If you’ve spent any time on a worship team—or even just watched from the congregation—you already know worship leaders have their own language. It’s part earnest encouragement, part technical jargon, part controlled chaos. And somehow, it all works. Based on a very real-feeling rehearsal and Sunday-morning transcript, here’s a lighthearted look at stuff worship leaders say.
Stuff Worship Leaders Say or Do
1. “Are you ready to worship? Let me just see your hands…”
Before anything else happens, hands must go up. Even if everyone is still finding their seats. Even if the band is still tuning. The call to lift hands is eternal.
Five seconds later:
“Alright amen, you can have a seat.”
Ten seconds after that:
“Okay let’s stand for another song.”
The spiritual cardio is real.
2. The Greeting Time Shuffle
“Go find someone and shake their hand. Maybe someone you never met before. Spread the community and love.”
Church members: already panicking because they only know two people by name.
3. The Music Director Moment
There is no rehearsal quite like watching a worship leader negotiate tempo as if it’s a hostage situation.
“Alex, give me one more BPM… no, two left… no, five right… actually 122. Yeah. It was definitely 122.”
Everyone nods like this makes sense.
Then comes the eternal talkback instruction:
“Bass slide. No, not like that. Just… like you know… you know?”
He does not know.
RELATED: How to Pray for Worship Leaders
4. The Drum Complications
“Too many fills, dude. Just four on the floor.”
Every drummer’s personal nightmare: playing quietly while also being interesting.
5. Pad Theology
“Just stick on the D for like 10 minutes. Hold that pad. I’ll come in when I feel it.”
Nothing says worship atmosphere like 600 straight seconds of a single note vibrating through the room.
6. “Play it like the recording.”
This is always said 45 minutes into rehearsal after trying three different arrangements.
7. The Signal System
“Guys, when I do this it’s a chorus into a bridge. If I do this, just keep going. Really important to watch my signs. Let the Spirit lead through my signals.”
Interpretation varies wildly.
8. The Mystery of Missing Musicians
“Where’s the bass player today?”
No one knows. No one ever knows.
9. Volume Diplomacy
“Pastor said we had complaints about the volume last week. We need to keep it soft.”
Band hears: Turn everything down except the acoustic guitar and pray.
