Too Far Down the Mountain

Includes a special report on

M usic M inistry B enchmarks

helping you do ministry better...

too far down the mountain

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Creativity in the Workplace

volume 36 - number 1 2014

Your 2014 Sunday by Sunday

Select 20 Anthem

Checklist!

. Proactive ResumĂŠ . . s u Pl Five Tips for a

Steal This Idea!

Money and Your Ministry: Balance the Books While Keeping Your Balance

Il

Money does not have to be the hardest thing you do at church.

Learn how you can:    

become more thoughtful about the financial challenges you and you church face see money—and your own leadership strategies—from a different perspective enjoy the stewardship process rather than dreading it each year reduce your overall stress about church finance

“Those who are interested in exploring stewardship in anxious times will find this volume to be extremely pertinent.” —from the foreword by Peter L. Steinke

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There are many excellent books out there about church financial stewardship and I've read most of them. Money and Your Ministry is one of the finest. You don't need to purchase a better "stewardship campaign program." You don't need to be anxious about funding your church's ministry. You do need this book. —The Rev. Margaret Lewis, MBA, Director, Center for Career Development and Ministry, Dedham, MA

G

Order now: Get it in print or for Kindle at: http://amzn.to/KMM48z OR Get the pdf at www.margaretmarcuson.com/products

Glenn

these are our stories... these are our songs...

I love the sound of people singing…

I love the community, the relationship that singing together creates, and I love being a part of that creation. Singing together always accompanies events of ceremony and great importance. When God created us to enjoy relationship with Him, the Bible says that His “morning stars sang together and the angels shouted for joy.” On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angels sang again. It was the music of children that proclaimed Him King during the royal procession up to Jerusalem. Jesus sang with His disciples as they finished their Last Supper together and headed toward the Mount of Olives. When we stand in glory, all of us will sing together, surrounding him with the grateful praises of our song of salvation.

So too, the church should be singing today, both with the loud, joyful noise of the choirs of her congregations, but also with skilled, thoughtful singers, led by the Levites of our day to accompany the great, ceremonial importance of our worship of Him who gave all for us.

When I write music for the church, my desire is that people might somehow see God a little bit better because of my creative imitation of Him. I write choral music for the church so that through its performance all of us who sing it and hear it might love God—and consequently each other, a little bit better. After all, God is listening.

Glenn Pickett • Composer, Professor of Music – California Baptist University Get to know more about Glenn Pickett and a free packet of his music at FredBock.com/glennpickett

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Volume 36 - Number 1

features

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6

Music Ministry Benchmarks

Front Page

Creative Metrics

by Vern Sanders

by Vern Sanders

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Too Far Down the Mountain

24 Seven Foundational Skills for the Next Generation of Music and Worship Ministry Leaders

by Randall Bradley

by Stephen Phifer

29

Creativity in the Workplace

What employers say, and what they actually do about creativity in the workplace

26 Five Tips for a Proactive ResumĂŠ

by Lura Milner

38

29 Guidelines for a Music Leadership Search Committee

by William Schoenfeld

34 All This and 16

th

Last Page

Preparing For Reality

by David W. Manner

Notes Too

by Marilyn E Wilgocki

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10

Select 20 Anthem Reviews

Recovering From Unscriptural Leadership

34

Your Select 20 Anthem Checklist Our recommended list of anthems for every Sunday during the rest of 2014

by Stephen Phifer

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NEW

Spring Training

!

Suggestions for setting aside time to work on fundamentals

14

Good Stuff!

Reviews of new materials

14

Steal This Idea!

Separate the men and the women

2013 | creatormagazine.com

5

by Vern Sanders

front page

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creative metrics

hese days, we are up to

“here” in metrics. It’s like a template: everywhere you turn, you can discover that [x]% of [something] {verb] [category]. Here’s one from us: every day between 20 and 22 percent of the +/10,000 people with whom we interact on social media end up at Creator’s website reading at least one article.

One of those website articles is titled Creatives are Different. (You can read it at http://cmag.ws/c9 if you are interested.) Now the headline might be stating the obvious, but the number of reads for that article is high – probably because whether the reader is a creative or not, they want to confirm their suspicions about the content.

What do those two paragraphs above have in common? A creative’s work. It is difficult to measure in concrete terms.

Let me give you an example...

With few exceptions, every single person reading this attends a church that has a primary musician who accompanies congregational singing. Yes, I know...band and all that. But there is one person, even in a band, who “leads” congregational singing.

