Section 1

The Sunday Gathering

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:24–25

The Sunday Gathering is not an event to attend or a service to execute. It is one of the primary ways the Church becomes visible in the world. When believers gather together to worship Jesus through singing, preaching, prayer, fellowship, confession, communion, baptism, and response, something deeply spiritual is taking place.

You will notice throughout this handbook that we use the term Sunday Gathering rather than “church service.” We do this intentionally because the Church is not an event people attend but the people of God themselves. The Sunday Gathering is the weekly expression of the Church united around the finished work of Christ.

The Sunday Gathering matters because God’s people were never meant to follow Jesus in isolation. Throughout Scripture, we see the people of God regularly gathering to remember His faithfulness, hear His Word, encourage one another, celebrate grace, be sent back into the world on mission, and anticipate the day Jesus will come back.

Week after week, people are being formed by what they see, hear, sing, prioritize, celebrate, and believe. The Sunday Gathering does not merely express our faith; it helps form it. Every song selected, every sermon preached, every prayer offered, and every interaction experienced is teaching people something about God, the Church, and the Christian life. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, gatherings are always shaping people. Because this is true, we must steward the gathering with intentionality and excellence.

At Resonate Church, we do not pursue excellence in our Sunday Gathering to impress people or create performance culture. We pursue excellence because our God is excellent. We believe that preparation is an act of love toward the congregation and toward God. Clear systems serve people well because our God is a God of order, not confusion. Thoughtful environments showcase the hospitality of Christ. Strong leadership helps people engage more fully with Jesus and His Church.

Every Sunday becomes a small glimpse of eternity; a people gathered around Jesus in worship as we anticipate the day we will gather before Him forever. Because the Sunday Gathering carries this kind of weight and responsibility, leadership matters. Healthy gatherings are built through leaders who understand both the spiritual significance of the Church gathering and the practical responsibility of stewarding it well. The purpose of this handbook is to help equip leaders to do exactly that.

Sunday Gathering in the Life of Resonate

Sunday Gathering does not exist independently from the broader discipleship life of a Resonate church. Resonate Owners participate in the life of the church through three environments: Sunday Gathering, Village, and Huddle. All three are predictable patterns meant to be prioritized together.

The Owner Manual describes the Sunday Gathering as intended to challenge and inspire, while Village ensures people belong to a family on mission and Huddle (or Grow Group or DT Group) is the place to repent and believe. Each environment is uniquely designed to help people grow into fully devoted followers of Jesus living as missional believers.

The Gathering therefore carries an important but specific role. It is the weekly moment when the whole church comes together to worship Jesus, hear His Word, encourage one another, celebrate what God is doing, and be sent back into everyday life and mission.

Section 2

Resonate Church Vision & Values

Our Vision

At Resonate Church, we exist to make disciples of Jesus and plant churches in university cities. We believe college campuses are some of the most strategic mission fields in the world. The students reached today become tomorrow’s leaders, pastors, church planters, missionaries, parents, and culture-shapers.

Because of this, we are committed to building healthy local churches that: Proclaim the Gospel clearly, form disciples deeply, develop leaders intentionally, and multiply churches faithfully

Our Sunday Gatherings are not separate from this mission. They help fuel it. Every gathering is an opportunity for people to encounter Jesus, believers to be formed, leaders to be developed, and the Church to be strengthened and sent. Healthy gatherings support healthy discipleship. Healthy discipleship produces healthy leaders. Healthy leaders help plant healthy churches.

To help us remain healthy, the 5 Essentials provide a framework for evaluating and strengthening our gatherings. They help us identify what matters most, maintain alignment across our network, and ensure our gatherings continue supporting the mission of making disciples and planting churches.

The 5 Essentials of Sunday Gathering

Sunday Gatherings at Resonate are not built on preference, personality, or production. They are built on shared values that create healthy, sustainable, and Christ-centered gatherings across every church in our network. Every Gathering Leader is responsible for understanding and upholding these values.

These values are not just principles to believe. They are a framework to return to regularly as you evaluate and strengthen your gatherings. When gatherings drift, these essentials bring clarity. When things feel strong, they help you name why.

Section 3

Understanding the 5 Essentials

The 5 Essentials are more than a list of values. They provide a framework for evaluating the health of a Sunday Gathering. Every church, regardless of size, venue, staffing, or season, should be able to ask: Are we worshiping Jesus? Are our teams healthy? Are we welcoming people well? Are we planning intentionally? Are we celebrating what God is doing?

When gatherings feel unclear, these Essentials help identify where the problem exists. When gatherings are thriving, they help explain why. A healthy gathering does not excel in only one or two Essentials. Healthy gatherings pursue all five together.

Essential 1: Worship

We Worship Jesus Through Singing, Teaching, Prayer, Fellowship, and the Ordinances

The Sunday Gathering exists first and foremost to help God’s people worship Jesus. Worship is not limited to music. Throughout Scripture, God’s people respond to Him through singing, prayer, hearing His Word, fellowship, communion, baptism, confession, generosity, and obedience. Because of this, Gathering Leaders must resist the temptation to think of worship as merely the musical or technical portion of the gathering. Every element contributes to helping the church see Jesus clearly and respond faithfully. Here are some examples:

• Singing helps truth move from the mind into the heart.
• Scripture reading allows God to speak through His Word.
• Prayer teaches dependence upon God.
• Communion reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice.
• Baptism celebrates new life in Christ.
• Fellowship reinforces our identity as a church family.

Questions to Ask

• Is Jesus clearly at the center of our gathering?
• Are we creating opportunities for people to respond to God?
• Are we utilizing multiple expressions of worship?
• Do our elements point people toward Christ?

See Also: “The Heart of the Role” (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader) · “Stage Presence” ·“Song Selection” · “Environment & Hospitality Design” · “Audio & Sound”

Essential 2: Teams

We Have Organized, Functional Teams

Healthy gatherings require healthy teams. Strong Sunday Gatherings are rarely the result of gifted individuals. More often, they are the result of ordinary people serving faithfully within clear systems. Organization is not opposed to spirituality. It allows people to serve with confidence, clarity, and joy. When roles are unclear, volunteers become frustrated. When systems are inconsistent, leaders become exhausted. Healthy teams have:

• Clear expectations
• Consistent communication
• Appropriate training
• Shared ownership
• Ongoing leadership development

Questions to Ask

• Does every volunteer know their role?
• Are responsibilities clearly defined?
• Are we developing Team Leads and Apprentices?
• Could the gathering function if key leaders were absent?

See Also: “Gathering Leadership” · “Leading & Building Teams” · “Developing Leaders” · “Navigating Hard Conversations”

Essential 3: Hospitality

We Place a High Value on Hospitality

Hospitality is one of the clearest ways the church reflects the character of God. Throughout Scripture, God welcomes people to Himself. The church should reflect that same welcome. Hospitality begins long before a conversation at a Connections Table. It includes every moment a person experiences from the parking lot to the final goodbye. A hospitable gathering removes unnecessary barriers and creates an environment where people can focus on Jesus rather than confusion. When people walk into our venues, they should know:

• Where to go
• What to do
• They are welcomed
• There are clear next steps

Additionally, hospitality looks like a stage and a front of house that is clean, organized, and free of visual clutter; tangled cables, cluttered risers, or a messy platform communicate carelessness before a single word is spoken.

Questions to Ask

• Would a first-time guest know where to go?
• Are we removing unnecessary friction?
• Does our environment communicate welcome?
• Are guests being intentionally engaged?
• Does the stage and front of house look cared for: clean, organized, and free of clutter?

See Also: “Gathering Leadership” · “Environment & Hospitality Design” · “Cleanliness & Hospitality” (Worship Leader · Production Leader)

Essential 4: Planning

We Prayerfully and Strategically Plan Ahead

Healthy gatherings rarely happen by accident. Prayer and planning are not competing values; healthy leaders pursue both. Prayer reminds us that God is ultimately responsible for the work. Planning helps us steward the responsibility He has entrusted to us. Last-minute leadership creates unnecessary stress for volunteers and distractions for the congregation. Thoughtful preparation creates confidence. We should aim for the following every Sunday:

• Align with the sermon
• Prepare volunteers well
• Anticipate challenges
• Build cohesive gatherings
• Create space for creativity and responsiveness

Questions to Ask

• Are we planning proactively or reacting weekly?
• Are volunteers receiving information early?
• Are our gatherings cohesive and intentional?
• Are we preparing spiritually and practically?

See Also: “Weekly Expectations” (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader) · “Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations” (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader) · “Resonate Resources & Systems”

Essential 5: Storytelling

We Tell Stories and Celebrate What God Is Doing in Our Midst

The church is not organizing events. God is actively at work among His people. One of the responsibilities of Gathering Leadership is helping the church recognize and celebrate that reality. Stories remind us that God is still saving, transforming, healing, sending, and building His Church. Without celebration, churches can slowly become consumers of ministry rather than participants in God’s mission.

Storytelling is not limited to what happens from the stage. A church that debriefs a sermon in small groups, celebrates a graduating student, or dedicates a baby is telling the same story: that God is at work among His people. Corporate testimony and interpersonal storytelling are both legitimate expressions of this Essential; a church strong in one and not the other is not necessarily failing this value, but should ask whether both dimensions are present somewhere in its culture. We should actively be celebrating:

• Lives being changed (repentance)
• Students being discipled
• Leaders being developed
• Churches being planted
• The Gospel advancing
• Life stage milestones (baby dedications, graduations, etc.)

Questions to Ask

• What has God done recently?
• Are stories regularly being shared?
• Are we highlighting baptisms and life change?
• Are we reminding people of God’s faithfulness?

Growth & Critical Mass

Healthy Gatherings should increasingly support the mission of the church to reach and gather more people. The Resonate Playbook describes the Gathering as both wide and deep: the visible front door of the church and a vehicle for deepening discipleship. For this reason, we evaluate both Gathering health and Gathering growth.

We track Sunday Gathering attendance because it provides an important picture of whether our churches are increasingly gathering and reaching people. Attendance alone, however, does not tell us whether a church or Gathering is healthy. Growth without healthy leaders, teams, systems, ownership, and discipleship is difficult to sustain.

As our churches grow, we want them to progress toward and sustain Critical Mass. The Resonate Playbook defines Critical Mass as roughly 120 in average weekly Sunday Gathering attendance, or about 1.2% of the university’s enrollment where that is the larger number. It is the threshold at which a Gathering becomes its own missional force and leaders can shift their energy toward leadership development.

Critical Mass should not be understood as an isolated attendance goal. It is an important indicator that a church is developing the people, leadership, and stability necessary for sustained collegiate mission and multiplication. As attendance grows, leadership depth, serving teams, systems, and ownership should grow with it.

We want growing Gatherings supported by growing leaders.

For how church size and Critical Mass line up with the Volunteer Development Phases, and why they matter for multiplication, see Church Size, Critical Mass & Multiplication in Team Development.

See Also: “Resonate Church Vision & Values” · “Gathering Scorecard” · “What Winning Looks Like” (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader)

Section 4

Gathering Leadership

One Gathering, Four Roles

Healthy Sunday Gatherings are not built by one leader. They are built through a unified leadership team with clear roles and shared ownership. At Resonate Church, four primary roles work together to lead the gathering:

• Pastor
• Worship Leader
• Gathering Coordinator
• Production Leader

Each role carries distinct responsibility, but all share the same goal: to create a clear, Christ-centered gathering where people can encounter God and respond in faith.

Shared Responsibility

No role operates in isolation. Every leader is responsible for:

• Upholding the 5 Essentials
• Maintaining unity and alignment
• Contributing to planning and evaluation
• Taking ownership of the health of the entire gathering, not just their area

We do not lead segments. We lead one gathering together.

How These Roles Work Together

Across this handbook you will see the same four words used to describe how the roles fit together: Pastor, Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader. This shared language is intentional. Consistent language creates alignment and helps every leader understand how the roles work together.

When these roles are aligned, the gathering feels unified rather than segmented, transitions feel natural rather than forced, teams operate with confidence rather than confusion, and the congregation engages without distraction.

The Gathering Leadership Operating System

This single page explains the entire structure at a glance, so every leader (Pastor, Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader) is working from one shared map.

Role Clarity & Responsibilities

The Sunday Gathering is led by a team of leaders with distinct responsibilities and shared ownership. Together, these roles work in partnership to create healthy, Christ-centered gatherings that help people encounter Jesus, engage in worship, and take meaningful next steps in the life of the Church. Refer to the graphic below for an overview of each leadership role and its primary area of responsibility.

The Resonate Church Network

How the Network Supports Your Local Church

Every local church is supported by the Resonate Church network team, which exists to resource, coach, and support Sunday Gatherings across every Resonate site. You are not building your ministry in isolation, and you are not solving every problem alone. When a question, need, or challenge goes beyond what your local team can resolve, the network team is there to help you steward your Sunday Gathering well.

Sunday Gathering Director

The Sunday Gathering Director oversees equipment, systems, and operational support for Sunday Gatherings across the network. This is your point of contact for gear inventory, repair and replacement needs, and questions about how Sunday Gathering systems function at a network level.

Operations and Processes Manager

The Operations and Processes Manager oversees the broader organizational systems and processes that support Resonate Church as a whole, beyond the Sunday Gathering specifically. This role helps ensure the network team itself runs smoothly so that local churches can be resourced well.

Local Church Organizational Flow Chart

Healthy ministries are built through clear leadership structures and intentional development pathways. This chart illustrates how leadership, Team Leads, and volunteer teams work together to create sustainable ministries that can grow, reproduce, and support future church planting efforts.

The Organizational Flow Chart should be viewed as a baseline example rather than a rigid structure. Every church has different needs, team sizes, and ministry opportunities, so the exact shape of your teams may vary. What must remain consistent is clear ownership, leadership responsibility, and a defined pathway for developing volunteers into leaders. Healthy ministries are not built by having identical structures; they are built by ensuring every area has clear leadership and intentional development.

The Gathering Leader Covenant

Before any Gathering Leader learns the specifics of their role, they share a common commitment. Whatever your role is, you are first a Christian. You are in a position where people are looking to you to be a model Christian and model leader. With that, this covenant is shared by every Gathering Leader, whatever their role. It is the shared character foundation that holds the whole leadership team together.

A Gathering Leader:

• Walks closely with Jesus
• Leads from humility
• Receives feedback
• Pursues integrity
• Develops others
• Protects unity
• Prioritizes people over programs

The role-specific applications of this covenant follow in each Leadership Bundle’s “The Heart of the Role” (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader) and Spiritual Health sections (Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader).

Practical Alignment Rhythms (see “Weekly Expectations” in each Bundle: Worship Leader · Gathering Coordinator · Production Leader)

The covenant establishes who we are as leaders. These rhythms establish how we work together as leaders.

Weekly

• Evaluate the previous gathering honestly
• Align on upcoming service flow
• Identify and solve problems early

Ongoing

• Communicate openly and quickly
• Address tension directly, not passively
• Support one another publicly and privately

In-House & Out-of-House Teams

One of the primary responsibilities of Gathering Leadership is understanding the distinction between In-House and Out-of-House teams. While both exist to support the same Sunday Gathering, they focus on different aspects of the congregation’s experience.

The Role of the Production Leader

The Production Leader oversees the technical execution of the gathering by developing Sound, Lyrics, and Lights teams, maintaining equipment and systems, troubleshooting technical challenges, and ensuring consistency across all production environments.

Their role is not just to run technology. It is to remove distractions, create clarity, and build reliable systems that help people engage with Jesus and His Church. When production is healthy, most people never notice it. They experience a gathering that feels clear, seamless, and trustworthy.

A Sunday at a Glance

Every church sets its own clock times in Planning Center: In-House Call Time, Out-of-House Call Time, Rehearsal, Pre-Service Prayer, and Service Flow Run Through. The order of the day is the same everywhere. Here is what each team is doing at each stage. Select a team to open its full Sunday Responsibilities.

Common Language

A shared vocabulary keeps communication clear across every team and every church in the Resonate network. When everyone uses the same words for the same spaces, roles, and moments, instructions are faster to give, easier to follow, and less likely to be misunderstood: especially for new volunteers stepping into a team for the first time.

Spaces & Locations

Front of House (FOH)
The area, typically at the back or side of the room, where sound is mixed, lighting is adjusted, and ProPresenter is housed.

Stage / Platform
The elevated area where the Worship Band, vocalists, and speaking leaders are positioned during the gathering. "Platform" and "stage" are used interchangeably throughout this handbook.

Back of House
The spaces not visible to the congregation- storage, backstage walkways, equipment closets. Where much of the Production Leader's most important preparation happens, unseen.

Roles & Process

Call Time
The time a team member is expected to arrive, ready to serve. Distinct from Rehearsal or Service start time. Planning Center should always list Call Time separately for In-House and Out-of-House teams (unless they both arrive at the same time).

Timestamp
A specific time marker built into the Planning Center service plan indicating when a given element should begin, used to keep the gathering on pace. All three Gathering Leadership roles rely on accurate timestamps to stay aligned throughout the service.

Load-In / Load-Out
The process of bringing equipment into the gathering space and setting it up (load-in), and packing it away afterward (load-out). Applies to both weekly gear and van/trailer transport.

Set Up / Teardown
The physical setup of the gathering space before the service (set) and the breakdown of that same space afterward (teardown). Often used alongside Load-In/Load-Out but refers specifically to the room, not the vehicle.

Pre-Service Run Through
A final walk-through of the service flow immediately before the gathering begins, distinct from full Rehearsal earlier in the week. The following roles should be present during this Run Through: Pastor, Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, Production Leader, and all In-House teams.

Gathering Plan
The complete Planning Center service plan for a given Sunday, including songs, transitions, Scripture, announcements, and all relevant service notes. Owned by the Worship Leader and the Pastor.

For every term used across the teams, alphabetized and defined, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Section 5

Gathering Scorecard

A simple system for Gathering Teams to reflect together, name what needs attention, and track the health of the Gathering over time.

Where This Lives

The Sunday Gathering Scorecard and church dashboards are housed at resonate.net/gathering-scorecard ↗ so Gathering Teams have one consistent place to access these tools.

These resources are password protected. Ask your Gathering Leader or the Sunday Gathering Director for the password.

From there, select your church to access its Gathering Health Dashboard, submit a Scorecard, review current health and trends, and follow up on action steps.

Vision & Purpose

We created the Sunday Gathering Scorecard and Dashboard to give every church in the network one simple, consistent way to evaluate the health of its Gathering.

This isn’t about grading a Sunday or adding administrative weight. It’s a system to help Gathering Teams slow down, reflect together, celebrate what’s working, name what needs attention, and take meaningful action.

Over time, the Dashboard turns those regular reflections into a clearer picture of Gathering health, helping both the local church and the network make better decisions about where to invest, develop, and support.

Why Use It

Built to resource your team

1. Effectiveness. Creates a consistent rhythm for evaluating whether our Gatherings are accomplishing what we intend them to accomplish.
2. Impact. Helps teams move beyond simply executing another Sunday by identifying strengths, areas for growth, and meaningful next steps.
3. Efficiency. Brings Gathering health, attendance trends, action steps, and Scorecard history into one place rather than requiring teams to track information across multiple systems.
4. Convenience. The Scorecard is designed to take only a few minutes as a team, while the Dashboard automatically organizes the information into something useful over time.

What It Is

A tool for development, not performance review

The Scorecard is a reflection and development tool, not a performance review.

A low score doesn’t mean a team failed, and a high score doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to develop. The value comes from honestly naming reality and using that information to become healthier and more effective over time.

The Dashboard isn’t meant to replace conversations either. It exists to inform better conversations between Gathering Leaders, pastors, and network support.

The Scorecard

Five Essentials, reflected on together

Following the Sunday Gathering, the Gathering Team reflects together on the health of the Gathering through the 5 Essentials: Worship, Teams, Hospitality, Planning, and Storytelling.

Each Essential includes reflection questions designed to help the team evaluate what happened, recognize wins, and identify areas that need attention. Each is rated Needs Attention, Developing, or Healthy, with room for a quick note.

The Scorecard also provides space to record action steps, identify gear, equipment, or supply needs, and request network support when needed. The full form is below, with each Essential’s reflection question as it appears on the form.

The Dashboard

Health over time, not just one Sunday

Each church has its own Gathering Health Dashboard. Scorecard submissions feed into the Dashboard so teams can see health over time rather than evaluating a Gathering based on a single Sunday. The Dashboard provides a snapshot of:

• Current Gathering Health: a quick picture of overall health, current strengths, and areas for growth.
• 5 Essentials Health: tracks the health of Worship, Teams, Hospitality, Planning, and Storytelling based on recent Scorecards.
• Attendance Trends: shows attendance direction over time while allowing unusual Sundays to be excluded from trend calculations when appropriate.
• Action Steps: keeps identified next steps visible so reflection leads to action.
• Recent Scorecards: allows teams to look back at recent submissions and recognize patterns over time.

The Dashboard intentionally holds Gathering health and attendance trends side by side. Five Essentials health helps us understand the quality and health of the Gathering; attendance and trend data help us understand whether the Gathering is increasingly reaching and gathering people. We evaluate both together over time, so that neither health nor attendance is treated as sufficient on its own, and so leaders can see whether internal health is increasingly supporting the church’s ability to reach and gather more people (see Growth & Critical Mass).

How To Use It

Five steps to build the rhythm

1. Gather your team. Complete the Scorecard together in your weekly or biweekly Gathering Leadership Meetings. The goal is conversation and shared reflection, not just filling out a form.
2. Reflect honestly. Use the questions and scoring to describe the Gathering as accurately as possible. Avoid inflating or lowering scores based on how the Sunday simply “felt.”
3. Identify action. When something needs attention, create a clear action step. Reflection is most valuable when it leads to development.
4. Use the Dashboard. Return to your church Dashboard regularly to look for patterns in Gathering health, attendance, strengths, and areas of growth.
5. Ask for help when needed. If something would benefit from network support, indicate that on the Scorecard so the appropriate follow-up can happen. Network staff will automatically be notified of the need and will respond within 24 hours.

Recommended Rhythm

Consistency is where the value lives

The greatest value comes from consistency over time.

Complete the Scorecard at the established Gathering Team rhythm rather than only when a Sunday goes particularly well or poorly. As more Scorecards are submitted, the Dashboard becomes a more useful representation of the church’s Gathering health.

Use the Dashboard during regular conversations between the Pastor, Gathering Coordinator, Worship Leader, and Production Leader (if applicable) to celebrate progress, address areas of concern, and determine next steps.

How Scores Work

Every rating becomes a number:

• Overall Health for a single Scorecard is the average of its five Essential scores.
• Essential Health is each Essential’s average across your church’s Scorecards from the last three months. This is why one Scorecard doesn’t completely determine your Dashboard health.
• Current Overall Health is the average of your five Essential Health scores. Your Strength is your highest-scoring Essential, and your Growth Area is your lowest.
• Averages turn back into labels the same way everywhere: 2.5 and above is Healthy, 1.5 and above is Developing, and anything lower is Needs Attention.

The Gathering Scorecard and each Bundle’s Self-Audit Rubric measure different things. The Scorecard is a team reflection on the Gathering itself, on a 1 to 3 scale. The Self-Audit is a personal reflection on your own leadership in your role, on a 1 to 4 scale. See What Winning Looks Like in the Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, or Production Leader Bundle.

Action Steps & Attendance

• Every action step starts as Not Started and moves to In Progress, Complete, or No Longer Needed. Open actions stay on your Dashboard from one Scorecard to the next until they are closed.
• To update an action, open its Update Action link on your Dashboard. Everything is already filled in, so you only change what’s new: status, owner, due date, or notes.
• Attendance is counted every Sunday and recorded in Planning Center Headcounts (see Resonate Resources & Systems). It syncs to your Dashboard every night, and your trend compares your eight most recent Gatherings with the eight before that. On the 1st of each month, your church receives an attendance summary by email.
• To exclude an unusual Sunday from your trend, use your church’s Attendance Adjustment link. The network also watches for churches whose overall health drops below 2.0, whose attendance is down more than 10%, or who have three or more open action steps, so it can check in and come alongside.

FAQs

Is this grading our Sunday Gathering?
No. The Scorecard is designed to create honest reflection and development. Scores help identify patterns over time; they are not grades for a team or individual.

Who should complete the Scorecard?
The Scorecard should be completed collaboratively by the appropriate Gathering Leaders rather than representing only one person’s perspective.

What happens after we submit a Scorecard?
Your submission contributes to the health information displayed on your church’s Dashboard. Action steps and other follow-up information are also captured so they can be addressed.

Why doesn’t one Scorecard completely determine our Dashboard health?
The Dashboard is designed to show health over time, not simply the result of one Sunday. Recent Scorecards work together to provide a more stable picture of Gathering health.

What if we had an unusual attendance Sunday?
Attendance outliers can be excluded from trend calculations when circumstances make the attendance number unrepresentative: a holiday, school break, combined Gathering, severe weather, or another unusual circumstance. The attendance record remains intact; it simply doesn’t influence the trend.

What should become an action step?
Create an action step when something identified during reflection requires a specific follow-up. Keep action steps clear, actionable, and assigned when possible.

What if we need help from the network?
Indicate that you would like network support on the Scorecard. This allows the need to be surfaced for follow-up rather than relying on the local team to remember to reach out separately.

Who can see our Dashboard?
Your church Dashboard gives your Gathering Team a shared view of its Gathering health while also helping network leadership understand where churches may need development or support.

Section 1

Worship Leader Job Description

Role: Worship Leader

Reports To: Pastor

Status: Part-Time / Full-Time / Volunteer (circle applicable)

Hours: __________ per week

Note: If you are serving as a Volunteer Worship Leader, please refer to the Volunteer Worship Leader Addendum at the end of this bundle. The expectations in this section are written for part-time and full-time staff. The Addendum identifies which expectations flex at the volunteer level and which do not.

Role Purpose

The Worship Leader shepherds the musical and production teams so the church can worship Jesus clearly, confidently, and together. This role is not primarily about music. It is about people; developing healthy leaders, building reproducible systems, and shaping gatherings where the local church engages with God and is equipped to live on mission.

The Worship Leader also carries a long-term responsibility: to develop and multiply leaders who can sustain this ministry and support future church planting efforts within the Resonate network.

Core Areas of Ownership

Worship Leadership
Lead the Sunday Gathering with clarity, confidence, and intentionality.

Flow of Service
Build and maintain the Planning Center service plan: the service flow, song order, liturgical moments, transitions, and timestamps: in coordination with the Pastor.

Team & Music Development
Develop musicians, vocalists, Team Leads, and a healthy team culture.

Sunday Execution
Ensure gatherings feel prepared, unified, and spiritually directed.

Stewardship
Faithfully care for the people and resources entrusted to the Sunday Gathering.

Leader Development
Identify, develop, and multiply the next generation of worship leaders.

Core Competencies

The competencies below represent the baseline skills and knowledge expected of every Resonate Church Worship Leader. While mastery is not required in every area, Worship Leaders should pursue continual growth, development, and increasing proficiency so they can lead their teams effectively and steward the Sunday Gathering well.

• Understand song structure and clearly communicate arrangements
• Maintain awareness of Sound, Lights, and Lyrics quality each Sunday
• Maintain a basic knowledge of Planning Center and ProPresenter
• Lead rehearsals and teams with clarity and confidence
• Maintain organized and repeatable systems for volunteers, communication, and gear
• Develop and multiply leadership at every level of the team
• Embody biblical character and Resonate Church gathering values

Working Relationship with Gathering Leadership

The Pastor
Partners with the Pastor to implement the vision of the church through the Sunday Gathering. The Worship Leader aligns song selection, liturgy, and service flow with the preaching calendar, and stays in regular communication with the Pastor about the spiritual health of the gathering and the team.

The Gathering Coordinator
Partners with the Gathering Coordinator to create a unified Sunday Gathering where service flow and guest experience work together. Coordinates on transitions and timing so environments, hospitality, and worship feel like one seamless gathering rather than disconnected segments.

The Production Leader
Partners with the Production Leader to ensure the technical elements of the gathering are prepared, functional, and free from unnecessary distractions. Provides direction on how sound, lights, and visuals should support the service flow and worship experience.

Section 2

The Heart of the Role

More Than Music

The Worship Leader does not just lead songs or manage a band. They help shape how the church engages with God throughout the gathering through music, liturgy, prayer, Scripture, and spiritual leadership.

You are not leading music. You are helping create gatherings where the church can worship Jesus clearly, respond faithfully, and be formed together through the presence of God and the truth of the Gospel. Here is the Worship Leader’s primary responsibilities:

Spiritual Direction
Every song, transition, prayer, and liturgical moment should help point people toward Jesus and align with the broader movement of the gathering. Worship leadership is not performance. It is essentially pastoral guidance.

Congregational Engagement
The goal is not to impress the room, but to help the church sing clearly, confidently, and together. You are leading participation, not creating spectators.

Service Flow
Gatherings should feel thoughtful, unified, and purposeful. You help shape how moments connect so the gathering feels cohesive rather than disconnected or rushed.

Musical & Technical Clarity
The music and production should support worship, not distract from it. Clear arrangements, strong preparation, and healthy collaboration with production teams help create confidence and consistency.

