February 10, 2026
Dear music and worship leaders, dear family in Christ:
The purpose of this letter is to highlight the significance and sanctity of the divine service, while also outlining how we utilize the moments of worship in anticipation of the divine service.
When we gather in church as a community of faith, we believe that we experience a divine service, an encounter between God and human beings. These experiences are the focal point of church life, foreshadowing our future fellowship with the triune God to which those who have been reborn out of water and the Spirit have been called.
The purpose of the divine service is to remind believers of the self-revelation of the triune God, and also to make it directly tangible and perceptible through word and sacrament. The moments of worship are integral as they help set the foundation for this. Our Chief Apostle recently edited and issued a new liturgy guide in 2025 which has shaped the way we think about worship in the context of liturgy. Liturgy comes the Greek “leiturgeia,” meaning a public service. In the divine service, we experience God’s service upon us through the Holy Spirit-inspired word, the celebration of the sacraments, and the benediction. We, in turn, provide a service to God through our devoted worship, prayers, and profession.
The purpose of worship is to bring focus to God’s worth, and the effect is that we are drawn closer to Him. Our worship before the divine service is therefore linked to a specific purpose. We create an atmosphere of awe and reverence toward God, and a space for His people to join in united praise of Him through song, and in moments of personal prayer and meditation as they wait upon His word and the confirmation of His triune presence. This purpose must therefore directly impact our approach to and excellence in worship such that all are led well to these holy moments.
The format for our current worship experience was introduced some time ago along with the concept of a worship leader to help facilitate worship before the divine service. However, there has been some liberalization when it comes to approach and execution which has challenged our ability to create and maintain the holy atmosphere that is paramount.
Moving forward, please refrain from taking liberties beyond what has been prescribed, using the attached guidelines as reference. If you have questions on what is permitted, or on the guidelines included, please ask your Apostle, or email our national music team at music_worship@nac-usa.org.
Thank you for your continued efforts to bring about the very best in our congregations so that all congregants are prepared for an experience with the Almighty God.
Yours,
John S. Schnabel
Guidelines for worship and worship leading
Everything that follows is intended to help you better reflect the significance and sanctity of the divine service through the moments of worship that lead to it.
Moments of worship
- The divine service should begin on time. Where adjustments need to be made related to timing in worship, advance communication should take place between the minister and music leader.
- Per the liturgy, there should always be approximately three minutes of stillness/silence before the opening hymn.
- No public prayers should be included in the moments of worship unless approved by the Apostle.
- Opportunities for personal prayer should be balanced with opportunities for participation. We must be careful not to go too far to one extreme or the other (e.g. only the choir is involved in worship, which signifies a lack of congregational participation, or only congregational singing is included, which means there’s little time for personal prayer).
- Much of what is being practiced in worship is not inherently wrong. Rather, the issue is related to the appropriateness for our divine services. The worship we promote before the divine service is both an offering of praise and thanksgiving unto God and also a sanctification effort to prepare us to meet Him in word and sacrament.
- Consider that worship events separate from the divine service are good opportunities to promote worship in a more liberal fashion (e.g. public/communal prayers; worship leaders walking around and speaking; longer messages and Scripture readings, etc.).
Worship leaders
- Worship leaders must be careful not to come off as “casual” in their approach and language. Humor is not appropriate in these moments, nor are personal stories. Everything that’s said and done during the moments of worship should reflect the holiness of these moments, and the holy privilege it is to lead and facilitate them.
- Worship leaders are there to assist and serve their members in achieving the proper awe of God in heart, soul and mind. They are to challenge each one to prepare themselves for the revelation of God. This should be done in servanthood.
- No more “sermons before the sermon.” Any speaking (e.g. call to worship or invitations to sing) should be short, succinct, and point to the triune God and/or to the hymn that follows. Anything that is spoken as a guide to the congregation must be in this vein and should not conflict with the divine service message.
- Scripture can be used, but long passages avoided. Also, note that “this is the word of God” should not be stated after reading Scripture in worship.
- Worship leading is a supporting feature, not a leading feature for a divine service. Therefore, being respectful of the Godly environment that is being created includes personal prayer and meditation. God is about to speak to us! (Psalm 46:10)
General guidelines
- Those selecting music should take into consideration the makeup of the congregation (“know your audience”). This doesn’t mean that modern hymns/songs shouldn’t be incorporated, it just means they should be incorporated more purposefully, empathetically, and over a longer length of time perhaps than in congregations where the age range is broader.
- Those on worship and music teams must have a serving mentality and see themselves first and foremost as servant leaders. One’s own musical preference should never be the priority.
- Drums and electric guitars can be used, though only in the moments before and after the divine service (i.e. worship and the final hymn). Acoustic guitars can be used throughout the divine service experience.
- All music within the divine service experience should be sacred in nature. Secular and patriotic music can be used for programs and concerts, but not within the divine service experience.
- There should never be a feeling of performance. Anything that puts off performance vibes (e.g. the full choir standing in front of the congregation and singing toward them for the final hymn; clapping after a choir song or solo; a worship leader walking around while speaking; extravagantly presented solos, etc.) should be avoided.