Leading worship in a smaller setting is different than leading in a larger setting.

There is a huge difference between leading 1000 people in worship and 100 people. There is an even larger difference between leading 100 people and 10 people.

It's necessary to change how you lead worship in smaller environments.

Here are three tips to improve your worship leading in a small group environment:

1 | Lower the key

With larger groups you're afforded the opportunity to stretch song keys into a higher range. This is in part do to a louder environment where people feel they can sing out louder. In addition, people feel like they are part of the "crowd" which means they feel less self-conscious about their singing.

In smaller settings, the opposite is true. The environment is quieter and, since there are less people, people are more self-aware of their own singing. Therefore, in small group settings it's necessary to sing songs in a lower key. This gives worshipers the opportunity to sing comfortably at a lower volume. I recommend bringing your normal key of a song down by at least a step when leading in a smaller environment.

2 | Take advantage of the fact that you know people better in a small group

Chances are you have a more personal relationship with 10 people as opposed to 100. This allows you to speak more specifically to their needs when leading worship. You can address things that are directly applicable to their lives instead of making general statements.

3 | Pick songs people know

People hardly sing songs they don't know in a larger group - the effect is only compounded in a small group environment. When you're leading in a small group, make sure to pick a majority of songs that people know. That doesn't mean you have to pick all CCLI top 50 songs but makes sure the ratio leans towards the familiar.

We'd love to hear your best tip for leading worship in a small group environment! Let us know in the comments!