Romans 12 Manifesto

So, which one of these phrases best reflect the way you serve together in your worship and technical arts ministry?

A Working Manifesto

We stay in a good mood when "life" happens

We appreciate each other's different talents

We are never be lazy but work hard

We don't think we know it all

We are always ready to serve

We don't sweat the small stuff

We are real, we don't just pretend to love others, we love them deeply

We are transparent and live our lives as openly as we can with each other

We work really hard and take notice when someone else is tired and may need a rest

We are honest and genuine with ourselves and each other

We take care of ourselves and don't trash our bodies the night before we serve

We know the "true worship" test is based on our Monday morning - not our Sunday morning

We are who God has called us to be - boldly!

We want God's creativity so we let Him reinvent the way we think

We discover beauty in everyone

We don't let the world determine our standards

We encourage each other all the time

We expect God!

We find a way to begin every meeting with something great that God has done

We make music with linked arms and connected hearts

We polish our talents and use them for good

We pray before we play, pray while we play, pray after we play, and pray while we're away

We aren't boxed in by what we know, instead we bring into being Heaven's creativity

We remember our individual roles and celebrate others who contribute in their individual roles

Oh that every rehearsal, service, audition, evaluation, planning meeting, and casual interaction would look like this, huh?! What sets your bar? Who gives your teams their expectations? How do people know what's required of them? How do they know that this is different than volunteering for community service?

The Scripture Guides Us

My friend Matt took a gathering of worship leaders through a passage of scripture that seemed almost hand-crafted as a standard for how we are to serve together in worship ministry. It was amazing how applicable the whole chapter of Romans 12 was to our context. He says that he reads the whole chapter with his worship teams twice each year, just to keep the gold standard in front of them.

Well, since then, I've taken several churches through this passage, with the assignment of creating a sort of manifesto. A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions. Each ministry needs common language clearly describing the nature and practice of their desired culture. In simple language, each person needs to know practically how they are supposed to work together.

The list at the beginning of this Fertilizer is a compilation of phrases crafted by worship team members [thanks y'all]. The next time you have an hour with your teams, read through Romans 12 and practically apply the scripture to your ministry context. Write a few phrases that describe the way you want to serve together. Try to write the phrases in normal and practical language, exemplifying your best "non-Christianese" language skills. Post the phrases on your rehearsal space walls, on the covers to your songbooks, in your tech booth, in your mail slots, or wherever your phylacteries are! [see Deuteronomy 6:4-9]

Click here to read Romans 12 in the New Living Translation. [It's pretty cool in The Message translation too!]

It's not just a good idea

So, um, when are you going to do it? Tell me when you do and if you'd like, post your Romans 12 Manifesto here!

Oh, BUDGET!

So does your 2010 budget include funding for training and team development? At least one third of your ministry's budget should be set aside for sowing into your people. Hosting training events, going to conferences together, connecting with a coach, building a library of resources, and going on team retreats should be a significant part of bringing outside voices in to encourage and equip your teams.

Worship Fertilizer - What Every Worship Leader Needs To Know, Really

I’ve been into lists lately.

Lists keep me focused.
Lists give me motivation. [seeing the task clearly before me]
Lists are fun to check off.
Lists can be scrapped.
Lists take all the floating tasks out of my head.
Lists give me concrete things to attack.
Lists give me a sense of accomplishment.

So, in the spirit of lists, here are three lists.

First, what do I need to know about worship leading?

It’s not about me – it’s about God.
It’s personal – I need to be one of those “really connected to God” people
It’s about the Kingdom more than “our church” or our seeker sensitive church or our denomination or our charismatic church.
It’s about team – the solo act era is over.
It’s about a heart connection – the song service era is done.

And now on to the list of how to’s…

I have to know how to hear God and obey [it’s the “magic formula” – anytime you find yourself following the same formula in preparing to lead and then in leading, other than this one, you’re apt to miss it!]
I have to know how to activate worshippers.
I have to know how to teach new songs.
I have to know how to work with different leaders.
I have to know how to ask for commitment.
I have to know how to keep on top of administrative details [or team it out].
I have to know how to use music effectively.
I have to know how to pastor the artists serving with you.
I have to know how to flow UNDER authority and [just as importantly] flow WITH authority myself.
I have to know how to relax…remember the first line of the first “need to know” list? [it’s not about me]

Finally, it’s time to interact. What follows is a list of questions. Questions you can just think about or comment about on this blog!