Spiritual Formation
Week after week, worship leaders help shape the theology, culture, and habits of a church. The songs you choose, the way you lead, and the moments you create all contribute to how people understand God and respond to Him.

Character Before Competence

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can produce in this role. Your character, integrity, and walk with Jesus are the foundation of your leadership. A technically excellent worship leader with compromised character does more damage than a musically average leader with genuine integrity.

Live With Integrity On and Off the Stage

• Honor Jesus in your conduct, conversations, and relationships, and not only when people are watching
• What you communicate publicly should match who you are privately
• If there is a gap between your public leadership and your private life, address it before it addresses you

Lead With Humility and Accountability

• Remain genuinely teachable, not defensively closed off to feedback
• Stay aligned with your Pastor and church leadership
• Invite honest evaluation of your leadership regularly

Steward Your Influence Responsibly

• Use your platform to point people to Jesus, not yourself
• Build trust through consistency, honesty, and genuine care for others
• Be aware that people follow who they watch: model what you want your team to become

Lead From Grace, Not Performance

“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

The call to leadership is not a call to perfection. Worship Leaders are not people who have arrived; they are people who are learning to follow Jesus faithfully while helping others do the same. You will make mistakes. You will have difficult seasons. You will need correction, encouragement, and grace just like everyone else in your church. Pursue Christ sincerely, walk in repentance when you fail, remain teachable, and trust that God’s grace is sufficient. We do not lead from a place of performance. We lead from a place of dependence on Jesus.

Section 3

The Worship Leader’s Spiritual Health

Leading From a Full Place

You cannot give what you do not have. A worship leader who is spiritually dry may eventually lead dry gatherings regardless of how skilled they are, how well-rehearsed their team is, or how strong their systems are. Technical competence without spiritual formation produces leaders who can execute Sundays but struggle to shepherd people.

This section is not about adding spiritual disciplines to an already-full plate. It is about recognizing that your own walk with Jesus is the foundation everything else is built on. If that foundation erodes, the rest follows.

The Central Question: Are you experiencing God’s grace in your own life, or are you only helping others engage with Him on Sundays?

Leadership Awareness

One of the quiet dangers of leading worship week after week is that the gathering can become more about execution than encounter. You are focused on transitions, on the band, on flow, and somewhere along the way, Sunday stops being a place where you worship and becomes only a place where you work.

This drift is normal. It is also serious. The greatest danger is not that people will notice. The greatest danger is that you may not notice.

Your relationship with God is not a tool that helps you lead worship better. It is the most important thing about you. Before you are a Worship Leader, you are a son or daughter of God.

• Guard against treating Sunday preparation as purely logistical.
• Maintain personal worship practices that are entirely separate from your ministry responsibilities.
• Regularly ask yourself: Am I pursuing Jesus because I love Him, or only because I am leading others?

Rhythms That Sustain You

Personal Scripture & Prayer: Your time in Scripture should not only be in service of what you will communicate on Sunday. Pursue God’s Word for your own formation. Let it address you before you use it to address others.

Sabbath: Ministry leaders are among the most likely to neglect rest because the work always feels urgent. Sabbath is not laziness. It is obedience. It communicates that the ministry does not depend on your constant effort, and it replenishes what leading others depletes.

Huddle: You need people in your life who know you outside your role. People who will ask hard questions, speak truth to you, and not treat you primarily as a ministry leader. Isolation is one of the most common contributors to burnout and moral failure in ministry.

Accountability with Your Pastor: Your Pastor is not only your supervisor. They are a spiritual covering for your leadership. Stay transparent with them about where you are spiritually. A Pastor who knows you are struggling can help.

What This Looks Like Practically on Sundays

Spiritual health is not only sustained in the week before Sunday. It should be practiced on Sunday itself before you begin to lift a finger.

One practice worth building into your team's culture: before the trailer is unloaded and before setup begins, gather your team for a few minutes of prayer that is not about the gathering. Its only aim is connecting with God; before you serve anyone else, you belong to Him first.

Consider making this a named responsibility rather than something that happens only when you remember to do it. Give one of your team roles ownership of a pre-set up prayer time each week. The intention is to hold space, at the very start of set up, for people to encounter Jesus before they encounter their tasks.

It is a small thing that takes five minutes. It may also be the difference between a team that shows up to work and a team that shows up to worship.

Spiritual Health Is Team Health

Your spiritual health does not stay private. It flows outward into everything you lead. A worship leader who is prayerful, grounded, and genuinely walking with Jesus creates a culture that the team can feel. Investing in your own formation is not selfishness. It is stewardship of everyone you lead.

Section 4

Stage Presence

Presence Is Not Performance

The stage is not a platform in the entertainment sense. Stage presence in worship leadership is not about charisma, energy, or making an impression. It is about the congregation feeling genuinely led, sensing that there is someone up front worth following because they are authentically engaged with what is happening, not projecting an image of engagement.

The goal of your presence is not to be noticed. The goal is to make it easy for people to follow you into worship.

Confidence as a Leadership Act

Hesitant, apologetic platform leadership makes the congregation anxious. When you lead with confidence, you give people permission to engage. This is not about personality; an introvert can lead with just as much presence as an extrovert. It is about conviction, preparation, and genuine belief in what you are doing.

Preparation also means leading without a chart and without heavy reliance on the confidence monitor. Knowing your material well enough to lead from memory is part of what allows you to actually watch the congregation instead of watching your instrument, charts or lyrics. This is a standard, not a suggestion (see Weekly Expectations); Stage Presence is where that standard becomes visible.

• Preparation: when you know the material thoroughly, you can lead rather than survive
• Conviction: when you genuinely believe what you are singing, it shows
• Dependence on the Spirit: confidence rooted in God’s sufficiency rather than your own competence is more sustainable and more compelling

The Joy of Singing

"Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!"

Psalm 100:1-2

From Genesis to Revelation, singing is consistently portrayed as the response of God’s people to the character and work of God. As Worship Leaders, we have the privilege of helping people respond to God through singing.

• Resist the temptation to lead with a closed or detached posture
• Let your face and demeanor reflect the content of what you are singing
• Remember that singing is an act of worship, not merely a musical responsibility.
• If you find yourself consistently lacking joy in worship, spend time understanding why that may be

• Spend time examining your own heart before the Lord

A joyful Worship Leader is not someone who is always smiling. It is someone who fights to not lose sight of the wonder of the Gospel.

Body Language & Physical Posture

Worship leadership is both verbal and nonverbal. The way you carry yourself on stage communicates something to the congregation about your confidence, attentiveness, and engagement. Thoughtful body language helps create trust and invites people to follow your leadership more naturally. Here are some helpful tips.

Face the Congregation
Many worship leaders spend more time looking at their instrument, their monitor, or the floor than at the people they are leading. Eye contact, even scanning the room with genuine awareness, communicates that you know the congregation is there.

Open Posture
Arms crossed, shoulders turned inward, and bodies angled away from the congregation communicate disengagement. Open posture communicates invitation and confidence.

Move With Intention
Nervous energy, excessive swaying, and fidgeting are distracting. Movement driven by genuine worship engagement is not. Move when it flows from authentic engagement, not from restlessness.

Eyes Open vs. Eyes Closed
Closing your eyes during worship can be genuine and appropriate. But a worship leader who leads with their eyes closed for most of the gathering has functionally stopped leading. You cannot lead people you cannot see.

Speaking From Stage

The Worship Leader's voice carries influence. Whether offering a prayer, reading Scripture, or guiding a transition, every spoken moment is an opportunity to shepherd people toward Jesus. Effective platform communication combines thoughtful preparation, genuine authenticity, and confident leadership. Here are some helpful tips.

Prepare What You Will Say
You do not need to script every word, but you should know the point of every spoken moment before you open your mouth. What is this transition communicating? What am I shepherding people toward?

Leave Room for Authenticity
Preparation and dependence on the Spirit are not opposites. Good preparation often creates the freedom to be present in the moment.

Brevity Is a Virtue
Short, clear, and pointed is almost always better than long and thorough. The congregation’s attention during spoken transitions is borrowed; honor their engagement by being concise.

Speak With Authority
There is a difference between speaking loudly and speaking with conviction. The congregation responds to leaders who mean what they say. Avoid filler language as verbal tics.

Challenge Yourself

Consider these questions as you evaluate your stage presence. Better yet, watch a recording of yourself leading and ask a trusted leader, your Pastor and band members to answer them as well.

• Did I help people engage with Jesus, or did I draw attention to myself?
• Did I lead with confidence and conviction?
• Were my spoken moments clear, concise, and purposeful?
• Did my body language communicate engagement and invitation?
• If I were sitting in the congregation, would I want to follow my leadership?

Use the insights gained from this evaluation to identify one or two specific areas for growth. Work with your Pastor, Gathering Leadership team, and other Resonate Worship Leaders to develop practical habits that strengthen your stage presence and help you lead the congregation more effectively.

Section 5

Your First 30/60/90 Days

Getting Started Well

The first ninety days of your role will shape how your team sees you and how you see the role you have stepped into. This is not the time to overhaul everything. It is the time to listen, learn, and build trust. Move through these phases with patience and intentionality.

30 Days: Learn & Observe

• Attend your first weekly leadership meeting: you need to see how Gathering Leadership actually works together before you're expected to lead within it.
• Meet with your Pastor to understand vision, culture, and expectations
• Walk through the full Sunday Gathering experience from a guest perspective: it will be rare to see your gathering this freshly again once you’re inside the machinery of leading it.
• Audit current Planning Center setup, systems, and volunteer structure: you can’t improve a system you don’t yet understand. Audit before you edit.
• Observe what is working and where the gaps are: take notes, don’t fix yet

60 Days: Engage & Plan

• Begin communicating with volunteers using established channels: consistency builds trust faster than a perfect first message.
• Meet one-on-one with each Team Lead or key volunteer: this is a listening meeting, not an evaluation. You’re learning their history with the team, what’s working from their perspective, and beginning to gauge readiness for more responsibility (Reference Team Member Reference Guide).
• Plan your first improvements to environment and systems: by now you have enough context to change something without breaking what’s actually working.
• Identify 1–2 people you want to develop into greater responsibility

90 Days: Lead & Build

• Own the full Sunday Gathering, including the Gathering Plan in Planning Center
• Introduce or refine one system (communication, setup, or hospitality): one deliberate, well-considered change communicate leadership more than several rushed ones.
• Begin recruiting at least one new volunteer
• Establish your weekly preparation rhythm: what gets you through your first 90 days will not sustain you for the next five years.
• Ask for formal feedback from your Pastor: this closes the loop on your onboarding and gives your pastor an official checkpoint on how you’re settling in.

Key Questions to Ask in Your First 30 Days

• Where does the gathering feel unclear for guests?
• What systems are working well that I should preserve and build on?
• Where are the biggest gaps in our teams, clarity, or systems?
• Who are the emerging leaders already on this team?
• What does my Pastor need most from me in this role?

If You Are Starting From Near Zero

Some Worship Leaders step into a church plant or an early-stage ministry where formal teams do not yet exist, Planning Center has never been used consistently, and the previous gathering structure was carried entirely by one or two people. If that is your situation, the 30/60/90 framework still applies but your priorities shift.

In your first 30 days, your primary goal is not to audit systems. It is to identify people. Who in this congregation has the potential to serve? Who is already showing up consistently? Start those conversations early. Recruitment at this stage is not a Phase 1 task you get to eventually, it is your most important work from week one.

In your first 60 days, your primary goal is not to refine communication channels. It is to build the most basic functional system possible; a Planning Center plan, a rehearsal rhythm, and at least one volunteer who can share the load with you on Sunday mornings.

By 90 days, the standard expectations above apply. But give yourself permission to spend the first thirty days with people, not just logistics.

Once your first 90 days have passed, the rhythms in Part 2, particularly Sections 6 and 7, become your operating guide for sustaining and growing the ministry week to week.

Section 6

Weekly Expectations

Building Healthy Rhythms

Healthy gatherings are built through consistent weekly rhythms. Think of these not as tasks to complete but as disciplines that form you and your team over time. Throughout this section, a Goal describes the outcome you are aiming for. A Standard describes the baseline behavior expected. Goals are directional. Standards are non-negotiable.

A Note on Volunteer Worship Leaders

The weekly rhythms and standards in this section are written for part-time and full-time staff Worship Leaders. If you are serving as a Volunteer Worship Leader, these rhythms represent the full vision for what healthy weekly leadership looks like. Some of them will flex based on your capacity. Refer to the Volunteer Worship Leader Addendum at the end of this bundle for clarity on which expectations are non-negotiable at every level and which are adjusted for volunteers.

What does not flex regardless of your status: Planning Center accuracy, Sunday preparation, team communication, and showing up spiritually ready to lead. These are not staff-level expectations. They are Worship Leader expectations.

Ownership of the Gathering Plan

The Worship Leader Maintains the Gathering Plan

All three In-House and Out-of-House leaders contribute to Sunday, but only one leader creates the actual service flow. That leader is the Worship Leader. Working closely with the Pastor on service flow, the Worship Leader is responsible for:

• Building the Planning Center (PCO) service plan
• Creating the service flow
• Ordering songs
• Adding liturgical moments
• Determining transitions
• Creating timestamps
• Coordinating with the Pastor on service flow

Other Gathering Leaders (the Pastor, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader) contribute information to the plan, but the Worship Leader owns the service flow. The Worship Leader builds the plan and confirms it with the Pastor before it is finalized.

Planning Center should contain the complete flow of the Sunday Gathering, including songs, transitions, Scripture readings, announcements, communion, baptisms, response moments, and all relevant service notes. The Worship Leader should also include a pre service flow and a post service flow to maintain volunteer expectations for both.

Planning & Communication

Planning Center

Planning Center (PCO) is the source of truth in Gathering execution. The baseline model for Planning Center responsibilities are as follows:

• Worship Leader: Responsible for scheduling Leadership Roles (Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, Kids Director, Pastor, Announcements) & Worship Band volunteers, finalizing the PCO service flow, creating proper timestamps (see below) and updating them as needed.
• Production Leader: Responsible for scheduling Production Roles (Lights, Sound, Lyrics).
• Gathering Coordinator: Responsible for scheduling Out-of-House volunteers & ensuring attendance is taken each week via Planning Center Headcounts.
• Pastor: Responsible for communicating updates or changes to the service flow & confirming the service flow as the Pastor has overall directional oversight of the Sunday Gathering.

Specifically for the Worship Leader

• Schedule In-House teams 4 weeks in advance and include their specific roles and responsibilities (unless you have agreed that the Production Leader is responsible for scheduling production teams)
• Every element should answer: who is leading, what is being communicated, and how the transition happens
• Include clear timestamps: In-House Call Time, Out-of-House Call Time, Rehearsal, Pre-Service Prayer, and Service Flow Run Through
• Communicate changes as early as possible. Last-minute changes can cause teams to be frantic.

Volunteer Communication

• Maintain separate communication channels for In-House and Out-of-House teams
• Communicate both broad updates and individual responsibilities when needed
• Aim to have all communication sent by Thursday for Sunday gatherings
• Avoid last-minute messages except for genuine emergencies

Gathering Leadership Meeting

Meet weekly or biweekly with your Pastor, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader. This is one of the most important habits you can build. Do not let it slip.

• Evaluate the previous Sunday honestly: what worked, what did not, and why. Use the 5 Essentials as a baseline.
• Plan and align on upcoming gatherings
• Identify decisions that need to be made and make them before Sunday

Rehearsal & Preparation

Lead Rehearsal

• Start and end on time; respecting your volunteers’ time is an act of care
• Communicate song structures and arrangements before rehearsal, not during
• Rehearse key transitions, not just songs. The transition is often where a gathering either gains clarity or loses momentum.
• If you don’t have a Production Leader, prepare ProPresenter playlists, sermon notes, and graphics in advance
• Address problem areas quickly and move forward

Practice Personally

• Know every song, structure, and transition thoroughly before rehearsal
• Practice your own parts, vocal cues, and spoken transitions
• Identify and resolve potential problem areas before they become Sunday problems
• Know your songs well enough to lead without depending on a chart or confidence monitor on Sunday morning; charts and lyrics are preparation tools, not crutches

Prepare Transitions & Liturgies

• Plan how each moment connects to the next, do not assume it will come naturally
• Write out and rehearse key spoken moments, not just musical ones
• Align transitions with the sermon and overall gathering arc
• Keep language concise and purposeful, brevity is a virtue

Sunday Leadership

Arrive Early

Arrive spiritually and mentally prepared, not just physically present. Review the full plan and anticipate any gaps before your team arrives.

Lead Prayer & Setup

Lead or initiate pre-set up prayer. Do not skip this to rush setup. Communicate important updates clearly before the room fills with noise and activity.

Lead Pre-Service Run Through

Lead a brief Pre-Service Run Through with everyone involved in executing the Sunday Gathering. This meeting should happen no later than 15 minutes before the gathering begins and ensures everyone understands the service flow, transitions, and their responsibilities before doors open.

• Ensure all necessary leaders and team members are present, including the Gathering Coordinator, Worship Leader, Production Leader, Pastor, relevant In-House team members, and anyone else involved in the service that Sunday
• Have everyone open Planning Center so the team is following the same service plan
• Walk through the entire flow of the gathering in order, beginning with the countdown timer (if applicable) and pre-roll through the closing of the service
• Clearly communicate every transition, including who is responsible, what is happening, and when it happens
• Confirm that every transition and necessary cue is accurately documented in Planning Center
• Address any remaining questions or unclear responsibilities before concluding the meeting
• Pray for the Gathering

This is not intended to be a full rehearsal. The goal is to create shared awareness so everyone involved knows what is happening, when it is happening, and who owns it.

Oversee the Gathering

Follow the planned service flow while remaining flexible when needed. Stay engaged in the full gathering, not just the music portion. Communicate clearly with production and other leaders throughout the service if needed.

Participate in the Gathering

Be an active participant during the sermon, not only an overseer of it. Sit, listen, and receive: God is forming you too, not just using you to lead others. At the same time, stay aware enough to respond if a genuine need arises.

Lead Teardown

Oversee teardown with the same intentionality you brought to setup. Thank and encourage volunteers before they leave. Never let people disappear unacknowledged.

Team Care

Encourage & Challenge Volunteers

Healthy teams are built through two things most leaders do only one of: encouragement and honest feedback. Encouragement without challenge creates comfort. Challenge without encouragement creates fear.

• Affirm effort, growth, and faithfulness specifically
• Give clear and constructive feedback privately when needed
• Celebrate wins, large and small
• Uphold standards with grace; do not let problems linger unaddressed

Check In Relationally

• Connect with team members before and after gatherings; ask about their lives, not just their serving
• Pay attention to signs of discouragement or disengagement
• Schedule team dinners or informal gatherings quarterly to build relational culture

Operational Stewardship

Gear & Equipment

• Confirm equipment is packed and organized before Sunday
• Keep gear labeled and stored consistently so any volunteer can step into the system
• Eliminate clutter; a disorganized gear system creates anxiety and slow load-in
• Handle equipment carefully and train volunteers to do the same
• Ensure environment cleanliness: a clean, organized stage and FOH is not just good gear stewardship, it’s an act of hospitality

Identify Repair & Replacement Needs

Partner with the Sunday Gathering Director for repair and replacement needs. For questions about what's currently tracked, refer to your church's Gathering Inventory spreadsheet: every church maintains one. Reach out to the Sunday Gathering Director with any inventory questions.

• Regularly assess equipment condition, do not wait for something to fail on a Sunday
• Address issues before they become larger and more expensive problems
• Communicate repair or upgrade needs clearly to your Pastor and Sunday Gathering Director

Building a Cohesive Gathering

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:16

Before building a service order, identify the primary story or truth you want the congregation to understand.

• What is God teaching our church this week?
• What truth are we emphasizing?
• How can our creative elements reinforce that truth?

Songs can introduce and reinforce the theme. Scripture readings can frame the theme. Stories can demonstrate the theme. Communion can remind us of the Gospel beneath the theme. Response moments can help people act on the theme. Every element should have intentionality.

Section 6A

Cleanliness & Hospitality

Excellence Includes What No One Sees

Hospitality is not only what you say from the platform. It is also what the platform itself communicates before you say anything at all. A guest's eyes move across the stage before a single word is sung, and a cluttered, disorganized, or visibly careless platform quietly undermines everything else you're about to lead them into.

This is not about aesthetics for their own sake. It's the same principle that runs through this entire bundle: preparation is an act of love toward the congregation. A tangled cable, a cluttered riser, or gear left in plain view after it should have been put away is a small thing that communicates something larger; that this space, and the people in it, weren't fully prepared for.

What This Looks Like

• Cables are run cleanly and are never a visible distraction or a tripping hazard: use Gaff Tape
• The stage and Gathering space is free of cases, extra gear, or clutter once setup is complete
• Nothing on stage is there without a reason for being there

Why This Matters

A congregation may never consciously notice a clean stage. They will notice a messy one. Excellence here is invisible when done well and distracting when neglected, which is exactly the same principle that governs great sound, great lighting, and great transitions. Cleanliness is not a separate value from hospitality. It is hospitality, expressed physically.

Section 7

Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations

Longer-Range Rhythms

Weekly rhythms keep Sundays running. Monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms keep the ministry healthy and growing. If you only manage the week, you will always be reacting.

Monthly

Volunteer Recruitment

• Actively identify and invite new people to serve
• Create a clear onboarding experience for new volunteers so they feel welcomed, not just plugged in (see Leading & Building Teams)
• Build depth on every team so that no single person’s absence breaks a Sunday

Sunday Evaluation

• Reflect honestly on recent gatherings
• Celebrate wins with your team so they know their effort matters
• Address recurring issues directly rather than hoping they resolve themselves

Personal Development

• Engage consistently in the biweekly Worship Leader coaching environment
• Learn from other Worship Leaders in the Resonate network; you are not alone in this
• Seek regular feedback from your Pastor and at least one trusted team member
• Follow your MxU Pathway (Tier A: Worship Leader): a structured onboarding, growth, and ongoing curriculum across band, audio, lighting, and ProPresenter

Storytelling & Celebration

Stories remind people that ministry is not merely something we organize. It is something God is actively accomplishing. Look for opportunities to celebrate:

• Salvations, baptisms, and spiritual growth
• Mission trips, acts of service, and community impact
• Church planting stories and personal testimonies

Quarterly

Network Training & Development

• Engage actively in network training environments
• Apply what you learn; training without application is entertainment
• Remain aligned with network vision, values, and standards

Team Development

• Meet with Team Leads for coaching, support, and review of team health
• Identify emerging leaders and begin investing in them before you formally assign them responsibility
• Equip leaders to take greater ownership of their area; your goal is to decrease dependency on yourself

Annually

Full Gathering Evaluation

• Evaluate the full Sunday Gathering experience end-to-end: song selection, service flow, spiritual formation, and team health
• Identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement
• Create action steps for the following year

Song Catalog & Repertoire Review

• Review the full song catalog for theological accuracy, congregational engagement, and continued relevance
• Retire songs that are no longer serving the congregation and identify gaps in the current rotation
• Ensure licensing, documentation, and chord charts are current through SongSelect (CCLI)

Full Gear Inventory

• Conduct a complete inventory of all production and musical equipment
• Assess condition, organization, and functionality of every item
• Submit a written repair, replacement, or upgrade list to your Pastor and Sunday Gathering Director

Resonate Conference

• Attend the Resonate Conference annually to observe, learn, and align
• Serve at the conference when applicable
• Pay close attention to gathering execution, leadership culture, and vision

Section 7A

Special Gatherings & Creative Stewardship

Special Gatherings

Most Sundays follow a consistent rhythm, and that consistency is a gift to your congregation. But throughout the year, certain gatherings, including Easter, Good Friday, Baptisms, Commissionings, Worship Nights, Launch Sundays, and Conferences, carry unique spiritual significance and call for greater intentionality in how the service is shaped.

These gatherings are not opportunities to showcase creativity for its own sake. They are opportunities to help the congregation see and respond to what God is doing with even greater clarity than usual.

A Worship Leader should regularly ask:

• What is unique about this gathering?
• What does the congregation need to understand, feel, or respond to this Sunday?
• How can song selection, liturgy, and spoken moments reinforce that purpose?
• How can we create space for a deeper or more significant response without losing clarity?

Examples

• A Good Friday gathering may call for a more somber song selection, extended space for silence and confession, and a liturgy that lingers in lament before moving toward hope.
• A Baptism Sunday may require reordering the set to build toward the baptism moment, incorporating testimony, and selecting songs that reflect new life and identity in Christ.
• A Worship Night may call for extended musical worship, fewer spoken transitions, and space for prolonged response and prayer.
• A Commissioning Sunday may involve songs and liturgy that reflect sending, mission, and the church's identity as a people on mission.
• An Easter Gathering may lean toward celebration, accessible songs for first-time guests, and a liturgy that centers clearly on the resurrection without assuming background knowledge.

The best special gatherings do not feel like a different kind of Sunday. They feel like the same church, worshiping with even greater clarity about why they've gathered.

Creativity in Service of Clarity

Healthy Worship Leaders are not just programming songs. They are stewards of a congregation's spiritual attention on the Sundays that matter most.

• Do not introduce a new song for the first time on a high-stakes Sunday; save unfamiliar material for a normal week
• Coordinate closely with the Pastor earlier than usual, since these Sundays often require tighter alignment between the sermon and the service flow
• Loop in the Gathering Coordinator and Production Leader early, since environment and technical needs often shift more on these Sundays than others
• Creativity is not measured by how different the Sunday feels. It is measured by how effectively it helps the congregation encounter Jesus in that specific moment.

Every gathering is an opportunity to help people see Jesus clearly. Special gatherings are an opportunity to do that with even greater intentionality.

Section 8

Song Selection

The Theology of Song Choice

“Show me a church’s songs and I’ll show you their theology.”
Gordon Fee

The songs we sing do not just reflect our beliefs. They shape them. The melodies that stick in our minds are attached to words that subtly affect our hearts. Lyrics sung repeatedly on Sundays can stay with a congregation far longer and more deeply than a point made from the pulpit.

With that, our churches are growing, and we will continue to plant more. As we grow larger and become more spread out, we will encounter greater diversity. With that diversity comes the need for greater intentionality, not just in our missional strategies, but also in how we approach the Sunday Gathering.

From church to church, you’ll meet people with different preferences and styles when it comes to worship music. The church is designed for diversity because the Gospel is a message for every person on earth. While the message never changes, the way it is expressed through music will vary depending on context, culture, and experience. And there is beauty in that.

Colossians 3:16 says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

There is a wide range of songs that fall into the three categories; psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs. We currently have a diverse selection in our approved song list, and you should feel empowered to continue identifying and submitting songs that may edify your church and serve your local context. Though songs may vary in sound and delivery, they must clearly communicate Gospel-centered truth. In a Doxology & Theology podcast, Zac Hicks talks about how we should be theological dietitians when thinking about songs to sing in our churches. He has broken them down into 6 criteria.

Criteria for Song Selection

Is the song singable?
The rhythm and range should be accessible for the congregation. The arrangement should be predictable enough that people can follow along without needing to watch a screen the entire time.

Is the song accessible?
The lyrics should be clear enough to understand, even if they require a brief explanation before singing.

Is the music complementary to the lyrics?
Music is a frame for the text. The energy of the song should fit the truth it is communicating. Music that undermines or distracts from the lyric works against the congregation, not for them.

Is the song theologically precise?
The song should give the congregation the ability to think true thoughts about God. Simple, clear statements of truth are often very powerful, but they must be accurate.

Is the song aimed God-ward?
Pay attention to the song’s orientation. Songs that stay focused on human experience without moving toward God miss the goal.

Is the song in line with the Gospel?
The song should express our need for Jesus and His finished work, not reinforce self-sufficiency. Grace alone, faith alone, through Christ alone.

Introducing New Songs

One of the responsibilities of a Worship Leader is helping the church learn new songs that can serve the congregation for years to come. While new songs can bring fresh language and fresh expressions of worship, introducing too many songs too quickly can create confusion and reduce congregational participation.

Remember, the goal is not just to sing new songs. The goal is to help the church sing confidently and worship together. A song is not successful because the band played it well; it is successful when the congregation can engage with it naturally and meaningfully.

Because of this, new songs should be introduced intentionally and with repetition. Giving people multiple opportunities to hear and sing a song helps move it from unfamiliar to familiar, creating confidence rather than uncertainty. Refer to the graphic below for a recommended process for introducing new songs into your congregation.

Tips for Introduction

Every church, congregation, and song is different. While there is no formula that guarantees success, a thoughtful introduction process can significantly increase congregational engagement and help determine whether a song should become part of your regular rotation. Consider the following best practices when introducing a new song:

• Prepare your band thoroughly for the first introduction; a sloppy first impression can permanently damage a good song
• Take time to explain the song before singing it; point to the Scripture it reflects, the promise it declares, or the characteristic of God it highlights
• After the first week, experiment with the song in different moments; as a response, an abbreviated tag, or an acoustic moment
• Ask your Pastor and trusted team members how the song is landing; pay attention and be willing to pivot

New Song Submissions

Worship Leaders are strongly encouraged to introduce no more than three new songs per school year.

