the very presence of God
Because of the holy nature of this calling, as a team we hold each other to high spiritual standards. We should strive to live lives worthy of the position and visibility God has granted us.
3. Standing before the Lord and ministering to Him
When on the platform, we play our music for the audience of God, setting an example for the church. Our focus is not what God is going to do for us. Our focus is the adoration of the one true God.
4. Pronouncing blessings in His name to the gathered church
We take seriously our responsibility to serve the church by blessing them through our playing, singing, running lyrics, operating a camera, and producing an experience. This is both an honored privilege and an awesome responsibility.
TEAM MEMBER CRITERIA
Realize it is a privilege to lead God’s people in worship, and not a right. It is not the place to show-off our talents or to draw attention to ourselves in any way. Individuals who are unwilling to be held accountable to or meet these guidelines are encouraged to share their gifts in other ways within the body.
THOSE IN THE WoPro MINISTRY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO:
• be born-again Christians exhibiting a healthy and growing walk with Jesus - we are worshipers who are leading others in worship of our God. One cannot lead others where one has not already been.
• be in regular fellowship with God – making time to get to know Him more through His Word, prayer, personal worship, etc. Worship is not a one-day-a-week event. It should be a lifestyle of continually praising our Creator and submitting to His will. The WoPro team gets a lot of attention because of the very nature of what we do. It is a very public role to have.
• worship while leading worship – We should lead by example, directing our hearts and passion toward Him in authentic, physical expressions of worship. Preparation is a huge part of this. If you are struggling to play the chords, remember the lyrics, or not be able to operate your station effectively your focus will not be on God.
• submit to the leadership - of Impact, the pastors, as well as the team leader. The nature of this ministry also requires a strong commitment to the people of this church. We must remember to always come with a servant attitude.
• communicate effectively - have questions? have a new idea? Getting distracted or frustrated? Something bothering you? Talk to us. Let the team leader know of any concerns, changes in schedule, potential absences, emergencies, or illness. We're here to serve and equip you to grow and succeed as a passionate follower of Jesus.
• be committed to excellence – learn the music, hone your skills. continually grow and practice your skills – as God deserves our best. We’re not looking for perfection, as that is not required to serve God, but we do expect you to be proficient and always prepared. You have to be willing to give Him your best. Practice at home and take the commitment seriously. Remember that wrong notes, poor singing, bad camera shots, late lyrics, and less-than-average music can distract others from focusing on God.
• have the support of their family – it is important that your family supports your involvement in this ministry and accepts the necessary time commitment, which is not insignificant. Your family should always be your priority when considering your involvement in any ministry.
• be humble – WoPro is fun, and people love it. As a result, it is incredibly easy to focus on ourselves and the music when things sound/looks really good. Always remember the One who gave you your talent. An attitude of humility is essential.
• be teachable–our talents can always be developed and improved, and we should be willing to humbly accept direction and constructive feedback from leaders and learn from it.
EXPECTATIONS
Punctuality - Be on time. Arriving at the “call” time is late. Arrive in enough time to get your equipment set up and functioning. Showing up late causes the entire rehearsal to be delayed and is disrespectful to your team mates. Being on time reflects your level of commitment. We understand that life happens, so please contact the team leader when it happens last minute and interferes with a rehearsal or service.
Prepared - come to rehearsals and services musically prepared by listening to and practicing songs beforehand. Rehearsal is not the time to learn your parts. (However, plans, vocal parts, flow, structure are subject to change. Knowing your parts allows for this kind of flexibility.) One does not need to be a professional musician/tech to worship the Lord, but God honors the discipline of additional practice and preparation. “Failing to prepare is preparing for failure.”
Rehearsal - Scheduled Worship team members are required to attend weekly rehearsals. Please be on time and prepared for rehearsal. Production team members are not required to be at weekly rehearsals but are encouraged to do so.
Planning Center - Planning Center is the main form of communication. It shows the outline for Sunday services. Be actively engaged to stay prepared. (Late changes be communicated via email or text)
Sunday Morning Prayer Time - This time is intentional. Participation is mandatory.
Attend Service - We are partners of Impact Church first. WoPro team members are required to sit with the congregation for at least one service to engage in the message. (Exceptions for serving roles that require you to be in a designated spot. Camera, lyrics, switcher, Etc…) If you plan to sit with your family, we ask that you advise them to sit in the back section. Musicians walking out of service can be a distraction.
Dress Appropriately - We serve to point people to God. One way that we can do that is be dressing appropriately for our role that day. For those on-platform, what you wear should not distract people, draw attention to yourself, or be inappropriate. And for those off-platform, what you wear should be as distraction-free as possible, so that you can operate quietly and assist in pointing people's attention to God.
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 leverage social media with your ministry associates in mind. We realize that this is a judgment call.
When saying that we are committing to excellence, that also comes with the way that we present ourselves. Our responsibility on stage is to point people to Jesus and create space for them to encounter Him. What we are wearing and how we present ourselves should be as little to no distraction from that as possible.
We can achieve that by being thoughtful with what we choose to wear on stage. Something that is still an expression of ourselves, but a more elevated and intentional version for a Sunday morning.
Guys - On Stage
SHIRTS:
Guys can wear either short or long sleeve shirts. T-shirts are acceptable if it is clean and intentional. We most likely air on the side of no slogans/words/images/graphics as they may become distracting, but trust that you will be thoughtful of what is on your shirt. No tank tops or low-cut shirts. Also be aware that we have very bright lights on platform which can cause light colored shirts to go see-through - wear an undershirt if you're not sure.
PANTS:
Please wear well-fitting, full-length pants/jeans on platform. Jeans can be ripped at the knee, but no 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/slip-on/open-toe shoes and aim for fully enclosed shoes or boots.
OTHER THINGS:
Everything should pass the jump test! Can I jump, lift my hands, get passionate in what I'm wearing? When I lift my hands, does my shirt still cover my stomach? When I jump, do my pants fall down? Make sure what you are wearing sets you up for a win when you are serving. Hats must be worn forward. Be aware that some hats may cause a problem for lighting/cameras.
Girls - On Stage
TOPS:
Please wear shirts that cover your shoulders and underarms. If your underarms or bare shoulders are showing you will need to wear a jacket or cardigan. We most likely air on the side of no slogans/words/images/graphics as they may become distracting, but trust that you will be thoughtful of what is on your shirt. No tank tops or low-cut shirts. Also be aware that we have very bright lights on platform which can cause light colored shirts to go see-through - best to wear an undershirt if you're not sure.
PANTS:
Avoid skirts and dresses. Please wear pants/jeans that are at least 3/4 length (cover your knees). Jeans can be ripped at the knee, but no 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 and open-toe shoes. Aim for fully enclosed shoes, boots, or heels. Make sure you can still jump and move in your shoes.
OTHER THINGS:
Everything should pass the jump test! Can I jump, lift my hands, get passionate in what I'm wearing? When I lift my hands, does my shirt still cover my stomach? We ask that you do not wear anything that is tight, short, or revealing. This means avoiding things like shirts that show cleavage and leggings or high-waisted pants without a top that covers your front and back.
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 platform - it should only ever add or enhance.
Serving attire needs to be practical and comfortable. Roaming Camera Operator/Photographer/Videographer should wear darker pants with the Impact Production t-shirt. We want our people to know why you are moving around. Please avoid all bright colored clothing in order to keep your movements subtle. Use discretion in your clothing choice.
