50 Worship Leader Self-Evaluation Questions

As worship leaders we sometimes don’t consider evaluating our own leadership until we receive complaints about something we are or aren’t doing or singing. Consequently, when those criticisms occur our responses are usually defensive rather than corrective.

Self-evaluation is preventive and proactive rather than defensive and reactive. So in order to avert or deter an unfavorable assessment from others, we should first ask some hard questions of ourselves. The following list of self-evaluation questions is not an exhaustive one but hopefully a place to begin.

Are the services I plan and lead usually easy to follow or are they more often disorganized and disjointed?
Am I planning worship each week for the congregation I’ve been called to lead or one I wish I had been called to lead?
Are my verbal instructions and transitions ad-libbed and verbose or prepared and succinct?
Am I encouraging passive worshipers by leading worship for them instead of with them?
Do the people I put on the platform adequately represent the cultural, generational and spiritual characteristics of our congregation?
Is my primary consideration for selecting worship team members musical or spiritual?
Are the songs I lead on the platform evident in the life I lead off the platform?
Am I selecting or not selecting songs and styles just because I personally like or don’t like them?
Do I select song keys to intentionally encourage congregational participation or just to complement my own vocal range?
Are the songs I select theologically sound and biblically accurate?
Are any of my artistic, visual, verbal or musical expressions contrived or distracting?
Do I convey that worship starts and stops with our opening and closing songs?
Do I begin worship planning each week with song titles or Scripture and prayer?
Besides the latest songs, am I learning anything new?
Since Sunday isn’t usually a Sabbath for me, when am I taking one?
Do I ask how something might impact my family before asking how it might impact my worship leading?
Have I surrounded myself with those who can protect me from my own stupidity?
Am I spending a lot of time worshiping privately before leading worship publicly?
Does always highlighting my playing and singing sometimes imply I don’t really care whether the congregation is singing or not?
Do I wake up every morning feeling unqualified in my own power to do what God has called me to do?
Am I taking care of myself spiritually, emotionally, physically and relationally?
Have I gotten in the habit of using worship service prayer as a segue for musical elements instead of a divine conversation?
Do I ever welcome divine interruptions in my service planning and leading?
Am I casting vision for the future without denigrating the past?
Do I determine the worship language of my congregations based on how I might appear to my worship leading friends?
Am I able to worship when I’m not the primary leader?
Is worship leading a calling for me or just convenient?
Am I leading worship just because I don’t know how to do anything else?
Am I making a conscious effort to pour into younger leaders or am I just trying to protect my territory?
Am I threatened when someone on the team plays or sings better than I do?
Am I depending on my musical skills alone to do what it’s only possible for God to do?
Do I act like a gatekeeper by holding my congregation captive to my favorite worship styles and musical preferences?
Does it seem like the services I plan tend to place more focus on the creative or the Creator?
Am I spending more of my time developing my musical skills or my relationship skills?
Do I find myself coasting or faking it more and more often?
Am I approachable, available and accountable?
Am I more concerned with playing right notes than having right relationships?
Does it seem like I’m more of a cheerleader than a worship leader?
Is it evident from my worship responses that I’m no longer amazed by God’s revelation?
Does my leading lean toward manipulation instead of exhortation?
Do I always seem to disappear when it’s time to set up or tear down?
Am I showing up to rehearsals unprepared?
Do I treat the worship team like backup musicians?
Do I ever use my artistry and busyness as an excuse for laziness and lateness?
Am I coasting at the first of the week causing me to scramble at the end of the week?
Is the worship I’m leading challenging our congregation to be doers or just hearers?
Am I regularly praying for and with those I lead?
Are the songs I’m selecting giving our congregation an opportunity for celebration and contemplation?
Do I offer a healthy balance of both familiar and new songs?
Is it evident to others that I’m as much of a worship leader on Monday as I was on Sunday?