Practical Music Ministry

Serving God Through Sight, Sound, and Song

Tag: growth

Do You Embrace Every Opportunity to Improve?

We’ve seen the situation so many times before: music ministries want to “take it to the next level”.  However, it seems like “the Next Level” is a dream or a lofty goal that’s never quite achieved.  We pay it lip service with the best of intentions, knowing full well what is said about good intentions.  Still, why do we find ourselves unable to pull our music teams out of a rut and improve?

People, in general, aren’t fond of change.  If things have been adequately working for a while, we’re afraid to leave the safety of our rut.  Perhaps we’re afraid of whose feelings may be hurt when the team’s members are pressed for growth and improvement.  Maybe it is the sympathy for those individuals who may get left behind as the team improves.  It could be the fear that certain members may step down, or, equally likely, it may be the fear of having to ask a member to step down.  All of the aforementioned factors are the enemies of growth and improvement, but there’s one, to me, that stands above them all:  not embracing opportunities to learn, grow, and improve.

Learning is the key to growth and improvement, and opportunities for learning are closer than you might think.  Your community college might hold music classes.  The local university may hold guest lectures or seminars on music production.  A larger church might hold a music conference or seminar on a variety of music ministry-related topics.  Your own church may even bring in an expert in the field of sound, production, or music.  Don’t pass up these opportunities to learn! Be observant, and seek out learning opportunities for your team.  Armed with new information, new skills, and new ideas, you’re primed to take your ministry to the next level.

Despite the risk of sounding preachy, I’m going to assert a personal belief here:

Your level of commitment to your ministry determines your growth.

If you want a “tell” of someone who is not committed to his/her ministry, look at whether or not that member embraces opportunities to learn.  Learning leads to new skills.  New skills lead to preparation.  Preparation leads to improvement.  Improvement leads to growth.

Here’s an example.  I was once asked by a church to lead a series of ten two-hour classes, covering topics related to the music ministry (sound, multimedia, team-building, music production, music theory, copyright, etc.).  The church had been saying how they “wanted to take their music ministry to the next level”.  Although the class was also offered to “newbies”, people interested in joining the music team, and other area people from outside that particular church, I still thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share some experience and information that would help that particular church to indeed “take it to the next level”.

While the number of attendees wasn’t terrible for a church that size, I did notice something.  The class was populated mostly by members of other churches and some of my former students.  That church’s own music ministry was practically unrepresented!  When I approached the worship leader about how strange this was to me, his reply is still something I don’t think I’ll ever quite understand.  He said, “I just don’t feel right making attendance mandatory.”  (That comment seemed particularly contradictory, since the church was doing a mandatory leadership training for its volunteers.)

I had no idea what to say.  I was completely floored.  For a team to admittedly desire to “take it to the next level”, yet blow off an easy opportunity to gain valuable experiential information was something I just couldn’t wrap my mind around.  It was just so counter-intuitive.

Now, I’m sure there are some people who would say I was personally offended.  What really offended me had nothing to do with me.  It had everything to do with the fact that people just won’t commit to the ministries they volunteered for.  That’s what offended me.  You simply can’t expect growth if you can’t count on people to commit to, and live up to, what they’re called to do.

I know that embracing learning opportunities, study, practice, and rehearsal is a commitment of time.  I also know people have other things to do.  Still, without these time commitments, how can one expect improvement and growth?  Where people spend (or refuse to spend) their time and money will show you where their commitments lie.  When a man told Jesus that he would follow him after he attended his father’s funeral, Jesus said “Let the dead bury the dead” (Matthew 8:22).  Jesus expects us to live up to our commitments 100 percent, particularly if we volunteered for them.  Jesus also said in Luke 9:62 that if we put our hand to the plow to do his work and even turn to look behind us, we aren’t fit for his kingdom.  That’s commitment.

Are we fully committing ourselves by embracing every opportunity to improve?