When considering the previous lists…

What don’t you agree with?
What most surprised you?
What is missing?
What are you going to share with your team?
What are you hoping to work on personally?
What would you like to explore further in a future Worship Fertilizer?


http://adlibmusic.com/

Weekly Fertilizer - Simple Worshipper

I’m designed to improve things. That’s how I’m built, how I see things, how I listen, watch, and think. Sometimes that makes worshipping [when I’m not leading] a real challenge. I remember saying once, “I want to be one of those simple worshippers that can just go for it no matter how uncool the music is, how whack the sound is, how whatever the whatever is.” I remember seeing people next to me being lost in expressive love to Jesus, when I was being totally aware of the dynamics and technicalities of the music or sound. I needed the ability to “turn it off.” Now, get this – I’m not a judgmental person, but by design [and by training] I pick up on things that could improve. That can’t control me when I’m choosing to worship God…I won’t let it derail me. Our worship is a response to the revelation of God, and I must be pure in heart to see Him. It’s a choice…that becomes easier the more I practice it. I’m certainly not always there yet. I would love to see a world full of worshippers who will worship for… apparently no reason. ;0

In the early 90’s, when I was first learning to lead from a worshipping heart, I remember Kent Henry saying that what we always need more of is simple devotion to Jesus. That really stuck. In fact, it’s one of Ad Lib Music’s core values: Inspiring simple love and pure devotion to Jesus. So as much as I want us to serve well, to be excellent at what is good, to make better music than we’ve ever heard on the radio, to hone our craft, to do our personal best… I want us SO MUCH MORE to be simple worshippers who regularly get lost in abandoned expressions of love and adoration to our Savior.

One of my favorite books is by worship leader David Crowder. It’s called Praise Habit. The analogy is that we put on praise like a nun puts on her habit. There’s something defining about it, something set apart, something purposeful. Here’s a little seed to sow into your simple worshipper’s heart…

Where were the God moments? Where was Living Praise?
Did praise happen? Could praise happen?
What if it did? Were opportunities missed?
Was praise just beneath the surface? Could it be a flood?
Maybe it’s just dammed?

Maybe if the dam burst we would drown in it.
Do we dare pick up a sledgehammer and start swinging?
It could be difficult. It could wear at you. This could be hard labor.
I don’t know if I have the back for it.
And I think I like my water in smaller doses.
I like the sound of the drip.

But there is cracking in my lips and they bleed when I smile.
My hands are dry to the touch. So dry I can’t feel them anymore.

[ ]

Pick it up? It is needed? It is what is necessary?

[ ]

I want to drown. I want a different air than what I’ve been breathing. I will swing.
I will swing with all my might. I will swing until there is the sound of breaking.

I will swing.
Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over…

[from PRAISE HABIT by David Crowder, pg. 19]
http://adlibmusic.com/

Weekly Fertilizer - Mix Theology

Whether you're a pastor, sound tech, drummer, vocalist, worship leader, or second keyboardist, you know the disappointment of a flat worship set where a song didn't work because of...well, what actually made that not work!?

There are tons of reasons that could cause a song to not “work,” so let me ask you this to focus on one possible cause. How does your technology empower you to accomplish your mission? More importantly, how does your training empower your teams to accomplish your mission? Do you feel like the way the music is played and mixed helps or hinders what God wants to do?

Another way to ask this is “Do you hear ‘it’s too loud’ in one ear and ‘it’s too quiet’ in the other?” [welcome to church leadership] While a simple quick fix might be to just turn it down and ignore one side’s request [hoping people will still engage], there’s a far better, solution that all begins by looking at something I call your Mix Theology – the philosophy and practice your sound guy and worship leader use to arrange and mix the music. In other words, what drives you to make the choices you actually make when playing or mixing?


Everyone has a Mix Theology

Everyone has a Mix Theology [even the lady in the 4th seat from the back singing at the top of her lungs and the scowling dude in the 5th seat from the front with his arms permanently locked across his chest – though they may have a tough time articulating it]. The goal is to identify what your own Mix Theology is, figure out what it should be as a team, remove the inconsistencies, and put into practice a consistent Mix Theology. Learning this art plays a key role in going where God is taking your worshipping community.

I really encourage ongoing conversations between leaders whoever is mixing each week especially about energy. You might want to say something like “Here’s how I feel God is inspiring us to lead. We’ve decided to use these songs this week, so we need to arrange the music and build the mix in a way that supports these songs [and ultimately the spirit of worship they were written to inspire]. How do you think we can pull this off together?”

This can be a really tricky area, but training is essential for both the band and the tech arts team. Agreeing in both theory and strategy [Mix Theology] are vital. This is why I started by asking if you felt like you’re able to accomplish your mission. I just want you to be effective in the mission that God has called you as a body to accomplish. I don’t want the lack of unity or training to keep you from this.

