200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Called

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician:

Key Elements >> Called

Read previous Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1; Surrendered Part 2; Passionate; Teachable Part 1, Teachable Part 2 Available)

A call to ministry…

… isn’t a matter of desire. Just because I WANT to sing, or play or lead doesn’t mean I should.

…isn’t about talent or gifting.

…isn’t permanent. We don’t own our position on the team. Andy Stanley says it best – “Leadership is a stewardship. It is temporary…” We need to hold our positions in an open hand – allowing God to give more or take away.

…prepares for a subsequent calling. Time spent on a worship team is training grounds for something more. Also, people may need an additional training ground before they can join the team.

…implies an invitation. If no one invited me, I’m at the wrong party. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t seek an invitation if I feel called. But in the end, if none is given, I need to determine if it’s a “No”, a “Not Right Now”, or a “Not Right Here.”

…is affirmed by peers and confirmed by leadership.

…is an invitation to serve and build the church. Not for our “talents to be used.” The call is to build the Kingdom, not our egos.

…is an expectation to produce good fruit.

…can be shelved, but not indefinitely ignored.

…requires humility.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >>Available

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician:

Key Elements >> Available

Read previous Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1; Surrendered Part 2; Passionate; Teachable Part 1, Teachable Part 2)

Available. As leaders in churches, we like to spiritually dress up a basic requirement like this by calling it “committed” or “faithful.” But before someone can be faithful or committed, they just plain need to be there when they need to be there. Sounds like that only-partially joking phrase we leaders use: “as long as they have a pulse…” Most of us have been there (or are there still): he can keep a beat and will show up Sunday. Voilà, we’ve got a new drummer.

If we’re in a “needs-based” situation [lacking musicians to fill the holes] versus a wants-based [we’d like a killer bass player, but the three we have in rotation get the job done], availability creates a two-fold problem: 1) Availability tends to be the predominant characteristic we use to validate someone’s involvement on the team. 2) We allow people to be unavailable for rehearsals, yet still play or sing on Sunday because we are “need” them. Healthy? No. Necessary at times? Unfortunately.

Like all these “must haves”, availability doesn’t stand alone. Availability needs to intermingle with calling, passion, talent, etc. Then you get faithful and committed people on your team. Who actually show up.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Teachable, Part 2

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician:
Key Elements >> Teachable – Part 2,
Learning to Take Indirect Feedback

(Read the other Key Elements articles:
Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1; Surrendered Part 2; Passionate; Teachable Part 1)

Meltdown. You know the kind: that stops rehearsals. At a Sunday-morning-only-rehearsal, no less. Apparently, I frustrated one of the musicians. The first indication was her tears. I know…it’s a gift to be this good at reading people.

Her emotions were anything but “indirect,” but they only told me of the immediate issue. There was an underlying problem that I didn’t [want to] see. After this, I knew I had to.

Over a $5 footlong after church, I asked my trusted friend and drummer, “Am I that hard to follow?” His caps lock “YES” couldn’t have come any quicker unless he was psychic. In my rush to cover all that needs to be covered in a rehearsal that’s already too short, I tend to jump ahead. And back. And to a different song. I considered making excuses and passing blame, but what’s that determination of leadership, “Look back and see who’s following…”?

So now I’m trying to look at what people aren’t saying. Because they say a lot when they “aren’t saying.” This is huge for leadership. But also for musicians who weekly rub up against each other. Look at what your leader/teammate/pastor is NOT saying: you may just learn something.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Teachable, Part 1

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles:
Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1; Surrendered Part 2; Passionate)

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician:

Key Elements >> Teachable, Part 1

A few years ago I joined a national songwriting organization and attended the local chapter. At the first meeting, I feel bad for the other writers getting picked apart during the critiques. They’ll probably feel even worse when they hear my song. My turn. The scratch demo ends. The silence is something between hushed awe and quiet reverence. Yeah…no: it was starving jackals waiting to ravage a gimp antelope. Entrails everywhere.

I was at a crossroads: chalk it up as a gaggle of bitter songwriters, or conclude that they DID know something about songwriting. I chose the latter. I “psyched up” before every meeting with: “Be humble. Learn. Be humble. Learn.” Repeat.

Direct feedback is oxygen for anyone needing to grow. Worship musicians are no exceptions. As participants in “upfront” ministry, we need to be extra open to breathing it in.

A segue: I went home from the meeting--still stinging--and told my wife about it (looking for validation). Her reply was, “You took in that song?!” Owww…. Looking back, I guess I ignored the polite applause and blank stares at every coffeehouse performance of it. We also need to be teachable students of indirect feedback. That’s part two.

[ SIDE NOTE: While there’s always an exception or two, my sense is that most of our team members are more open to feedback than we think. It’s us insecure, people-pleasing leaders who often miss the chance to breathe life via speaking truth in love. Btw, these last 42 words are for free. :) ]

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Passionate

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles:
Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1; Surrendered Part 2)

 

200 Words [or Less] About Being Worship Musician:
Key Elements >> Passionate

“Passion” seems a little fluffy to be part of the foundation of the six elements, don’t you think? Yeah, it’s important, but passion can be so misguided. The first few episodes of any season of American Idol are great examples of deep desire, deeply deluded. Holy cow, someone should have told those kids they really CAN’T sing before they camped out for three days in Cleveland.

