Stay ConnectedIf you lead worship, this is for you.
Built from the experience of training 150,000+ worship leaders and musicians, the Worship Online Podcast gives you practical leadership insight, musical clarity, and real conversations about what it actually takes to build a healthy worship team.
No fluff.
No vague inspiration.
Just tools to help you lead better every week.
Copyright: Copyright ©2021 Worship Online. All Rights Reserved. Produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Michael Bethany was leading worship, building wells in Sri Lanka, writing songs, and serving the church—but something was missing.
Then in 2017, he watched a Francis Chan YouTube video about Isaiah 6. And everything changed.
That night, he felt guilty praying from his bed. He got on his knees, humbled himself, and started waking up 1.5 hours earlier for a daily prayer closet—even though he "didn't know how to pray that long."
What happened next reshaped his entire ministry.
In this powerful conversation, Michael shares: ✅ Why intimacy with God is the ENGINE for mission (not the other way around) ✅ The teenager moment when he spontaneously sang "Holy" and everything shifted ✅ How getting tricked into a Sri Lanka missions trip changed his relationship with music ✅ Why "you don't have enough energy to change the world without intimacy with the Lord" ✅ The #1 reason worship leaders get fired (hint: it's not musical ability)
If you're running on fumes, trying to lead well while feeling distant from God—this episode will recalibrate everything.
Listen now and rediscover the secret place.
Mentioned in the Episode
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set.
Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
David Leonard co-wrote one of the most-sung worship songs in the world—"Great Are You Lord."
But last year, he almost walked away from music entirely.
After doing an entire tour where the promoter never paid (yes, a completely free tour he didn't know about until the end), David had to ask himself a brutal question:
"Would you do this again for nothing?"
His answer will challenge the way you think about worship leadership, success, and what it really means to serve.
In this raw, honest conversation, David also shares:
Why we've stopped serving the body and started entertaining it instead
The identity crisis that hit after All Sons & Daughters ended
What a pastor said that gave him permission to lead without having it all together
How he's finding joy again with new music (including his upcoming single, "Well Done")
If you've ever felt undervalued, burnt out, or wondered "Do I still matter if my big thing goes away?"—this episode is for you.
Listen now and rediscover why you started leading in the first place.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set.
Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Ever feel frustrated with your worship team—even when nothing's technically wrong?
In this solo episode, 22 year Worship Pastor and new host Keith Elgin shares a hard lesson that changed everything:
Unspoken expectations lead to premeditated resentment.
Keith tells the story of a 7:00 AM call time that completely backfired—and the humbling conversation that reshaped how he leads.
You'll learn why, "They should have known," doesn't cut it, how clarity actually protects relationships, and why your personal health leaks into team culture (for better or worse).
You'll also get practical tools—like solitude and journaling—to help you lead from a grounded place instead of leading from stress.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How to spot hidden expectations before they turn into resentment
A simple clarity practice you can use this week with your team
Why humility + healthy identity make teams stronger over time
Plus: a special announcement at the end.
If you've ever found yourself frustrated, this episode will show you why—and what to do next.
Listen now—and take one practical step this week.
About Your HostKeith Elgin is the new host of the Worship Online Podcast. He's been leading worship for over 22 years and currently serves as Worship Pastor at Alive Church, a multi-site, multi-state church based in Virginia. Keith is also a songwriter, worship coach, husband and father of four boys. He didn't set out to be a worship leader, originally wanting to coach sports—but God had other plans. Keith is passionate about helping worship leaders grow both musically and spiritually, and he's learned most of his best lessons the hard way.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set.
Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
You sound great on Sunday, but is your team actually healthy?
You've probably felt it before. Sunday afternoon hits and instead of feeling energized, you're frustrated. Something didn't go the way you planned. Someone didn't show up prepared. A transition fell apart.
And now you can't stop replaying it. Sunday bleeds into Monday. Monday into Tuesday. One rough service and your whole week feels off.
If that sounds familiar, you're not alone.
After 20+ years of leading worship, our new podcast host Keith Elgin hit that same wall. And what he discovered on the other side completely transformed how he leads, how he builds teams, and how he thinks about worship ministry.
In this episode, Keith shares what finally broke the cycle for him, the framework he now uses to build healthy teams, and the hard lessons he learned so you don't have to.
If you've ever:
• Gone home Sunday afternoon replaying every mistake • Wondered why your team sounds tight but feels disconnected • Struggled with burnout, frustration, or questioned whether you're even cut out for this
This conversation will meet you exactly where you are.
Keith isn't sharing theory. He's sharing what he learned in the trenches, leading real teams, making real mistakes, and finding a better way forward.
This is the conversation every worship leader needs to hear.