This limitation exists to:

• Prevent hasty or unnecessary song additions
• Encourage more intentional and critical evaluation of the songs we submit
• Give congregations enough time to actually learn and retain new songs

This limit does not include approved Resonate Conference songs. Churches may introduce any approved Resonate Conference song in their local congregation.

Submitting a New Song

If you identify a song you believe would serve your congregation and meets the song-selection criteria above, submit it for review using the Resonate Song Submission Form. Before submitting, take time to evaluate the song carefully rather than using the submission process as the first step in deciding whether a song is a good fit.

Song Submission Timeline

New song submissions are reviewed monthly, beginning on the 1st of each month. A decision will be communicated by the end of that month. Songs submitted after the 1st will be reviewed during the following month.

Song Approvals

When a song is approved, you will receive confirmation by email. The song will also be added to Planning Center under Songs within one week.

The following resources will be prepared for you:

• CCLI information
• Lyrics
• Number charts
• ProPresenter 7 lyric files
• Arrangement flow

The Worship Leader is responsible for making any contextual changes necessary to help the local band learn and lead the song well. Some approvals may also include additional feedback or suggestions to consider as you prepare to introduce the song.

Song Rejections

If a song is not approved, the rejection email will include the reasoning behind the decision. In most cases, the song will not have sufficiently met one or more of the song-selection criteria outlined above.

If you have additional questions about a decision, contact gathering@resonate.net.

Section 9

Technical Terms

A Shared Language Across Every Team

You are not expected to be a musician, sound engineer, lighting designer, or ProPresenter expert. But as the Worship Leader, you are expected to speak enough of each language to lead well, ask good questions, and partner effectively with your teams, especially in churches without a dedicated Production Leader.

This section is a reference, not a requirement to memorize. Use it as a resource for onboarding new volunteers, clarifying a conversation with your Sound Team, or understanding what your Sound, Lights and Lyrics operators mean when they use shorthand you haven't heard before.

The terms are organized by team: Band, Audio, Lights, and Lyrics.

Worship Band

• Arrangement: The specific structure of a song as it will be played, including verse order, instrumentation, dynamics, and any changes from the song's original recorded version.
• Chart: A written reference (chord chart or lead sheet) showing the structure, chords, and key of a song, used by musicians during rehearsal and Sunday.
• Key: The musical scale a song is played in, chosen to fit the range of the lead vocalist and the congregation's ability to sing along comfortably.
• BPM (Beats Per Minute): The tempo of a song, measured in beats per minute. BPM is typically locked to the click track so the band and MultiTracks stay in sync throughout the song.
• Time Signature: The rhythmic framework of a song, indicating how many beats occur in each measure (such as 4/4 or 6/8). Understanding a song's time signature helps musicians and vocalists stay aligned, especially during transitions.
• Numbers System: A shorthand method of writing chord charts using numbers instead of letter names, allowing a song to be quickly transposed to any key without rewriting the chart. Common among Nashville-style charts.
• Dynamics: The variation in volume and energy within a song or set, used intentionally to support the emotional and spiritual arc of the gathering.
• In-Ear Monitor (IEM): A small earpiece worn by musicians and vocalists that delivers a personal monitor mix, allowing them to hear themselves and the band clearly on stage.
• Click / Click Track: A metronome fed to the band through in-ear monitors to keep tempo consistent, often paired with MultiTracks.
• Pad: A sustained background sound, typically synth-based, used to add fullness and consistency to a song's arrangement. Common in MultiTracks.
• MultiTracks: Pre-recorded audio elements, including click, pad, and additional instrumentation, that play alongside the live band to support musical consistency and confidence.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Sound & Audio

• Mix: The overall balance of sound the congregation hears
• FOH (Front of House): Where sound is mixed for the room.
• XLR: The standard cable used for microphones.
• Digital Snake: The cable that carries all audio signals between the stage and FOH.
• DI (Direct Box): A device that connects instruments like guitars and keyboards into the sound system.
• EQ: Adjusting tone to make a sound clearer or more balanced.
• Compression: Evening out a sound so it's not too loud in some moments and too quiet in others.
• Gate: Muting a mic or instrument automatically when it's not in use, to cut background noise
• Feedback: The unwanted screech caused when a mic picks up its own sound.
• Mono / Stereo: Whether sound is sent through speakers as one signal (mono) or split left/right (stereo). Most churches run FOH in mono.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Lights

• Fixture: An individual light (a PAR can, LED light, or similar).
• Wash / Look: A lighting state used to set the mood or atmosphere of a moment.
• DMX: The signal that controls all the lighting fixtures.
• Cue: A planned lighting change tied to a specific moment in the service.
• Console: The board used to control the lights.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Lyrics and ProPresenter

• Slide / Deck: An individual screen, or the full sequence of screens, shown during the gathering.
• Playlist: The full lineup of songs, Scripture, and announcements built for a Sunday.
• Themes: The standard slide design used to keep visuals consistent.
• Cue: The moment a slide should advance.
• Output: The actual screen the congregation sees.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Section 10

What Winning Looks Like

Winning as a Worship Leader is not defined by a single great Sunday. It is defined by the long-term health of your gatherings, your teams, and your leadership. This section provides two tools: a set of health markers for quick reflection, and a full self-audit rubric anchored to the 5 Essentials so you can identify your next area of growth with precision.

Markers of a Healthy Ministry

Use these markers as a compass. Where you cannot yet say yes, that is your next area of growth.

The Church Is Engaged in Worship

• People sing clearly, confidently, and together: not watching a performance
• Worship feels Christ-centered and accessible to the congregation
• The gathering helps people see Jesus clearly and respond rightly

Sundays Feel Clear, Prepared & Intentional

• The service flow is organized and easy for every team member to follow
• Transitions feel natural and purposeful, not awkward or rushed
• Teams arrive prepared and confident
• The 5 Essentials are visible throughout the gathering

Teams Are Healthy & Growing

• Volunteers feel valued, known, and cared for
• Teams operate with clarity, trust, and appropriate depth
• New people are consistently being onboarded and integrated

Leaders Are Being Developed & Multiplied

• Team Leads are taking real ownership of their areas
• Apprentices are being developed intentionally
• Responsibility is shared rather than centralized in you
• You could step away for a Sunday and the gathering would function

Roles Are Sustainable & Reproducible

• Systems are clear, documented, and repeatable without your constant involvement
• Teams function with consistency across different Sundays and seasons
• What is being built here could be transplanted into a new church plant

The Self-Audit Rubric

For each of the 5 Essentials, rate yourself against four levels scoped specifically to your role as the Worship Leader. Select your score, read your next step, and use the summary page to identify your single highest-priority focus area. This is not a performance review. It is a compass. Bring your results to your Pastor as part of your regular rhythm of accountability.

Worship Leader Self Audit Rubric

How to Use This Rubric

Rate yourself honestly on each of the five Sunday Gathering Essentials using the 1 to 4 scale. A score of 1 means you have not started yet, and a score of 4 means this area is thriving. There are no wrong answers. This tool is designed to help you identify your strongest areas and your most important next step.

SCORING GUIDE

THE FIVE ESSENTIALS

● 1. Worship We worship Jesus through singing, teaching, prayer, fellowship, and ordinance

● 2. Teams We have organized, functional serving teams

● 3. Hospitality We place a high value on hospitality

● 4. Planning We prayerfully and strategically plan ahead

● 5. Storytelling We tell stories and celebrate what God is doing in our midst

● ESSENTIAL 1: WORSHIP

Is our worship environment inviting people to worship Jesus?

● ESSENTIAL 2: TEAMS

Are our teams organized and functional?

● ESSENTIAL 3: HOSPITALITY

Are guests and regulars experiencing genuine welcome?

● ESSENTIAL 4: PLANNING

Are we planning with intentionality and excellence?

● ESSENTIAL 5: STORYTELLING

Are we clearly communicating the mission and celebrating God's work?

Worship Leader Self Audit Summary

Transfer your scores from each Essential section above. Circle your rating for each area.

My Lowest Scoring Essential:

My Next Step This Week:

Section 1

Job Description

Role: Gathering Coordinator, Resonate Church

Reports To: Pastor

Status: Part-Time / Full-Time / Volunteer (circle applicable)

Hours: __________ per week

Note: If you are serving as a Volunteer Gathering Coordinator, please refer to the Volunteer Gathering Coordinator Addendum at the end of this bundle. The expectations in this section are written for part-time and full-time staff. The Addendum identifies which expectations flex at the volunteer level and which do not.

Role Purpose

The Gathering Coordinator oversees the environment, hospitality, and logistics teams so the church can gather in a space that is clear, welcoming, and intentional. This role is not primarily about setup and teardown. It is about people; developing healthy leaders, building reproducible systems, and shaping gatherings where the local church encounters God and is equipped to live on mission.

The Gathering Coordinator also carries a long-term responsibility: to develop and multiply leaders who can sustain this ministry and support future church planting efforts within the Resonate network.

Core Areas of Ownership

Environment & Experience
Create gatherings that feel welcoming, organized, and intentional. The Gathering Coordinator carries the ultimate goal of ensuring no guest leaves without being personally engaged.

Environmental Planning
Plan and prepare lobby flow, hospitality, signage, communion setup, guest pathways, and environment alignment. The Worship Leader owns the Gathering Plan (service flow); the Gathering Coordinator owns the environment that surrounds it.

Team Development
Develop Ambiance, Connections, and Pipe & Drape Team Leads and a healthy team culture

Sunday Execution
Ensure gatherings feel prepared, unified, and clear

Hospitality & Resource Stewardship
Faithfully maintain and replenish the supplies, equipment, and resources necessary to create welcoming, distraction-free gatherings

Leader Development
Identify, develop, and multiply the next generation of leaders

Core Competencies

• Maintain awareness of the clarity, flow, and environment of the gathering each Sunday
• Lead teams with clarity and confidence
• Maintain organized and repeatable systems for volunteers, communication, setup, and hospitality inventory
• Develop and multiply leadership at every level of the team
• Demonstrate proactive problem solving and the ability to improve systems over time
• Embody biblical character and Resonate Church gathering values

Working Relationship with Gathering Leadership

The Pastor
Partners with the Pastor to implement the vision of the church through healthy systems, hospitality, and volunteer leadership. The Gathering Coordinator stays in regular communication with the Pastor about the health of Out-of-House teams and the overall guest experience.

The Worship Leader
Partners with the Worship Leader to create a unified Sunday Gathering where service flow and guest experience work together. Coordinates closely on transitions and timing so the congregation experiences one seamless gathering rather than disconnected segments.

The Production Leader
Partners with the Production Leader to ensure Sunday environments are prepared, functional, and free from unnecessary distractions. Communicates any environmental or hospitality needs that depend on technical support.

Section 2

The Heart of the Role

More Than Setup

The Gathering Coordinator does not just manage environments and run logistics. They shape how people move through and experience the gathering from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. Where the Worship Leader shapes how people engage with the gathering, the Gathering Coordinator removes anything that would hinder that engagement.

You are not just creating a welcoming space. You are building an environment where distractions are removed, clarity is felt, and people can engage with Jesus and His Church without unnecessary friction.

Clarity
Every space, system, and moment should be easy to understand without explanation. Guests should never feel lost. Teams should never feel confused.

Movement
People are constantly moving, from parking lot to lobby, lobby to seats, seats to response. You design the pathways that guide that movement naturally and intentionally.

First Impressions
Before a word is spoken or a song is sung, the environment is already communicating something. You shape what people feel when they first arrive.

Engagement Pathways
You help people take next steps, from first-time guest to connected member, from observer to participant, from attendee to servant.

Hospitality & Resource Stewardship
You own the inventory, supplies, and physical resources that make the guest experience work. When a communion element is missing or the coffee is empty, it falls on your shoulders. These details are not small tasks; they communicate care.

Spiritual Formation
Week after week, the environments you create and the culture you build shape how people experience the Church. The spaces you steward, the teams you lead, and the welcome you cultivate all contribute to how people understand God’s hospitality and respond to it.

Character Before Competence

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can produce in this role. Your character, integrity, and walk with Jesus are the foundation of your leadership. A technically excellent Gathering Coordinator with compromised character does more damage than an average leader with genuine integrity.

Live With Integrity In the Shadows

The Gathering Coordinator does much of their most important work before anyone arrives and after everyone has left. The quality of your private preparation reflects the depth of your character.

• Honor Jesus in your conduct, conversations, and relationships, not only when people are watching
• What you communicate publicly should match who you are privately
• If there is a gap between your public leadership and your private life, address it before it addresses you

Lead With Humility and Accountability

• Remain genuinely teachable, not defensively closed off to feedback
• Stay aligned with your Pastor and church leadership
• Invite honest evaluation of your leadership regularly

Steward Your Influence Responsibly

• Use your influence to point people to Jesus, not yourself
• Build trust through consistency, honesty, and genuine care for others
• Be aware that people follow who they watch: model what you want your team to become

Lead From Grace, Not Performance

“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

The call to leadership is not a call to perfection. Gathering Coordinators are not people who have arrived; they are people who are learning to follow Jesus faithfully while helping others do the same. You will make mistakes. You will have difficult seasons. You will need correction, encouragement, and grace just like everyone else in your church. Pursue Christ sincerely, walk in repentance when you fail, remain teachable, and trust that God’s grace is sufficient. We do not lead from a place of performance. We lead from a place of dependence on Jesus.

Section 3

The Gathering Coordinator’s Spiritual Health

Leading From a Full Place

You cannot give what you do not have. A Gathering Coordinator who is spiritually dry may eventually create environments that feel technically correct but spiritually hollow, regardless of how organized the setup is, how trained the team is, or how strong the systems are. Technical competence without spiritual formation produces leaders who can execute Sundays but struggle to shepherd people.

This section is not about adding spiritual disciplines to an already-full plate. It is about recognizing that your own walk with Jesus is the foundation everything else is built on. If that foundation erodes, the rest follows.

The Central Question: Are you experiencing God’s grace in your own life, or are you only helping others encounter Him on Sundays?

Leadership Awareness

One of the quiet dangers of leading the gathering environment week after week is that Sunday can become more about execution than encounter. You are focused on setup, on your team, on the lobby, and somewhere along the way, Sunday stops being a place where you worship. It becomes only a place where you work.

This drift is normal. It is also serious. The greatest danger is not that people will notice. The greatest danger is that you may not notice.

Your relationship with God is not a tool that helps you create better environments. It is the most important thing about you. Before you are a Gathering Coordinator, you are a son or daughter of God.

• Guard against treating Sunday preparation as purely logistical.
• Maintain personal worship practices that are entirely separate from your ministry responsibilities.
• Regularly ask yourself: Am I pursuing Jesus because I love Him, or only because I am leading others?

Rhythms That Sustain You

Personal Scripture & Prayer
Your time in Scripture should not only be in service of Sunday planning. Pursue God’s Word for your own formation. Let it address you before you use it to address others.

Sabbath
Ministry leaders are among the most likely to neglect rest because the work always feels urgent. Sabbath is not laziness. It is obedience. It communicates that the ministry does not depend on your constant effort, and it replenishes what leading others depletes.

Huddle
You need people in your life who know you outside your role. People who will ask hard questions, speak truth to you, and not treat you primarily as a ministry leader. Isolation is one of the most common contributors to burnout and moral failure in ministry.

Accountability with Your Pastor
Your Pastor is not only your supervisor. They are a spiritual covering for your leadership. Stay transparent with them about where you are spiritually. A Pastor who knows you are struggling can help.

What This Looks Like Practically on Sundays

Spiritual health is not only sustained in the week before Sunday. It should be practiced on Sunday itself before you begin to lift a finger.

One practice worth building into your team's culture: before the trailer is unloaded and before setup begins, gather your team for a few minutes of prayer that is not about the gathering. Its only aim is connecting with God; before you serve anyone else, you belong to Him first.

Consider making this a named responsibility rather than something that happens only when you remember to do it. Give one of your team roles ownership of a pre-set up prayer time each week. The intention is to hold space, at the very start of set up, for people to encounter Jesus before they encounter their tasks.

It is a small thing that takes five minutes. It may also be the difference between a team that shows up to work and a team that shows up to worship.

Spiritual Health Is Team Health

Your spiritual health does not stay private. It flows outward into every team you lead and every environment you create. A Gathering Coordinator who is prayerful, grounded, and genuinely walking with Jesus creates a culture that the team can feel. Investing in your own formation is not selfishness. It is stewardship of everyone you lead.

Section 4

Environment Presence

Presence Is Not Perfection

Environment presence in Gathering Coordination is not about flawless execution or impressive aesthetics. It is about the congregation feeling genuinely welcome, sensing that someone has thoughtfully prepared this space because they matter and the space reflects God’s glory.

The goal of your environment is not to impress people. The goal is to remove every unnecessary obstacle between a person and a genuine encounter with Jesus.

Intentionality as a Leadership Act

A chaotic, unclear, or unprepared environment can make the congregants anxious before they even sit down. When the environment is clear and welcoming, you give people permission to engage. This is not only about aesthetics; a simple space can be just as hospitable as an elaborate one. It is about intentionality, preparation, and genuine care for the people walking through the door.

• Preparation: when the space is ready before service starts, you are leading rather than reacting
• Attention: when you notice the details others overlook, it communicates that people are worth the effort
• Dependence on the Spirit: hospitality and leadership rooted in genuine love for people is more sustainable and more compelling

The Welcome Before Words Are Spoken

“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Romans 15:7

From the moment a person pulls into the parking lot or walks into the building, your environment is communicating something. Long before the first song or the opening pre-roll, the space is already teaching people something about what your church believes and how you see them.

Every item placed, every sign positioned, and every room prepared is an act of hospitality.

• Let the care you put into the environment reflect the content of what will happen inside it.
• Remember that environment preparation is an act of worship, not merely a logistical responsibility.
• If you find yourself consistently disconnected from the meaning behind the work, spend time in prayer before you set up rather than treating setup as a purely operational task.

Physical Space & Flow

Read the Room
Many Gathering Coordinators develop a habit of seeing their environment as a static checklist. Train yourself to see it as a living space. Walk it as a first-time guest would. What is confusing? What is missing? What needs attention?

Clear Pathways
Confusion about where to go or what to do creates anxiety. Every environment should have clear, natural movement from entry to seating to response. Remove friction and confusion wherever you find it.

Intentional Placement
Nothing should be placed without purpose: where communion is set, where signage is positioned, where the connections table is located. Each of these communicates something. Place things where people will naturally find them, not where they are convenient for your team.

Warmth and Cleanliness
A clean, warm environment communicates dignity. Clutter, dirt, bad smells, and disorganization communicate carelessness. You do not need a large budget to create a welcoming environment. You need intention and follow-through.

Leadership Along With Execution

The clearest way to evaluate your environmental leadership is to ask a simple question after every gathering: was this space prepared for the people, or was it prepared to check a box? Execution is task-focused. It moves items and checks lists. Leadership is people-focused. It creates environments where people can encounter God without distraction. You need both simultaneously.

• Regularly ask trusted leaders and first-time guests for honest feedback on the environment
• Regularly look out for unfamiliar faces: are they being connected with?
• Walk the space after teardown and note anything that could be improved
• Measure success not by whether the setup was fast, but by whether the congregation was welcomed and able to engage

Section 5

Your First 30/60/90 Days

Getting Started Well

The first ninety days of your role will shape how your team sees you and how you see the role you have stepped into. This is not the time to overhaul everything. It is the time to listen, learn, and build trust. Move through these phases with patience and intentionality.

30 Days: Learn & Observe

• Attend your first weekly leadership meeting: you need to see how Gathering Leadership actually works together before you're expected to lead within it.
• Meet with your Pastor to understand vision, culture, and expectations
• Walk through the full Sunday Gathering experience from a guest perspective: it will be rare to see your gathering this freshly again once you’re inside the machinery of leading it.
• Audit current Planning Center setup, systems, and volunteer structure: you can’t improve a system you don’t yet understand. Audit before you edit.
• Observe what is working and where the gaps are: take notes, don’t fix yet

60 Days: Engage & Plan

• Begin communicating with volunteers using established channels: consistency builds trust faster than a perfect first message.
• Meet one-on-one with each Team Lead or key volunteer: this is a listening meeting, not an evaluation. You’re learning their history with the team, what’s working from their perspective, and beginning to gauge readiness for more responsibility (Reference the Out-of-House Reference Guide for their role).
• Plan your first improvements to environment and systems: by now you have enough context to change something without breaking what’s actually working.
• Identify 1–2 people you want to develop into greater responsibility

90 Days: Lead & Build

• Own the full Sunday Gathering (Out-of-House execution)
• Introduce or refine one system (communication, setup, or hospitality): one deliberate, well-considered change communicates leadership more than several rushed ones.
• Begin recruiting at least one new volunteer
• Establish your weekly preparation rhythm: what gets you through your first 90 days will not sustain you for the next five years.
• Ask for formal feedback from your Pastor: this closes the loop on your onboarding and gives your pastor an official checkpoint on how you’re settling in.

Key Questions to Ask in Your First 30 Days

• Where does the gathering feel unclear for guests?
• What systems are working well that I should preserve and build on?
• Where are the biggest gaps in our teams, clarity, or systems?
• Who are the emerging leaders already on this team?
• What does my Pastor need most from me in this role?

If You Are Starting From Near Zero

Many Resonate churches begin without established hospitality teams, clear systems, or enough volunteers to fill every role. If that's where your church is today, don't be discouraged. Healthy gatherings are built over time through consistent leadership and faithful stewardship.

During your first 90 days, focus on laying a strong foundation rather than creating a polished experience.

Prioritize these four things:

• Create a welcoming environment. Remove unnecessary barriers so guests feel noticed, cared for, and know where to go.
• Establish simple, repeatable systems. Build rhythms that are easy to communicate, improve, and eventually hand off to others.
• Invest in people. Begin identifying and developing volunteers who can grow into long-term leaders.
• Pursue progress over perfection. Healthy ministries are built one faithful Sunday at a time.

Your goal is not to do everything yourself. Your goal is to create a healthy foundation that can grow as God brings more people and leaders to your church.

Once your first 90 days have passed, the rhythms in Part 2: particularly Weekly Expectations and Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations: become your operating guide for sustaining and growing the ministry week to week.

Section 6

Weekly Expectations

Building Healthy Rhythms

Healthy gatherings are built through consistent weekly rhythms. Think of these not as tasks to complete but as disciplines that form you and your team over time. Throughout this section, a Goal describes the outcome you are aiming for. A Standard describes the baseline behavior expected. Goals are directional. Standards are non-negotiable.

Ownership of Environmental Planning

As the Gathering Coordinator, you own Environmental Planning. You do not build the service flow, but you are responsible for ensuring every Out-of-House element is planned, prepared, and aligned with the gathering before Sunday arrives. Schedule your Out-of-House teams in Planning Center and include their specific roles and responsibilities, so a volunteer could understand their part without asking you a single question.

A Note on Volunteer Gathering Coordinators

The expectations throughout this bundle are written with part-time and full-time staff Gathering Coordinators in mind. If you are serving as a volunteer, use the Volunteer Gathering Coordinator Addendum at the end of this bundle to identify which expectations remain essential and which may be adjusted with your Pastor.

Volunteer status changes your capacity, not your calling. Lead faithfully with the time God has entrusted to you, while continually developing others and building systems that can grow with the church.

Planning & Communication

Planning Center

Planning Center (PCO) is the source of truth in Gathering execution. The baseline model for Planning Center responsibilities are as follows:

• Worship Leader: Responsible for scheduling Leadership Roles (Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, Kids Director, Pastor, Announcements) & Worship Band Volunteers, finalizing the PCO service flow, creating proper timestamps (see below) and updating them as needed.
• Production Leader: Responsible for scheduling Production Roles (Lights, Sound, Lyrics).
• Gathering Coordinator: Responsible for scheduling Out-of-House volunteers & ensuring attendance is taken each week via Planning Center Headcounts.
• Pastor: Responsible for communicating updates or changes to the service flow & confirming the service flow as the Pastor has overall directional oversight of the Sunday Gathering.

Specifically for the Gathering Coordinator:

• Schedule Out-of-House teams 4 weeks in advance
• Ensure timestamps are included: In-House Call Time, Out-of-House Call Time, Rehearsal, Pre-Service Prayer, and Service Flow Run Through
• Communicate changes as early as possible

Volunteer Communication

• Maintain separate communication channels for In-House and Out-of-House teams
• Communicate both broad updates and individual responsibilities when needed
• Aim to have all communication sent by Thursday for Sunday gatherings
• Avoid last-minute messages except for genuine emergencies

Weekly Gathering Meeting

Meet weekly with your Pastor, Worship Leader, and Production Leader. This is one of the most important habits you can build. Do not let it slip.

• Evaluate the previous Sunday honestly: what worked, what did not, and why. Use the 5 Essentials as a baseline (see What Winning Looks Like).
• Plan and align on upcoming gatherings
• Identify decisions that need to be made and make them before Sunday

Hospitality Inventory Management

The Gathering Coordinator is responsible for ensuring all hospitality and Out-of-House resources are stocked, organized, and ready before they are needed. This is not a last-minute task. It is a weekly discipline. Regularly monitor and replenish supplies, including:

• Communion supplies (cups, bread/crackers, wafers): pick up and prepare communion elements prior to the gathering
• Coffee, tea, water, cups, and refreshments
• First-time guest gifts: Bibles, merch, books, mugs, etc.
• Signage and printed materials (flyers, bulletins, connection cards)
• Batteries and miscellaneous supplies
• Pipe & drape materials
• Table coverings and hospitality equipment
• Storage bins, modules, and organization systems

Sunday Leadership

Arrive Early

Arrive spiritually and mentally prepared, not just physically present. Review the full plan and anticipate any gaps before your team arrives.

Out-of-House Systems & Readiness

Out-of-House environments shape a guest’s first impression and a congregation’s ability to engage. When these systems are clear, intentional, and prepared, they create a welcoming and distraction-free space for people to encounter Gospel community.

• Ensure Out-of-House items are placed clearly and intentionally, including tithes & offering, lobby displays, signage, communion elements, refreshments, first-time gifts, and communication materials
• Confirm all Out-of-House areas are fully set and ready before doors open
• Walk the space before the gathering begins and identify anything that feels unclear or unfinished

Lead Setup

Direct teams clearly and confidently. Maintain awareness of timing and flow. Step in where needed without losing oversight of the broader environment. Participate in the Pre-Service Run Through meeting.

Oversee the Gathering

Monitor flow, movement, and clarity throughout the gathering. Watch for confusion or bottlenecks. Support smooth transitions between elements and remain engaged in the full service, not just your area.

Take Sunday Attendance

Ensure an accurate attendance count is taken during every Sunday Gathering and recorded using Planning Center Headcounts. The Gathering Coordinator owns making sure attendance is captured consistently, whether counting personally or assigning a reliable team member to do so.

Participate in the Gathering

Be an active participant during the sermon, not only an overseer of it. Sit, listen, and receive: God is forming you too, not just using you to lead others. At the same time, stay aware enough to respond if a genuine need arises.

Lead Teardown

Oversee teardown with the same intentionality you brought to setup. Thank and encourage volunteers before they leave. Never let people disappear unacknowledged.

Team Care

Encourage & Challenge Volunteers

Healthy teams are built through two things most leaders do only one of: encouragement and honest feedback. Encouragement without challenge creates comfort. Challenge without encouragement creates fear.

• Affirm effort, growth, and faithfulness specifically
• Give clear and constructive feedback privately when needed
• Celebrate wins, large and small
• Uphold standards with grace; do not let problems linger unaddressed

Check In Relationally

• Connect with team members before and after gatherings; ask about their lives, not just their serving
• Pay attention to signs of discouragement or disengagement
• Schedule team dinners or informal gatherings quarterly to build relational culture

Operational Stewardship

Gear & Equipment

• Confirm equipment is packed and organized before Sunday
• Keep gear labeled and stored consistently so any volunteer can step into the system
• Eliminate clutter; a disorganized gear system creates anxiety and slow load-in
• Handle equipment carefully and train volunteers to do the same

Identify Repair & Replacement Needs

Partner with the Sunday Gathering Director for repair and replacement needs. For questions about what's currently tracked, refer to your church's Gathering Inventory spreadsheet: every church maintains one. Reach out to the Sunday Gathering Director with any inventory questions.

• Regularly assess equipment condition; do not wait for something to fail on a Sunday
• Address issues before they become larger and more expensive problems
• Communicate repair or upgrade needs clearly to your Pastor

Section 7

Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations

Longer-Range Rhythms

Weekly rhythms keep Sundays running. Monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms keep the ministry healthy and growing. If you only manage the week, you will always be reacting.

