How do we get useful feedback from our congregation about our gathered worship life together? Just as is necessary for growth in any areas of our lives, we can improve our worship leading by asking for the opinions and useful feedback of those around us.
While not everything will be observed by those in our congregation, getting feedback gives us some level of objective input on our individual strengths and weaknesses as worship leaders, and also on our team’s strengths and weaknesses.
4 Keys To Get Useful Feedback On Your Worship Leading
KEY 1 – ASK EVERYONE A LITTLE
We don’t want to take our cues from everyone who has an opinion. Someone once said, “Opinions are like noses. Everyone has one, and they are all different.”
However, we can get some sense as to how our whole congregation is engaging in the worship experience by asking a lot of people.
If you’re going to do a survey, as some worship leaders choose, we encourage you to keep it under three questions. Don’t give people a long questionnaire. Leave some space for them to write what they think, or try a few quick questions that really get to the heart of their response.
KEY 2 – ASK SELECT PEOPLE MORE
Who are these ‘select’ people? Select-people are people you trust to have some helpful perspective, and to offer without pulling punches unnecessarily. These people will volunteer their honest opinion. They will tell you what they love about the worship experience, and what bugs them to no end.
Even if their opinion seems wrong, it remains their opinion and comes from somewhere.
In order to gain useful feedback, become a student of these peoples’ opinions, listening for the ‘thoughts behind the thoughts they offer. Find these people in your support team or congregation, and be intentional in seeking their perspective.
You may find something worth changing, or you may not. But the quest is worth it.
KEY 3 – ASK LEADERS EVEN MORE
When it comes to leaders, we usually all have strong opinions. For those leaders in your own church, they have a vested interest in the team winning, and in worship “going well.”
Get initial feedback from your congregation, and then gather the leaders in your church – all at once if you can – to hear what they have to say. Maybe an opportunity to get useful feedback from this group may occur at a retreat or an elders’ meeting.