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 7 – listening)

In this our final post in our seven-part series, Striving to Grow, we’re going to address one of the major issues I think face praise teams from a musical standpoint.  While we’ve already dealt with the problem of stagnant musicianship in part one of the series, our efforts are in vain if band members don’t learn to listen to one another.

Listening is key. A praise team that doesn’t listen to its other members is nothing more than a stage full of soloists.  Often, younger musicians will come up with cool parts that don’t necessarily fit within the context of the music, or worse, conflict with other parts.  People become partial to their “creations” and don’t want to change their parts so as to fit.  This situation is a simple result of members not listening to each other, which is a very ignorant and selfish way to be a member of a group.

There are several situations that arise as a result of non-listening.  Parts compete or conflict.  Music doesn’t sound full because several instruments are playing in the same range.  Sound techs have difficulty mixing effectively because of lack of blend.  Instrumental fills or solos overlap vocals.  Vocals don’t blend or harmonize appropriately and end up doubling each other’s parts.  Instrument “tone” doesn’t fit in with other instruments.  The list goes on.  However, above all, a general sense of “sloppiness” is created.

Whether or not we like to admit it, the production quality of the music we hear on the radio and on CDs is so high that we can tell the difference between a good sounding band and a bad–even mediocre–one.  While most listeners can’t pinpoint why, they are able to discern that there is a difference in quality.  Most churchgoers excuse this because we’re “making a joyful noise” or “using our gifts for the Lord”, but that does not mean that we shouldn’t make a concerted effort to bring our best offering to God.

Here are elements to listen for to improve the musicality of your praise team:

  • Kick drum and bass relationship: Perhaps nothing slops up a band quicker than a bassist who doesn’t work with the drummer.  There is a distinct relationship between the kick drum and bass in music.  In fact, the two should really act like one instrument (one to push air, and one to supply pitch).  They should strive to be tightly “locked together”, playing the same pattern (or, at the very least, a complementary one).  They should not, however, be playing wildly different patterns.
  • Vocal blend: I’m sure all would agree that proper pitch control and harmonization skills are a must for vocalists, but vocal blend is also very important.  Vocals, too, should sound like one instrument.  Singers should listen to each other, so that their vowel sounds are consistent and that their consonant sounds occur together.
  • Octave ranges: When it comes to working with a band, the band leader, as well as the musicians themselves, have to think like a producer.  Each instrument must be placed in its own octave range.  For instance, if a guitarist is playing big chords down in the open position, then a keyboardist should play in a higher octave.  This placement ensures that instruments don’t “mask” each other and allows each instrument to be heard more easily.  Therefore, it makes your mixing engineer’s job easier, because he doesn’t have to struggle to make sure each competing instrument is heard.  It also makes better use of the frequency spectrum, making the sound more pleasing and interesting to the listener.  To get a feel for how this process is done, critically listen to any mainstream music and take note of how the instruments are placed within the various octave ranges.
  • Dynamics and contrast: Dynamics refers to the variation of intensities within a song.  All sections of a song should not have the same level of intensity.  A chorus is typically a step up on the itensity ladder from a verse.  The song should get stronger feeling, or “open up” more during a chorus.  Bridges are typically the most intense sections of a song,  Although, they don’t have to be.  They can be the quietest sections, but they provide the most significant contrast.  Dynamic intensity can be achieved with volume, intensity of playing, range, and density (how many instruments are playing at once).
  • Density: Perhaps one of the hardest aspects of younger musicians to grasp is that of density.  Not every instrument has to be playing all of the time.  Sometimes, it’s prudent for certain instruments to not play during certain sections of a song.  For example, you wouldn’t necessarily need a heavily distorted guitar during a quiet, intimate moment of a song.  You could also look at density as the number of notes being played together.  An acoustic guitarist who is strumming has a different sound than if he was playing arpeggios.  Each sound has its own place.  Again, it’s the contrast that helps to make music interesting.