Monthly

Team Development

• Identify emerging leaders and begin investing in them before you formally assign them responsibility
• Equip leaders to take greater ownership of their area: your goal is to decrease dependency on yourself

Volunteer Recruitment

• Actively identify and invite new people to serve; healthy teams are always growing
• Ensure a clear onboarding experience for new volunteers so they feel welcomed, not just plugged in (see Leading & Building Teams) (Reference the Out-of-House Reference Guide for their role)
• Build depth on every team so that no single person’s absence breaks a Sunday

Gathering Evaluation & Improvement

• Reflect honestly on recent gatherings: what is consistently working, what is consistently not
• Identify friction points and areas of confusion
• Celebrate wins with your team so they know their effort matters
• Address recurring issues directly rather than hoping they resolve themselves

Personal Development

• Engage consistently in the biweekly Gathering Coordinator coaching environment
• Learn from other Gathering Coordinators in the Resonate network: you are not alone in this
• Seek regular feedback from your Pastor and at least one trusted team member
• Follow your MxU Pathway (Tier A: Gathering Coordinator): a structured onboarding, growth, and ongoing curriculum for environmental success

Storytelling & Celebration

Stories remind people that ministry is not merely something we organize. It is something God is actively accomplishing. Look for opportunities to celebrate:

• Salvations, baptisms, and spiritual growth
• Mission trips, acts of service, and community impact
• Church planting stories and personal testimonies

Quarterly

Network Training & Development

• Engage actively in network training environments
• Apply what you learn: training without application is entertainment
• Remain aligned with network vision, values, and standards

Systems, People & Environment Development

• Review setup, hospitality inventory, and Out-of-House systems
• Simplify and clarify processes wherever possible
• Improve consistency and repeatability
• Meet with Team Leads for coaching, support, and review of team health

Annually

Full Gathering Evaluation

• Evaluate the full gathering experience end-to-end
• Identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement
• Create action steps for the following year

Systems & Environment Stewardship

• Evaluate all setup, hospitality inventory, and environment systems
• Assess organization, clarity, and effectiveness
• Implement improvements where needed

Full Gear Inventory

• Conduct a complete inventory of all hospitality, environment, and setup equipment
• Assess condition, organization, and functionality of every item
• Submit a written repair, replacement, or upgrade list to your Pastor and Sunday Gathering Director

Resonate Conference

• Attend the Resonate Conference annually to observe, learn, and align
• Serve at the conference when applicable
• Pay close attention to gathering environment, hospitality culture, and guest experience

Section 8

Environment & Hospitality Design

Why Environment Matters

The environments we create communicate something long before a word is spoken or a song is sung. Every Sunday Gathering is teaching people something about what we value, how we see people, and what we believe to be true about God. The physical environment of a gathering is not neutral. It shapes expectation, emotion, clarity, engagement, and trust.

We also serve a God who is creative. Throughout Scripture, we see Him creating beauty, order, and intentional design that reveal His character and point people toward Himself. As image-bearers, creativity is one of the ways we reflect Him, using thoughtful environments to help remove distraction and draw attention to what matters most.

At Resonate Church, we believe thoughtful environments matter because people matter. People are image-bearers created by God with emotions, senses, stories, fears, questions, and spiritual needs. The way we prepare spaces should reflect the dignity, care, and intentionality worthy of people created in the image of God.

First Impressions Framework

For many people, especially first-time guests, walking into a church can feel intimidating and unfamiliar. Clear, intentional environments help reduce unnecessary anxiety and allow people to focus on engaging rather than figuring out where to go or what to do. As Gathering Coordinators, we should regularly evaluate the full guest journey:

• Is it obvious where to go?
• Is someone helping guide them?
• Does the environment feel intentional?
• Is signage placed where it will actually be seen?
• Are communion and giving areas thoughtfully positioned?
• Does the layout support natural movement?

Ambiance Philosophy

Ambiance is not merely decoration or aesthetics. It is the overall feel of a space: the atmosphere created through cleanliness, lighting, organization, intentionality, warmth, and preparation. The environment should help communicate: “You are welcomed here.” A neglected, chaotic, or distracting space can unintentionally communicate carelessness or confusion. A thoughtful and prepared environment communicates care, stewardship, and intentional love toward people. As Gathering Coordinators, we should regularly ask:

• Does the space look intentional?
• Does it smell clean?
• Does it feel warm and inviting?
• Is the environment visually distracting or visually clear?
• Does the room feel prepared or rushed?
• Does the space reflect excellence through stewardship?

Connections Philosophy

The goal of the Connections team is not just to say hello at the door. The goal is to help people move from unfamiliarity toward belonging and engagement within the church community. Many people arrive carrying loneliness, shame, uncertainty, anxiety, or hesitation. A simple interaction may shape whether someone feels seen, welcomed, or willing to return. Because of this, the Connections team should lead with attentiveness, warmth, and intentionality.

While the Connections Team carries the day-to-day work of engaging guests, the Gathering Coordinator carries the ultimate goal for the outcome. If Connections culture drifts (guests going unnoticed, follow-up falling through) that accountability returns to the Gathering Coordinator, not just the Team Lead. As Gathering Coordinators, we should be attentive toward:

• Never letting someone enter or leave unnoticed
• Prioritizing new faces and first-time guests
• Looking for people standing or sitting alone
• Helping guests navigate the gathering naturally
• Creating clear next-step opportunities
• Paying attention to body language and engagement

Section 8A

Special Gatherings & Creative Stewardship

Special Gatherings

Not every Sunday is the same. Throughout the year, there will be gatherings that carry unique opportunities to celebrate, remember, commission, or invite people into deeper engagement with Jesus and His Church. Easter, Good Friday, Launch Sundays, Baptisms, Commissionings, Worship Nights, Conferences, and other special gatherings often become significant moments in the life of a church.

These gatherings provide an opportunity for the Gathering Coordinator to think creatively and steward the environment with greater intentionality. The goal is not just to decorate a room or create something memorable. The goal is to create an environment where every element of the gathering is working together to reinforce the same message and help people engage more deeply with what God is doing. A Gathering Coordinator should regularly ask:

• What is unique about this gathering?
• What are we trying to help people experience or understand?
• How can our environment support that purpose?
• How can hospitality, signage, ambiance, and pathways reinforce the theme of the gathering?

For example:

A Baptism Sunday may include baptism stories, celebration stations, photo opportunities, or intentional ways for people to respond and take next steps.

A Commissioning Sunday may highlight stories, prayer opportunities, and visual reminders of the church’s mission and sending.

A Good Friday gathering may utilize simplicity, reflection, and intentional restraint to help create a posture of remembrance.

An Easter gathering may emphasize celebration, hospitality, first-time guest engagement, and clear pathways for continued connection.

A Launch Sunday may leverage signage, storytelling, volunteer visibility, and intentional guest follow-up to create momentum and clarity.

The best special gatherings feel cohesive. The message, worship, environment, hospitality, storytelling, and next steps all reinforce one another rather than competing for attention.

Innovation With Purpose

Healthy Gathering Coordinators are thoughtful designers of experiences. Look for opportunities to innovate, improve, and create. Pay attention to how people move through a space. Notice where moments feel disconnected. Consider how the environment can better support the purpose of the gathering. Creativity is not measured by how elaborate something is. It is measured by how effectively it helps people engage with Jesus and respond to what God is doing.

When the environment, hospitality, and gathering elements all point in the same direction, people often experience those Sundays as more meaningful, memorable, and impactful, not because they were impressed by the production, but because everything helped them see Jesus more clearly.

Section 8B

Technical Terms

A Shared Language Across Every Team

You are not expected to be an expert in event design, hospitality logistics, or staging systems. But as the Gathering Coordinator, you are expected to speak enough of each team's language to train volunteers well, communicate clearly, and build a culture where people know what's being asked of them.

This section is a short reference, not a requirement to memorize. Use it to onboard new volunteers, clarify instructions to your teams, or understand shorthand your Ambiance, Connections, or Pipe & Drape leads may use that you haven't heard before.

The terms are organized by team: Ambiance, Connections, and Pipe & Drape.

Ambiance

• Coffee Table / Connections Table: The standard hospitality and information stations set up for guests.
• Loops: The lanyard/badge system used at the Connections Table.
• Joy Box: The giving station.
• Communion Table: The station set up for communion Sundays.

Connections

• Connectors: Every member of the Connections Team.
• Greeters: Team members who welcome guests at entry points.
• Hosts: Team members who are last to enter service and sit with anyone alone.
• Connection Card: The physical or digital card a guest fills out to share information or a next step.

Pipe & Drape

• Upright: The vertical pole in a pipe and drape system.
• Crossbar: The horizontal bar connecting two uprights.
• Drape: The fabric panel hung to divide or cover a space.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Section 9

What Winning Looks Like

Winning as a Gathering Coordinator is defined by the long-term health of your gatherings, your teams, and your leadership. This section provides two tools: a set of health markers for quick reflection, and a full self-audit rubric anchored to the 5 Essentials so you can identify your next area of growth with precision. Use this as often as you need to and bring your results to your Pastor as part of your regular rhythm of accountability.

Markers of a Healthy Ministry

Use these markers as a compass. Where you cannot yet say yes, that is your next area of growth.

The Gathering Feels Clear & Welcoming

• Guests know where to go without having to ask
• The environment feels intentional
• New faces are being noticed and engaged

Sundays Feel Clear, Prepared & Intentional

• The lobby, sanctuary, and Out-of-House areas are organized and purposeful
• Teams arrive prepared and confident
• The 5 Essentials are visible throughout the gathering

Teams Are Healthy & Growing

• Volunteers feel valued, known, and cared for
• Teams operate with clarity, trust, and appropriate depth
• New people are consistently being onboarded and integrated

Leaders Are Being Developed & Multiplied

• Team Leads are taking real ownership of their areas
• Apprentices are being developed intentionally
• Responsibility is shared rather than centralized in you
• You could step away for a Sunday and the gathering would function

Roles Are Sustainable & Reproducible

• Systems are clear, documented, and repeatable without your constant involvement
• Hospitality inventory is maintained proactively
• What is being built here could be transplanted into a new church plant

The Self-Audit Rubric

For each of the 5 Essentials, rate yourself against four levels scoped specifically to your role as the Gathering Coordinator. Select your score, read your next step, and use the summary page to identify your single highest-priority focus area. This is not a performance review. It is a compass. Bring your results to your Pastor as part of your regular rhythm of accountability.

Gathering Coordinator Self Audit Rubric

How to Use This Rubric

Rate yourself honestly on each of the five Sunday Gathering Essentials using the 1 to 4 scale. A score of 1 means you have not started yet, and a score of 4 means this area is thriving. There are no wrong answers. This tool is designed to help you identify your strongest areas and your most important next step.

SCORING GUIDE

THE FIVE ESSENTIALS

● 1. Worship We worship Jesus through singing, teaching, prayer, fellowship, and ordinance

● 2. Teams We have organized, functional serving teams

● 3. Hospitality We place a high value on hospitality

● 4. Planning We prayerfully and strategically plan ahead

● 5. Storytelling We tell stories and celebrate what God is doing in our midst

● ESSENTIAL 1: WORSHIP

Is our guest experience helping people arrive ready to worship Jesus?

● ESSENTIAL 2: TEAMS

Are our Out of House teams organized and functional?

● ESSENTIAL 3: HOSPITALITY

Are guests and regulars experiencing genuine welcome?

● ESSENTIAL 4: PLANNING

Are we planning with intentionality and excellence?

● ESSENTIAL 5: STORYTELLING

Are we clearly communicating the mission and celebrating God's work?

Gathering Coordinator Self Audit Summary

Transfer your scores from each Essential section above. Circle your rating for each area.

My Lowest Scoring Essential:

My Next Step This Week:

Section 1

Job Description

Role: Production Leader, Resonate Church

Reports To: Worship Leader & Pastor

Status: Part-Time / Full-Time / Volunteer (circle applicable)

Hours: __________ per week

Note: If you are serving as a Volunteer Production Leader, please refer to the Volunteer Production Leader Addendum at the end of this bundle. The expectations in this section are written for part-time and full-time staff. The Addendum identifies which expectations flex at the volunteer level and which do not.

Role Purpose

The Production Leader oversees the technical execution of the Sunday Gathering. This includes sound, lighting, and visual presentation. This is so the church can worship Jesus clearly and without distraction. This role is not primarily about gear operation. It is also about people; developing healthy technical leaders, building reproducible systems, and creating a gathering environment where the congregation can encounter God and be equipped to live on mission.

The Production Leader also carries a long-term responsibility: to develop and multiply leaders who can sustain this ministry and support future church planting efforts within the Resonate network.

Core Areas of Ownership

Audio
Create a clear, balanced mix that serves the congregation and supports the Worship Leader

Lighting
Design and execute a lighting environment that supports worship without distraction

ProPresenter & Lyrics
Ensure visual elements are accurate, well-timed, and aligned with the service plan

Team Development
Develop Sound, Lights, and Lyrics Team Leads and a healthy team culture

Sunday Planning
Align technical execution with preaching, worship, and Resonate values

Sunday Execution
Ensure technical elements are prepared, consistent, and clear

Gear Stewardship
Faithfully maintain and organize all production equipment

Leader Development
Identify, develop, and multiply the next generation of production leaders

Core Competencies

The competencies below represent the baseline skills and knowledge expected of every Resonate Church Production Leader. While mastery is not required in every area, Production Leaders should pursue continual growth, development, and increasing proficiency so they can lead their teams effectively and steward the Sunday Gathering well.

• Maintain a technical working knowledge of audio, lighting, and ProPresenter systems
• Diagnose and resolve common technical issues quickly during a live gathering
• Lead production teams with clarity and calm under pressure
• Maintain organized and repeatable systems for gear, training, and communication
• Develop and multiply leadership within Sound, Lights, and Lyrics teams
• Embody biblical character and Resonate Church gathering values

Working Relationship with Gathering Leadership

The Pastor
The Production Leader reports to both the Worship Leader and the Pastor. The Worship Leader sets the day-to-day vision for how production serves the gathering, while the Pastor carries overarching oversight of the Production Leader's health, character, and leadership. Major equipment decisions, significant costs, or serious incidents are communicated directly to the Pastor.

The Worship Leader
The Production Leader works under the direction of the Worship Leader, who sets the vision for how production serves the gathering and carries overall accountability for In-House ministry. The Production Leader keeps the Worship Leader informed of team health, equipment needs, and technical risks, and looks to them for direction when priorities need to be set.

The Gathering Coordinator
Partners with the Gathering Coordinator to ensure the technical environment supports a clear and hospitable guest experience. Coordinates on lighting, sound, and visual elements that shape how people move through and experience the gathering space.

Section 2

The Heart of the Role

More Than Technical Execution

The Production Leader does not just operate gear and manage the technical flow. They shape the clarity of the entire Sunday Gathering, from the moment the first note is heard to the final word of the gathering. Where the Worship Leader shapes how people engage with God musically and liturgically, and the Gathering Coordinator shapes how people move through the space, the Production Leader removes every technical obstacle that would hinder both.

You are not just overseeing sound, lights, and lyrics. You are building the technical foundation that allows the congregation to worship without distraction, hear the Gospel clearly, and respond to what God is doing. Here is the Production Leader’s primary responsibilities:

Technical Clarity
Every element of sound, lighting, and visual communication should serve the gathering without drawing attention to itself. The goal of great production is not to be noticed. The goal is to be invisible, creating a space where nothing technical interrupts a person's encounter with Jesus and His truths.

Partnership with the Worship Leader and Gathering Coordinator
The Production Leader does not operate independently. Every technical decision serves someone else's vision for the gathering. You are a partner to the Worship Leader in shaping the musical and liturgical experience, and a partner to the Gathering Coordinator in creating a clear and welcoming environment. Communication and alignment with both leaders before Sunday is not optional. It is fundamental to the role.

Proactive Problem-Solving
Technical failures on Sunday do happen. The Production Leader thinks ahead, tests equipment before it fails, prepares contingencies, and never waits for Sunday morning to discover a problem. When problems do arise day of, the Production Leader should be quick to find a solution.

Gear Stewardship
The equipment entrusted to your care represents significant investment and enables ministry week after week. How you maintain, organize, and train others to use gear is a direct reflection of how seriously you take the mission. Carelessness with equipment is carelessness with the gathering.

Technical Formation
Week after week, the clarity you create shapes how people experience the Church. A congregation that can hear every word, see every lyric, and hear the beauty of music in each moment of worship is a congregation being formed together. Your technical decisions are not neutral. They either support or undermine that formation.

Character Before Competence

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can produce in this role. Your character, integrity, and walk with Jesus are the foundation of your leadership. A technically excellent Production Leader with compromised character does more damage than an average technician with genuine integrity.

Live With Integrity In the Shadows

The Production Leader does much of their most important work before anyone arrives and after everyone has left. The quality of your preparation and the care you show in the shadows reflect the depth of your character.

• Honor Jesus in your conduct, conversations, and relationships, not only when people are watching
• What you communicate publicly should match who you are privately
• If there is a gap between your public leadership and your private life, address it before it addresses you

Lead With Humility and Accountability

• Remain genuinely teachable, not defensively closed off to feedback
• Stay aligned with your Pastor, Worship Leader, and Gathering Coordinator
• Invite honest evaluation of your technical leadership regularly

Steward Your Influence Responsibly

• Use your technical control to serve the congregation's worship, not your own creative preference
• Be trustworthy with equipment, keys, and backstage access that others rely on
• Remember that the congregation trusts what they cannot see; do not take that trust lightly

Lead From Grace, Not Performance

“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

The call to leadership is not a call to perfection. Production Leaders are not people who have arrived; they are people who are learning to follow Jesus faithfully while helping others do the same. You will make mistakes. You will have difficult Sundays. You will need correction, encouragement, and grace just like everyone else in your church. Pursue Christ sincerely, walk in repentance when you fail, remain teachable, and trust that God's grace is sufficient.

Section 3

The Production Leader’s Spiritual Health

Leading From a Full Place

You cannot give what you do not have. A Production Leader who is spiritually dry may eventually create gatherings that are technically clean but spiritually hollow: regardless of how excellent the mix is, how well-trained the team is, or how strong the systems are. Technical competence without spiritual formation produces leaders who can execute Sundays but struggle to shepherd people.

This section is not about adding spiritual disciplines to an already-full plate. It is about recognizing that your own walk with Jesus is the foundation everything else is built on. If that foundation erodes, the rest follows.

The Central Question: Are you experiencing God's grace in your own life, or are you only helping others encounter Him on Sundays?

Leadership Awareness

One of the quiet dangers of leading production week after week is that the gathering can become more about execution than worship. You are focused on the mix, on your team, on the board, and somewhere along the way, Sunday stops being a place where you worship. It becomes only a place where you work.

This drift is normal. It is also serious. The greatest danger is not that people will notice. The greatest danger is that you may not notice.

• Your relationship with God is not a tool that helps you run better production. It is the most important thing about you. Before you are a Production Leader, you are a son or daughter of God.
• Guard against treating Sunday preparation as purely logistical.
• Regularly ask yourself: Am I pursuing Jesus because I love Him, or only because I am leading others?

Rhythms That Sustain You

Personal Scripture & Prayer
Your time in Scripture should not only be in service of Sunday preparation. Pursue God's Word for your own formation. Let it address you before you use it to address others.

Sabbath
Ministry leaders are among the most likely to neglect rest because the work always feels urgent. Sabbath is not laziness. It is obedience. It communicates that the ministry does not depend on your constant effort, and it replenishes what leading others depletes.

Huddle
You need people in your life who know you outside your role. People who will ask hard questions, speak truth to you, and not treat you primarily as a production leader. Isolation is one of the most common contributors to burnout and moral failure in ministry.

Accountability with Your Pastor
Your Pastor is not only your supervisor. They are a spiritual covering for your leadership. Stay transparent with them about where you are spiritually. A Pastor who knows you are struggling can help.

Spiritual Health Is Team Health

Your spiritual health does not stay private. It flows outward into every team you lead and every gathering you execute. A Production Leader who is prayerful, grounded, and genuinely walking with Jesus creates a culture that the team can feel. Investing in your own formation is not selfishness. It is stewardship of everyone you lead.

Section 4

Technical Presence

Presence Is Not Perfection

The production position is not a booth to hide behind. Nor is it about flawless execution or impressive gear. It is about the gathering feeling technically grounded. That there is a clear sense that someone behind the board or computer is engaged, prepared, and leading the technical environment with intention. The congregation may never see you. But they will feel the difference between a Production Leader who is present and one who is only reactive.

The goal of your technical presence is not to impress people. The goal is to remove every technical obstacle so that every person can seamlessly receive biblical truths.

Intentionality as a Leadership Act

Hesitant, careless, or reactive technical leadership makes the congregation's experience distracted without them knowing why. When you lead with technical confidence and intentionality; a well-prepared board, a steady mix, lights that shift at the right moment, you give people permission to engage fully. This is not about ego at the board. It is about the impact of being prepared.

• Preparation: when the gear is tested and the plan is clear before your team arrives, you are leading rather than reacting
• Anticipation: when you know the service flow well enough to be two steps ahead, transitions feel natural
• Dependence on the Spirit: technical confidence rooted in preparation and prayer is more sustainable than confidence rooted in your own skill

Intentionality extends to the physical space you steward. A clean, organized stage and FOH position is a quiet expression of the same integrity this section describes. Excellence includes a clean environment.

The Production Leader's Relationship with the Stage

The Production Leader serves the stage without occupying it. Your job is to make every voice clearer, every visual stronger, and every moment more accessible without the congregation ever thinking about you. This requires a particular kind of servant leadership: skilled, attentive, and invisible by design.

• Resist the temptation to treat technical execution as a performance to be evaluated by peers rather than a service to the congregation.
• Your primary audience is not other production leaders or musicians. It is the person sitting in the room trying to participate and engage in the gathering.
• The best Sunday you ever produce is one where no one mentions the production at all, or perhaps compliments it.

Reading the Room From Behind the Board

Many Production Leaders develop a habit of seeing the gathering as a set of levels and cues to manage. Train yourself to see it as a living environment. Watch the congregation, not just the meters.

• Is the mix energizing or fatiguing people?
• Are the lights supporting the moment or distracting from it?
• Are lyrics advancing in a way that lets people sing without watching the screen anxiously?
• Are transitions between gathering elements smooth enough that people stay engaged?

Communication and Humility at the Board

The Production Leader is not the final word on what sounds or looks right. The congregation is. Regularly seek honest feedback from your Pastor, Worship Leader, and trusted congregants. Watch recordings. Measure success not by how the mix felt at the board, but by how the congregation engaged.

• Regularly ask your Worship Leader and Pastor for honest feedback on audio, lighting, and visual execution
• Welcome correction without defensiveness: your instincts are not always right
• Debrief every Sunday with humility: what served the gathering well, and what got in the way?

Section 5

Your First 30/60/90 Days

Getting Started Well

The first ninety days of your role will shape how your team sees you and how you see the role you have stepped into. This is not the time to overhaul everything. It is the time to listen, learn, and build trust. Move through these phases with patience and intentionality.

30 Days: Learn & Observe

• Attend your first weekly leadership meeting: you need to see how Gathering Leadership actually works together before you're expected to lead within it.
• Meet with your Pastor to understand vision, culture, and expectations
• Walk through the full Sunday Gathering experience from a guest perspective: it will be rare to see your gathering this freshly again once you’re inside the machinery of leading it.
• Audit current Planning Center setup, systems, and volunteer structure: you can’t improve a system you don’t yet understand. Audit before you edit.
• Observe what is working and where the gaps are: take notes, don’t fix yet

60 Days: Engage & Plan

• Begin communicating with volunteers using established channels: consistency builds trust faster than a perfect first message.
• Meet one-on-one with each Team Lead or key volunteer: this is a listening meeting, not an evaluation. You’re learning their history with the team, what’s working from their perspective, and beginning to gauge readiness for more responsibility (Reference the In-House Reference Guide for their role).
• Plan your first improvements to environment and systems: by now you have enough context to change something without breaking what’s actually working.
• Identify 1–2 people you want to develop into greater responsibility

90 Days: Lead & Build

• Own the full technical execution of the Sunday Gathering
• Introduce or refine one system (communication, setup, or hospitality): one deliberate, well-considered change communicates leadership more than several rushed ones.
• Begin recruiting at least one new volunteer
• Establish your weekly preparation rhythm: what gets you through your first 90 days will not sustain you for the next five years.
• Ask for formal feedback from your Worship Leader & Pastor: this closes the loop on your onboarding and gives your pastor an official checkpoint on how you’re settling in.

Key Questions to Ask in Your First 30 Days

• Where does the gathering feel unclear for guests?
• What systems are working well that I should preserve and build on?
• Where are the biggest gaps in our teams, clarity, or systems?
• Who are the emerging leaders already on this team?
• What does my Pastor and Worship Leader need most from me in this role?

If You Are Starting From Near Zero

Some Production Leaders step into a church plant or an early-stage ministry where formal teams do not yet exist, Planning Center has never been used consistently, and the previous gathering structure was carried entirely by one or two people. If that is your situation, the 30/60/90 framework still applies but your priorities shift.

In your first 30 days, your primary goal is not to audit systems. It is to identify people. Who in this congregation has the potential to serve? Who is already showing up consistently? Start those conversations early. Recruitment at this stage is not a Phase 1 task you get to eventually, it is your most important work from week one.

In your first 60 days, your primary goal is not to refine communication channels. It is to build the most basic functional system possible; a Planning Center plan, a rehearsal rhythm, and at least one volunteer who can share the load with you on Sunday mornings.

By 90 days, the standard expectations above apply. But give yourself permission to spend the first thirty days with people, not just logistics.

Once your first 90 days have passed, the rhythms in Part 2, particularly Weekly Expectations and Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations, become your operating guide for sustaining and growing the ministry week to week.

Section 6

Weekly Expectations

Building Healthy Rhythms

Healthy gatherings are built through consistent weekly rhythms. Think of these not as tasks to complete but as disciplines that form you and your team over time. Throughout this section, a Goal describes the outcome you are aiming for. A Standard describes the baseline behavior expected. Goals are directional. Standards are non-negotiable.

Ownership of Technical Execution

The Worship Leader builds and owns the Gathering Plan in Planning Center; the service flow, song order, and timestamps. The Production Leader takes that plan and owns everything required to execute it without distraction, working closely with the Worship Leader to ensure every technical element supports the flow as written.

A Note on Volunteer Production Leaders

The weekly rhythms and standards in this section are written for part-time and full-time staff Production Leaders. If you are serving as a Volunteer Production Leader, these rhythms represent the full vision for what healthy weekly leadership looks like. Some of them will flex based on your capacity. Refer to the Volunteer Production Leader Addendum at the end of this bundle for clarity on which expectations are non-negotiable at every level and which are adjusted for volunteers.

What does not flex regardless of your status: Planning Center accuracy, Sunday preparation, team communication, and showing up spiritually ready to lead. These are not staff-level expectations. They are Production Leader expectations.

Planning & Communication

Planning Center

Planning Center is your team's source of truth. Every service plan should be clear enough that a volunteer could understand it without asking you a single question.

• Schedule In-House production team members 4 weeks in advance (unless you have agreed that this is responsibility of the Worship Leader)
• Note which elements require specific technical preparation: sermon video, special music, testimony audio, baptism setup, etc.
• Communicate changes as early as possible

Volunteer Communication

• Maintain separate communication channels for In-House and Out-of-House teams
• Maintain separate communication for Lights, Sound, and Lyrics Teams when needed
• Communicate both broad updates and individual technical responsibilities when needed
• Aim to have all communication sent by Thursday for Sunday gatherings
• Avoid last-minute messages except for genuine emergencies

Weekly Gathering Meeting

Meet weekly with your Pastor, Worship Leader, and Gathering Coordinator. This is one of the most important habits you can build. Do not let it slip.

• Evaluate the previous Sunday technically and holistically: what worked, what did not, and why. Use the 5 Essentials as a baseline.
• Align on upcoming service elements that require technical preparation, purchases, or repairs
• Identify technical decisions that need to be made before Sunday and make them

Rehearsal & Technical Preparation

Prepare Before Rehearsal

• Know the full service plan; songs, transitions, sermon series graphics, special elements, before rehearsal begins
• Have all channels tested, labeled, and functional before the band begins sound check
• Prepare ProPresenter playlists, sermon notes, and graphics in advance (unless you have agreed this is the responsibility of the Worship Leader)
• Identify and resolve any potential problem areas before they become Sunday problems

During Rehearsal

• Use rehearsal time to dial in the mix, not troubleshoot gear
• Coordinate with the Worship Leader on song dynamics, transitions, and special moments
• Confirm lighting cues align with the service flow
• Verify lyrics accuracy and timing across all visual elements

Sunday Leadership

Arrive Early

Arrive spiritually and mentally prepared, not just physically present. Review the full plan and anticipate any gaps before your team arrives.

Help Lead Setup

• Direct technical teams clearly and confidently
• Maintain awareness of timing and flow across all production areas
• Test every element before doors open: audio channels, lighting positions, visual outputs
• Participate in the Pre-Service Run Through meeting. Lead it when the Worship Leader isn’t present.

Oversee the Technical Elements of the Gathering

• Monitor audio, lighting, and visual quality throughout the entire service, not just during worship
• Stay in communication with your teams, the Worship Leader and the Gathering Coordinator throughout the gathering
• Anticipate transitions and prepare technical cues before they arrive
• Stay engaged in the full service, not just the production elements

Participate in the Gathering

Be an active participant during the sermon, not only an overseer of it. Sit, listen, and receive: God is forming you too, not just using you to lead others. At the same time, stay aware enough to respond if a genuine need arises.