That person may be you. If so, you have (or at least you should have) a very good idea of how well you are performing that task. If that is not you, you have an opinion about how well that person is doing that task. And, unfortunately, opinions tend to not be easily measurable via metrics.

helping you do ministry better...

Volume 36 - Number 1 2014 publisher Vernon Sanders @vernsanders

That’s generally not a problem unless the creative is doing their task to an extreme...be that very good, or very horrid. But it can be a problem at least once every year: at the time when an annual performance review takes place.

Let’s say that you are the supervisor of the person who accompanies congregational singing at your church. How do you measure performance? By how good it sounds? By what percentage of the congregation is singing? By how many hands are in the air? By how cool that leader looks?

Now, and this is the important part, how do you explain your metrics, and how do you distinguish between let’s say 80% and 83% success? Problem.

Sometimes a BIG problem.

So in an effort to help address this situation, a high percentage of this issue is devoted to defining metrics to assess a creative’s performance levels. I call them benchmarks. You’ll find specific criteria for that chief instrumentalist, as well as for other musicians, and for other creatives that are involved in the design and act of leading worship.

It’s our attempt to start a dialogue that is long overdue...the one between creatives and “everyone else” (and yes, those italics are air quotes, because I believe that everyone is creative in some way, shape, or form). Like to argue or help us refine the benchmarks?

Email me at creator@creatormagazine. com and let’s get creative. fine

editor Bob Burroughs editorial board Christine Anderson Hugh Ballou Wendell Boertje Glenn P. Eernisse Allen Henderson Heather Hood Lloyd Larson Douglas Lawrence David Leestma William Lock Carl M. Peters, II Steve Phifer Paul Satre Pamela Urfer Edwin M. Willmington Paul Leddington Wright John Yarrington computer engraving Geyser Ridge Associates printing coordinator Pete Moceri Creator Magazine PO Box 3538 Pismo Beach, CA 93448 (800) 777-6713 creator@creatormagazine.com Creator Magazine (ISSN #1045-0815) is published quarterly by Creator Media. Subscription information is available at creatorresourcecenter.com/store/ subscribe/. For help concerning your subscription call (800)777-6713, or email us at customerservice@ creatormagazine.com. To ensure continuous service, send new and old addresses eight weeks before moving. If possible, include the most recent mailing label. subscribers: If the post office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years.

Unsolicited articles cannot be returned. Article Guidelines are available at creatormagazine.com/ creatorgbg/.

Single copy price: $7.00. Back Issues: $7.00, subject to availability.

Copyright © 2014 by Creator Magazine. All rights reserved. Printed and distributed in the U.S. by Emerald City Graphics, Kent, Washington.

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look for the QR Codes Throughout the magazine you’ll find links to online content. Scan the QR codes with your smart phone and be taken directly to the more in-depth information at creatormagazine.com.

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Join the Creator community.

You’ll get regular emails to help you to do your ministry better, and access to special content on Creator’s website. To join, just use the Register button on any page at creatormagazine.com.

feature

by Stephen

Phifer

too far down the mountain W

e can only imagine

that it was a bright, sunny day when Jesus chose a mountain by the Sea of Galilee to deliver His most famous address. Jesus chose the elevated position near the water for acoustic purposes and I am also convinced that He made a metaphorical choice: These truths represented the highest point of His teaching, the pinnacle of the message He had come from Heaven to deliver.

Standing at the center of the highest elevation Jesus began speaking:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.�

The disciples were seated close at his feet with other followers behind them.

The crowd stretched down the moun-

integrity and church leadership tainside to the lowlands between the mountain and the sea. The farther down the mountain each listener sat, the less he or she heard. Perhaps the wind stole a word or phrase away, or a nearby child laughed or cried just enough to obscure some important part of the sermon.

The noise of the crowd itself may have caused the more distant listeners to miss something important—and every word was important.

After several decades of pastoral staff ministry, mentoring worship leaders, and consulting with pastors, I am convinced that some church leaders have positioned themselves too far down the mountain to really hear the words of Jesus. With modern businesslike models, they use methods that have

little to do with the words He spoke. In this Sermon Jesus addressed more than 20 subjects, each of them a challenge to our human nature and a call to a spirituality that goes beyond our ability to achieve without the help of the Holy Spirit. In reference to public worship, here are four teachings of Christ that all of us need to hear again.

Telling the Truth Jesus told us to tell truth! When worldly leadership methods are used in the church truth is often the first casualty.

