Check-up on Your Worship Health

This page includes several questions to get your worship leadership thinking and assessing/discussing your worship services. In efforts to offer God our most authentic expression of worship unique to each congregation, here are some ideas to ponder. (No answers are provided for the questions. This is intended to get you to critically interact with your worship.)

1. Do lay people in your congregation have a role in worship leadership?
2. Are you including a variety of ages as worship leaders?
3. Are there a variety of musical styles employed in each service?
4. Is the congregation actively involved in worship? i.e. litanies, responsive readings, prayers, testimonies, etc.
5. Is the language used in hymns, scripture readings, litanies, and prayers inclusive of all people?
6. Are there any visual elements employed during worship (displays, alter table arrangements, photographs, visual art, window decorations, movement)?
7. Is the mood in worship the same each Sunday, regardless of circumstance?
8. Are there are a variety of musical combinations used in worship: solos, small ensembles, adult choir, children’s choir, special guests?
9. If a bulletin is used, is it easy for visitors to understand what is going on or follow the bulletin? i.e.: Are the words or page number of the Doxology printed in the bulletin?
10. When was the last time a Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon was used in the service?
11. Is symbolism used in worship? Example: bread, candles, artwork, movement, etc.
12. Does the congregation feel like a community during worship or are they worshipping on their own?
13. Are sacraments/ordinances a focal point in the worship services—baptism, communion? Are they given special attention?
14. Is there a general flow of the elements of worship? Example: Call to Worship, Invocation—inviting the spirit, Hymn of Praise—a hymn or song that praises God, a time of response at the end; we would not want to hear the Hymn of Response (such as “Just As I Am”) right after the Call to Worship.
15. Is Scripture emphasized in worship? Example: read aloud, used as a reflection, interpretation of scripture through movement, visual art, or song, etc.
16. Does your church have a vision for their worship?

Also, check out the Sample Worship Survey. This may be helpful for your congregation. The document is in Microsoft Word format so that you may modify it to fit with your congregation.