Help Lead Teardown

Oversee teardown with the same intentionality you brought to setup. Thank and encourage volunteers before they leave. Never let people disappear unacknowledged.

Team Care

Encourage & Challenge Volunteers

Healthy teams are built through two things most leaders do only one of: encouragement and honest feedback. Encouragement without challenge creates comfort. Challenge without encouragement creates fear.

• Affirm effort, growth, and faithfulness specifically
• Give clear and constructive technical feedback privately when needed
• Celebrate wins, large and small
• Uphold standards with grace; do not let problems linger unaddressed

Check In Relationally

• Connect with team members before and after gatherings. Ask about their lives, not just their serving.
• Pay attention to signs of discouragement or disengagement
• Participate in team dinners or informal gatherings quarterly to build relational culture

Operational Stewardship

Gear & Equipment

• Confirm all equipment is packed, organized, and functioning before Sunday
• Keep gear labeled and stored consistently so any volunteer can step into the system
• Eliminate clutter; a disorganized gear system creates anxiety and slow load-in
• Handle equipment carefully and train volunteers to do the same
• Ensure environment cleanliness: a clean, organized stage and FOH is not just good gear stewardship, it’s an act of hospitality

Identify Repair & Replacement Needs

Partner with the Sunday Gathering Director for repair and replacement needs. For questions about what's currently tracked, refer to your church's Gathering Inventory spreadsheet: every church maintains one. Reach out to the Sunday Gathering Director with any inventory questions.

• Regularly assess equipment condition. Do not wait for something to fail on a Sunday.
• Address issues before they become larger and more expensive problems
• Communicate repair or upgrade needs clearly to your Pastor, Worship Leader and Sunday Gathering Director

Section 6A

Cleanliness & Hospitality

Excellence Includes What No One Sees

The Production Leader's most important work often happens where no one is watching; in the cable runs, the FOH position, the stage, the back-of-house storage. It is tempting to treat cleanliness in these spaces as optional, since the congregation never sees some of them directly. But excellence that only shows up where people are watching is not excellence, it's performance.

A clean, organized FOH and stage are not just a matter of professionalism or troubleshooting speed. They are an expression of the same care this entire bundle asks of you: that nothing about how you steward this space communicates carelessness, even in the places nobody but you will ever see.

What This Looks Like

• Cables are run cleanly and are never a visible distraction or a tripping hazard: use Gaff Tape
• FOH is organized well enough that another team member could step in and understand it without your help
• The stage and Gathering space is free of cases, extra gear, or clutter once setup is complete
• Nothing on stage is there without a reason for being there

Why This Matters

A congregation may never consciously notice a clean stage. They will notice a messy one. Excellence here is invisible when done well and distracting when neglected, which is exactly the same principle that governs great sound, great lighting, and great transitions. Cleanliness is not a separate value from hospitality. It is hospitality, expressed physically.

Section 7

Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations

Longer-Range Rhythms

Weekly rhythms keep Sundays running. Monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms keep the ministry healthy and growing. If you only manage the week, you will always be reacting.

Monthly

Team Development

• Meet with Sound, Lights, and Lyrics Team Leads for coaching, support, and review of team health
• Identify emerging technical leaders and begin investing in them before you formally assign them responsibility
• Equip leaders to take greater ownership of their area. Your goal is to decrease dependency on yourself.

Volunteer Recruitment

• Actively identify and invite new people to serve in production roles. Healthy teams are always growing.
• Ensure a clear onboarding experience for new volunteers so they feel welcomed, not just plugged in (see Leading & Building Teams) (Reference the In-House Reference Guide for their role)
• Build depth on every team so that no single person's absence breaks a Sunday

Gathering Evaluation & Improvement

• Reflect honestly on recent gatherings. What is consistently working technically, what is consistently not?
• Identify friction points and areas of technical confusion or distraction
• Celebrate wins with your team so they know their effort matters
• Address recurring technical issues directly rather than hoping they resolve themselves

Personal Development

• Engage consistently in the biweekly Production Leader coaching environment
• Learn from other Production Leaders in the Resonate network; you are not alone in this
• Seek regular technical and personal feedback from your Pastor, Worship Leader, and at least one trusted team member
• Follow your MxU Pathway (Tier A: Production Leader): a structured onboarding, growth, and ongoing curriculum across audio, lighting, and ProPresenter

Quarterly

Network Training & Development

• Engage actively in network training environments
• Apply what you learn; training without application is entertainment
• Remain aligned with network vision, values, and technical standards

Annually

Full Gathering Evaluation

• Evaluate the full technical experience end-to-end; audio, lighting, visual execution, and team health
• Identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement
• Create action steps for the following year

Systems & Technical Stewardship

• Review signal flow diagrams and DMX documentation for accuracy
• Simplify or update systems that have become unnecessarily complex or inconsistent
• Ensure the G-Drive reflects the current state of your church's actual gear and configuration

Full Gear Inventory

• Conduct a complete inventory of all production, audio, lighting, and visual equipment
• Assess condition, organization, and functionality of every item
• Submit a written repair, replacement, or upgrade list to your Pastor, Worship Leader and Sunday Gathering Director

Resonate Conference

• Attend the Resonate Conference annually to observe, learn, and align
• Serve at the conference when applicable
• Pay close attention to technical execution, production culture, and how production serves the conference environment

Section 7A

Special Gatherings & Creative Stewardship

Special Gatherings

Not every Sunday Gathering presents the same technical challenges or opportunities. Throughout the year, special gatherings such as Easter, Good Friday, Baptisms, Commissionings, Worship Nights, Launch Sundays, and Conferences often require additional creativity and technical preparation to support what God is doing through the gathering.

These gatherings provide an opportunity for the Production Leader to think creatively and steward technology with greater intentionality.

The goal is not to showcase production. The goal is to use production to create clarity, remove distractions, and support the message being communicated.

A Production Leader should regularly ask:

• What is unique about this gathering?
• What technical needs will help support the purpose of this gathering?
• How can sound, lighting, visuals, and production systems reinforce what is happening?
• How can we improve clarity and engagement without drawing attention to ourselves?

For example:

• A Good Friday gathering may utilize intentional lighting choices, visual restraint, and simplified production elements.
• A Baptism Sunday may require live testimonies, additional audio support, and celebration moments.
• A Worship Night may create opportunities for expanded lighting, visual environments, or additional technical support.
• A Commissioning Sunday may involve live testimonies, live interviews, or multimedia elements that require additional planning.
• An Easter gathering may require additional audio and lighting capacity to support a larger-than-normal crowd, along with backup contingencies for first-time guests unfamiliar with the room.

The best production is often invisible. When production is healthy, people remember the message, the worship, and the work of God rather than the technology itself.

Creativity in Service of Clarity

Healthy Production Leaders are not merely operators of equipment; they are stewards of communication.

Look for opportunities to improve systems, increase reliability, and support engagement. Consider how technology can better serve the gathering without becoming the focus of the gathering.

Innovation may look like:

• Improving volunteer workflows
• Simplifying technical systems
• Creating more reliable setups
• Enhancing visual communication
• Improving audio consistency
• Developing better training processes

Creativity is not measured by how impressive a production feels. It is measured by how effectively it helps people engage with Jesus without distraction.

Every gathering is an opportunity to communicate more clearly.

Section 8

Audio & Sound

Why Audio Matters

Sound is one of the most impactful technical element in a Sunday Gathering. Before anyone sees the lights or reads a lyric, they hear. When the mix is clear, people engage freely. When it is muddy, too loud, or poorly balanced, people disengage, often without knowing why. As Production Leader, audio is your primary responsibility, and excellence in this area is a direct act of service to the congregation.

The goal of live sound is not to impress musicians or demonstrate technical skill. The goal is to faithfully amplify every voice and instrument in a way that helps people worship together clearly, comfortably, and without distraction.

Core Principles of Live Sound

Serve the Room, Not the Stage
The congregation is your primary audience. The band hears themselves through in-ear monitors. Your job is to make sure the people in the seats can hear everything clearly, at an appropriate volume, with a balanced and warm mix that invites engagement rather than fatigue.

The Mix Should Be Invisible
A great mix is one people never notice. If someone walks out of the gathering thinking about how loud or how quiet it was, the mix failed to serve. Great audio creates conditions where people can forget they are listening to a sound system and engage with what is happening.

Vocals Are Primary
In a gathering built around singing and preaching, the human voice is the most important element. Lead and background vocals, the pastor's microphone, and anyone sharing a testimony or Scripture must be heard clearly above everything else. If a choice must be made, prioritize voice.

Dynamics Follow the Gathering
A worship set moves through energy and intimacy. A sermon has moments of urgency and quietness. Your mix should follow those dynamics intentionally, not remain static. Learn the arc of the gathering each week and let your mix reflect it.

Consistency Is a Form of Faithfulness
The congregation learns to trust a gathering environment that is technically consistent week to week. Significant changes in volume, tone, or balance from Sunday to Sunday create unpredictability. Build a consistent baseline and make intentional changes within it. Train your sound techs to replicate consistency.

Key Questions a Production Leader Should Be Able to Answer

• Can every person in the room hear the lead vocal and the pastor clearly?
• Is the overall volume appropriate for the room size and the congregation's comfort?
• Is the mix balanced, no single instrument or frequency dominating?
• Are monitors providing the band what they need to play with confidence?
• Are there any feedback risks, dead zones, or acoustic problems in this venue that I know about and am managing?
• Have I tested every channel before rehearsal begins?

Developing Audio Competency in Your Team

Not every church will have multiple dedicated sound engineer at all times. The Production Leader is responsible for developing audio knowledge across their team so that Sunday does not depend entirely on one person.

• Sound Team Leads and Sound Team Members should understand signal flow, basic EQ, and gain structure
• Every sound volunteer should know how to safely start up and shut down the system
• Use rehearsal time intentionally: debrief mixes, explain decisions, invite questions
• Utilize MxU for structured audio training resources (see Resonate Resources & Systems)
• Utilize the Sound In-House Reference Guide

Audio Technical Terms

These are terms the Production Leader must know so that teams can communicate efficiently.

• Mix: The overall balance of sound the congregation hears
• FOH (Front of House): Where sound is mixed for the room.
• XLR: The standard cable used for microphones.
• Digital Snake: The cable that carries all audio signals between the stage and FOH.
• DI (Direct Box): A device that connects instruments like guitars and keyboards into the sound system.
• EQ: Adjusting tone to make a sound clearer or more balanced.
• Compression: Evening out a sound so it's not too loud in some moments and too quiet in others.
• Gate: Muting a mic or instrument automatically when it's not in use, to cut background noise
• Feedback: The unwanted screech caused when a mic picks up its own sound.
• Mono / Stereo: Whether sound is sent through speakers as one signal (mono) or split left/right (stereo). Most churches run FOH in mono.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Band Technical Terms

These are terms the Production Leader must know so that teams can communicate efficiently.

• Arrangement: How a song is structured for that Sunday (verse order, instrumentation, dynamics).
• Chart: A written reference of a song's chords and structure used by musicians.
• Key: The scale a song is played in, chosen for the vocalist and congregation.
• Click Track: A metronome the band hears through in-ear monitors to stay on tempo.
• In-Ear Monitor (IEM): The earpiece musicians wear to hear their personal mix on stage.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Section 8A

Lighting

Why Lighting Matters

Lighting can be one of the most underestimated production discipline in a church gathering. When it is done well, no one talks about it but people feel it. The right light creates atmosphere, directs attention, and emotionally reinforces what is happening in the room. When it is done poorly, it creates distraction, discomfort, or a flat environment that undercuts even excellent music and preaching.

The goal of lighting in a Sunday Gathering is not creative expression for its own sake. The goal is to create an environment where every gathering moment, including singing, prayer, preaching, and communion, is visually supported and nothing draws attention away from what is being communicated.

Core Principles of Gathering Lighting

Lighting Serves the Moment
Different moments in the gathering require different environments. High-energy worship songs call for something different than a quiet communion moment. A baptism has different needs than a sermon. The Production Leader thinks about the arc of the entire gathering when planning lighting cues, not just the worship set then teaches the Lights Team to do the same.

Faces Matter Most
In any context where a person is speaking, singing, or sharing, their face must be clearly visible to the congregation. Front lighting the speaker or worship leader is always the first priority. Everything else (color washes, ambient effects, background lighting) is secondary to making the people on the platform visible and approachable.

Subtlety Is Skill
Amateur lighting draws attention to itself. Skilled lighting creates an environment people feel without noticing. Avoid rapid changes, extreme color swings, or dramatic shifts that remind the congregation they are watching a production. Move slowly, change intentionally, and always ask whether a lighting choice serves the congregation or serves your own creative impulse.

Less Is More
Particularly for smaller or newer churches, a simple, clean lighting environment with strong face lighting and a consistent ambient wash is more effective than a complex rig used inconsistently. Build the simplest system you can execute excellently before adding complexity.

Lighting and Atmosphere

Colors carry emotional weight. Warm tones create intimacy. Cool tones create space. Bright white creates clarity and attention. These are not rules to follow mechanically, but principles to understand so your choices are intentional. The colors and levels you choose should reinforce what the gathering is trying to accomplish in that moment.

Key Questions a Production Leader Should Be Able to Answer

• Are the faces of every person on the platform clearly visible to the congregation?
• Is the lighting consistent with the emotional tone of each moment in the gathering?
• Are there any hot spots, dead zones, or unintentional shadows affecting visibility or atmosphere?
• Am I making lighting changes intentionally, or reacting without a plan?
• Does the overall lighting environment feel inviting and clear, or distracting?

Developing Lighting Competency in Your Team

• Lights Team Leads and Lights Team Members should understand DMX basics, fixture types, and how to build a simple wash
• Every lights volunteer should be able to set up, patch, and safely strike lighting gear
• Use pre-service time to walk through planned cues and confirm positions
• Utilize MxU for structured lighting training resources (see Resonate Resources & Systems)
• Utilize the Lights In-House Reference Guide

Lighting Technical Terms

These are terms the Production Leader must know so that teams can communicate efficiently.

• Fixture: An individual light (a PAR can, LED light, or similar).
• Wash / Look: A lighting state used to set the mood or atmosphere of a moment.
• DMX: The signal that controls all the lighting fixtures.
• Cue: A planned lighting change tied to a specific moment in the service.
• Console: The board used to control the lights.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Section 8B

ProPresenter & Lyrics

Why Visual Communication Matters

Across all Resonate churches, ProPresenter is the standard tool for visual communication during the Sunday Gathering. Unlike audio or lighting, where gear may vary by site, ProPresenter provides a consistent platform every Production Leader and Lyrics team member can be trained on universally.

The Lyrics team is not just pressing buttons. They are communicating the Gospel visually to every person in the room, including guests who may not know the songs, non-readers, people with hearing loss, and anyone who needs visual reinforcement to engage. Accuracy, timing, and clarity in this role directly affect how the congregation worships and receives the biblical truths.

Core Principles of Visual Communication

Accuracy Is Non-Negotiable
A lyric error, a typo, or a wrong Scripture reference does not just create a minor inconvenience, it undermines trust in the gathering and can interrupt a person's engagement with what is happening in that moment. Every slide must be verified before Sunday. The Production Leader is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of what appears on screen.

Lead, Don't Follow
An excellent Lyrics operator is always one step ahead of the congregation. Slides should advance slightly before the lyric is sung, not reactively after. The operator should know the set list well enough that they are never surprised by what comes next. This requires preparation, not just presence.

Clarity Over Creativity
Every visual decision (font size, background contrast, slide transitions) should serve readability above all else. A visually elaborate slide that is hard to read in the back row has failed. A clean, simple slide that every person in the room can read clearly has succeeded.

Consistency Reflects Health
Visual consistency week to week (consistent templates, formatting, and layout) helps the congregation trust the screen and engage without distraction. Inconsistent formatting, varying font sizes, or mismatched templates communicate a lack of care even when the content is correct.

Preparation Is the Work
The majority of the Lyrics operator's work happens before Sunday. Playlists are built, songs are checked for accuracy and template formatting, sermon notes are created and reviewed, graphics are downloaded and tested. The Sunday Gathering is execution, not preparation.

Key Questions a Production Leader Should Be Able to Answer

• Has every song in this week's set been checked for accuracy against what the Worship Leader is actually singing?
• Are sermon notes formatted correctly and reviewed with the Pastor before Sunday?
• Are appropriate videos in the playlist and audio tested in advance?
• Is the operator confident enough in the set list that they can be one step ahead throughout the service?
• Are all templates and formatting consistent with Resonate standards?

Developing ProPresenter Competency in Your Team

• Every Lyrics Team Lead should be able to build a playlist, import sermon notes, create slides, and run a service from start to finish without assistance
• Every Lyrics team member should understand basic navigation, slide advancing, and what to do if something goes wrong
• Train operators on the set list format before Sunday, not during rehearsal
• Regularly review their slides before the service begins: do not assume accuracy, verify it
• Utilize MxU for structured ProPresenter training resources (see Resonate Resources & Systems)
• Utilize the Lyrics In-House Reference Guide

When Things Go Wrong

Technical failures happen. The Production Leader should prepare their Lyrics team for the most common failure scenarios so that Sunday morning problems are handled calmly and quickly.

• Know how to quickly navigate to the correct slide if you lose your place
• Know how to clear the screen gracefully if a wrong slide is advanced
• Have a plan for what to do if the laptop or projector fails
• Never panic visibly: the congregation follows the leader's energy

Lyrics and ProPresenter Technical Terms

These are terms the Production Leader must know so that teams can communicate efficiently.

• Slide / Deck: An individual screen, or the full sequence of screens, shown during the gathering.
• Playlist: The full lineup of songs, Scripture, and announcements built for a Sunday.
• Themes: The standard slide design used to keep visuals consistent.
• Cue: The moment a slide should advance.
• Output: The actual screen the congregation sees.

For a complete, alphabetized glossary of production terminology across every team, see the “Master Production Glossary”.

Site-Specific Technical Reference

Because ProPresenter is consistent across all Resonate sites, all resources are also available in the GATHERING MEDIA G-Drive's shared ProPresenter folder, including templates, graphics packages, and training guides.

MxU is another great resource for technical training when it comes to ProPresenter (see Resonate Resources & Systems).

Section 9

What Winning Looks Like

Winning as a Production Leader is not defined by a single great Sunday. It is defined by the long-term health of your technical execution, your teams, and your leadership. This section provides two tools: a set of health markers for quick reflection, and a full self-audit rubric anchored to the 5 Essentials so you can identify your next area of growth with precision.

Markers of a Healthy Ministry

Use these markers as a compass. Where you cannot yet say yes, that is your next area of growth.

The Technical Environment Serves the Gathering

• The mix is clear and accessible: vocals and the pastor are always heard
• Lighting supports each moment without drawing attention to itself
• Lyrics are accurate, well-timed, and consistent

Sundays Feel Clear, Prepared & Intentional

• Production setup is complete before the congregation arrives
• Teams arrive prepared and confident
• Technical elements are aligned with the service plan

Teams Are Healthy & Growing

• Volunteers feel valued, known, and cared for: not just scheduled
• Sound, Lights, and Lyrics teams operate with clarity and appropriate depth
• New people are consistently being onboarded and developed

Leaders Are Being Developed & Multiplied

• Team Leads are taking real technical ownership of their areas
• Apprentices are being developed intentionally
• You could step away for a Sunday and the technical execution would hold

Roles Are Sustainable & Reproducible

• Systems are clear, documented, and repeatable without your constant involvement
• Gear is maintained proactively, not reactively
• What is being built here could be transplanted into a new church plant

The Self-Audit Rubric

For each of the 5 Essentials, rate yourself against four levels scoped specifically to your role as the Production Leader. Select your score, read your next step, and use the summary page to identify your single highest-priority focus area. This is not a performance review. It is a compass. Bring your results to your Pastor as part of your regular rhythm of accountability.

Production Leader Self Audit Rubric

How to Use This Rubric

Rate yourself honestly on each of the five Sunday Gathering Essentials using the 1 to 4 scale. A score of 1 means you have not started yet, and a score of 4 means this area is thriving. There are no wrong answers. This tool is designed to help you identify your strongest areas and your most important next step.

SCORING GUIDE

THE FIVE ESSENTIALS

● 1. Worship We worship Jesus through singing, teaching, prayer, fellowship, and ordinance

● 2. Teams We have organized, functional serving teams

● 3. Hospitality We place a high value on hospitality

● 4. Planning We prayerfully and strategically plan ahead

● 5. Storytelling We tell stories and celebrate what God is doing in our midst

● ESSENTIAL 1: WORSHIP

Is our technical execution helping the congregation worship Jesus without distraction?

● ESSENTIAL 2: TEAMS

Are our Sound, Lights, and Lyrics teams organized and functional?

● ESSENTIAL 3: HOSPITALITY

Does our stage and technical environment reflect care and hospitality?

● ESSENTIAL 4: PLANNING

Are we planning and preparing our technical execution with intentionality?

● ESSENTIAL 5: STORYTELLING

Is our production supporting the storytelling and celebration of what God is doing?

Production Leader Self Audit Summary

Transfer your scores from each Essential section above. Circle your rating for each area.

My Lowest Scoring Essential:

My Next Step This Week:

Section 1

Vision & Purpose

Why ResKids Exists

Sunday Gatherings are an opportunity for the entire church to come together to worship God, grow in biblical understanding, and be strengthened as the body of Christ. This includes the youngest members of our church community.

ResKids exists to partner with families in introducing children to Jesus, teaching biblical truth, and cultivating environments where children are known, loved, protected, and encouraged to grow in their understanding of God.

Children are not merely future participants in the life of the church. They are people created in God’s image who can be loved, discipled, and taught the truth of Scripture today.

While parents carry the primary responsibility for discipling their children, the local church has an opportunity to encourage and equip families in that calling. ResKids serves this mission by providing intentional, age-appropriate ministry environments during Sunday Gatherings.

Our Aim

We desire every child participating in ResKids to:

• Know God: Be introduced to the character of God, the truth of Scripture, and the good news of Jesus Christ.
• Experience Belonging: Be welcomed into a loving church community where they are known, valued, and cared for.
• Grow in Understanding: Develop foundational biblical knowledge through age-appropriate teaching, worship, prayer, and relationships.
• Be Protected: Participate in environments that prioritize physical, emotional, and spiritual safety.
• Be Supported at Home: Have parents and guardians who are encouraged and equipped to continue conversations about faith throughout the week.

Section 2

Job Description

Role: Kids Director, Resonate Church

Reports To: Site Pastor or the locally designated ministry supervisor

Role Summary

The Kids Director oversees the planning, coordination, volunteer development, and execution of ResKids ministry during Sunday Gatherings.

The Kids Director is responsible for cultivating welcoming, safe, organized, and biblically faithful environments where children can learn about Jesus and families can confidently participate in the life of the church.

The Kids Director works collaboratively with the Site Pastor, Gathering Coordinator, and other Gathering Leaders to ensure ResKids functions as an integrated ministry of the local church.

Primary Responsibilities

Ministry Leadership
Provide direction for ResKids ministry, aligning its environments, teaching, and volunteer culture with the mission and theological convictions of Resonate Church.

Volunteer Development
Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, encourage, and develop volunteers who serve children and families.

Sunday Operations
Oversee the preparation and execution of ResKids environments, including classroom readiness, volunteer coverage, check-in procedures, teaching materials, and transitions.

Child Safety
Implement and maintain approved child protection policies, including screening, training, supervision, secure check-in/check-out, and incident response.

Curriculum & Discipleship
Coordinate biblically faithful, age-appropriate curriculum and equip volunteers to teach children effectively.

Family Partnership
Create welcoming experiences for parents and guardians, establish clear communication, and provide opportunities for families to reinforce biblical teaching at home.

Collaboration & Accountability
Communicate regularly with local church leadership, identify needs and challenges, and pursue continued improvement of ResKids ministry.

Leadership & Accountability

The Site Pastor
The Kids Director serves under the oversight of the Site Pastor or the locally designated ministry supervisor.

The Gathering Coordinator
The Kids Director collaborates with the Gathering Coordinator to coordinate Sunday logistics, volunteer needs, facility usage, and Gathering operations.

Note: When a church does not have a designated Kids Director, the Site Pastor should identify who carries responsibility for the ministry’s essential functions.

Section 3

The Heart of the Role

More Than Programming

The Kids Director provides leadership and oversight for the children’s ministry environments associated with Sunday Gatherings.

The role requires more than organizing volunteers, preparing classrooms, or selecting curriculum. The Kids Director helps establish a culture where children are valued, families are supported, volunteers are developed, and the gospel remains central.

Discipleship and Stewardship

A healthy Kids Director understands that excellence in children’s ministry is expressed through both intentional discipleship and responsible stewardship. This means giving attention to the spiritual development of children while maintaining safe environments, clear processes, and sustainable volunteer teams.

The Kids Director does not carry the responsibility of discipling every child alone. Rather, they equip and develop a team of volunteers who share in the ministry of caring for and teaching children.

Biblical Foundations

Deuteronomy 6:6–7
God’s people are called to diligently teach His words to the next generation through the ordinary rhythms of life.

Mark 10:13–16
Jesus welcomes children and demonstrates their value within the kingdom of God.

Psalm 78:4–7
God’s people are called to declare His works to the coming generation so they may place their hope in Him.

Ephesians 4:11–12
Ministry leaders equip the saints for the work of ministry, strengthening the body of Christ.

These passages help shape a ministry that values children, partners with parents, faithfully teaches Scripture, and equips volunteers to serve.

Section 4

Weekly Expectations

A Consistent Weekly Rhythm

The Kids Director is responsible for establishing and maintaining a consistent weekly rhythm of preparation, communication, and execution.

Before Sunday

• Review upcoming ResKids volunteer schedules and confirm adequate coverage.
• Identify volunteer absences and arrange approved replacements as necessary.
• Review the week’s curriculum and ensure lessons, supplies, and activities are prepared.
• Communicate relevant teaching instructions and operational information to volunteers.
• Coordinate with the Gathering Coordinator regarding facility needs, room availability, setup, and Sunday logistics.
• Confirm that scheduled volunteers have completed required screening and training.
• Identify and address outstanding safety or operational concerns before children arrive.

During Sunday Gatherings

• Ensure classrooms and check-in areas are prepared before families arrive.
• Confirm volunteer attendance and appropriate classroom coverage.
• Oversee the check-in process and help welcome new families.
• Support volunteers throughout the Gathering, responding to questions, needs, or challenges.
• Ensure approved safety, supervision, and child-release procedures are followed.
• Respond to concerns or incidents according to established church policies.
• Ensure classrooms are restored, supplies are accounted for, and equipment is properly stored after the Gathering.

After Sunday

• Follow up with volunteers regarding significant challenges, needs, or encouragements.
• Communicate relevant ministry updates to the Site Pastor or designated supervisor.
• Complete or escalate incident documentation as required.
• Identify improvements needed for upcoming Gatherings.
• Follow up with new families when appropriate and consistent with church communication and privacy practices.

Section 5

Monthly, Quarterly & Annual Expectations

Monthly

Each month, the Kids Director is required to evaluate ministry health, provide volunteer care and development, review upcoming curriculum, maintain family communication, and connect with local church leadership.

Volunteer Care & Development
Connect with volunteers to provide encouragement, identify challenges, and offer opportunities for development.

Ministry Evaluation
Review volunteer coverage, classroom needs, family feedback, and recurring operational challenges.

Curriculum Planning
Review upcoming teaching content, coordinate necessary materials, and prepare for seasonal ministry needs.

Family Communication
Provide appropriate updates to families and identify opportunities to strengthen relationships between the church and parents.

Leadership Collaboration
Connect with the Site Pastor or designated supervisor to discuss ministry health, volunteer development, safety concerns, and upcoming needs.

Quarterly

The Kids Director is required to complete a quarterly ministry evaluation covering volunteer health, biblical teaching, family engagement, classroom capacity, child safety compliance, and leadership development. The review must address:

• Volunteer team health, retention, and recruitment needs.
• Effectiveness and age-appropriateness of teaching environments.
• Curriculum alignment with church theology and ministry objectives.
• Classroom capacity, equipment, and facility needs.
• Family engagement and communication.
• Compliance with approved child protection requirements.
• Opportunities to identify and develop additional team leaders.

Each quarterly evaluation should produce a small number of clear, actionable priorities rather than unnecessary administrative work. The Kids Director is responsible for communicating these priorities to the Site Pastor or designated supervisor and following through on the agreed-upon action steps.

Annually

The Kids Director is required to complete an annual ministry review and planning process in collaboration with local church leadership. This process must include:

• Reviewing the overall health and effectiveness of ResKids.
• Establishing ministry goals and development priorities.
• Evaluating volunteer recruitment, onboarding, and training processes.
• Reviewing curriculum plans and necessary resources.
• Confirming that safety training, background-check renewals, and policy reviews are current.
• Preparing for seasonal changes in attendance, facility usage, and volunteer availability.
• Identifying future leaders and opportunities to expand ministry capacity.

In collegiate church contexts, particular attention should be given to transitions surrounding the academic calendar, including student departures, summer availability, and the beginning of the fall semester.