To a hopefully lesser degree, we’ve all encountered misguided passion on our worship teams. [insert your horror story here.] And so passion scares us.

Passion has to be subject to a surrendered heart – both to Jesus and those He’s delegated leadership to – and conjoined with true gifting and talent. And the fervor for music and ministry should always be a subordinate passion. David (as in: giant slayer, king, roof-top voyeur) no doubt had a passion for music. But it was a tool to express love to his True Passion.

Consider the alternative to having passionate musicians: volunteers who happen to play an instrument and are willing ‘sacrifice’ a Sunday or two a month. I just threw up in my mouth.

Passion is worth the risk.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Surrendered, Part 2

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent; Surrendered Part 1) 

Submission, Subordination and Other Things that Suck

Submission is one of those words that make people bristle. Cringe. Wince. Barf. Or otherwise react adversely. I’m not going to make a case for mutual submission and submission to authority because scripture already does that, a little too well for most of us. If a key element for us is submission to Christ, then we have to look at submitting to the spiritual authority He places over us.

One of the tough lessons I had to learn is that God’s delegated authority comes from the position, not from the leader’s ability to lead. I once worked for someone who I thought I could “out-lead.” This man’s ability to lead was NOT the issue God was concerned about for me, but my willingness to submit to the authority above me.

What does it look like for volunteer worship musicians to submit? It doesn’t mean never suggesting changes. Or challenging decisions. But the attitude and manner in which suggestions/challenges are delivered is what causes us to cross a line. Another way to detect subtle rebellion to God-appointed leadership is how I talk about a leader or his/her decisions to others.

If you find you can’t in good conscience submit, quit.

200 Words [or Less] About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements >> Surrendered, Part 1

(Read the other Six Key Elements articles: Intro; Talent)

Surrendered To God

No doubt you’ve heard about the challenge given to D.L. Moody: "It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly unto Him." (or some variation of…) And Moody’s answer was basically “I’ll be that man.” And he was. We usually hear this exchange in a sermon about surrender. The problem is the preacher doesn’t tell us that this falls in the category of “WAY easier said than done.”

A mentor once said to me, “one of the beautiful things about following Christ is that it’s daily. And one of the most frustrating things about following Christ is that it’s daily.” The new mercies (Lam. 3) of God can’t be experienced fully without a new day’s surrender. (1 Cor 15:31/Rom 12:1) Sure, there are a few things that I’ve surrender once for all (by God’s grace), but I have to give up my pride, agenda, sin, etc. every day.

This isn’t exclusive for worship musicians. But consider that the responsibility of worship musician as a leader/teacher. But it’s ultimately about loving Jesus more than music or ministry. And the surrender into Jesus’ arms each day is a real good start.

Next installment: Surrendered, Part 2

200 Words (or less) About Being a Worship Musician: Key Elements #1--Talented

(Read the intro to Six Key Elements here.)

You’d think this element would go without saying, but we’ve all been to (or attend) that church that has a less than talented musician helping lead music. A few things about talent:

1. It’s relative. A church of 5000 will likely require a different level of talent than a church of 50. Each ministry needs to determine what is needed. As a team grows and changes, so does the demand for better talent.
   
   

2. It’s developable. Whatever hard-wired ability you have, it has to be cultivated through practice, hard-work and experience. And if you’re using this talent for ministry, you’re obligated to develop it.
   
   

3. It’s not a spiritual gift. Musical talent is a tool used in conjunction with the spiritual gifts. My chief reason for making this point is not to argue a gray area, but to keep people from elevating their talent to a place of entitlement: e.g. “It’s my “spiritual” gift, so I need to be on this team…or sing this solo…etc.”
   
   

4. It’s not enough. John Maxwell wrote an entire book on this subject. We start here with talent, because it IS necessary. But it can’t be the only element that matters for a worship musician.

Next installment: Surrendered

200 Words (or Less) About Being a Worship Musician: 6 Key Elements

What makes for a good worship team musician?

Gotta have talent, right? But is talent enough?

Or is it good enough to be faithful to the ministry?

Where does passion fit? Or spiritual maturity?

How about that often intangible idea of being “called” to the ministry?

Think about the building materials of a house – not the granite countertops and the hand-carved mantle you see on HGTV – but the stuff that holds the house together. From the foundation to the roof, it’s all important, but each element plays a unique role. In the next several “200 Words…” articles we’ll explore six elements that build a great worship musician. From the roof down to the foundation, here they are:

Called
Teachable::Available
Talented::Surrendered::Passionate

We’ll be starting with the base and working our way over the next several posts. Feel free to give your input on these elements.

Next installment: Talent