About The Podcast

WHY THIS PODCAST EXISTS

Equipped for Worship exists to encourage, equip, and shepherd those who have been called to lead the people of God in worship —especially in the local church.

This podcast was created with the small-town, rural, and bi-vocational worship leader in mind. The ones who don’t always have a big budget, a big team, or a big stage — but who have a big calling and a deep desire to be faithful. If you’ve ever planned a service on Saturday night, led rehearsal with half your team missing, or wondered if anyone notices the behind-the-scenes work you do, you’re in the right place.

Hosted by Chuck Harris, a Worship & Media Pastor in rural Kentucky with over a decade of local church ministry experience, Equipped for Worship is intentionally conversational, pastoral, and rooted in Scripture. This isn’t a podcast about chasing the latest worship trends or copying what the biggest churches are doing. It’s about faithfulness. It’s about theology. It’s about loving the local church and leading God’s people to sing the truth together.

Each episode feels more like a conversation with a trusted friend than a lecture. You’ll hear honest reflections, practical instruction, biblical encouragement, and the occasional dose of sanctified humor—because ministry is serious, but we don’t have to take ourselves too seriously.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR

On Equipped for Worship, we talk about the real stuff worship leaders face every week:

    —Planning worship services with Scripture — not just song flow — in mind

    —Choosing songs wisely and pastorally

    —Leading unified worship that honors both old and new

    —Rehearsals, preparation, and working with volunteers

    —Choir ministry, bands, students, and intergenerational worship

    —Technology, presentation, and media in the service of worship

    —Burnout, discouragement, and staying faithful over the long haul

But beneath all of that is a deeper focus: the heart of the worship leader. Worship is more than a setlist. It’s more than a stage, a screen, or a sound system. It’s a response to the gospel, shaped by truth, and offered for the glory of God alone.

GROUNDED IN SCRIPTURE, FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL CHURCH

Every episode is grounded in God’s Word and shaped by a pastoral heart for the local church. Scripture isn’t an afterthought — it’s the foundation. The goal isn’t performance or polish; it’s participation. It’s helping congregations sing truth, see Christ clearly, and worship together as the body of Christ.

This podcast comes from the perspective of someone still in the trenches — planning services, leading rehearsals, training volunteers, and serving faithfully week after week. That means the encouragement is real, the struggles are honest, and the hope is deeply rooted in the faithfulness of God.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE

If there’s one message woven through every episode, it’s this: you are not alone in ministry. The Lord sees your labor. He knows your faithfulness. And He is at work — even on the weeks when it doesn’t feel like it.

Whether you’re a full-time worship pastor, a volunteer leader, a choir director, a student leader, or someone who got handed the role because “you know music,” Equipped for Worship is here to walk alongside you, point you to Christ, and help you lead with confidence, clarity, and joy.

So take a breath. Pour another cup of coffee. And be reminded that what you do matters — not because it’s flashy, but because it’s faithful.