Learning to listen to each other removes a world of obstacles and enhances the overall musicality of your praise team.  If you’d like more information, many of these principles can be found in our ebook Recording Basics:  A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Music in the chapter “Thinking Like a Producer”.  You can also see the article “Taking your Worship Band to the Next Level” on MusicIsMyBiz.com.

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 6 – distractions)

In my seminars and classes, I propose my philosophy about music ministry and what it means to be a worship leader.  I’ve developed what I refer to as the Prime Directive of the Worship Leader.  I believe that our job as worship leaders is

To, by example, lead others in the worship of God, while removing all distractions that may hinder that worship.

While our first job is to lead others, our work is in vain if there are too many distractions keeping others from fully engaging in worship.  We’re not merely leaders, we’re also facilitators.  So we are to make every effort to remove any distraction that disengages someone else from his/her focus on God.

Distractions can be viewed as stumbling blocks, inhibiting or disconnecting people from worship.  2 Corinthians 6:3 says this of the way we should conduct our ministry,

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.”

So, what are some potential distractions?

  • Poor musicianship, wrong notes, and mistakes
  • Spelling errors on the presentation slides
  • Distracting presentation slide backgrounds
  • Forgetting lyrics
  • Lack of preparation
  • Poor acoustics (echo, ringing, etc.)
  • Unintelligible vocals (due to bad mix or poor EQ)
  • Too much effects (reverb, delay, etc.)
  • Poor mix in general
  • Too many lighting effects
  • Inadequate lighting (hot spots, dead spots, team members left in the dark, etc.)
  • Poor quality video (low resolution video and audio)
  • Ushers moving people during worship
  • Grossly mismatched attire of praise team
  • Acknowledging mistakes (facial expressions, gestures, etc.)

This week, strive to remove any and all distractions from your worship services.  What other things can we remove so that others can fully engage in worshiping God?

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 5 – Time Wasters)

Time wasters kill efficiency

Are time wasters killing your ministry’s effectiveness?

As with anything, time wasters are effectiveness killers.  Time wasters cut into our preparedness, and, as we mentioned in part three of our series, lack of preparation clouds our purpose.

There’s a “trickle down” effect when it comes to time wasters and preparation–a cause and effect relationship.  Much like workers on a conveyor belt, if one person falls down on his/her job, there’s inevitably a backup created.  Here’s an example scenario, let’s say someone is having a conversation with the sound tech while he should be preparing for the final sound check/rehearsal for the morning service.  By the time the band arrives, unaddressed sound issues delay the band’s rehearsal.  The band becomes frazzled, so they’re no longer focused on worship.  In hopes to finish their run-through, they hold the doors to the sanctuary, thereby making the congregants antsy or impatient, negatively influencing the worship of some.  The pastor sees this negative vibe from the congregants, thereby increasing his concern and drawing his focus away from his purpose.  One single incidence has hampered the entire service.

While it may sound extreme or exaggerated, situations like this do happen, and they happen considerably more frequently than we would like to admit.  Here are some points to consider to keep your machine running smoothly:

  • Develop a schedule and stick to it. It’s not enough to only know when the doors open and the service starts.  Set a schedule for specific things like equipment tests, line level checks, sound check with band, rehearsal, doors open, service begins.
  • Reinforce roles and jobs. Once jobs and roles have been established, it’s important the people take those jobs seriously.  Not serving your role or function delays other team members.  In fact, someone their job may be completely reliant on whether or not someone else does his/her job.
  • Know the difference between practice and rehearsal. Practice is what each member does on his/her own time.  Rehearsal is the time where the band comes together to work on the band’s sound.  Rehearsal is not the time for individuals to learn parts or work on difficult ones.  Rather, rehearsal is the time to make sure that all of the parts each member learned at home work together in a unified way.
  • Rehearsal/sound check is not social time. When band or tech crew members arrive for sound check or rehearsal, they have a job to do.  I know it sounds callous to say that members shouldn’t chit-chat, but socializing eats into someone else’s time.  It hampers someone else’s job and is a detriment to the efficiency of the group.
  • Keep equipment maintained. Rehearsal is not the time to find out a particular piece of equipment isn’t functioning properly.  I completely understand unfortunate surprises happen.  However, certain things should be check and addressed prior to rehearsal time, and even prior to sound check.  Technical and sound crews should be among the first people to arrive.  They should check all equipment, batteries, cables, and signals before the band even arrives.  That way, if there is an unfortunate surprise, then there may be time to make other arrangements.

