Worship Leader / Creative (Full-Time)

Essential Church | Virginia Beach, VA

About Essential

We’re not trying to be perfect…we’re trying to be real. Essential Church exists to remove non-essential barriers between people and God.

Position Overview

We’re looking for a Worship Leader / Creative who can build environments where people connect with God… not just perform songs.

This role leads Sunday morning worship under the direction of the Creative Pastor while helping shape the creative expression of our church throughout the week. Our worship style is contemporary with influence from Elevation, Hillsong, Passion, etc.

You’ll recruit, develop, and lead teams… and help us communicate clearly and creatively across platforms.

*For local applicants, you’re welcome to attend a Sunday service, but we ask that you refrain from discussing the position during that time so our team can stay focused on serving our church and guests.

What You’ll Be Responsible For Sunday Worship Leadership

Lead worship for Sunday morning services (vocally and musically)
Plan and structure worship sets in collaboration with the Creative Pastor
Create engaging, distraction-free worship environments
Lead rehearsals with excellence and efficiency

Team Building & Leadership

Recruit, develop, and care for worship team members (musicians + vocalists)
Build a healthy, accountable, and growing team culture
Schedule teams using Planning Center
Develop future leaders, not just fill positions

Youth Worship (Essential Students)

Help lead and develop the Sunday night student worship experience
Raise up student musicians and vocalists
Build a pipeline from student ministry into adult worship teams

Creative Support

Assist with weekly creative needs (slides, graphics, service elements)
Work within existing brand guidelines
Collaborate on sermon series visuals, social content, and campaigns

Content Creation (Basic to Intermediate)

Create simple graphics using Canva, Adobe, or similar tools
Assist with basic video editing (social clips, recaps, promos)
Support social media content creation (Reels, posts, YouTube assets)

What We’re Looking ForCore Skills

Strong vocal ability and stage leadership
Proficiency on a lead instrument (guitar or keys preferred)
Experience leading a worship team in a church setting
Ability to build and lead teams (not just perform)
Knowledge of Ableton or MultiTracks with experience using click and loop tracks

Creative Skills

Working knowledge of Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar
Basic video editing skills (Premiere, Final Cut, CapCut, etc.)
Eye for clean, modern design (not cheesy church graphics)

Bonus Points

Social media content creation experience
Photography or videography skills
Experience with Planning Center
Experience with ProPresenter
Experience in AVL

Who You Are

You don’t need the spotlight… but you can handle it
You’re relational… people actually want to follow you
You care more about the room than the setlist
You’re organized, dependable, and self-motivated
You can take feedback without getting weird about it

What Success Looks Like

Worship environments feel engaging, authentic, and distraction-free
Teams are growing in both skill and culture
New people are being developed, not just scheduled
Creative output is consistent, clear, and on-brand
Students are being raised up into real leadership

Schedule & Expectations

Full-time position (including Sundays + key ministry nights)
Weekly rehearsals and planning meetings
Flexible schedule depending on ministry season

Compensation

$50,000 annual salary
Paid time off
Ministry-related growth opportunities

How to Apply

Resume
Video of you leading worship (required)
Any creative samples (graphics, video, social media, etc.)

**Do not apply here. If you are interested in applying, send all requested resources to alex@essentialchurch.com.

Pay: $39,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Flexible schedule
Paid time off

Work Location: In person

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Worship Leader / Creative