Section 6

The ResKids Team

Team Structure

Healthy children’s ministry requires clearly defined responsibilities, sustainable volunteer participation, and intentional leadership development.

The structure of ResKids may vary depending on the size, facility, and needs of each local church. However, the essential responsibilities of teaching, supervision, safety, and family communication should remain clearly assigned.

Primary Team Roles

Kids Director
Provides ministry oversight, team development, safety accountability, curriculum coordination, and family partnership.

ResKids Team Leader
Supports classroom teams, Sunday preparation, and volunteer communication.

Classroom Teacher
Leads age-appropriate biblical teaching, prayer, and activities.

Classroom Volunteer
Assists with teaching, supervision, activities, and caring for children.

Check-In Volunteer
Welcomes families and administers secure child check-in and check-out procedures.

As the ministry grows, the Kids Director should prioritize developing additional team leaders rather than personally carrying every operational responsibility.

Reference: Each ResKids role has its own page in the Kids Volunteer Reference Guide. Use it when onboarding a new volunteer.

Volunteer Recruitment & Onboarding

ResKids volunteers serve an important discipleship function within the church. Recruitment should therefore prioritize spiritual maturity, reliability, a willingness to learn, and a genuine desire to care for children.

Volunteers should understand that serving in ResKids is more than filling a Sunday schedule. It is an opportunity to participate in the church’s responsibility to teach and care for the next generation.

Volunteer Onboarding Process

1. Connect. Meet with the prospective volunteer to discuss their interest, experience, expectations, and suitability for serving children.
2. Screen. Complete all required applications, reference checks where applicable, background screening, and eligibility verification.
3. Train. Complete required child protection training and review the church’s approved safety procedures.
4. Orient. Introduce classroom routines, curriculum, check-in procedures, emergency protocols, and team responsibilities.
5. Shadow. Allow the volunteer to observe an experienced team member in accordance with approved supervision policies.
6. Equip & Release. Confirm readiness and assign responsibilities appropriate to the volunteer’s training and experience.
7. Follow Up. Connect after the initial serving experiences to provide encouragement, answer questions, and identify development opportunities.

Volunteer Scheduling & Sustainability

The Kids Director is responsible for establishing a sustainable scheduling process that supports consistent ministry without placing unnecessary demands on volunteers.

Planning Center should be used to coordinate volunteer schedules, communicate serving expectations, and identify staffing needs. Where practical, an A/B rotation can provide volunteers with opportunities to serve regularly while also participating in Sunday Gatherings with the broader church.

Scheduling should account for:

• Approved classroom staffing and supervision requirements.
• Volunteer availability and serving preferences.
• Age-group needs and classroom capacity.
• Anticipated attendance and seasonal changes.
• Appropriate backup coverage.
• Opportunities for volunteers to participate in corporate worship.

If appropriate staffing cannot be provided, the Kids Director should work with church leadership to implement an approved alternative.

Section 7

Volunteer Development

More Than Procedures

The Kids Director should intentionally invest in the spiritual and practical development of ResKids volunteers.

Development is not limited to learning classroom procedures. It includes growing in biblical understanding, teaching ability, relational care, and ministry ownership.

Development Priorities

Biblical Understanding
Equip volunteers to understand the biblical truths they teach and communicate them faithfully.

Teaching & Communication
Help volunteers explain Scripture in age-appropriate ways and lead meaningful conversations with children.

Relational Care
Develop volunteers who demonstrate patience, kindness, attentiveness, and genuine concern for children and families.

Operational Competence
Ensure volunteers understand classroom routines, safety expectations, and procedures for responding to needs.

Leadership Development
Identify volunteers who demonstrate maturity, consistency, and the ability to equip others for ministry.

Developing Future Leaders

As ResKids grows, the Kids Director should identify and invest in volunteers who can assume additional responsibility. Potential team leaders should demonstrate:

• Consistent faithfulness and reliability.
• Commitment to biblical teaching and child safety.
• Healthy relationships with children, families, and volunteers.
• Initiative and problem-solving ability.
• Willingness to receive feedback and develop others.

For more on building teams and raising up leaders, see Leading & Building Teams and Developing Leaders in Team Development.

Section 8

Curriculum & Biblical Teaching

Faithful, Age-Appropriate Teaching

ResKids teaching should be biblically faithful, age-appropriate, and aligned with the theological convictions of Resonate Church.

Curriculum should help children develop a growing understanding of who God is, what He has done, and how the Bible points us to Jesus Christ.

Curriculum Evaluation

When selecting or reviewing curriculum, the Kids Director should consider four primary questions.

Biblical Faithfulness
Is the teaching grounded in Scripture and consistent with the church’s statement of faith?

Gospel Clarity
Does the curriculum faithfully communicate the character of God, the reality of sin, the person and work of Jesus, and the call to respond in faith?

Age Appropriateness
Can children meaningfully engage with the teaching at their stage of development?

Practical Application
Does the curriculum help children understand biblical truth and provide opportunities for parents to reinforce learning at home?

Teaching Environments

Classroom teaching may include Scripture reading, Bible stories, prayer, worship, discussion, memorization, and age-appropriate activities. These elements should serve the biblical teaching objective rather than simply occupy time.

The Kids Director should ensure volunteers receive adequate preparation and understand the central teaching objective before leading a lesson.

Section 9

Partnering With Parents

Supporting Discipleship in the Home

Parents and guardians carry the primary responsibility for the discipleship of their children. ResKids exists to support, encourage, and reinforce that responsibility.

The Kids Director should help establish a ministry culture where families experience the church as a partner in raising children to know and follow Jesus.

Family Partnership Priorities

Clear Communication
Provide parents with relevant information about classroom expectations, curriculum, safety procedures, and ministry updates.

Relational Connection
Create opportunities for families to be known by ministry leaders and volunteers.

Discipleship Reinforcement
When practical, provide simple ways for parents to continue biblical conversations at home.

Pastoral Awareness
Communicate significant family needs or concerns to appropriate church leadership while respecting confidentiality and privacy.

Welcoming New Families
Ensure families visiting ResKids for the first time receive clear guidance and personal care.

Section 10

Child Safety & Protection

An Essential Responsibility

The protection of children is an essential responsibility of ResKids leadership. Every child participating in ResKids should be cared for within an environment that prioritizes physical, emotional, and spiritual safety.

The Kids Director is responsible for implementing the church’s approved child protection policies and ensuring volunteers understand and follow them.

Essential Safety Areas

Volunteer Screening
All volunteers must complete the church’s required eligibility, background screening, and approval process before serving with children.

Abuse Prevention Training
Volunteers must complete required child protection training, including MinistrySafe or another church-approved equivalent.

Classroom Supervision
Classrooms must follow approved adult supervision, staffing, visibility, and volunteer-to-child ratio requirements.

Secure Check-In & Check-Out
Children must be released only through the church’s approved guardian verification and child-release procedures.

Bathroom & Personal Care
Volunteers must follow established procedures regarding bathroom assistance, diapering, personal care, and appropriate boundaries.

Incident Response
Injuries, behavioral concerns, suspected abuse, and other significant incidents must be addressed and documented according to approved church policies.

Mandatory Reporting
Suspected child abuse must be reported to the appropriate authorities in accordance with applicable law. Internal church procedures do not replace legal reporting obligations.

Emergency Preparedness
ResKids leaders must understand the church’s procedures for medical emergencies, evacuations, severe weather, security concerns, and family reunification.

Leadership Responsibility

The Kids Director should maintain or have authorized access to an accurate roster of approved volunteers and their required screening and training status.

The Kids Director should also work with the designated Gathering safety leader to ensure children’s ministry environments are included in emergency planning.

Section 11

Sunday Operations & Family Experience

A Consistent Sunday Process

The Kids Director should establish a consistent Sunday process that creates a welcoming, organized, and distraction-minimized experience for children and families. Operational excellence supports ministry effectiveness by allowing volunteers to focus their attention on caring for and teaching children.

Before Families Arrive

Classrooms should be clean, prepared, supplied, and ready to receive children. Volunteers should understand their assignments, lesson objectives, and relevant safety procedures.

Check-in stations should be operational, and the Kids Director should confirm that appropriate supervision and staffing requirements are satisfied.

During Check-In

Families should receive a warm welcome and clear guidance. New families should be introduced to the ministry’s check-in process, classroom locations, and relevant safety procedures.

Any necessary information regarding allergies, medical needs, accessibility, or accommodations should be collected and handled according to approved church procedures.

During the Gathering

Volunteers should provide attentive supervision, lead planned teaching and activities, and respond appropriately to children’s needs.

The Kids Director or designated leader should remain available to support classrooms and coordinate responses to operational or safety concerns.

During Check-Out

Volunteers should follow the approved child-release process and communicate relevant information to parents or guardians.

After the Gathering

Classrooms should be restored, supplies secured, equipment stored, and relevant follow-up needs documented or communicated.

For portable churches, the Kids Director should coordinate ResKids setup and teardown needs with the Gathering Coordinator and appropriate logistics leaders.

Section 12

ResKids Resources

Primary Resources

These are the resources specific to ResKids. Planning Center, MxU, and the rest of the network’s shared tools are covered in Resonate Resources & Systems.

Planning Center Online
Purpose: Volunteer scheduling and Sunday ministry coordination.
How to Use: Organize ResKids volunteer teams, manage schedules, communicate serving assignments, and support Sunday planning.

MinistrySafe
Purpose: Child abuse prevention training.
How to Use: Complete and track required child protection training according to the church’s approved standards and renewal procedures.

Resonate Collegiate Playbook
Purpose: Network ministry principles and operational guidance.
How to Use: Reference Play 6, particularly Tactics 6.2, 6.14, and 6.15, for Sunday Gathering operations and proposed ResKids safety procedures. Draft tactics remain subject to review and approval.

Approved Child Protection Policy
Purpose: Authoritative procedures governing the safety and protection of children.
How to Use: Follow the approved policy for volunteer screening, child supervision, check-in and release, incident reporting, and emergency response.
Link coming soon

Approved ResKids Curriculum
Purpose: Biblically faithful, age-appropriate teaching resources.
How to Use: Prepare lessons, equip classroom teachers, and support consistent biblical instruction.
Link coming soon

Section 13

What Winning Looks Like

A healthy ResKids ministry is not defined solely by attendance, classroom aesthetics, or the number of volunteers available. Winning means that the ministry is faithfully accomplishing its purpose while developing sustainable systems that serve children, families, and the church.

Markers of a Healthy Ministry

Biblical Faithfulness
Children consistently receive age-appropriate teaching rooted in Scripture and centered on the gospel.

Safe & Trusted Environments
Approved child protection procedures are consistently followed, and families can confidently entrust their children to the ministry.

Healthy Volunteer Teams
Volunteers are equipped, supported, and serving sustainably, with opportunities to grow in ownership and leadership.

Meaningful Family Connections
Parents and guardians experience genuine care, clear communication, and partnership in the discipleship of their children.

Consistent Sunday Execution
Environments are prepared, volunteers understand their responsibilities, and children are welcomed and cared for with consistency.

A successful Kids Director is not simply someone who keeps the ministry running. They are someone who develops a healthy ministry that can continue growing beyond their personal involvement.

Ministry Health & Evaluation

The Kids Director is responsible for regularly evaluating the health of ResKids to identify strengths, address challenges, and make informed decisions. Evaluation should focus on both ministry effectiveness and operational sustainability.

Primary Areas of Evaluation

Child Safety
Review screening and training compliance, incident follow-up, and adherence to approved policies.

Volunteer Health
Evaluate serving consistency, retention, development, and sustainable coverage.

Ministry Participation
Review attendance patterns, classroom capacity, and age-group needs.

Biblical Teaching
Evaluate curriculum preparation, theological faithfulness, and teaching effectiveness.

Family Experience
Review communication, feedback, welcoming processes, and family connection.

Operational Health
Evaluate classroom readiness, scheduling, supplies, and recurring challenges.

Attendance is one useful indicator, but it should not be treated as the sole measure of ministry success. The Kids Director should use evaluation to identify practical next steps and communicate relevant needs to local church leadership.

Section 1

Introduction

The Sunday Gathering

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Sunday Gathering is one of the primary ways the Church becomes visible in the world and every part you play, however small it may feel, shapes how people experience God's presence among His people. This guide exists to give you clarity: what's expected of you, who you serve alongside, and what faithfulness in your role actually looks like. You are not just filling a role. You are stewarding a gathering where people encounter Jesus and are reminded of Biblical truths.

Want to go deeper into why the Sunday Gathering matters? Read The Sunday Gathering in Gathering Foundations.

What This Guide Is

This guide will not teach you the technical skill of your role step by step. That's what MxU training, the Master Production Glossary, and your Team Lead are for. What this guide gives you is clarity on what's expected, why it matters, and where to go when you want to grow further. Think of it less like a manual and more like a compass.

A Recurring Theme: Character Over Competency

You'll notice each team's page includes a section called "Character Over Competency." This isn't an afterthought; it reflects something true throughout every part of Resonate's ministry: we care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can technically produce. A team full of skilled but disconnected volunteers is not a healthy team. Keep that in mind as you read what follows.

This Guide In Light of the Sunday Gathering

Each team has its own reference guide: Vision, Sunday Responsibilities, Weekly Responsibilities, Reports To, What Winning Looks Like, and References & Resources. Find your team, read your page, and keep it somewhere you can return to whenever you need a quick refresher.

You'll also see references to Planning Center Services (PCS or PCO): the scheduling platform used to confirm your availability, see your Call Time, and stay current on any changes to a given Sunday.

Section 2

In-House Reporting Structure

How It Works

In-House teams exist to support everything that happens inside the gathering itself. The Pastor sets the overall vision, which the Worship Leader carries out through the service. The Production Leader works under the Worship Leader's direction, overseeing the technical teams that bring the service to life.

Sound, Lights, Lyrics, and Band Team Leads each lead their own volunteers, giving every team member a clear, direct line back to someone who knows their role and can support their growth. Van & Trailer sits a little differently, since that responsibility can belong to either the Worship Leader, Production Leader, or Gathering Coordinator. Depending on the church, your reporting line there will follow whichever leader owns it locally.

Why This Matters

Clarity in leadership is care. When every volunteer knows exactly who they report to, questions get answered faster, feedback reaches the right person, and no one is left wondering who to turn to when something needs attention. A clear reporting structure protects you from confusion and protects the gathering from gaps where no one is quite sure who's responsible. Knowing your place in this structure isn't about rank. It's about being part of something bigger than yourself, with people who are genuinely invested in your growth and ready to support you.

Who Are the Gathering Leaders?

Throughout this guide, you'll see the term "Gathering Leader" used as shorthand for the four roles who carry primary leadership responsibility for the Sunday Gathering: the Pastor, Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader.

Not every church has all four as distinct roles, some combine responsibilities depending on size and season, but these are the leaders who ultimately own the health, direction, and stewardship of what happens on a Sunday. When this guide says "bring that to your Gathering Leader," it means whichever of these four leaders is most directly connected to your team.

Understanding Team Roles

Every team has the same three levels of responsibility: Team Member, Team Lead, and Team Apprentice. What each one means, and how growth from one to the next works, is explained in Understanding the Three Roles in Team Development.

Section 3

The Sound Team

Vision

You exist to help the congregation hear every voice and instrument clearly, so nothing technical stands between a person and the truth being sung, prayed, or preached. When you do your job well, no one notices; they just experience a gathering that feels clear, warm, and easy to engage with.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a technical contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you produce behind the board. A technically excellent sound team member with compromised character does more damage than an average technician with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at rehearsal, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Sound Team Lead, who reports to the Production Leader (or Worship Leader, in churches without a dedicated Production Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Test your assigned channels before rehearsal begins
• Participate in rehearsal and the Pre-Service Run Through
• Run a clear, balanced mix throughout the gathering
• Stay attentive to the room throughout the service, not just your board
• Help with setup and teardown, including basic cable and gear care
• Communicate proactively if something isn't working, don't wait for someone to notice

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any new songs, special elements, or setup changes communicated by your Production Leader
• Flag any gear issues you noticed on Sunday before they become bigger problems

What Winning Looks Like

• The congregation can hear the lead vocal and speaking voice clearly, every time
• Your mix supports the moment instead of drawing attention to itself
• You know how to safely start up and shut down the system without help
• You put away FOH gear as clean and organized as you found it
• You're growing: asking questions, learning signal flow, gaining confidence

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in signal flow, gain structure, and troubleshooting, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Personally coach new volunteers through safe startup/shutdown and the basics of a clean mix, not just assign them a channel
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Sound Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Mix, Gain Structure, XLR, and more)
• Production Leader Bundle, Section 8 (Audio & Sound): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Sound Team Lead & Production Leader: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 4

The Lights Team

Vision

You exist to help the congregation experience an environment that supports worship without ever drawing attention to itself. When you do your job well, no one notices the lighting; they feel more present, more engaged, and less distracted from encountering Jesus and hearing Biblical truths.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a technical contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you produce behind the board. A technically excellent lights team member with compromised character does more damage than an average technician with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at rehearsal, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Lights Team Lead, who reports to the Production Leader (or Worship Leader, in churches without a dedicated Production Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Set up, patch, and safely strike lighting gear as needed
• Participate in rehearsal and the Pre-Service Run Through, confirming cues and positions
• Run lighting cues throughout the gathering, keeping faces on the platform clearly visible at all times
• Stay attentive to the room, watching for hot spots, dead zones, or unintentional shadows
• Help with setup and teardown
• Communicate proactively if a fixture or cue isn't working as expected

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any special elements, cue changes, or setup notes communicated by your Production Leader
• Flag any gear issues you noticed on Sunday before they become bigger problems

What Winning Looks Like

• Every face on the stage is clearly visible to the congregation
• Your lighting choices support the tone of each moment without drawing attention to themselves
• You know how to set up, patch, and safely strike gear without help
• You put away lighting gear as clean and organized as you found it
• You're growing: asking questions, learning DMX basics, gaining confidence

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in DMX basics, fixture types, and building a simple wash, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Walk through planned cues with your team before Sunday, not just run them yourself
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Lights Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Fixture, DMX, Wash/Look, and more)
• Production Leader Bundle, Section 8A (Lighting): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Lights Team Lead & Production Leader: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 5

The Lyrics Team

Vision

You exist to help every person in the room engage with what's being sung, read, or preached, including guests who don't know the songs, non-readers, and anyone who needs visual reinforcement to follow along. When you do your job well people can engage with the truth in front of them.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a technical contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you produce behind the computer. A technically excellent lyrics team member with compromised character does more damage than an average operator with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at rehearsal, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Lyrics Team Lead, who reports to the Production Leader (or Worship Leader, in churches without a dedicated Production Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Confirm your slides are accurate and formatted correctly before the gathering begins
• Participate in rehearsal and the Pre-Service Run Through
• Stay one step ahead throughout the gathering; advance slides before the lyric is sung, not after
• Handle any mistakes calmly: know how to recover your place or clear the screen gracefully
• Help with setup and teardown
• Communicate proactively if something in the set list or slides seems off

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review the set list and any new songs, sermon notes, or graphics before Sunday
• Double-check formatting and template consistency ahead of time; don't wait until rehearsal

What Winning Looks Like

• Every slide is accurate, well-timed, and easy to read from anywhere in the room
• You're confident enough in the set list to stay ahead of the congregation, never surprised
• You know how to recover gracefully if something goes wrong
• Your formatting is consistent with Resonate's templates every week
• You're growing: asking questions, learning ProPresenter more deeply, gaining confidence

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in ProPresenter, someone your team can turn to with confidence when something goes wrong
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Train operators on the set list format and template standards before Sunday, not during rehearsal
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Lyrics Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Slide/Deck, Playlist, Cue, and more)
• Production Leader Bundle, Section 8B (ProPresenter & Lyrics): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Lyrics Team Lead & Production Leader: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 6

The Worship Band

Vision

You exist to help the congregation sing clearly, confidently, and together. Your role is not performance; it's participation, helping the church see Jesus through singing and respond to Him with one voice. When you play and sing well, you make it easier for the whole room to worship through song, not just watch.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a technical contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than your musical competence. A technically excellent band member with compromised character does more damage than an average musician with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at rehearsal, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Worship Leader (or Band Leader, in churches with that structure in place).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Know your arrangement, key, and structure thoroughly before rehearsal begins
• Participate fully in rehearsal, working out problem areas before Sunday
• Play and sing with excellence and genuine engagement, not just technical accuracy
• Stay attentive to the Worship Leader's direction throughout transitions and dynamics
• Help with setup and teardown
• Communicate proactively about any issues with your instrument, in-ears, or monitor mix

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Practice your parts individually before practice & rehearsal; rehearsal refines preparation, it doesn't replace it
• Participate in weekly worship practice (midweek) & worship rehearsal (Sundays)
• Review any new songs or arrangement changes communicated by your Worship Leader

What Winning Looks Like

• You know your parts well enough to engage with the congregation, not just your instrument
• Your playing supports the song rather than drawing attention to itself
• You arrive prepared, not hoping rehearsal will cover the gaps
• You're growing: in musicianship, in worship, and in genuine engagement with what you're singing
• You reflect the joy of the Gospel, not just technical competence

If You're a Band Leader

Stepping into this role means the band's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become an expert your fellow musicians can turn to for arrangement, key, and structure questions
• Hold the band to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Communicate song structures and arrangements to your fellow musicians before rehearsal, not during
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement among your fellow musicians, and address them relationally, not just musically
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the band is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Band): structured training built for musicianship and worship leading
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Arrangement, Chart, Key, Click Track, and more)
• Worship Leader Bundle, Section 8 (Song Selection) and Section 9 (Technical Terms): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Band Leader & Worship Leader: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 1

Introduction

The Sunday Gathering

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Sunday Gathering is one of the primary ways the Church becomes visible in the world and every part you play, however small it may feel, shapes how people experience God's presence among His people. This guide exists to give you clarity: what's expected of you, who you serve alongside, and what faithfulness in your role actually looks like. You are not just filling a role. You are stewarding a gathering where people encounter Jesus and are reminded of Biblical truths.

Want to go deeper into why the Sunday Gathering matters? Read The Sunday Gathering in Gathering Foundations.

What This Guide Is

This guide will not teach you the technical skill of your role step by step. That's what MxU training, the Master Production Glossary, and your Team Lead are for. What this guide gives you is clarity on what's expected, why it matters, and where to go when you want to grow further. Think of it less like a manual and more like a compass.

A Recurring Theme: Character Over Competency

You'll notice each team's page includes a section called "Character Over Competency." This isn't an afterthought; it reflects something true throughout every part of Resonate's ministry: we care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can technically produce. A team full of skilled but disconnected volunteers is not a healthy team. Keep that in mind as you read what follows.

This Guide In Light of the Sunday Gathering

Each team has its own reference guide: Vision, Sunday Responsibilities, Weekly Responsibilities, Reports To, What Winning Looks Like, and References & Resources. Find your team, read your page, and keep it somewhere you can return to whenever you need a quick refresher.

You'll also see references to Planning Center Services (PCO): the scheduling platform used to confirm your availability, see your Call Time, and stay current on any changes to a given Sunday.

Section 2

Out-of-House Reporting Structure

How It Works

Out-of-House teams exist to support everything people experience before, during, and after the formal gathering; hospitality, environment, and connection.

All four teams are led by the Gathering Coordinator, who owns their health, development, systems, and leadership. Connections, Ambiance, and Pipe & Drape Team Leads each lead their own volunteers, giving every team member a clear, direct line back to someone who knows their role and can support their growth. Van & Trailer sits a little differently, since that responsibility can belong to either the Gathering Coordinator, Worship Leader, or Production Leader depending on the church. Your reporting line there will follow whichever leader owns it locally.

Why This Matters

Clarity in leadership is care. When every volunteer knows exactly who they report to, questions get answered faster, feedback reaches the right person, and no one is left wondering who to turn to when something needs attention. A clear reporting structure protects you from confusion and protects the gathering from gaps where no one is quite sure who's responsible. Knowing your place in this structure isn't about rank. It's about being part of something bigger than yourself, with people who are genuinely invested in your growth and ready to support you.

Who Are the Gathering Leaders?

Throughout this guide, you'll see the term "Gathering Leader" used as shorthand for the four roles who carry primary leadership responsibility for the Sunday Gathering: the Pastor, Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, and Production Leader.

Not every church has all four as distinct roles, some combine responsibilities depending on size and season, but these are the leaders who ultimately own the health, direction, and stewardship of what happens on a Sunday. When this guide says "bring that to your Gathering Leader," it means whichever of these four leaders is most directly connected to your team.

PSA: If your church does not have a Production Leader, the Worship Leader or Gathering Coordinator takes ownership of production responsibilities.

Understanding Team Roles

Every team has the same three levels of responsibility: Team Member, Team Lead, and Team Apprentice. What each one means, and how growth from one to the next works, is explained in Understanding the Three Roles in Team Development.

Section 3

The Connections Team

Vision

You exist to help people move from unfamiliarity toward belonging: noticing the person standing alone, welcoming the guest who doesn't know where to go, and helping every person take a meaningful next step toward community and spiritual growth. When you do your job well, no one leaves this gathering feeling unseen.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a hospitality contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping. We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how naturally outgoing you are. A warm, charismatic Connector with compromised character does more damage than a quieter one with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at your post, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Connections Team Lead, who reports to the Gathering Coordinator.

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Never let someone enter or leave unnoticed
• Prioritize new faces and first-time guests
• Look for people standing or sitting alone
• Help guests navigate the gathering naturally, from parking lot to seat
• Create clear next-step opportunities for anyone ready to take one
• Communicate proactively if you notice a guest who needs follow-up

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any updates to first-time guest process or connection cards communicated by your Team Lead
• Follow up on any guest interactions from the prior week that need continued attention

What Winning Looks Like

• No guest leaves without being personally engaged
• First-time guests know where to go, what to do, and that they're welcome
• You pay attention to body language and engagement, not just proximity
• You're growing: asking questions, learning names, gaining confidence in starting conversations

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in engaging guests warmly and naturally, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Personally coach new volunteers through their first few Sundays, not just assign them a post
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Connections Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Connectors, Greeters, Hosts, Connection Card, and more)
• Gathering Coordinator Bundle, Section 8 (Environment & Hospitality Design): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Connections Team Lead & Gathering Coordinator: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 4

The Ambiance Team

Vision

You exist to help every person who walks through the door feel that this space was prepared for them. Through hospitality, refreshments, and attention to detail, you help communicate one simple truth before a word is even spoken: you are wanted here. When you do your job well, the environment itself says welcome.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a hospitality contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping. We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how polished your setup looks. A beautifully arranged space maintained by someone with compromised character does more damage than a simple one maintained with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present during setup, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Ambiance Team Lead, who reports to the Gathering Coordinator.

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Set up hospitality stations, refreshments, and first-time gifts with care and intentionality
• Confirm the space looks and feels prepared, not rushed
• Stay attentive throughout the gathering: restocking, tidying, and noticing what needs attention
• Help with teardown, leaving the space as clean as you found it, or cleaner
• Communicate proactively if supplies are running low or something feels unfinished

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any special elements or setup changes communicated by your Team Lead
• Flag any supply needs before they become a Sunday-morning problem

What Winning Looks Like

• The space feels intentional, clean, and warm before a single guest arrives
• Hospitality supplies are stocked and ready, never discovered missing at the last minute
• Your setup reflects care and stewardship, not just task-completion
• You're growing: asking questions, noticing details, gaining confidence

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in hospitality setup and inventory, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Personally coach new volunteers through what excellence looks like in this space, not just assign them a task
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Ambiance Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Coffee Table, Loops, Joy Box, Communion Table, and more)
• Gathering Coordinator Bundle, Section 8 (Environment & Hospitality Design): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Ambiance Team Lead & Gathering Coordinator: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 5

The Pipe & Drape Team

Vision

You exist to transform a temporary or multi-use space into something that feels intentional, clear, and distraction-free. Your setup and staging create the environment everything else happens inside of. When you do your job well, no one notices the room was built from nothing just hours before: they experience a space that supports the mission and message of the church.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a physical contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping. We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how efficiently you can build a room. A fast, skilled builder with compromised character does more damage than a slower one with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present during setup and teardown, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Pipe & Drape Team Lead, who reports to the Gathering Coordinator.

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time, ready to serve
• Set up uprights, crossbars, and drape according to the plan
• Confirm the space is clear, distraction-free, and structurally safe before doors open
• Handle equipment carefully, avoiding damage during setup and teardown
• Help with full teardown, storing gear properly for next use
• Communicate proactively if a piece is damaged, missing, or unsafe

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any layout or setup changes communicated by your Team Lead
• Flag any equipment issues before they become a Sunday-morning problem

What Winning Looks Like

• The space feels intentional and distraction-free, not thrown together
• Setup is safe, sturdy, and complete well before the congregation arrives
• Equipment is handled and stored carefully, extending its life
• You're growing: asking questions, learning efficient setup techniques, gaining confidence

If You're a Team Lead

Stepping into this role means the team's standards and competence become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the team's go-to expert in pipe and drape setup, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Personally coach new volunteers through safe and efficient setup, not just assign them a task
• Watch for signs of discouragement or disengagement on your team, and address them relationally, not just operationally
• Identify and begin developing an apprentice, so the team is never dependent on one person

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Pipe & Drape Team): structured training built for your role specifically
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Upright, Crossbar, Drape, and more)
• Gathering Coordinator Bundle, Section 8 (Environment & Hospitality Design): for the deeper principles behind what you do
• Your Pipe & Drape Team Lead & Gathering Coordinator: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 1

Introduction

Why We Serve

“Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

Mark 10:14

ResKids exists to partner with families in introducing children to Jesus, teaching biblical truth, and cultivating environments where children are known, loved, protected, and encouraged to grow in their understanding of God.

