worship ministry team resources
As a worship ministry team, we gather, train, rehearse and lead for the the purpose of collective worship. Collective (corporate) worship is communion with God, which leads to renewal, greater faith, strengthening, deeper love for Christ and vision to move forward in. This is our call. This is our passion. This is our delightful service to the LORD.
Our hope here is you find helpful tools, useful resources and inspirational ideas so you are moved to grow in your ability to prophesy upon your instrument, through your voice and the skillful work of your hands. God has given us the ability to worship Him in mind, spirit and body - so let's worship Him well!
Please always reach out to Pastor Mary Sue for assistance, with questions or for more support. She is here to equip and serve you!
Our hope here is you find helpful tools, useful resources and inspirational ideas so you are moved to grow in your ability to prophesy upon your instrument, through your voice and the skillful work of your hands. God has given us the ability to worship Him in mind, spirit and body - so let's worship Him well!
Please always reach out to Pastor Mary Sue for assistance, with questions or for more support. She is here to equip and serve you!
upcoming...
- Encounter Night // Monday, June 23
- Team Family Summer Cookout // Saturday, July 12
- Encounter Night // Monday, September 8
- Up North Worship Retreat // October 3 & 4
- Family Celebration // Sunday, November 9
A word of encouragement...
from Pastor Mary Sue
I believe at North Ridge we have been in a season of acceleration and unlocking - and it's continuing. God is pouring out His Spirit on the brave and obedient. The Holy Spirit is excitedly waiting for you to get into the 'sandbox' and play with Him! I see the delight and favor of God the Father on you as you step into new things with courage and joy. God's hand is on you as you move with us.
As a musician, techie and singer you are called to be a worshiper, ministering to the LORD. You've been marked to prophesy, sharing the Father's heart through your gifts, skills and service. (1 Chronicles 15 & 25) Ask God to unlock your mind as you pursue Him in worship ministry! I believe whole heartedly in faith that He will do it.
Worship & Prophecy
“To move prophetically in worship is to move with an awareness of the desire and leading of the Holy Spirit, moment by moment, to discern the direction of the Spirit and to help God’s people participate in it.” - Bob Sorge
The Old Testament lays out a pattern of worship and prophecy going hand in hand. In Samuel 10 we find Saul is instructed to go to a place where he would meet a company of prophets worshipping and prophesying and he would be transformed in preparation for becoming king. In 2 King 3 we see in the story of Elisha that in order for him to be moved to prophesy in a specific situation, a musician was sent to play for him. In 1 Chronicles 15 & 25 we see the vision of the temple and tabernacle musicians and leaders was to prophesy accompanied by instruments - and at times to prophesy upon their instrument.
The word 'prophesy' used is, ‘nābā’: “to sing or speak by inspiration” (Inspiration being: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.) The OT musicians prophesied [nābā] on their instruments, which means the music they played was inspired and carried on by the Spirit, communicating the message & heart of God. OT Temple Musician duties in 1 Chronicles 25 was “for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals” and to “proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals”.
When your heart is surrendered in worship to God, He will use your hands or voice to communicate His heart to His people. Sometimes through words that can be understood, or melodies that pierce the soul and spirit. This is what it means to be a prophetic musician!
The word 'prophesy' used is, ‘nābā’: “to sing or speak by inspiration” (Inspiration being: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.) The OT musicians prophesied [nābā] on their instruments, which means the music they played was inspired and carried on by the Spirit, communicating the message & heart of God. OT Temple Musician duties in 1 Chronicles 25 was “for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals” and to “proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals”.
When your heart is surrendered in worship to God, He will use your hands or voice to communicate His heart to His people. Sometimes through words that can be understood, or melodies that pierce the soul and spirit. This is what it means to be a prophetic musician!
**Most content in this section is from “Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise & Worship” by Bob Sorge and of course, the Holy Bible.
Leading prophetically
“Prophetic worship is simply giving God the opportunity to sing over His people.” - Bob Sorge
Times we discern and lead prophetically:
- When there is a barrier or disengagement with God’s people. We work with Holy Spirit to discern what is hindering, then work with the Spirit to surmount any obstacle. When we recognize a barrier, we do not focus on the barrier and instead bring the reality of Heaven and truth of God to overcome it.
- We sing a song of the Lord over His people. As we are prophetically connected to God’s heart, He can and will enable us to sing and speak His message. Psalm 139 shows the care of God for us and that He has unlimited precious thoughts about each one of us. He will use us to share these thoughts.
