Organizing

• Not only will organizing save valuable time, it will reduce the number of mistakes and oversights. Organize your music library so it is easy to find and/or print the music you need--and put things back in place when you are finished. Keep an address book or database of all your participating musicians, their contact information, and when they are available. Delegate the small stuff whenever you can. If you oversee others in your department, make sure each knows his tasks, and double-check to make sure things are done in a timely manner. The goal with organizing is to make the mundane tasks as automatic as possible, so you can focus on other things.
  
  

Planning and Preparation

• Advance planning and preparation also saves time and stress. Coordinate with your church leadership about any particular themes for services, and plan the music accordingly. Make sure the music is in place for your musicians when they arrive for rehearsals and services; it shows respect for other people's time when you are ready for them. At services, give your people an arrival time that gives everyone enough time to be in place. The unexpected will happen, but you can always change the plan when need be. You can't be ready for everything, but without planning, you won't be ready for anything.
  
  

Leading

• All background preparations aside, music ministry is ultimately about leading people in worship. Focus on your musicians during preparation time; but at service time, you can not prepare anymore--what is going to happen, is going to happen. At that point, turn your focus toward helping the congregation engage God in worship, and on worshiping God yourself. Lead by example, and learn to take unexpected occurrences in stride.
  
  

Nurturing

• People are at the heart of every ministry of the church, including music ministry. An effective music minister will have a heart for nurturing people beyond just making music. Do what you can to encourage your team, helping them develop their particular talents whenever possible. Acknowledge and thank your people often, and take a genuine interest in their lives outside the church gatherings. Your job is not to use people to get a job done; anyone can tell someone else what to do. The most effective leaders are those whom people want to follow. Whatever your specific responsibilities in music ministry, remember that people are always more important than what they do for you. Treat them that way, and you will have much more to work with in the long run.