I realize that [as in many areas], sometimes it takes someone from the outside to rephrase or even repeat these principles. At Ad Lib Music, it’s our mission to enable God-directed transformation to accomplish your mission. If we can be that outside voice, we’re here for you!

The Music We Play

If you’re playing modern worship songs [think Chris Tomlin, Hillsongs, & Passion], I believe it’s nearly impossible to consistently lead worship encounters with the LORD without energy in the music – especially in the “up” songs. [energy and volume are related, but are not the same] Once you decide to do a certain kind of song, there are requirements for it to actually “work.”

I think a good question to ask when arranging and mixing a song is “What’s carrying the song?” A good way to find the answer is to ask “Would this song make sense if sung a cappella?” or “How would this song change without the instruments?” or “Would this song work without a drummer or a strong lead guitar player?” Many of our songs would and many would not. The answer has implications in both how we play the song and how we mix the song. The saying “The band plays the music, the sound engineer plays the band” speaks of the interdependent relationship between the two. The band needs to think in these categories when each player is deciding what to play and the sound engineer needs to think this way in building the mix.


History of Contemporary Worship Music

Here’s a bit of the history of how “contemporary” music evolved in the church. It started with a cappella singing, and then a piano or guitar was added. Then percussion, a flute, or other “support” instruments were added. During this time, the piano [or guitar] was the “lead instrument” and other instruments were mixed under it. “Can I hear the singers and the lead instrument?” was the main question.

The music we use today is significantly different, but we often arrange and mix the same, old way, which doesn’t work. Most of the songs we use now are not written, recorded, or meant to be played with this understanding. Let’s look instead at the way almost everything we listen to on the radio or modern worship CD’s is mixed.

A Great Mix Theology
Start with the “railroad tracks” the band rides on – the drums and bass guitar – these must be primary and foundational in the mix. [It’s a good practice during sound check to begin building your mix with nothing but bass and drums and then add the rest] To test the truth of this, the next time you’re listening to your car radio, turn it all the way down and slowly raise the volume, noting what instruments you hear first. [thanks to John Mills for this idea]
Then we need to hear a strong lead vocal and rich background vocals.
Finally, we add the rest of the instruments, paying special attention to any instrument that “makes” the song – perhaps a melody line on the secondary keyboard or a rhythmic strumming pattern on the guitar, or an arpeggiated riff on the piano. When you listen to recordings of these songs, notice how this is exactly how they’re mixed. There is rarely a “lead instrument,” and sometimes there is a “lead-off instrument” that starts the song, but then settles back into the mix.

This order is important in part because the reality is that you have a limited amount of volume to work with, and if you mix with a “lead instrument and vocals” approach, you won’t have any room left for the real energy of the music – the drums and bass. But if you start with the energy – the drums and bass – and then add follow-able voices and supportive instruments, you’ll have energetic music that’s not too loud! Hooray!

What is most notably missing from a prominent role, is the piano and acoustic guitar [the previous “lead instruments]. Again, if it “makes” the song [usually for an intro or on a slower song], then of course it should be up in the mix. But since we work with a limited amount of “space” when we mix there are two basic ways of highlighting an instrument [or creating a mix] – either turn something up or turn other things down [you can also highlight with EQ or panning]. Often a mix is out of balance simply because the worship leader’s guitar or piano is too prominent in the mix when it doesn’t need to be – adding unwanted volume to the mix and killing any headroom. There’s this weird effect with music and balance. For example, singers can sound out of tune when in reality they are only out of balance – if the tenor is singing a harmony part and it’s too loud in the mix, it can make the chord created by the rest of the singers sound out of tune. Crazy, huh!?

An essential skill for both players and techs is to learn to listen to music in tracks – where you can pick out what the bass player or the tenor is doing and feel how it fits in with the whole. You MUST listen to each other! Soloing on the Avioms [if you have them] for the band, and the solo button on the console for the techs can help develop this skill.

The mix should be dynamic and musical. This means that we need to be sound ARTISTS. The musicians are playing with feeling and emotion. It is necessary that we are properly conveying what the musicians are doing. When the electric guitar plays a fill riff, feature it. Pull back non-essential elements of the music [often acoustic guitar and piano], for this will also give room for elements that should be featured. One phrase of the music may require piano, another the rim-shot of the snare, and another the “singing” of the e-bow on the electric guitar. Certain vocalists should also be featured at certain times, especially when the lead vocal switches to a harmony – listen out for this. The mix is never “set” or “done”. It is always changing, playing along with the band.


We at Ad Lib Music delight in training you to enable God-directed transformation that accomplishes your mission…we’re here for you!

