There is going to be someone who wants to join your worship team who isn't the right fit. Maybe they're not skilled musically. Maybe they aren't in it for the right reasons. Whatever it is - there will be a time when you have to say "no." 

Here's how to say no to someone who isn't a good fit for the worship team:

1 | Give them something to work on

You should really exhaust all possibilities when it comes to adding people to the team. Try everything you can to set them up for success but stick to your standards. The answer is not often a straight up "no" - it is usually a "not yet." There's a big difference.

When they audition for the team give them feedback. If a person is not ready, let them know what they need to work on. It's not fair to just say "no" to someone. Give them a reason so they have the opportunity to improve. 

2 | Schedule a follow up

Give them two weeks to work on what you've discussed. Set up another time to meet and listen specifically for the things you previously discussed. Have they fixed their flat harmonies? Is their timing better?

If they are still not ready, let them know they are still struggling with certain areas. Identify those areas and set up one more meeting.

3 | Show them another way they can serve

If they bomb the final meeting, it's time to start thinking about saying "no." The key to saying no is giving them another opportunity to serve. It's hard to say no to someone in a church setting because you feel like you are effectively saying "you can't serve the church." But that's not true. God has gifted everyone in some way to use their talents for the church. Some people are just confused about what their talents are. So give a firm "no." Then add a "but."

"I'm sorry, I still don't think you are quite ready to join the worship team... but I've identified some other areas where you are gifted." Providing an alternative lets them know they are still valuable to the church.

How do you handle saying no to someone? Let us know in the comments!