- God sings over us. Zeph 3:17 says “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
- Jesus sings with us. Hebrews 2:12 He [Jesus] says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.”
- We sing psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. We find this design in Colossians 3:16 & Ephesians 5:18-19. Psalms means to sing scripture - typically word for word. Hymns are songs of human composition containing sound doctrine that have been approved by the majority of believers. Songs of the Spirit are words, notes and melodies brought to mind by partnership with the Holy Spirit that agree with scripture and are carried on by the Spirit.
- Colossians 3:16 says "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."
- Ephesians 5:18-19 ”...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."
Purusing prophetic Worship
“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.” Romans 12:6
The prophetic is unlocked by FAITH. It’s always a step of faith to prophesy. Be brave! Prophesy with as much faith as you have.
Guidance in Pursuing Prophetic Worship:
- Cultivate Intimacy and connection with Jesus.
To share the heart of the Good Shepherd, we must know Him. To overflow with worship we dig a deeper well with him to draw from. Fasting and prayer lead to prophecy. - Pursue Purity / Restored Innocence
The Lord desires an offering of righteousness. [Malachi 3] What we say flows from our hearts. [Luke 6:45] God desires to do the work of purifying our hearts. [1 John 3:2-3 & 1 John 1:8-10] It’s possible to have clean hands and a pure heart before our Holy God. [Psalm 24:3-5] - Follow Good Order
1 Corinthians 14:32 “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” We can stifle the prophetic flow, or we can release it. We can wait for the proper time. We are in control and therefore accountable to God for our words and actions. Emotions can and should be controlled.
Purusing prophetic Worship
“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.” Romans 12:6
The prophetic is unlocked by FAITH. It’s always a step of faith to prophesy. Be brave! Prophesy with as much faith as you have.
Guidance in Pursuing Prophetic Worship:
4. Watch for a Word
Be aware when a certain word or melody rises from your heart. It may seem or sound like it's circling in your mind, like a moth to flame. Press in to singing around the word or phrase if you feel it is from the Spirit.
5. Evaluate the Impulse
This is practicing discernment! Ask: "Lord, Is this something just for me and you?" "Would this edify all God’s people?"
6. Be Confident
If you’re going boldly to God’s throne, you will rise and walk in confidence. As you speak or play out in faith, be strong and clear. Inaudible is invalid. You may not, or won’t, have the whole spiritual song, so step out in faith and trust God to close the loop! Don’t let fear rob the church. Faith takes risks.
7. Practice with Holy Spirit
Practice the spiritual songs and melodies God puts within you. Sing them and play them in private, then bring them to your team and leadership. 1 Corinthians 13: 9 “For we know in part and we prophesy in part,” Our knowledge is partial, you cannot know the whole picture! We are a whole Body for a reason, we need each other.
music theory
We train, communicate and work out of the Nashville Number System (a.k.a Number Theory).
In a moment of prayer and preparation to lead NRC's worship team into a season of change, Pastor Aaron prayed Genesis 11:6. "The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!" This scripture became the prophetic vision for which we could move forward into deeper unity as a team. Number theory allows us to 'speak the same language', change song keys with ease and be flexible with our set lists and live worship.
⬅️ Click through the arrows for a few videos to get you started on learning, understanding and applying number theory! ➡️
Here's more on why we do things this way...in case you need more reasons to jump on board. ;)
"The people are united, and they all speak the same language.
After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!"
GENESIS 11:6
After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!"
GENESIS 11:6
number theory
This is an excellent, simple and brief explanation of the number system for anyone!
number theory
from the perspective of the electric
number theory
from the perspective of the bass
number theory
finding the scale in any given key
number theory
Let's put this into practice...
If you're new to music theory (even your instrument) in general, here's a great exercise to do!
- Learn the notes on your instrument. CDEFGA still matter. We need to know them so we can navigate songs keys and scales. To connect your brain to your hand, writing things out is helpful. So hold off on playing for the moment.
- Draw the neck/board of your instrument. Get a pencil and paper, your tablet, or print and use the below tools!
- Find the scale in the desired song key you want to play. Decide which key you want to work on and write the notes (letters) on the picture on their correction position.
- Assign each note in the scale a number. Begin with the root (the letter of the key you chose), which is always the 1!