Ps. I know this Weekly Fertilizer was long enough to be a yearly fertilizer…thanks for sticking it out! And since we’re all on a learning journey, if you have something to add or sharpen this teaching [or, gasp, something you don’t agree with], please send your thoughts our way!


http://adlibmusic.com/

Weekly Fertilizer - Endure

"I've made it my business to stand up to make sure you guys endure."

Leading can be one of the loneliest roles.
Doesn't have to be.
Who's got your back?
Join the [no lone rangers] movement!

So I've made it my business to stand up to make sure you guys endure. And this is my determination...that YOU make it, that YOU endure, that YOU stay strong to the finish. I'm listening to a podcast message called "Action That Leads to Breakthrough" from Pastor Jeff Perry at St. Louis Family Church and I was so taken by this phrase that encapsulates my heart for worship leaders. At points along the journey, things get tough. In those moments he says, "it's not time to despair; it's time to get desperate." Meditate on Psalm 3 and let King David's heart posture and chosen course of action be your own in moments like this.

Psalm 3 [New Living Translation]

O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!"

[Interlude]

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.

[Interlude]

I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked! Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people.

[Interlude]

At Ad Lib Music, it is our determination to "Eradicate Isolation and Burnout" in worship ministry. It's one of our core values. We partner with leaders and churches at a heart level and in practical, strategic ways. We're available for monthly coaching, 90-day goal-focused coaching programs, training, and leading. Let's get together, 'cause, as always, we're here to help!


http://adlibmusic.com/

Weekly Fertilizer - Leading Change

A friend of mine was remodeling his 1940's black and white tile bathroom. It was demolition day number one. Armed with only a 16-ounce hammer and a forearm of sweat-equity determination, he pounded off a one square foot area of defiant tile. Removing his fogged safety goggles and standing in the pile of broken tile, he breathed through the cloud of dust and coughed, "Man, forget this! It's too hard, too messy, too much work, and it'll take way too long!" He immediately felt the LORD say, "If you really are committed to change, it WILL be a lot more work than you think, it will be messier than think, and it will take longer than you think. You've already started, and it's too late to go back." [gulp & selah]

It's both sobering and encouraging to hear the LORD push us forward into His purposes. It's daunting yet doable. But nobody makes it alone. The Almighty's fuel along with and the energy we gain from teaming with His body will bring about the change that He's put in our hearts to lead.

So, "If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less." I mean ouch, Dave! This quote from General Shinseki in Tom Peters book "Re-Imagined" always challenges me to fight through the pain so I can enjoy the fruit that embracing God-directed change brings.

So what is it that the LORD is calling me to change? Something in my personal life? Something in my character? Something in the way I lead? Something in the way our church worships? And who do I need to help me along the way? The worship coaches at Ad Lib Music are ready to partner with you in leading change. As always, we're here to help.

real life. hard realities. defining moments. real worship.

This is from a journal entry on December 7, 2000.

I love worshipping with blind trust…when I can’t yet see the dawn, when I can’t yet see the light at the end of the tunnel, when I can’t even see the horizon, the clearing in the woods, the reason why, the answer to my cry or question, when I feel lonely, abandoned, confused, when nothing yet makes sense, when things aren’t going my way, when what I believe God said (from my own perspective) hasn’t been accomplished, before things are complete, before things are all wrapped up and either back to normal or well on their way, before the breakthrough, in the darkest part of the night, when everything in me cries out that it’s okay for me to wallow in self-pity because I deserve to, because the current situation is unfair, tough, painful, or unbelievably hard…it’s real, honest worship.

I am learning the Paul&Silas worship – beaten and stifled in ministry because they’re in freaking prison; the David cave worship – when he’s in fear of losing his very life…all he holds dear; it’s Abraham on the mountain about to offer his only son’s life as worship to God – can you imagine HIS anxiety and questioning of God at a moment like that? And YET he obeys; it’s Noah going ahead to carry out a plan that means YEARS of ridicule as he follows what he knows God has said to him (obedience is one of the highest forms of worship); John the Baptist devotes his ENTIRE LIFE to setting the stage for someone else (yeah, it’s the Messiah and all, but that doesn’t remove his feelings through that process) – this is selfless love and devotion to God – it’s true worship; Job (Oh my God!) stalwart of heart, one by one, everything he loves is destroyed – notice that even as GOD takes the pictures of the ones he loves off the walls of his life, his heart posture remains one of trust and worship – I will not forsake my God for He will never forsake me, I CAN TRUST HIM! Dave, you’re in good company! Rejoice! They are cheering you on! Go for it – take the steps you hear God calling you to and don’t look back or worry about God not covering your back. It is impossible for Him to be unfaithful to you. It’s impossible for Him to lie and He said he would be faithful…so there’s no way!


http://adlibmusic.com/