What time wasters plague your team?  How did you deal with them?  Comment and let us know.

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 3 – Autopilot)

Is lack of preparation clouding your team’s purpose?

We’re continuing our series on Striving to Grow.  Yesterday, we talked about a unified mindset.  Today, we’re going learn how to worship on autopilot.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not stressing that we just “go through the motions” when it comes to our worship.  On the other hand, I am asserting that we can’t truly worship until we are on autopilot.

The human brain can only really consciously focus on one dominant task at a time.  If we are focused on too many technical details, or on our own insecurities,  then how can we surrender our whole selves to worship?  Yes, our service and the utilization of our gift as an offering is an act of worship.  However, we can’t give God our first fruits, the full surrender of ourselves in worship, if our technical minds aren’t able to go on autopilot.

So, then, how do we send our technical mind on autopilot so we can fully surrender?

Preparation.

Lack of preparation clouds our purpose. If we are unprepared, whether through lack of rehearsal, sound issues, etc., then our thoughts are solely dedicated to merely “getting through” a service without falling apart.  Hence, our purpose is clouded.  We must be so prepared that we can suppress our technical minds so that we can truly connect with God.

I’m sure you’re thinking “if everything’s so rehearsed, that doesn’t leave God room to move during a service.”  On the contrary.  If we know our music intimately, know our instrument inside and out, and have nurtured our gifts and talents, then there is, in fact, more freedom.  We’re not limited by our own insecurities and inadequacies, or by those of our teammates.  Then, if the spirit moves the worship leader to move in a certain direction, we are ready and capable of following.

Part of preparation not only lies in rehearsal, but also in our comfort level as a team.  We must be so accustomed to each other–the way each member moves musically or technically–that the team can work as a unit.  Getting to that point takes listening, a comfort level with our instrument, and an understanding of music theory (or production skills) in general.  It also takes a certain amount of trust that your other team members possess the same.  We must also understand that this level of comfort takes time and effort on the part of every member of the ministry team or department.

As you strive to grow, stress the “autopilot mentality”.  Take small steps.  Stress preparation.  Begin to work–really work–as one unit.  Then comment and tell us your story!

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 2 – Mindset)

In keeping with our series on Striving to Grow, we’re looking at ways to overcome obstacles that hinder our ministry’s growth and effectiveness.  In our last post, we discussed dealing with stagnant musicianshipToday, we’re going to deal with the mindset of our team’s members.

In ministry, everyone has a role and a function.  Different departments or teams, while they each have their own individual functions, all come together for a common purpose.  In other words, they act as one machine.  The Bible says that, although we all act individually, we all act as one body (1 Corinthians 12).  A hand has a different purpose than a foot, an eye serves a different purpose than an ear, and so on.  If one person or department doesn’t serve its function, then the entire machine is made less effective.  So, we have to facilitate a common mindset amongst our team’s members.

The church often talks about repentance as it pertains to salvation.  While it does mean turning from your old ways, the literal translation means “to change one’s mind”.  On our ministry teams, must ensure that all of our members have a similar mindset when it comes to excellence, humility, servitude, and self betterment.  I was speaking recently with a worship pastor friend about some ways to improve the quality and functionality of his team.  After explaining my philosophy on building a ministry team (and the biblical principles behind them), he replied, “but not everyone on the team has the same mindset as you do.”  While I’m neither asserting that I have all the answers, nor that my opinion is the Gospel, a team whose members do not share the same vision will not succeed.  It’s not even a team.  Such division turns a band into a stage full of soloists.

