Sunday after Sunday, the Church gathers together to praise and seek God. Usually, the worship team is the one who brings the heart of the Church into worship.

Therefore, a burden can arise for worship leaders in choosing the right songs for the service. We want the church to resonate with the songs we have prepared, but more than that, we want each song to speak of the greatness of God, of who He is, and of how grateful we are for all He has done for us.

So the Sunday setlist will make a difference in our ministry within the services.

The Core Question Every Worship Leader Faces

The question that arises is: How can we choose the most appropriate songs for a program in which the Holy Spirit can truly work?

Step 1: Bring Your Heart Before the Creator

First, bring your heart into the hands of the Creator. HE is the One who reigns and should reign over every program.

Tell Him your concerns, but more than that, recognize that you are just a vessel of clay that cannot create anything without the breath of life from His Creator.

Humble yourself and enter into a deep prayer in which you ask forgiveness for all your inappropriate behavior that has not brought praise and honor to His Holy name.

Listen to What God Wants to Communicate

Then ask Him to speak to you about what He wants to speak to the Church about in the next program. What does He want to achieve?

God speaks through many things, maybe lately He has moved your heart through Scripture in a certain direction, maybe you have a testimony that cries out from within, or maybe He tells you who to ask, many times God also works through the people around you.

The Importance of Prayer and Fasting

Keep fasting days, stick to Him, and in His faithfulness, HE will speak to you, because the purpose for which worship leaders exist is not because they are better, but because they have understood their calling, their dependence on God and want to serve the One who saved their life from eternal death.

Your relationship with Him is the most important. Jesus withdrew in prayer, because He loved to be in the presence of His Father.

"I and the Father, We are One." — John 10:30

Are You One With Him?

Are you there? Are you one with Him?

Don't go through the motions, even if you may have been doing this for many years. Make room for God, let Him surprise you, don't do what you think you understand, but live what He has spoken.

"For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock that his hand guides… Oh! if only you would listen to his voice today!" — Psalm 95:7

A tougher and longer first point, but so necessary in the life of a worship leader.

Step 2: Unite Your Team in Vision

Secondly, after you know the direction you need to go, think about the volunteers who are part of your band.

Call them in worship to Him and tell them what God has spoken to you. Make yourself vulnerable and bring them into the vision He has given for that church service.

Unity is important. You will be amazed, We have the same God in each of us, many times the volunteers will have similar, even complementary thoughts.

Step 3: Build the Worship Moment

Thirdly, build the moment of worship. From my point of view, you have four elements that you must follow.

The Four Essential Elements

1. Theme

The theme refers to the direction offered by God.

2. Moments of Each Song

The moments of each song are extremely important, when to introduce a more lively song, when to create the moment of authentic worship.

3. Voices

Each voice has unique strengths and a distinct anointing. If you need more help, make sure you read our blog on how to work with church volunteers.

4. Church

We have to choose the songs that we know the Church resonates with, the style, but we also have to be careful about the new songs that we want to introduce, at what moments, to be easy and maybe even in the style that people in the Church usually listen to.

The Challenge of Finding the Right Songs

Combining all of these elements can be the most challenging part. You know the direction God has given you, you're familiar with many songs, but sometimes the perfect songs for your setlist just don't come to mind.

A Practical Solution: OnStage App

This is where I want to share a tool that I believe will simplify and bless your worship planning from now on.

OnStage is an application designed specifically for worship leaders and their teams. With OnStage, you can create each service, add your band members, see who's confirmed for the service, and easily follow up with anyone who hasn't responded yet.

Powerful Search Features

Once you've set up your event, one of the most valuable features is the song search tool. You can search not only by song title but also by lyrics.

Perhaps you're looking for songs about God's power, His love, or His peace. OnStage even includes AI assistance that provides real-time help as you build your worship setlist, making the song selection process smoother and more inspired.

Conclusion: Focus on What Matters Most

Selecting the right songs for a worship service is a journey that requires time and intentionality. I believe the first part—preparation and drawing close to God—is where we should invest the most time, seeking His blessing and anointing.

OnStage can support you in this journey by streamlining the practical aspects of worship planning, helping you create a seamless flow for your entire service.

Download the app, explore its features, and continue to serve Jesus with all that you are.