"Our team can't have a rehearsal during the week... because we're just volunteers."

"Our guitar player never shows up prepared. But, I understand... he's just a volunteer."

"Our band couldn't possibly memorize their music... they're just volunteers!"

Sound familiar? Maybe you've never said those phrases out loud but, chances are, you've at least thought them.

So, go ahead. Say them out loud. I dare you.

And I think you'll see how ridiculous those statements actually are.

For far too many years, worship leaders have lowered their expectations of their worship team members under the guise of "volunteerism."

That is to say that, because someone is a volunteer, they should be held to much lower standards - or maybe no standards at all. After all, they're giving their time freely. Who are we to ask more of them?

But, there are several problems with that line of thinking. And in the end, it's more hurtful than helpful to have low expectations. It's okay to have high expectations for your volunteers.

Here are 3 reasons it's okay to have high expectations for your worship team volunteers:

1 | It shows them that the mission is IMPORTANT

The expectations you hold your team to communicate to them how important the mission is.

Sure. If you're just leading a group of people in singing some simple 4 chord songs that repeat way too much, keep the expectations low.

But, if you are truly leading people in worshiping the God that created them and saved them - that's important. Keep the expectations high.

2 | Low expectations lead to low-capacity volunteers

When you have little to no expectations of your worship team, two things happen.

First, you ATTRACT low-capacity volunteers.

Second, you REINFORCE those low-capacity habits in your existing volunteers.

And at the end of the day, Johnny (who never comes prepared) has been on the team for 13 years and still doesn't prepare properly. And now, all of his friends who never prepare are on the team too.

3 | High expectations lead to high-capacity volunteers

On the other hand, you can attract high-capacity volunteers by having HIGH expectations.

Good volunteers are drawn to that.

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