The word says in Romans 12:2,

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

We must be like-minded when it comes to certain questions about our ministry:

  • How does God expect us to nourish our gifts and talents?  (Matthew 25:14-30)
  • Does God expect my best when it comes to my gift, talent, or service?  (Genesis 4:2-5)
  • Does God expect us to sacrifice our will and wants for the good of His Kingdom?  (Mark 1:16-20)
  • How committed to our calling does God expect us to be?  (Luke 9:62)
  • How committed do we need to be to each member of the group? (1 Thessalonians 5:11-15)
  • What areas of our life do we need to eliminate to fully serve our calling? (1 Timothy 2:22)

If we can all say that we are in agreement with all those principles, then our mindset is appropriate.  If problems arise as mindsets wander, that’s when ministries tend to pull apart.  The Word is also very clear as to what our response should be to dissension within a ministry, as in Titus 3:10.

“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.”

These divisions must be dealt with swiftly and firmly for the good of the ministry as a whole.  While it’s hard to make those sorts of decisions, we as a ministry can’t afford to not be unified in our mindset, goals, and direction.  It’s much easier to define these principles early on than it is to realign (or remove) members that have been a part of the group for any significant length of time.

How do you ensure your team members are like-minded?  Comment and share your thoughts.

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening

Striving to Grow: Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry (part 1 – Stagnant Musicianship)

Your music ministry is only as strong as its weakest memberIs your church’s music ministry team struggling to grow?

Hitting the proverbial wall is possibly one of the most disheartening aspects of trying to run a successful music ministry.  Things go great for a time, and then it seems like progress comes to a grinding halt–or worse, starts moving backwards.  Small factors combine into a detriment that can seriously cripple a music team.  Over this series, we’re going to look at several of the factors involved, and how we can possibly overcome them by referencing God’s word.

Stagnant Musicianship

The old saying, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” is applicable here.  Your music ministry is only as strong as its weakest member.  If your players don’t grow in their gift, they will get left behind.  What’s worse is that they begin to drag the entire team down in terms of time management and overall quality.  As other team members spend time honing their musical craft, or as newer, better members enter the group, stagnant musicians find it increasingly harder to keep up with the pace of the ministry.  It is vital that each member is committed to personal growth first, so that the ministry as a whole can grow.

Nowhere is this message clearer than the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30 NIV).

14″Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19″After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

21″His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22″The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’

23″His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24″Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26″His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28″ ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

While Jesus references money for his parable, the concept itself is applicable to not only money, but also the work we each do for the Kingdom of God.  We are each entrusted with certain gifts and talents for service.  Clearly, we are expected to grow those gifts and talents so that they will do the work of God with increasing efficacy.

If we as musicians don’t foster, nurture, and grow our musicianship on a continual basis, then we are just like the lazy servant.  We use our talent during the worship service, yet after the service, we dig a hole and bury it until the following week.  Then we dig it up again, re-use, and bury.  Where’s the growth?  God charges us to be good stewards of the gifts, talents, and blessings we’re given.  Our music ministry is no different.

Each team member should be committed to growing in his/her instrument, be that a musical instrument, sound console, lighting controller, camera, etc.  We are to know our instrument inside and out, so that we can lead others in worship, while ourselves worshiping, without thinking.  We should also increase our understanding of the theory behind what we’re doing, for instance music theory for musicians, acoustics for sound techs, camera techniques for video crew, and so on.

As you try to grow your team, constantly ask yourself this question:

Are we growing our gift and talent during the week, or are we simply digging up what God has entrusted us to nurture, and then burying it when we’re finished?

We’d love to hear your input!  Comment, and let us know how you’ve addressed growing musically as a ministry team.

See other posts in the series Striving to Grow:  Overcoming Obstacles in Music Ministry

  1. Stagnant Musicianship
  2. Mindset
  3. Autopilot
  4. Breaking Assumptions
  5. Time Wasters
  6. Distractions
  7. Listening