Comments on: Poll Results: Majority of leaders have over 60 songs in rotation http://www.ourrisingsound.com/2009/09/04/poll-results-majority-of-leaders-have-over-60-songs-in-rotation/ Where music, culture and worship meet. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:30:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Holiday At The Sea » The Weekly Town Crier http://www.ourrisingsound.com/2009/09/04/poll-results-majority-of-leaders-have-over-60-songs-in-rotation/comment-page-1/#comment-13772 Holiday At The Sea » The Weekly Town Crier Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:42:58 +0000 http://www.ourrisingsound.com/?p=1455#comment-13772 [...] Read about a recent, small, informal poll asking how many songs many worship leaders have in rotation. [...] [...] Read about a recent, small, informal poll asking how many songs many worship leaders have in rotation. [...]

]]> By: Kyle Campos http://www.ourrisingsound.com/2009/09/04/poll-results-majority-of-leaders-have-over-60-songs-in-rotation/comment-page-1/#comment-13587 Kyle Campos Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:21:56 +0000 http://www.ourrisingsound.com/?p=1455#comment-13587 I think providing the music in form of cd, live recordings or downloads on your site is a great way to get your congregation more familiar with the songs you are playing. That's primarily the reason I do the "Sunday Set List" posts. But this really depends on your context and congregation. I don't know that a lot of my congregation is listening to worship music outside of Sunday. Not that that is a good thing, it's just we don't have a lot of raised in the church people who are used to that being part of the music. So in my context I can't really depend on that at all. I always assume nobody's heard the new song I'm bringing in, even if it's hugely popular in the Christian music scene. I definitely try to mix in older songs, hymns and such but not primarily for familiarity sake, usually for the richness in the song lyrically. But again, in my context, very few people in my church know any hymns. Looking forward to your post. I think providing the music in form of cd, live recordings or downloads on your site is a great way to get your congregation more familiar with the songs you are playing. That's primarily the reason I do the "Sunday Set List" posts.

But this really depends on your context and congregation. I don't know that a lot of my congregation is listening to worship music outside of Sunday. Not that that is a good thing, it's just we don't have a lot of raised in the church people who are used to that being part of the music. So in my context I can't really depend on that at all. I always assume nobody's heard the new song I'm bringing in, even if it's hugely popular in the Christian music scene.

I definitely try to mix in older songs, hymns and such but not primarily for familiarity sake, usually for the richness in the song lyrically. But again, in my context, very few people in my church know any hymns.

Looking forward to your post.

]]> By: Matt Blick http://www.ourrisingsound.com/2009/09/04/poll-results-majority-of-leaders-have-over-60-songs-in-rotation/comment-page-1/#comment-13586 Matt Blick Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:46:21 +0000 http://www.ourrisingsound.com/?p=1455#comment-13586 Wow, good post Kyle I've been thinking about this and planning to blog on it for a while. Our situation is a little different from most, as we generally do two songs and then the congregation will spontaneously start songs which we pick up (so we're always 'on our toes'!). To faciliate that we have a 'songbook' (rather than a rotation) that has between 175-200 songs which is used for mid week groups aswell as being our master list for sundays. We slowly introduce new songs and every couple of years revise the list and drop 20-30. The important things are As you said people need a lot of time to get familiar worshipping with new songs. Leaders/bands often get bored with a song just as a congregation starts engaging with it. By the time you get to that first sunday, stop and think how many times you've heard the song, and how many times you've played it. Personally, if it's a 'cover' - 20-30 times. If I've written it - 200+! A leader of a team needs to see the big picture with regard to what the church is singing. By way of an analogy, if you're planning next sunday all you're thinking about is the next meal. Somebody has got to be thinking about whether the church is getting a healthy diet. The best way to do that is through the master songlist... but hey, I think I'm writing my post on your blog! sorry! You made some great points. I'd like to know how you think the fact that people are listening to all sorts of worship music on thier own factors into this? Would doing lots of new songs be a problem if we posted them on our websites for the congregation to download (or links to streaming services) before we introduced them? What about older songs that 'everyone' knows - or is there even such a thing? Wow, good post Kyle

I've been thinking about this and planning to blog on it for a while.

Our situation is a little different from most, as we generally do two songs and then the congregation will spontaneously start songs which we pick up (so we're always 'on our toes'!). To faciliate that we have a 'songbook' (rather than a rotation) that has between 175-200 songs which is used for mid week groups aswell as being our master list for sundays.

We slowly introduce new songs and every couple of years revise the list and drop 20-30.

The important things are

As you said people need a lot of time to get familiar worshipping with new songs. Leaders/bands often get bored with a song just as a congregation starts engaging with it. By the time you get to that first sunday, stop and think how many times you've heard the song, and how many times you've played it. Personally, if it's a 'cover' – 20-30 times. If I've written it – 200+!

A leader of a team needs to see the big picture with regard to what the church is singing. By way of an analogy, if you're planning next sunday all you're thinking about is the next meal. Somebody has got to be thinking about whether the church is getting a healthy diet. The best way to do that is through the master songlist…

but hey, I think I'm writing my post on your blog! sorry!

You made some great points. I'd like to know how you think the fact that people are listening to all sorts of worship music on thier own factors into this?

Would doing lots of new songs be a problem if we posted them on our websites for the congregation to download (or links to streaming services) before we introduced them?

What about older songs that 'everyone' knows – or is there even such a thing?

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