Serving in ResKids is more than providing childcare during a Sunday Gathering. It is an opportunity to participate in the discipleship of the next generation through biblical teaching, meaningful relationships, and intentional care.

Jesus welcomed children and demonstrated their value within the kingdom of God (Mark 10:13–16). As ResKids volunteers, we have the privilege and responsibility of reflecting that same care through the way we teach, serve, and interact with children and families.

A Recurring Theme: Character Over Competency

Each role’s page includes a section called “Character Over Competency.” It reflects something true throughout every part of Resonate’s ministry: we care more about who you are becoming in Christ than what you can do. Children notice far more than the lesson. They notice how you speak, how patient you are, and whether you believe what you teach.

What This Guide Is

Each ResKids role has its own page: Vision, Reports To, Sunday and Weekly Responsibilities, What Winning Looks Like, and References & Resources. Find your role and read your page. Then read the two pages every volunteer shares: Child Safety & Protection and Serving Together. Keep this guide somewhere you can return to whenever you need a quick refresher.

You’ll also see references to Planning Center Services (PCO): the scheduling platform used to confirm your availability, see your Call Time, and stay current on any changes to a given Sunday.

Section 2

ResKids Reporting Structure

How It Works

ResKids functions through a team of volunteers who share responsibility for teaching, caring for, and welcoming children and families. While individual responsibilities may vary between churches, every volunteer contributes to the health and effectiveness of the ministry.

The Kids Director

The Kids Director is the primary ministry leader responsible for volunteer development, curriculum coordination, Sunday operations, and ministry oversight. ResKids Team Leaders support the Kids Director by helping volunteers serve effectively.

Want to see the full role? Read the Kids Director Bundle.

Section 3

Classroom Teacher

Vision

You exist to help children grow in their understanding of God and His Word. You lead age-appropriate biblical teaching, prayer, and activities, and the goal is never simply that a child remembers a story, but that they come to know the God the story is about.

You don’t need to be a professional educator to do this well. You need to be prepared, attentive, teachable, and committed to communicating biblical truth faithfully.

The expectations below describe the volunteer baseline. ResKids Team Leaders carry these same expectations, plus the responsibilities on the ResKids Team Leader page.

Character Over Competency

Teaching in ResKids is not just a classroom contribution; it’s a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don’t let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how polished your lesson is. A gifted teacher who is careless with children, or with the truth, does more damage than a quieter teacher with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Leader or Kids Director rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Spend time in the passage yourself before you teach it: you can’t give children what you haven’t received
• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Be fully present in the room, not on your phone or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn’t separate from your serving, it’s what sustains it

Reports To: ResKids Team Leader, who reports to the Kids Director (or the Kids Director directly, in churches without a Team Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time and check in with your ResKids leader
• Confirm your classroom, the day’s lesson, and that supplies and materials are ready
• Review applicable safety procedures and any authorized child-specific care information
• Receive children only once required staffing and supervision standards are met
• Lead the planned lesson, prayer, discussion, and activities, communicating Scripture in language appropriate to the children’s ages
• Help children see how the lesson connects to the character and work of God, and encourage their questions
• Present Scripture faithfully, never personal speculation as biblical truth
• Work with your Classroom Volunteers to keep attentive supervision throughout the Gathering
• Follow the approved child-release process at check-out and share relevant information with parents
• Restore the classroom and report incidents, concerns, or supply needs before you leave

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review the upcoming lesson, identify its central biblical truth, and prepare any needed materials
• Communicate questions, needs, or scheduling conflicts to your Team Leader or Kids Director as early as possible

What Winning Looks Like

• Children leave understanding the central truth of the lesson and how it points to Jesus
• Every child feels welcomed, valued, and known
• Your classroom follows approved safety and supervision procedures every week
• You arrive prepared, so your attention is on children rather than last-minute logistics
• You’re growing: asking for feedback, learning names, gaining confidence in teaching

References & Resources

• Approved ResKids Curriculum: lessons, objectives, and age-appropriate activities Link coming soon
• Child Safety & Protection: the safety expectations every volunteer follows, every Sunday
• Serving Together: behavior, parents, privacy, and communicating with your leaders
• Kids Director Bundle: Curriculum & Biblical Teaching: for the deeper principles behind what you teach
• Your ResKids Team Leader & Kids Director: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 4

Classroom Volunteer

Vision

You exist to help every child in the room participate, feel cared for, and stay safe. You support the Classroom Teacher, help children engage in lessons and activities, and provide attentive supervision, so the teacher can teach and no child goes unnoticed.

Every interaction with a child is an opportunity to demonstrate patience, kindness, and the love of Christ.

The expectations below describe the volunteer baseline. ResKids Team Leaders carry these same expectations, plus the responsibilities on the ResKids Team Leader page.

Character Over Competency

Serving in a classroom is not just a supervision role; it’s a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don’t let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how naturally you connect with kids. Children learn as much from how you treat them as from the lesson. Patience with a child who is struggling says more about Jesus than anything on the craft table. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Leader or Kids Director rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Pray for the children in your room before they arrive
• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Be fully present in the room, not on your phone or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn’t separate from your serving, it’s what sustains it

Reports To: ResKids Team Leader, who reports to the Kids Director (or the Kids Director directly, in churches without a Team Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time and check in with your ResKids leader
• Confirm your assigned classroom and help prepare and organize the room
• Review the day’s lesson, activities, and relevant safety and care information
• Help children feel comfortable entering the classroom
• Support the Classroom Teacher and help children participate in lessons and activities
• Provide attentive, appropriate supervision and keep classroom boundaries
• Respond to behavioral challenges with patience and care, and ask for help when you need it
• Follow approved procedures for bathroom needs, personal care, injuries, and other concerns
• Help with transitions, check-out, and restoring the classroom afterward

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any instructions from your Classroom Teacher or Team Leader
• Communicate questions, needs, or scheduling conflicts before the Gathering

What Winning Looks Like

• Every child participates and experiences a sense of belonging
• No child goes unsupervised or unnoticed
• Your Classroom Teacher can focus on teaching because the room is cared for
• You respond to hard moments calmly, without shaming, humiliating, or threatening language
• You’re growing: learning names, asking questions, gaining confidence with children

References & Resources

• Child Safety & Protection: the safety expectations every volunteer follows, every Sunday
• Serving Together: behavior, parents, privacy, and communicating with your leaders
• Approved ResKids Curriculum: lessons, objectives, and age-appropriate activities Link coming soon
• Your ResKids Team Leader & Kids Director: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 5

Check-In Volunteer

Vision

You exist to make a family’s first and last moments in ResKids feel warm and secure. You welcome children, parents, and guardians, guide them through the approved check-in process, and help make sure every child goes home with an authorized adult.

A family’s first interaction with ResKids should communicate that their children are valued and cared for.

The expectations below describe the volunteer baseline. ResKids Team Leaders carry these same expectations, plus the responsibilities on the ResKids Team Leader page.

Character Over Competency

Serving at check-in is not just a front-desk task; it’s a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don’t let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

Check-in is where trust is built. We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how quickly you move the line. A friendly volunteer who cuts corners on verification does more damage than a slower one who follows the procedure every time. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Team Leader or Kids Director rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Pray for the families walking through the door before they arrive
• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Be fully present at your station, not on your phone or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn’t separate from your serving, it’s what sustains it

Reports To: ResKids Team Leader, who reports to the Kids Director (or the Kids Director directly, in churches without a Team Leader).

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive at your scheduled Call Time and confirm the check-in station is ready
• Greet parents and children warmly, learning and using names when appropriate
• Follow approved check-in and identification procedures for every child
• Help new families understand the check-in process, classroom locations, and procedures
• Collect allergy, medical, and accommodation information only as approved procedures direct
• Communicate relevant information to classroom leaders
• Follow approved guardian verification and child-release procedures at check-out
• Refer unresolved questions, sensitive situations, or concerns to the Kids Director or Team Leader

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Review any updates to the check-in process communicated by your Team Leader or Kids Director
• Pass along anything you noticed about new families so your leaders can follow up

What Winning Looks Like

• Every family is welcomed and knows where to go
• New families leave understanding how check-in and pick-up work
• Every child is checked in and released through the approved procedure, with no exceptions
• Questions and concerns reach the right leader quickly
• You’re growing: learning names and helping families feel at home

References & Resources

• Child Safety & Protection: the safety expectations every volunteer follows, every Sunday
• Serving Together: behavior, parents, privacy, and communicating with your leaders
• Your ResKids Team Leader & Kids Director: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 6

ResKids Team Leader

Vision

You exist to help ResKids volunteers serve effectively. You support the Kids Director by helping classroom teams prepare, communicate, and serve well, so volunteers are encouraged and children are cared for consistently every Sunday.

Character Over Competency

Leading volunteers is not just coordination; it’s a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed, and the volunteers around you are watching it. Don’t let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than how smoothly Sunday runs. Model faithfulness, teamwork, and adherence to ministry standards, because your team will follow what you do more than what you say. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Kids Director rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Pray for your volunteers by name during the week
• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Be fully present with your teams, not on your phone or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn’t separate from your serving, it’s what sustains it

Reports To: The Kids Director.

Sunday Responsibilities

• Arrive before your teams and help prepare classrooms and check-in for families
• Confirm volunteer attendance and that every classroom meets staffing and supervision standards before children arrive
• Help coordinate volunteers and communicate assignments
• Stay available to support classrooms and respond to questions, needs, or challenges
• Provide encouragement and practical support to classroom teams
• Identify needs or challenges and communicate them to the Kids Director

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Help communicate assignments and lesson information to your teams before Sunday
• Follow up with volunteers on encouragements, needs, or challenges from the prior Sunday

What Winning Looks Like

• Volunteers know their assignments before they arrive
• Classroom teams feel encouraged and supported, not just scheduled
• Needs and concerns reach the Kids Director early
• Every classroom meets supervision standards before children arrive

Developing Others

Stepping into this role means the health of the team becomes partly your responsibility. This is also what’s asked of you:

• Watch for volunteers who show consistent faithfulness, a commitment to biblical teaching and child safety, and healthy relationships with children, families, and volunteers
• Begin developing someone who could do what you do, so ResKids is never dependent on one person
• Receive feedback well yourself, so your team learns to do the same

References & Resources

• Understanding the Three Roles: what growth into leadership looks like
• Kids Director Bundle: Volunteer Development: how the Kids Director develops volunteers and leaders
• Child Safety & Protection: the safety expectations every volunteer follows, every Sunday
• Your Kids Director: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and growth

Section 7

Child Safety & Protection

The protection of children is a non-negotiable responsibility of everyone serving in ResKids.

Every volunteer must understand and consistently follow the church’s approved child protection policies. These policies establish the authoritative requirements for screening, supervision, appropriate boundaries, check-in and check-out, personal care, emergency response, and incident reporting.

Before You Serve

Before beginning service, volunteers must complete the church’s required approval process. This includes:

• Completing the required volunteer application and screening process
• Receiving approval through the church’s background-check requirements
• Completing MinistrySafe or another church-approved child protection training program
• Reviewing applicable child safety and emergency procedures
• Completing ministry orientation and any required classroom training

Essential Safety Expectations

Volunteer Approval
Only individuals who have completed the required screening, training, and approval process may serve in roles involving child supervision.

Appropriate Supervision
Volunteers must follow approved classroom staffing, adult supervision, visibility, and volunteer-to-child ratio requirements.

Personal Boundaries
All interactions with children must follow approved policies regarding physical contact, communication, personal care, and appropriate adult-child boundaries.

Secure Check-In & Check-Out
Children must be checked in and released according to established guardian verification and authorization procedures.

Bathroom & Personal Care
Volunteers must follow approved procedures for bathroom assistance, diapering, and other personal care needs.

Medical Needs & Allergies
Volunteers must follow approved procedures for handling authorized medical information, allergies, medication-related concerns, and emergencies.

Incident Reporting
Injuries, safety concerns, suspected abuse, and other reportable incidents must be communicated and documented according to church policy.

Mandatory Reporting
Suspected child abuse must be reported to the appropriate authorities as required by applicable law. Reporting concerns internally does not replace legal reporting obligations.

Emergency Response
Volunteers must understand the applicable procedures for evacuations, medical emergencies, security concerns, and family reunification.

When You Are Unsure

If a volunteer is uncertain about a safety requirement or encounters a situation not addressed in their training, they should seek immediate guidance from the Kids Director or designated leader.

When a situation presents an immediate threat to a child’s safety, volunteers should follow emergency procedures and contact emergency services as appropriate.

Section 8

Serving Together

Healthy ResKids teams depend on patience with children, genuine care for families, and consistent communication with one another.

Responding to Behavioral Challenges

Approach behavioral challenges with patience, consistency, and care. When challenges arise:

• Respond calmly and respectfully
• Reinforce appropriate classroom expectations
• Redirect children toward constructive participation
• Avoid shaming, humiliating, or threatening language
• Request assistance when additional support is needed
• Follow approved behavioral guidance and parent communication procedures

Seek guidance from the Kids Director when unsure how to respond to a situation.

Caring for Parents

Parents and guardians carry the primary responsibility for discipling their children, and ResKids exists to partner with them. Communication should be clear, respectful, and appropriate to your role. You may share general lesson information, positive experiences, and routine updates. Sensitive concerns, significant behavioral issues, incidents, or matters requiring pastoral care go to the Kids Director or designated leader.

When appropriate, encourage parents by sharing what their child learned: a Bible passage, the lesson theme, or a discussion question can help families continue conversations about faith throughout the week.

Respecting Privacy

Communicating With Your Leaders

Talk with your Kids Director or Team Leader about scheduling changes or absences, classroom needs and supply requests, questions about curriculum or teaching, behavioral challenges that need support, family needs or concerns, safety incidents or policy questions, and ideas to improve the ministry.

Approach feedback as an opportunity to grow in effectiveness and faithfulness. Healthy teams demonstrate humility, encourage one another, and remain open to learning.

Serving Sustainably

ResKids ministry should be carried out through healthy teams rather than depending on a small number of overextended volunteers. Communicate your availability honestly, serve consistently, and ask for support when responsibilities become difficult to sustain. When possible, ResKids teams may operate on an A/B rotation so volunteers can serve regularly and still participate in corporate worship.

Section 1

Leading & Building Teams

Healthy Sunday Gatherings are not built by one leader. They are built through intentional structure, clear leadership, and the faithful development of people over time. The goal is not rapid growth for its own sake, but long-term health, clarity, and multiplication.

Understanding the Three Roles

Before working through the Volunteer Development Phases, it is important to understand the three distinct roles that make up a healthy team. Each role has a different level of responsibility, and the goal is always to develop people upward through these levels.

Reference: Each serving role has its own one-page reference covering Vision, Sunday and Weekly responsibilities, and What Winning Looks Like: the In-House Reference Guide (Sound, Lights, Lyrics, and Band), the Out-of-House Reference Guide (Connections, Ambiance, and Pipe & Drape), the Kids Volunteer Reference Guide (ResKids), and the Van & Trailer Team page. Use these when onboarding a new Team Member.

A Note on Titles

Not every team uses the same language for these roles. Sound, Lights, Lyrics, Connections, Ambiance, and Pipe & Drape use “Team Lead” and “Team Apprentice.” The Worship Band uses “Band Leader” instead of Team Lead. Van & Trailer doesn’t have a Team Lead at all; vehicle stewardship is owned directly by a Gathering Leader, with Team Members serving alongside them. The title may differ from team to team, but the responsibility and growth path are the same.

What This Means for Volunteers

Each Reference Guide is written for a Team Member, but faithfulness in that role is what growth into Team Lead is built on. If you sense the character and desire to take on more, talk to your Team Lead or Gathering Leader. Development isn’t reserved for a select few; it’s the expectation for every healthy team.

Volunteer Development Pathway

Every healthy ministry grows through stages of leadership development. The phases below provide a framework for understanding how teams mature over time; from Gathering Leadership doing most of the work themselves, to volunteers serving faithfully, to Team Leads taking ownership, and ultimately to leaders developing other leaders.

While every church progresses at a different pace, the goal remains the same: building healthy, sustainable teams that can support church growth and future church planting efforts. The progression is about developing people. Refer to graphic below for a visual progression.

Using the Development Phases

The following phases provide a practical framework for assessing the health and maturity of your teams. Not every team will progress at the same pace, and different ministries may be in different phases simultaneously. The goal is not to advance through the phases as quickly as possible, but to intentionally develop people and create healthy, sustainable ministries.

How Organizational Structure Develops Across the Phases

The Development Phases describe what a Gathering needs to become capable of, not exactly how every church must be organized to accomplish it. The goal for every church is to reach a fully functional Sunday Gathering ready to multiply (reference Local Church Organizational Flow Chart).

Every church will develop differently based on its size, context, available leaders, meeting space, and ministry needs. Because of this, churches should not feel pressure to replicate a specific organizational structure at every phase. Instead, Gathering Leaders should build the structure that best serves their church while intentionally moving people toward greater ownership and leadership.

A healthy progression will generally look like this:

This means two churches in the same phase may have different organizational structures.

For example, one church may have developed a Production Leader who oversees Sound, Lights, and Lyrics, while another church may still have those teams reporting directly to the Worship Leader. One church may have a dedicated Ambiance Team Lead while another Gathering Coordinator may still lead that team directly.

Both structures can be healthy depending on the people and needs of the church.

The goal is not to create leadership positions just to fill boxes on an organizational chart. Leadership structure should grow as leaders are developed. As faithful volunteers demonstrate character, reliability, competence, and the ability to lead others, responsibility can increasingly move from Gathering Leaders to Team Leads.

Example Mature Gathering Structure

The organizational chart below represents one example of what a mature Gathering ecosystem may look like as a church approaches Phase 3. It should be viewed as a baseline and helpful model, not a required structure every church must reproduce exactly.

Churches should adapt their structure according to their context while preserving the underlying direction of development:

Individuals → Teams → Team Leads → Leaders Developing Leaders

The goal is not to fill every box. The goal is to develop healthy teams, capable Team Leads, and distributed leadership so that the Sunday Gathering can remain healthy as the church grows and eventually multiplies.

Church Size, Critical Mass & Multiplication

The Development Phases describe how leadership matures. They also track closely with how a church grows. As attendance grows, the Sunday Gathering needs more people serving, more teams, and more leaders to stay healthy. Only developed leadership can carry that growth.

Critical Mass is roughly 120 in average weekly Sunday Gathering attendance, or about 1.2% of the university’s enrollment where that is the larger number (see Growth & Critical Mass in Gathering Foundations). It is the point where a Gathering becomes its own missional force and leaders can shift their energy toward developing leaders. Above that line, a church produces leaders faster than it loses them to graduation.

How Size and Phase Usually Line Up

• Phase 0: House Church Model. A new church plant early in its launch term. Gathering Leaders carry most of the work themselves while the church gathers its first people.
• Phase 1: Stripped Back Model. A church growing toward Critical Mass. Dependable Team Members free Gathering Leaders to focus on the people, not just the tasks. A plant aims to reach Critical Mass within its two-year launch term.
• Phase 2: Fully Functional Gathering. A church approaching or reaching Critical Mass. The Gathering is now too big for Gathering Leaders to manage every volunteer directly, so Team Leads must own their teams.
• Phase 3: Fully Functional Gathering, Ready to Multiply. A church sustaining Critical Mass, with leaders developing leaders and apprentices in place, ready to send people and leaders to plant.

These are general patterns, not rules. Attendance does not move a church into a phase; developed leaders do. A church can grow in attendance faster than its leadership, and that gap is exactly where volunteers burn out and Sundays start to strain. Watch both numbers together: how many people are gathering, and how many leaders are ready.

Why This Matters for Multiplication

Resonate plants churches sequenced around Critical Mass. A sending church should not plant if doing so would drop it below Critical Mass, and a new plant is sent with the people and resources to reach Critical Mass within a two-year launch term. Churches that were above Critical Mass when they planted stayed healthy the following year; churches that planted below it dipped sharply.

For the Sunday Gathering, this means sending will cost you some of your best volunteers and Team Leads. The teams left behind stay healthy only if apprentices are already in place to step up. That is why Phase 3 matters: a Gathering whose leaders are developing leaders can send generously and keep its Sundays strong.

Phase 0: House Church Model

People Begin Serving

Phase 0 typically applies to year one, and sometimes year two, of a church plant. At this stage, the core leadership team usually consists of a Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, and Site Pastor. These three individuals are often personally responsible for organizing and executing both Out-of-House and In-House roles for the Sunday Gathering. Formal teams have not yet been established, and in many cases there will not yet be volunteers serving in every role.

| Pathway: In Phase 0, Gathering Leaders should begin identifying and recruiting people to serve alongside them. This process may happen organically, but it often requires intentional leadership. The goal is finding people to serve.

Phase 1: Stripped Back Model

Develop Healthy Team Members

Phase 1 begins when volunteers have started committing to specific roles within the Sunday Gathering. At this stage, teams are beginning to form, and reliable individuals are consistently serving week to week. While Gathering Leadership is still heavily involved in organizing and executing the work, volunteers are now beginning to carry set up and tear down responsibilities that were previously handled only by Gathering Leaders.

| Pathway: The focus of Phase 1 is developing dependable team members who understand the expectations of their role and serve with consistency, humility, and teachability. As Gathering Leaders observe volunteers over time, certain individuals will begin to demonstrate the character and reliability needed for greater responsibility.

Phase 2: Fully Functional Gathering

Establish Team Leadership

Phase 2 begins when responsibility begins shifting from Gathering Leadership to Team Leads. At this stage, Gathering Leadership identifies individuals who demonstrate strong character, teachability, reliability, and competence in their area of service. These individuals begin taking responsibility for organizing and overseeing a specific team within the Sunday Gathering. Rather than leaders managing every volunteer directly, Team Leads now help recruit, train, and care for the people serving on their team.

| Pathway: The focus of Phase 2 is developing your Team Leads so that the work of the Sunday Gathering becomes more sustainable and organized as the church continues to grow.

Phase 3: Fully Functional Gathering, Ready to Multiply

Multiply Team Leadership

Phase 3 begins when Team Leads start developing and training others to eventually replace them. At this stage, leadership development becomes intentional and ongoing. Team Leads begin identifying apprentices within their teams who demonstrate reliability, character, teachability, and alignment with the team’s standards. These apprentices are gradually given opportunities to learn responsibilities and develop the skills necessary for leadership.

| Pathway: The focus of Phase 3 is multiplying leadership so that teams remain healthy and sustainable as the church continues to grow and plant new churches.

When leaders intentionally develop others, leadership multiplies and the church becomes prepared for continued growth and future church plants. What begins with one leader faithfully investing in another eventually strengthens teams, supports church growth, and prepares future church plants.

The measure of your leadership is not how well you lead. It is how well the people you developed lead after you.

Section 2

Developing Leaders

Why Multiplication Matters

Your job is not to build a ministry that depends on you. Your job is to build leaders who can carry the ministry forward and eventually, into new churches.

Multiplication is not a program. It is a posture. It is the difference between a leader who asks ‘how do I get this done?’ and a leader who asks ‘who can I develop to do this?’

Identifying Potential Leaders

• Consistency: they show up reliably, even when it is inconvenient
• Character: they handle difficulty, feedback, and conflict with maturity
• Teachability: they receive correction without defensiveness and apply it
• Initiative: they do more than what is asked without needing to be managed
• Influence: others naturally look to them, even without a formal title

You do not need to wait until someone is fully ready to begin investing in them. Identify the potential and begin the investment early.

The Discipleship Square

The most effective leadership development does not happen in a classroom. It happens through proximity; doing ministry alongside someone who is further down the road than you are. Refer to the Discipleship Square for effective multiplication.

I do, you watch. Bring them into the room. Let them see how you prepare, how you make decisions, how you handle problems.

I do, you help. Give them a specific responsibility within something you are still owning. Debrief afterward.

You do, I help. Hand them the primary responsibility. You are present and available but not leading.

You do, I watch. They are leading. You are observing, evaluating, and giving feedback.

You do, someone else watches. They are now developing the next person. The multiplication has begun.

Giving Ministry Away

• Give Team Leads real ownership, not just task assignments
• Let people fail in low-stakes environments so they can grow
• Resist the urge to take back something you have delegated just because it is being done differently
• Celebrate when someone you developed does something better than you could

Caring for Your Volunteers

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:35

One of the most important responsibilities of a Gathering Leader is shepherding your team. Your volunteers are not resources to be managed or positions to be filled. They are people God has entrusted to your care.

Healthy teams are built on relationships, not schedules. While volunteers help execute the Sunday Gathering, their value is never found in what they contribute. Their value is found in who they are as brothers and sisters in Christ.

As a Gathering Leader, your responsibility extends beyond making sure a position is covered on Sunday. You are helping create a culture where people feel known, cared for, appreciated, and encouraged in their faith.

Know Your Volunteers' Capacity

Every volunteer has different responsibilities, seasons of life, and capacities for serving. Healthy leaders take the time to understand those realities and build schedules accordingly.

Ask volunteers how often they are able to serve and honor the commitments they communicate. Avoid making assumptions about availability or creating pressure that causes people to serve beyond their capacity.

A volunteer who serves joyfully once a month is often healthier and more sustainable than a volunteer serving every week out of obligation.

Build Sustainable Rotations

One of the most practical ways to care for volunteers is through healthy scheduling practices. Whenever possible, build teams large enough to allow volunteers regular breaks from serving. Healthy rotations create space for volunteers to:

• Worship with their families
• Rest physically and emotionally
• Participate in the gathering without serving responsibilities
• Remain engaged for the long term

Practical Ways to Love Your Volunteers

Healthy volunteer cultures are built through consistent acts of care. Consider practices such as:

• Learning and remembering personal details about your volunteers
• Celebrating milestones, birthdays, and life events
• Praying for volunteers regularly
• Following up when someone misses a week
• Expressing appreciation often and specifically
• Creating opportunities for team members to build relationships with one another
• Looking for ways to encourage, equip, and develop people beyond their role

Remember the Goal

Healthy Gathering Leaders understand that people matter more than positions, relationships matter more than schedules, and long-term faithfulness matters more than short-term productivity.

Section 3

Navigating Hard Conversations

Leading Through Difficulty

No leadership role avoids hard conversations. If you are leading a team of people, you will eventually face a volunteer who is not a good fit, a Team Lead who is underperforming, or relational tension that is affecting team health. How you handle these moments will define the culture of your team far more than any Sunday you lead.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”

Ephesians 4:15

Principles Before Conversations

Clarity is kindness. Allowing a problem to continue unaddressed is not grace: it is avoidance. The most loving thing you can often do is have the conversation clearly and early.

Address the pattern, not just the moment. One difficult Sunday does not require a hard conversation. A consistent pattern does. Ask yourself: is this a one-time issue or a recurring one?

Always involve your Pastor. Before having any significant corrective conversation, loop in your Pastor. You should not be navigating serious personnel or relational issues alone. This could look like briefing and planning with your pastor, or it could look like bringing him alongside you as you have the conversation.

Common Situations & How to Handle Them

A volunteer is consistently unprepared or unreliable.

• Start with a genuine, curious conversation. Ask if everything is okay before assuming disengagement.
• If the pattern continues, set a clear and specific expectation with a defined time frame.
• If it continues beyond that, have an honest conversation about whether this role is still the right fit.

A Team Member is not owning their responsibility.

• Begin by clarifying expectations. Sometimes underperformance is unclear communication.
• Meet individually to understand what obstacles they are facing.
• Assign a specific, visible responsibility they can succeed at, then build from there.
• If growth does not follow over 4–6 weeks, bring your Pastor into the conversation.

There is relational tension between team members.

• Do not let it fester. Unaddressed tension becomes team culture.
• Meet with each person individually before bringing them together.
• Facilitate a direct conversation between both parties with you as mediator.
• Follow up to ensure reconciliation is real, not surface-level.

A volunteer is not a good fit for the role they are in.

• Affirm the person’s character and contribution before addressing the fit issue.
• Wherever possible, redirect toward a role that better suits them.
• Involve your Pastor before this conversation, do not handle it alone.

When Sin Is Present

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

Matthew 18:15

• Begin privately with a clear and loving conversation.
• Call sin what it is with humility and Scripture, not opinion.
• Give space for repentance and restoration.
• Involve your Pastor early, do not navigate this alone.

If there is ongoing, unrepentant sin, it may become necessary to ask a volunteer to step away from serving for a season. This is not punitive. It is pastoral. The goal is always repentance, growth, healing, and restoration to Christ.

