Words We Use to Teach Our Philosophy (Our Worship Ministry Lingo)

.Learning Our Worship Ministry’s Lingo

Below are terms we want everyone in our ministry at Valley View Church to understand and use. We repeat them often when we teach and talk during rehearsals to reinforce our ministry philosophy and culture. More than mere words, each of these represent what we believe and what we value.

“Team” – Who we are on-stage and off. We value and support each other, and we need each other’s gifts and ideas to make our team stronger.

“Starters” – Players who are in a regular playing rotation as members of a band or vocal team

“Red-shirted” – Back-up players who are rehearsing and training to become starters

“Coaches” – Staff who oversee the worship ministry and mentor key ministry leaders. Pastor Joel is the head coach and lead worshiper; Dwayne is the worship ministry coach, and Corey is the assistant coach.

“Quarterback” – The person who calls the shots during worship sets and is the main worship leader on the platform

“The Process” – Our developmental process for training musicians and tech people in two primary areas: character (spiritual) and competence (skills). (Go here to read about our process.)

“Worshiper” – People who know and follow Christ. We believe an important evidence of being a worshiper within our ministry is faithfulness to rehearsing and to growing.

“Apprentices” – Musicians and tech people being mentored in our developmental process; they may occasionally play during a service to help give them experience.

“Mentors” – Leaders who are investing individual and intentional time with apprentices to help them grow spiritually and as musicians and worship leaders

“Worship Leaders” – Every musician and singer on the platform is considered a worship leader because they help influence others to worship.

“Pure Praise” – The Bible study every musician is required to go through before becoming a starter in a band or vocal team

“Worship Choir” – A large group of worshiping singers who support the band and lead vocalists; they encourage participation through their skilled singing and enthusiastic presence; they do not sing on every song or in every service.