- Now, practice on your instrument! Pick a simple chord progression like 6 / 4 / 1 / 5 or 4 / 5 / 3 /6. Experiment with timing signatures, tempos and rhythms. Then, pick a few numbers and make your own progression!
This is where you get in the 'sandbox' with Holy Spirit and be creative. It's called 'playing' for a reason! Have fun with this!
INstrumentalists
Acoustic, Electric, Bass, Drums, Keys
We, first and foremost, want to see you nail the number system! Understanding the notes on your fretboard or keys is crucial to then building number theory on that foundation.
We hope to add useful resources as we come across them. If you have a specific resource you've found to be helpful to you, pass it on to Pastor Mary Sue or share it with your fellow musicians! It could be helpful for others. Also, out these other great websites and YouTube pages below! 👇🏻
We hope to add useful resources as we come across them. If you have a specific resource you've found to be helpful to you, pass it on to Pastor Mary Sue or share it with your fellow musicians! It could be helpful for others. Also, out these other great websites and YouTube pages below! 👇🏻
"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."
PSALM 150
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."
PSALM 150
At North Ridge we use the Loop Community Prime App to play multitracks, pads and clicks for our worship services. We also use it as a preparation tool! Unfortunately, the Prime App is only available for iOS and Apple devices.
In order to access our set lists:
1. Create your own free Loop Community account here
2. Send your username to Pastor Mary Sue
If you are actively participating in training for, or playing in our band, she will add you to our set lists.
3. Download the app below onto your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
In order to access our set lists:
1. Create your own free Loop Community account here
2. Send your username to Pastor Mary Sue
If you are actively participating in training for, or playing in our band, she will add you to our set lists.
3. Download the app below onto your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
Here's a brief tutorial on how to use the app after you've been added to NRC's set lists.
Pianote on YouTube has some great videos for learning classical piano and quickly learning how to read and use sheet music.
Worship Academy Online has an awesome online course on playing worship piano. It's very affordable and very user friendly!
Coming soonish!
Other Resources:
- BassBuzz on YouTube > "Your First Bass Lesson"
Coming soonish!
Coming soonish!
vocalists
Vocalists, Worship Leaders
The way we steward our relationship with God matters on a massive level. We cannot lead people where we have not gone in worship. Personal revival, revelation and relationship with and from Jesus is necessary for us to lead God's people from a place of authenticity and spiritual authority.
We don't lead from a place of brokenness or a spiritual desert, no. We lead from a place of spiritual fullness and abundant life in Jesus! This isn't to say we won't have bad days or struggle! When it comes to leading worship, we first lay down our day, trials and difficulties - an act of surrender and trust in God. We remind ourselves of who we are in Christ and lay hold of the inheritance we have as sons & daughters. And we direct our focus to Jesus - becoming what we behold.
We don't lead from a place of brokenness or a spiritual desert, no. We lead from a place of spiritual fullness and abundant life in Jesus! This isn't to say we won't have bad days or struggle! When it comes to leading worship, we first lay down our day, trials and difficulties - an act of surrender and trust in God. We remind ourselves of who we are in Christ and lay hold of the inheritance we have as sons & daughters. And we direct our focus to Jesus - becoming what we behold.
“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
growing your ability
We have loads of articles and videos to help you grow!
- TIPS: 4 Keys to Singing like A Pro on Sunday (A Vocal Coach’s Guide for Worship Leaders)
- PITCH: How to Fix Your Pitch in 10 Minutes!
- HEALTH: Vocal Exercises for a Healthy Voice
- EXERCISE: Anyone Can Become a Better Worship Singer by Using this Method
- EXERCISE: Increase Your Vocal Range & Strengthen Your Voice
- WARFARE: 3 Ways the Enemy Attacks Worship Leaders: And What You Can Do About It
“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
pitch
Good vocal pitch is an important part of singing.
When people talk about pitch, they’re talking about the frequency of a sound, which is something that’s measured in lowness or highness.
Frequency is the number of vibrations that a sound has per second. If you’re singing and your vocal cords are vibrating at a fast speed (meaning that you’re singing at a high frequency), you have a high pitch. But if your vocal cords are vibrating at a slow speed (meaning you’re singing at a low frequency), you have a low pitch.
Having good pitch is about controlling the frequency, vibrations, or pitch, of your voice - which is your instrument! Therefore, it is possible to grow in your ability to have good pitch. This requires training on your part, along with repetition in using your voice through singing.