Section 4

Resonate Resources & Systems

You Are Not Leading Alone

The Resonate Church network exists to equip you with tools, systems, and shared resources so you can lead with clarity, consistency, and confidence. These resources are not optional add-ons; they are foundational tools that help create gatherings that are sustainable and reproducible across the network.

This page brings together every tool from the three Leadership Bundles. Tools every Gathering Leader uses come first, followed by the tools that belong mostly to one role.

The Sunday Gathering Handbook works alongside two other Resonate resources:

• Resonate Playbook: establishes the shared Network strategy for Sunday Gathering (Play 6).
• Sunday Gathering Handbook: provides the standards, systems, tools, and practical implementation guidance for Gathering Leaders.
• Owner Manual: establishes Owner-facing expectations around participation in Sunday Gathering, Village, and Huddle (see Sunday Gathering in the Life of Resonate).

For Every Gathering Leader

Planning Center: The Source of Truth

The central system for organizing and communicating every aspect of your Sunday Gathering. When used well, it eliminates confusion and ensures every volunteer knows exactly what to expect.

Engage Spaces: Network Communication & Alignment

The primary platform for communication across Gathering Leadership in the Resonate network. Important updates, resources, and conversations are shared in real time so leaders can stay informed, aligned, and connected.

Gathering Leadership G-Drive: Central Resource Hub

Houses shared resources for the entire network. Templates, ProPresenter packages, training documents, and system examples that help you build without starting from scratch.

Gathering Scorecard: Gathering Health

The Airtable check-in every church submits every two weeks. It turns each check-in into health scores for the 5 Essentials, tracks the action steps that come out of it, and brings in attendance from Planning Center. See Gathering Scorecard in Gathering Foundations.

MxU: Training & Development

High quality video training for gathering and production environments, covering audio engineering, lighting design, visual presentation, and environments. It is especially valuable for volunteers without formal training. Every Gathering Leader follows their own MxU Pathway: Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, or Production Leader, each a structured onboarding, growth, and ongoing curriculum. See MxU Training Pathways below.

Network Coaching & Development

You are part of a network of Worship Leaders, Gathering Coordinators, and Production Leaders learning, growing, and building together. Each role has its own biweekly coaching environment to support your development and strengthen unity across churches.

Reference Guides: Onboarding at a Glance

A one-page reference for each serving role, covering Vision, Sunday and Weekly responsibilities, and What Winning Looks Like. The In-House Reference Guide covers Sound, Lights, Lyrics, and Band. The Out-of-House Reference Guide covers Connections, Ambiance, and Pipe & Drape. The Kids Volunteer Reference Guide covers Classroom Teachers, Classroom Volunteers, Check-In Volunteers, and ResKids Team Leaders. The Van & Trailer Team page covers vehicle volunteers. Use these as the starting point when onboarding a new volunteer, or as a quick refresher for someone who has been serving a while.

Primarily for Worship Leaders

Approved Song List

The shared list of songs approved for use in Resonate Sunday Gatherings. The Approved Song List is housed in Planning Center under Songs. To maintain theological clarity, congregational singability, and a healthy shared repertoire while still allowing each church to choose songs that best serve its local congregation.

Prime MultiTracks: Musical Consistency & Confidence

A tool that supports your band through click, pads, and tracks. Not a replacement for musicianship but a resource that helps your team play with greater confidence, consistency, and unity.

SongSelect (CCLI): Song Sourcing & Stewardship

Provides access to lyrics, chord charts, and licensing coverage. Ensures both quality and integrity in how your church engages with worship music.

Primarily for Production Leaders

ProPresenter: Sunday Visual Execution

The standard visual presentation tool across all Resonate gatherings. Lyrics, announcements, sermon slides, countdowns, and visual flow are all executed through ProPresenter. The Production Leader owns the health and accuracy of this system each Sunday. In churches without a Production Leader, the Worship Leader prepares ProPresenter playlists, sermon notes, and graphics in advance (see Weekly Expectations).

Primarily for Gathering Coordinators

Planning Center Headcounts: Attendance Tracking

Planning Center Headcounts is the network’s system for recording Sunday Gathering attendance. Gathering Coordinators are responsible for ensuring an accurate attendance count is taken each Sunday and entered into Planning Center Headcounts. Consistent attendance data helps Site Pastors and network leadership understand gathering health, identify trends, and make informed decisions over time.

Start Here

MxU Training Pathways

For your church’s MxU login, ask your Gathering Leader.

MxU Training Pathways lay out how every Gathering Leader and every team grows through MxU, in three tiers: Onboarding, Growth, and Ongoing.

Wherever a Pathway connects to a role or team already documented elsewhere in the Sunday Gathering Handbook, this page links directly to that Bundle or Reference Guide.

Tier A

Worship Leader Pathway

↗ Worship Leader Bundle

Onboarding

• Service Planning 101
• Planning Center: The Basics
• Music Theory 101
• On-Stage Essentials
• Intro to Prime Multitracks

Growth

• Leading With Heart & Mind
• Posture & Purpose In Worship
• Engaging the Room
• Music Directing Fundamentals
• Intentional Transitions
• The Essential Guide for Worship Vocalists

Ongoing

• Intro to Audio
• Intro to Lighting
• ProPresenter: The Basics

Tier A

Production Leader Pathway

↗ Production Leader Bundle

Onboarding

• Service Planning 101
• Planning Center: The Basics
• Intro to Audio
• Intro to Lighting
• ProPresenter: The Basics

Growth

• Become an X32 Expert
• Intro to Audio II
• Intro to Audio III
• Drum Mics & Drum Tuning
• Lighting Programming 101
• Basic Light Rigging
• ProPresenter Bonus Features

Ongoing

• Basic RF Coordination
• Smaart Basics
• Audio Systems Engineering
• Let’s Mic the Drums
• Master the Snare Drum
• Audio Console Fader Layout
• Advanced Mixing
• Before You Broadcast
• Video Directing Concepts
• Video Switching Fundamentals

Tier A

Gathering Coordinator Pathway

↗ Gathering Coordinator Bundle

Onboarding

• Getting Started with MxU
• Service Planning 101
• Planning Center: The Basics
• Better Services with Planning Center
• The Guide to Serving

Growth

• Volunteer Development
• Prepared Leadership
• Leadership 360
• Core Values of Church Production

Ongoing

• How to Hack Your Budget
• Tackling Burnout
• Seeking Feedback

Note: MxU has no hospitality, guest experience, Connections follow-up, or environment design content yet, so this pathway covers the planning, volunteer, and leadership side of the role. The Out-of-House team pathways below (Connections, Ambiance, Pipe & Drape) fill some of that gap with videos until Resonate-made training is added.

Tier B

Sound Team

↗ In-House Reference Guide, The Sound Team

Onboarding

• Welcome to the Team!
• Intro to Audio: Part 1, Defining Audio
• Intro to Audio: Part 2, Gear
• Before You Turn the Knob

Growth

• Intro to Audio: Part 3, Core Concepts
• Time to Start Mixing
• Become an X32 Expert

Ongoing

• Intermediate Mixing
• A Complete Guide to Mixing Vocals
• Advanced Mixing

Tier B

Lights Team

↗ In-House Reference Guide, The Lights Team

Onboarding

• Welcome to the Team!
• Intro to Lighting
• I’m New to Lighting
• Stage Designer 50 Lighting Controller YouTube

Growth

• Every LD Should Know
• Maintaining Your Lights

Ongoing

• Lighting Programming 101
• Basic Light Rigging
• Intro to Haze

Tier B

Lyrics Team

↗ In-House Reference Guide, The Lyrics Team

Onboarding

• Welcome to the Team!
• ProPresenter 101: The Basics

Growth

• ProPresenter 201: Bonus Features
• Coming soonSet list formatting and templates (Resonate-made)

Ongoing

• ProPresenter Fundamentals
• Coming soonTroubleshooting live failures

Tier B

Band

↗ In-House Reference Guide, The Worship Band

Onboarding

• Welcome to the Team!
• What Is Worship?
• Musician’s Corner
• Intro to Prime MultiTracks
• On-Stage Essentials

Growth

• Playing Worship to Click
• Getting Started with Modern Worship Drums
• Getting Started with Modern Worship Keys
• Getting Started with Modern Electric Guitar
• Intro to Acoustic Guitar
• Foundation of Worship Bass Guitar
• The Essential Guide for Worship Vocalists

Ongoing

• Music Theory 101
• Introduction to In-Ear Monitoring
• Breath Control for Vocalists
• Piano Embellishments and Fills
• Unlocking Acoustic Guitar Versatility
• All-in-One Electric Guitar

Tier B

Connections Team

↗ Out-of-House Reference Guide, The Connections Team

Onboarding

• The Guide to Serving
• Church Greeter Training: 7 Habits That Make Visitors Feel Welcome YouTube
• How to Welcome Visitors at Church YouTube

Growth

• How to Host a First-Time Guest at Church YouTube
• 5 Ways Greeters and Guest Services Can Improve Nonverbal Communication YouTube
• This Church Visitor Follow-Up Strategy Will Make Visitors Stickier YouTube
• Stop Making These 3 Big Church Guest Follow-Up Mistakes YouTube

Ongoing

• What Your Guests Wish You Knew YouTube
• Practice Hospitality (VOUS Staff Meeting) YouTube

Note: MxU has no Connections or guest-engagement content, so YouTube videos fill the gap for now. Resonate-made training will replace them as it is created.

Tier B

Ambiance Team

↗ Out-of-House Reference Guide, The Ambiance Team

Onboarding

• The Guide to Serving
• What Your Guests Wish You Knew YouTube
• Church Hospitality Strategy: Simple, Creative, and Culture-Shaping YouTube

Growth

• Steward the Resources God Has Given You Well
• First Impressions at Church Facilities YouTube

Ongoing

• 9 Easy Ways to Improve Your Church’s Hospitality YouTube

Note: MxU has no hospitality or ambiance content, so YouTube videos fill the gap for now. Resonate-made training will replace them as it is created.

Tier B

Pipe & Drape Team

↗ Out-of-House Reference Guide, The Pipe & Drape Team

Onboarding

• The Guide to Serving
• Core Values of Church Production
• How to Set Up Pipe & Drape YouTube

Growth

• Portable Church Setup Tour: Transforming a School Cafeteria into a Sanctuary YouTube

Tier B

Van & Trailer Team

↗ In-House Reference Guide, The Van & Trailer Team  ·  ↗ Out-of-House Reference Guide, The Van & Trailer Team

Onboarding

• The Guide to Serving
• Step-by-Step Connections & Safety Check for Hooking Up a Trailer YouTube
• U-Haul Safe Trailering Lessons YouTube

Growth

• 6 Easy Enclosed Trailer Maintenance Tips YouTube

Ongoing

Most of this team’s ongoing training is hands-on and site-specific, led by the Gathering Leader who owns vehicle stewardship.

Section 1

Van & Trailer Maintenance

Stewardship of Church Vehicle Assets

The responsibility of your church’s vehicle assets belongs to either the Worship Leader, Gathering Coordinator, or Production Leader. It is up to your church’s Gathering Leadership to make that decision. Where it belongs to you, own it with the same intentionality you bring to every other area of your role. A poorly maintained van or a disorganized trailer creates friction before anyone sets foot in the gathering space on Sunday morning.

The vehicles and trailer your church uses are role-critical assets that make it possible for your team to show up, set up, and serve week after week. How they are cared for is a direct reflection of how seriously your team takes stewardship of what God has entrusted to you.

Maintenance

• Complete bi-annual fluid changes: oil, brake fluid, and any other manufacturer-recommended service intervals. Do not wait for a warning light.
• Keep all legal compliance current: registration, insurance documentation, and any state or local requirements. Set calendar reminders well in advance of expiration dates.
• If a mechanical issue is identified, address it promptly. Communicate repair needs and costs clearly to your Pastor.
• Ensure your trailer is tightly organized to eliminate the possibility of asset damage when transporting.

Cleanliness

• After every use, the van and trailer should be returned clean and organized. This is not optional.
• If another team or individual borrows the vehicle, the expectation is clear before they take the keys: it comes back in the same condition it left in, or better.
• Build a culture where people treat church assets the way they would want their own property treated. That culture starts with you.

Vehicle Tracking

Every Resonate van and trailer is centrally tracked so maintenance, inspections, repairs, mileage, and important vehicle information do not depend on someone's memory.

Your responsibility is not to manage the tracking system. Your responsibility is to care for the van and trailer assigned to your church, complete required inspections, and communicate maintenance or repair needs when they arise.

Regular inspections help keep vehicle mileage current and identify problems before they become larger issues. Scheduled maintenance is tracked based on time and mileage, and your church will be notified when service is coming due or overdue. If something breaks, is damaged, or needs attention, submit a maintenance request so the issue can be tracked through completion.

The goal is simple: notice issues early, communicate them clearly, and make sure the equipment entrusted to your church is cared for well.

When Issues Exceed Local Capacity

Some situations require support beyond the local church. Vehicle accidents, insurance claims, major mechanical failures, theft, property damage, or other significant incidents should be communicated to your Pastor and the Resonate Church Operations and Processes Manager as soon as possible.

The goal is not to solve every problem yourself. Healthy stewardship includes knowing when to seek help, communicate early, and leverage the resources available to you. When in doubt, communicate sooner rather than later.

Section 2

The Van & Trailer Team

Vision

You exist to make sure your team can show up, set up, and serve week after week without the vehicle or trailer becoming an obstacle. A well-maintained, clean van and trailer is a quiet act of stewardship; it reflects how seriously your team takes what God has entrusted to you.

The expectations below describe the Team Member baseline. Team Leads and Apprentices carry these same expectations, plus the leadership responsibilities described in Understanding the Three Roles.

Character Over Competency

Serving on this team is not just a contribution; it's a place where your own walk with Jesus is being formed. Don't let Sunday become something you only execute. Come prepared, but come worshiping.

We care more about who you are becoming in Christ than your mechanical expertise. A technically excellent van & trailer team member with compromised character does more damage than an average mechanic with genuine integrity. If you find yourself consistently going through the motions, bring that to your Gathering Leader rather than pushing through it alone.

Living It Out

• Guard your Saturday night: how you spend it shapes how you show up Sunday
• Spend time with Jesus before serving: your heart is your most important instrument
• Be fully present at rehearsal, not distracted or checked out
• Stay in community: a Village or Huddle isn't separate from your serving, it's what sustains it

Reports To: Gathering Coordinator, Worship Leader, or Production Leader, depending on which Gathering Leader owns vehicle stewardship at your church.

Sunday Responsibilities

• Confirm the van and trailer are ready before load-in begins
• Handle loading and unloading carefully, keeping the trailer tightly organized to prevent damage
• Return the vehicle and trailer clean and organized after every use; this is not optional
• Communicate proactively if you notice a mechanical issue or anything that needs attention

Weekly Responsibilities

• Confirm or decline your availability for the upcoming Sunday when scheduled via PCO
• Check basic maintenance items (fluids, tires, lights) periodically, not just when something feels wrong
• Report any needed repairs or upcoming maintenance to the appropriate Gathering Leader promptly

What Winning Looks Like

• Your team never arrives to a vehicle that isn't ready
• The van and trailer are returned clean and organized after every use, every time
• You catch small issues before they become expensive problems
• You treat church assets the way you'd want your own property treated

If You're a Gathering Leader

Stepping into this role means vehicle stewardship standards become your responsibility. This is also what's asked of you:

• Become the go-to expert on your vehicle and trailer's maintenance needs, someone your team can turn to with confidence
• Hold your team to the standards in this Reference Guide, correcting drift with grace before it becomes habit
• Set calendar reminders for legal compliance (registration, insurance) and bi-annual fluid changes well in advance
• Communicate repair needs and costs clearly to your Pastor before they become larger, more expensive problems
• Know when an issue exceeds local capacity, and loop in the Operations and Processes Manager alongside your Pastor

References & Resources

• MxU Pathway (Tier B: Van & Trailer Team): training videos for trailer safety and maintenance
• Master Production Glossary: quick answers to unfamiliar terms (Ball Size, Chock Blocks, Trailer Weight, Road Hazard Kit, and more)
• Van & Trailer Maintenance (Part 1 of this page): the full maintenance, cleanliness, and vehicle tracking standards
• The Gathering Leader who owns vehicle stewardship at your church: your first and best resource for questions, feedback, and reporting issues

How to Use This Glossary

Master Production Glossary

This is a complete, alphabetized reference of terminology used across every Sunday Gathering team, tagged by the team it belongs to. It is not meant to be read start to finish. Use it the way you'd use a dictionary: hear a word you don't recognize, look it up, get a clear one-line answer, move on.

Don't see a term here? Ask your Team Lead, or check MxU for a deeper walkthrough.

New to a Team? Start Here.

Glossary

A

A and B Teams Connections

The rotation system used to split a serving team so members serve every other Sunday rather than every week, preventing burnout.

Active Signal Audio

An audio signal that has been boosted by a powered device (like an active DI or active speaker) before it reaches the next stage of the signal chain. Active gear requires its own power source, typically phantom power or a battery, to function.

See Also: Passive Signal · Amplifier

Amplifier (Amp) Audio

The device that boosts an audio signal enough to power a passive speaker. Passive speakers cannot produce sound without an external amplifier; active speakers have an amp built in and don't need one.

See Also: Active Signal · Passive Signal

Arrangement Band

The specific structure of a song as it will be played, including verse order, instrumentation, dynamics, and any changes from the song's original recorded version.

See Also: Chart · Key · Dynamics · Orchestration

Glossary

B

Back of House Shared

The spaces not visible to the congregation, such as storage, backstage walkways, and equipment closets. Where much of the Production Leader's most important preparation happens, unseen.

See Also: Stage / Platform · FOH

Ball Size Van & Trailer

The trailer hitch ball diameter required for towing: 2 5/16" for trailers 10 feet and larger, 2" for trailers 8–10 feet.

See Also: Trailer Weight

BPM (Beats Per Minute) Band

The tempo of a song, measured in beats per minute. BPM is typically locked to the click track so the band and MultiTracks stay in sync throughout the song.

See Also: Click / Click Track · Time Signature · Time

Glossary

C

Call Time Shared

The time a team member is expected to arrive, ready to serve. Distinct from Rehearsal or Service start time. Planning Center should always list Call Time separately for In-House and Out-of-House teams (unless they both arrive at the same time).

See Also: Timestamp · Gathering Plan

Chart Band

A written reference (chord chart or lead sheet) showing the structure, chords, and key of a song, used by musicians during rehearsal and Sunday.

See Also: Numbers System · Key · Arrangement · Chord Voicings

Chock Blocks Van & Trailer

Wedge devices placed against a trailer's wheels to prevent it from rolling while parked or being hooked or unhooked.

Chord Voicings Band

The specific way a chord's notes are arranged on an instrument: which notes are played, in what order, and in what register. When guitar and keys choose voicings that sit in different ranges, the band sounds clearer and fuller instead of muddy.

See Also: Chart · Numbers System · Key · Orchestration

Click / Click Track Band

A metronome fed to the band through in-ear monitors to keep tempo consistent, often paired with MultiTracks.

See Also: BPM · In-Ear Monitor (IEM) · MultiTracks · Time

Coffee Table / Connections Table Ambiance

The standard hospitality and information stations set up for guests.

See Also: Hospitality Cart · Loops

Communion Table Ambiance

The station set up for communion Sundays.

Compression Audio

Evening out a sound so it's not too loud in some moments and too quiet in others.

See Also: Gate · EQ

Confidence Monitor Lyrics

A screen visible to the Worship Leader or band showing the current slide or lyric, allowing them to lead without turning to look at the main output screen.

See Also: Output · Slide / Deck

Connection Card Connections

The physical or digital card a guest fills out to share information or a next step.

See Also: Connectors · Loops

Connectors Connections

Every member of the Connections Team.

See Also: Greeters · Hosts

Console Lights

The board used to control the lights.

See Also: DMX · Fixture

Crossbar Pipe & Drape

The horizontal bar connecting two uprights.

See Also: Upright · Drape

Cue Lights Lyrics

In Lights: a planned lighting change tied to a specific moment in the service. In Lyrics: the moment a slide should advance. Same word, two team-specific applications.

Glossary

D

DI (Direct Box) Audio

A device that connects instruments like guitars and keyboards into the sound system.

See Also: Mono DI · Stereo DI · Passive Signal

Digital Snake Audio

The cable that carries all audio signals between the stage and FOH.

See Also: XLR · Signal Flow

DMX Lights

The signal that controls all the lighting fixtures.

See Also: Console · Fixture

Drape Pipe & Drape

The fabric panel hung to divide or cover a space.

See Also: Upright · Crossbar

Dynamics Band

The variation in volume and energy within a song or set, used intentionally to support the emotional and spiritual arc of the gathering.

See Also: Arrangement · Orchestration · Tone / Timbre / Texture · Rhythm

Glossary

E

EQ Audio

Adjusting tone to make a sound clearer or more balanced.

See Also: Compression · Gain Structure

Glossary

F

Feedback Audio

The unwanted screech caused when a mic picks up its own sound.

First-Time Gift Ambiance

A small item given to guests visiting for the first time, intended to communicate warmth and give them something tangible to take home.

See Also: Hospitality Cart · Wayfinding

Fixture Lights

An individual light (a PAR can, LED light, or similar).

See Also: DMX · Console · Wash / Look

FOH (Front of House) Audio

Where sound is mixed for the room.

See Also: Mix · Back of House

Glossary

G

Gain Structure Audio

The proper setting of input and output levels throughout the signal chain so that audio stays clean and free of distortion or excess noise. Foundational knowledge for every sound volunteer.

See Also: EQ · Signal Flow

Gate Audio

Muting a mic or instrument automatically when it's not in use, to cut background noise.

See Also: Compression · Feedback

Gathering Plan Shared

The complete Planning Center service plan for a given Sunday, including songs, transitions, Scripture, announcements, and all relevant service notes. Owned by the Worship Leader and confirmed with the Pastor.

See Also: Timestamp · Call Time

Greeters Connections

Team members who welcome guests at entry points.

See Also: Hosts · Connectors

Glossary

H

Hospitality Cart Ambiance

A mobile station stocked with refreshments, first-time gifts, or informational materials, positioned to be visible and accessible without creating a bottleneck.

See Also: First-Time Gift · Coffee Table / Connections Table

Hosts Connections

Team members who are last to enter service and sit with anyone alone.

See Also: Greeters · Connectors

Glossary

I

In-Ear Monitor (IEM) Band

A small earpiece worn by musicians and vocalists that delivers a personal monitor mix, allowing them to hear themselves and the band clearly on stage.

See Also: Click / Click Track · Monitor Mix

In-House Shared

Everything that directly supports what happens inside the gathering itself: worship, production, and communication. Led by the Worship Leader, with the Production Leader overseeing the technical teams (Sound, Lights, Lyrics) where that role exists.

See Also: Out-of-House

Intonation Band

Playing and singing in tune. Good intonation starts with tuning every instrument before rehearsal and continues with vocalists matching pitch and blending harmonies. A clear monitor mix makes it much easier to hear and correct pitch on stage.

See Also: Key · Monitor Mix · In-Ear Monitor (IEM) · Tone / Timbre / Texture

Glossary

J

Joy Box Ambiance

The giving station.

Glossary

K

Key Band

The musical scale a song is played in, chosen to fit the range of the lead vocalist and the congregation's ability to sing along comfortably.

See Also: Numbers System · Chart

Glossary

L

Liturgy Band

The words spoken during a Sunday Gathering to help guide the church in worship, including Scripture readings, prayer, transitions, exhortations, and other intentional moments that give meaning and direction to the gathering.

Load-In / Load-Out Shared

The process of bringing equipment into the gathering space and setting it up (load-in), and packing it away afterward (load-out). Applies to both weekly gear and van/trailer transport.

See Also: Set Up / Teardown

Loops Ambiance

The lanyard/badge system used at the Connections Table.

See Also: Coffee Table / Connections Table · Connection Card

Glossary

M

Mix Audio

The overall balance of sound the congregation hears.

See Also: FOH · Monitor Mix

Mono DI Audio

A passive DI used for mono inputs such as keyboards and acoustic guitars.

See Also: Stereo DI · DI (Direct Box)

Mono / Stereo Audio

Whether sound is sent through speakers as one signal (mono) or split left and right (stereo). Most churches run FOH in mono.

Monitor Mix Audio

A separate mix, distinct from the congregation's FOH mix, sent to the band and vocalists through floor monitors or in-ear monitors so they can hear themselves clearly while performing.

See Also: In-Ear Monitor (IEM) · Mix

MultiTracks Band

Pre-recorded audio elements, including click, pad, and additional instrumentation, that play alongside the live band to support musical consistency and confidence.

See Also: Click / Click Track · Pad

Glossary

N

Numbers System Band

A shorthand method of writing chord charts using numbers instead of letter names, allowing a song to be quickly transposed to any key without rewriting the chart. Common among Nashville-style charts.

See Also: Chart · Key

Glossary

O

Orchestration Band

Deciding which instruments and voices play which parts, and when: who carries the melody, who holds the foundation, who sits out, and where pads or MultiTracks fill the space. Thoughtful orchestration keeps parts from crowding each other and lets each section of a song build or breathe.

See Also: Arrangement · Chord Voicings · Tone / Timbre / Texture · Pad · MultiTracks

Out-of-House Shared

Everything people experience before, during, and after the formal gathering that helps create clarity, hospitality, and connection. Led by the Gathering Coordinator, who is responsible for these teams' health, development, systems, and leadership.

See Also: In-House

Output Lyrics

The actual screen the congregation sees.

See Also: Confidence Monitor · Slide / Deck

Glossary

P

Pad Band

A sustained background sound, typically synth-based, used to add fullness and consistency to a song's arrangement. Common in MultiTracks.

See Also: MultiTracks · Click / Click Track

Passive Signal Audio

An audio signal that has not been boosted or powered before reaching the next stage of the signal chain. Passive gear, like passive speakers or passive DIs, requires an external amplifier or power source to function.

See Also: Active Signal · Amplifier

Planning Center Services (PCO) Shared

The scheduling and service-planning software platform used across every Resonate church to build the Gathering Plan, schedule volunteers, and communicate Call Times. Often referred to by its abbreviation, PCO. This is the single source of truth for what's happening on a given Sunday. If it's not in Planning Center, it's not officially part of the plan.

See Also: Gathering Plan · Call Time · Timestamp

Playlist Lyrics

The full lineup of songs, Scripture, and announcements built for a Sunday.

See Also: Slide / Deck · Themes

Posture / Technique Band

The physical fundamentals of playing or singing well: how a musician holds their instrument, stands, breathes, and moves. Sound technique lets a musician play or sing consistently through a full gathering without strain, and it is the foundation for good tone, time, and intonation.

See Also: Stage Presence · Tone / Timbre / Texture · Intonation · Time

Pre-Service Run Through Shared

A final walk-through of the service flow immediately before the gathering begins, distinct from full Rehearsal earlier in the week.

See Also: Gathering Plan · Call Time

Glossary

R

Rhythm Band

The pattern of long and short notes and accents each player puts on top of the beat. A tight band shares a rhythmic feel: the kick drum and bass lock together, and guitars and keys play patterns that leave room for each other instead of competing.

See Also: Time · Time Signature · Arrangement · Dynamics

Road Hazard Kit Van & Trailer

The emergency supply kit kept in each towing vehicle, checked monthly to confirm all supplies are present.

Glossary

S

Set Up / Teardown Shared

The physical setup of the gathering space before the service (set) and the breakdown of that same space afterward (teardown). Often used alongside Load-In/Load-Out but refers specifically to the room, not the vehicle.

See Also: Load-In / Load-Out

Signal Flow Audio

The path audio travels from its source (a microphone or instrument) through the sound system to the speakers. Understanding signal flow helps a sound tech quickly diagnose where a problem is occurring.

See Also: Digital Snake · Gain Structure

Slide / Deck Lyrics

An individual screen, or the full sequence of screens, shown during the gathering.

See Also: Playlist · Output · Themes

Stage / Platform Shared

The elevated area where the Worship Band, vocalists, and speaking leaders are positioned during the gathering. "Platform" and "stage" are used interchangeably.

See Also: FOH · Back of House

Stage Presence Band

How each musician carries themselves on the platform: facial expression, engagement, eye contact with the Worship Leader, and visible participation in worship. Healthy stage presence invites the congregation to worship and never draws attention to the performer.

See Also: Posture / Technique · Stage / Platform · Stage Presence (Worship Leader Bundle)

Stereo DI Audio

A passive DI used for stereo channels such as keyboards or signal from a computer for click/track.

See Also: Mono DI · DI (Direct Box)

Glossary

T

Themes Lyrics

The standard slide design used to keep visuals consistent.

See Also: Slide / Deck · Playlist

Time Band

The band's ability to hold one steady, shared pulse from the first note to the last, without rushing or dragging. Good time lets the congregation sing with confidence and keeps transitions clean. It is usually locked to the click, but it is a skill every musician owns, not just a setting.

See Also: Click / Click Track · BPM · Rhythm · Time Signature

Time Signature Band

The rhythmic framework of a song, indicating how many beats occur in each measure (such as 4/4 or 6/8). Understanding a song's time signature helps musicians and vocalists stay aligned, especially during transitions.

See Also: BPM · Rhythm