ABOUT KEITH ELGIN
Keith Elgin is a worship pastor, songwriter, and coach with over 20 years of ministry experience. He's passionate about helping worship leaders build teams that last. Keith and his wife have four boys (all under nine!), and when he's not leading worship, you'll find him coaching Little League, watching football, or hanging out in the church parking lot long after rehearsal ends.
Welcome to the Worship Online Podcast, Keith. We're honored to have you lead this next season.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials andresources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparingfor a set.
Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
• Connect with Keith • Keith's website • 2025 Chris Tomlin Episode
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
What if your team actually showed up excited, prepared, and ready to bring their best every single service?
Colony House has built one of the most legendary team cultures in the music industry, where crew, band members, and opening acts all feel like they're part of something special. What they've learned directly applies to worship teams, too.
In this episode, their guitarist, Scott Mills, shares the intentional practices that create high-energy, all-in cultures where people want to show up and give their best.
You'll discover:
Why the 6-8 hours around the set are your greatest culture-building opportunity
The simple pre-show habit that creates instant camaraderie and buy-in (takes less than 10 minutes)
How to make every team member, from sound tech to lead vocalist, feel like they belong
What Scott learned from touring with bands who got this right (and a few who didn't)
If you're ready to build a team culture people are proud to be part of, where everyone's bought in, engaged, and bringing their A-game, this conversation will show you how.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
---
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Many worship leaders quit within a few years because they never learn the systems that create sustainable ministry.
Joey and Kelly Thompson know this all too well! In this conversation, they share the game-changing systems that transformed their ministry from survival mode to sustainable impact.
Imagine walking into Sunday morning calm and confident, with prepared teams and organized systems that actually work. Picture leading worship for decades without the constant stress and burnout that sidelines so many leaders.
Listen now to discover the pillars that create sustainable worship leadership. Your future self will thank you for implementing these battle-tested strategies today.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
New Release by Joey & Kelly Thompson
---
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Your worship team has talent, but are you leading them to serve the wrong audience? A lot of worship leaders design sets and teams for the church they see online, not the one they actually serve.
John Van Deusen reveals how knowing your demographics transforms everything from song selection to team dynamics to Sunday morning flow.
What You'll Discover:
The surprising demographic question that transforms your setlist choices
Why "decidedly mid" leadership creates stronger teams
How to develop team members as artists (not just players)
Multi-generational worship strategy that actually works
What questions should you ask about your congregation that most worship leaders never consider? How do you know if you're serving your actual community or an imaginary one?
Your community is unique. Your leadership should be too.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
New Release by John Van Deusen
---
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
AI tools like ChatGPT and Suno are now capable of writing compelling lyrics, generating anthemic melodies, and are regularly showing up in the worship song writing room.
The question is simple: Should we use them? Where do you draw the line?
Gable Price shares his perspective on this growing debate. You'll hear his thoughts on using AI for worship songwriting and why he believes there's a difference between helpful tools and creative shortcuts.
Whether you're team "AI-never" or not, this conversation will challenge how you think about creativity & calling.
What's your take? Is AI just a helpful tool & is there a restriction that should be placed on how it should be used when writing worship songs?
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
Gable Price and Friends New Release
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Want to push creative boundaries in worship but feel like you're not the "creative type"? This episode's got you!
Chad Gardner from Kings Kaleidoscope reveals how he went from a 13-year-old with turntables on stage to leading one of the most creative worship movements, all through collaboration, not solo genius. Discover why the best worship leaders focus on being "emotional leaders" rather than musical perfectionists.
Learn how to:
Build creative culture without being the most talented person in the room
Identify and collaborate with the naturally creative people in your congregation
Create permission for experimentation (even when some ideas flop)
Lead worship that connects emotionally, not just musically
Ready to stop playing it safe and start creating space for real creativity in your worship team? This episode gives you the roadmap.
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
Kings Kaleidoscope's New Release
---
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Christmas season is here and so is the pressure.
A lot of worship teams are scrambling with last-minute prep, exhausted volunteers, and leaders on the edge of burnout. What if there was a better way?
Chardon Lewis from Citipointe Worship (one of Australia's largest churches) reveals their game-changing approach to Christmas leadership that keeps teams thriving instead of surviving.
Stop letting Christmas chaos steal your joy. This conversation will help you lead through this season with confidence, protect your team's hearts, and create space for what actually matters: encountering Jesus.
Your team and your family will thank you!
Worship Online is your new secret weapon for preparing each week. With detailed song tutorials and resources, you and your team will save hours every single week, and remove the stress from preparing for a set. Try a free trial at WorshipOnline.com and see the transformation!
Mentioned in the Episode
Citipointe Worship New Release
---
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review! Also, shoot us an e-mail at podcast@worshiponline.com. We want to know how we can better serve you and your church through this podcast.
Don't forget to sign up for your FREE 2-week subscription to Worship Online at WorshipOnline.com!
The Worship Online Podcast is produced by Worship Online in Nashville, TN.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
