By Erik Johnson
Rehearsal is an essential part of leading worship well. If you’re a musician serving at your church, putting in the time to prepare at home is one of the best ways to honor your team, your church, and ultimately, the Lord. In this post, I’ll walk you through the best practices for productive rehearsals at home so that you can show up confident and ready for Sunday.
Not everyone has access to a full drum kit or their ideal practice setup at home, but that shouldn’t stop you from putting in the work. Regardless of your instrument, practicing outside of church ensures that you’re prepared, comfortable, and free to engage in worship rather than just focusing on getting through the music.
If you show up unprepared, you’re not only making things harder for yourself but also for your team. A well-rehearsed musician can step into rehearsal with confidence, allowing team practice to be a run-through rather than a learning session.
If you have a midweek rehearsal (let’s say Wednesday), don’t wait until Wednesday morning to start learning the songs. Here’s a timeline I like to follow:
This approach ensures that by the time Sunday arrives, everything feels natural, and you can focus on leading in worship rather than stressing over what comes next.
Each rehearsal session should last about an hour (or more if needed). Here’s what to focus on:
✅ Prioritize new or difficult songs – Spend the most time on the parts you’re least familiar with.
✅ Lock in kick patterns – If you’re a drummer, your bass player is relying on you. A solid, consistent groove is essential.
✅ Pay attention to dynamics – Worship songs typically build from soft verses to powerful bridges and climaxes. Make sure you’re mapping out these changes.
✅ Target problem areas – Instead of running through the full song over and over, loop tricky sections until you’ve got them locked in.
For drummers, having a strong grasp of dynamics is key. Verses are often more subdued, choruses grow, and bridges can shift between quiet and intense moments. Knowing how to shape the song dynamically will make a massive difference in the overall feel of the set.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly what’s happening in a worship mix. A good strategy is to watch drum tutorials on YouTube. Timothy Cincala has great overhead videos that clearly show each part being played.
While I’m a big believer in playing the correct parts—especially key kick patterns and accents—there’s still room for your own creativity. Just make sure your fills and dynamics serve the song rather than distracting from it.
Even if you’ve practiced all week, do one last rehearsal as close to Sunday morning as possible. This keeps everything fresh in your muscle memory and helps you avoid any mental gaps from the previous days.
Here are some additional tips to optimize your final prep:
🎧 Use rehearsal mixes – Get a mix where your instrument is turned up so you can hear exactly what’s happening.
🥁 Practice with gear that matches your Sunday setup – If possible, play on an acoustic kit if that’s what you’ll use at church. If you only have an electronic kit at home, be mindful of the difference in feel and response.
🎵 Run through warm-ups – Play a couple of familiar songs to build confidence before diving into the setlist.
Worship is a team effort. When one person is underprepared, it affects everyone. Don’t be the reason your team has to stop and rework a song.
By investing time into personal practice, you show up honoring your worship leader, your fellow musicians, and your congregation. Ultimately, this preparation allows you to focus on worshiping God without distraction.
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