Ever have someone leave your worship team? It hurts doesn't it? It feels like an attack on your leadership. It feels like you've failed. And while you can't make people stay, it is helpful to understand why someone might leave.

Understanding why people leave helps you become a better leader AND takes some pressure off of you because you realize it's not always your fault.

Here are 5 startling reasons people leave your worship team:

1 | You set the expectations too low

Low expectations attract low quality volunteers. High expectations attack high quality volunteers.

People are drawn to excellence. They want to see that you care about whatever you are leading. So, when you set expectations like: "You don't really have to come to rehearsal every week. You can just show up on Sunday." You end up getting people on your team who probably aren't that committed and the ones who would be committed see the lack of excellence and don't want to join.

2 | You haven't stuck to the expectations you HAVE set

Once you set expectations, you have to stick to them. That is the best way to build trust with your team. People follow people they can trust are going to do what they say they're going to do when they say they're going to do it.

3 | They just got busy

Sometimes, people just get busy with other things. Things change in life. They enter a new season. People get new jobs. People have kids. People move. Don't take it personally.

4 | You didn't allow them to take a break

Burnout is real. If your team is serving every single Sunday, don't expect them to serve forever. Ministry is a marathon not a sprint. Consider implementing mandatory rest for your team.

5 | They felt like an employee and not a team member

People want to feel like they are part of a team not simply filling a position. Give them buy-in on decisions. Get their thoughts on set lists, new songs, and song arrangements. The best part about getting their input is that that is how the church is supposed to work. We're better together.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.