Frequency is the number of vibrations that a sound has per second. If you’re singing and your vocal cords are vibrating at a fast speed (meaning that you’re singing at a high frequency), you have a high pitch. But if your vocal cords are vibrating at a slow speed (meaning you’re singing at a low frequency), you have a low pitch.
Having good pitch is about controlling the frequency, vibrations, or pitch, of your voice - which is your instrument! Therefore, it is possible to grow in your ability to have good pitch. This requires training on your part, along with repetition in using your voice through singing.
In this video with Madeleine Harvey, she mentions the "Pano Tuner LITE" app. It's very helpful for your training! Go and download it on the Google Play Store here or on the Apple Store here.
“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
PSALM 147:1, 7
technology
Audio Engineering - Video & Streaming - Pro-Presenter
God brings order to swirling chaos. He is a big fan of systems. Think about the human body. Every limb, organ, vein, blood cell down to our very DNA working together to live and move and breathe. How incredible is that?! From the very beginning we see that order is a good thing, it's a God thing.
God, with wisdom, creates. Wisdom is to take knowledge and apply it. In wisdom (Proverbs 8) He designed and created the heavens and the earth. In His wisdom He revealed Himself to the hearts of men (Ephesians 3). In His wisdom He created a way for us to be reconciled to Him.
God's very nature is creative. He's the painter of sunsets, the crafter of thunderstorms, the gardener of vibrant flowers, the musical director of bird song. Technology is a powerful tool to support and amplify the movement of God through hearing, seeing and feeling. Technology takes what we each have to offer to the building of the Body of Christ, and weaves it together to create a beautiful tapestry. Through technology we take each part people play in a worship service and form a complete and beautiful work of art. A sacrifice of worship to the King of Kings.
God, with wisdom, creates. Wisdom is to take knowledge and apply it. In wisdom (Proverbs 8) He designed and created the heavens and the earth. In His wisdom He revealed Himself to the hearts of men (Ephesians 3). In His wisdom He created a way for us to be reconciled to Him.
God's very nature is creative. He's the painter of sunsets, the crafter of thunderstorms, the gardener of vibrant flowers, the musical director of bird song. Technology is a powerful tool to support and amplify the movement of God through hearing, seeing and feeling. Technology takes what we each have to offer to the building of the Body of Christ, and weaves it together to create a beautiful tapestry. Through technology we take each part people play in a worship service and form a complete and beautiful work of art. A sacrifice of worship to the King of Kings.
“I [Wisdom] was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when He marked off the earth’s foundations, I was the architect at His side. I was His constant delight, rejoicing always in His presence. And how happy I was with the world He created; how I rejoiced with the human family!” PROVERBS 8:29-31
propresenter 7
Visuals, Lyrics, Lights
The role of the ProPresenter volunteer is ultimately to unite the church Body! They provide visual cues to engage people in prayer, sing with worship, dig into God's word and keep us on time and moving in the same direction. Timers, light cues, sermon slides and lyrics all fall into the scoop of PP7. PP7 is a very robust program, much of which you are not required to know, some of which is critical to your role. Excellence looks like knowing the service schedule & what comes next, timely cues, attention to detail, flexibility and having a 'fighter pilot' mentality.
The PP7 volunteer has a powerful opportunity to bring people together, support their pastors, and create the atmosphere for us to encounter our Living God.
The PP7 volunteer has a powerful opportunity to bring people together, support their pastors, and create the atmosphere for us to encounter our Living God.
“I [Wisdom] was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!” PROVERBS 8:29-31
video
Video, Production, Connection
NRC Camera 1 - Manufacturer Website
The role of the Video team volunteer is to unite our church family throughout the building and online! They are the key player in keeping our online community connected and engaged. This is done by providing smooth and visually pleasing camera shots, utilizing multiple feeds to produce a diverse viewing experience and keeping our whole congregation connected through necessary visual cues. Excellence looks like being a big supporter of our online community, a passion for aesthetics, a desire to grow in creativity and a forward thinking mindset.
The Video volunteer has a powerful opportunity to connect the whole church Body, capture and welcome others into God moments and movements, and create the atmosphere for all to encounter our Living God.
The Video volunteer has a powerful opportunity to connect the whole church Body, capture and welcome others into God moments and movements, and create the atmosphere for all to encounter our Living God.
“I [Wisdom] was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with the world he created; how I rejoiced with the human family!” PROVERBS 8:29-31