Isaiah predicted such a time to come as culture-driven worship supplants worship in Spirit and Truth.

What are the signs of this?

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1. The truth is “handled,” not simply told. Plausible deniability becomes a regularly used method. Half-truths and false impressions are presented to the people in order to cover up the real story.

2. Those who question the leaders are seen as enemies and treated as such.

The Apostolic principle (Acts 15:28 NIV) of building a consensus with the people of God based upon the Word of God has been discarded.

3. Loyalty to the leader(s) in the form of unquestioning obedience has become the greatest concern.

4. There is a general feeling that, “What is going on is not really what is going on.”

The Worth of the People In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus went to great lengths to define the worth of each individual: • We are the salt of the earth.

• Together we are a shining city on a hill.

• We all belong to a brotherhood of mankind.

• Personal conflicts must be settled quickly so worship is not hindered.

• Our behavior toward each other must be pure; no anger, murder, or lust.

• Even our enemies are worthy of our love and prayers.

• Each of us is in the Father’s care; do not worry about things.

• Do not judge others; judge your own heart by the Word.

When church leaders are too far down the mountain, they lose these guiding truths and begin to use people rather than love them.

What are the signs of this?

1. Staff pastors are viewed as hired help rather than anointed ministers of the Gospel and are regularly discarded.

Of course, in such instances, the truth of their plight must be “handled.” Staff ministries are sometimes evaluated by the level of resources they generate for the church.

2. The people of the church do not receive equal treatment. People of means are treated one way; people with little but their hearts to offer go unnoticed. Troublesome people are routinely eliminated. The persistent tenderness of the Apostles toward those who were troubled or were troublesome is lost, often through heave-handed authoritarian techniques.

Doing and Being The Sermon on the Mount is packed with challenging statements. One is that Jesus said the test of who you really are is what you do (Matthew.

7:21 NIV). He elaborated on this topic at the Last Supper when He described the leadership of the world as one of “lording it over people.” He told the disciples this was not an option for them, but it seems this message is not heardly clearly today.

The leadership style of the senior pastor creates a context in which all leadership takes place and they are not the only ones who can succumb to the temptations of power politics and ungodly methods. Staff can do as much damage to the church as misguided senior pastors.

What are the signs of this?

1. The pastor operates from a place of isolation. The more prominent the position of the church and the bolder the stance of the pastor on potentially disruptive issues, the more staff security may be a legitimate need. But this should be security against people who are deranged or dangerous, not people who need their pastor.

2. The pastor rules the church, rather than leading it. He/she leads more like a CEO than a shepherd. Staff members have a clear understanding that part

for further reading • The Minister’s Role in Church Music – Cecil J Riney • Pastors and Chruch Musicians (a 2 part series) – Mark K Williams • The Benefits of Longevity – Tom McDonald • The Necessity For Time Off – Cheri Walters Stephen Phifer has a

doctoral degree in Worship Studies from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He has recently accepted a position as Adjunct Professor of Worship Studies (Worship Arts Specialist) at Valley Forge Christian College Online.

• Surviving the Body Blows – Philip L Mitchell • When It’s Time to Move (a 2 part series) – David H Patton • Survival Tactics – Keith Huttenlocker • Dealing with Criticism: A Family Systems Approach – Doug Haney • Creating and Sustaining Healthy Teams on a Church Staff – Hugh Ballou • The Church Musician as Transformational Leader – Vernon Sanders • From Shepherd to CEO – What the Modern World Has Done to the Local Pastor – Stephen Phifer • Think in Threes: Triangles and Leadership – Margaret Marcuson You can find many of these articles and/or buy the Leadership Articles Compliation CD for just $19.95 at http://cmag.ws/6k. All articles are available by calling 800-777-6713.

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of their job is making the pastor look good.

3. Committees, staff, and governing boards act as shields to avoid taking responsibility for decisions. When faced with difficult decisions that have great potential for conflict in the church, leaders sometimes hide behind committees and boards that serve to mask personal choices as group decisions.

4. Leaders choose manipulation techniques to control church members and

employees. Purely personal decisions are presented as if God is speaking, not the leader.

Prayer as Performance In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus made this very clear: Prayer should never be used for any other purpose than spending time with God! It is not for show! Worship is not something to be used toward some other end.

The same is true for acts of devotion or kindness or the giving of money.

Jesus said that true worship must be done in “spirit and truth.” When public worship is used as a church growth tool, it is no longer done “in truth.” We are prostituting a holy thing.

What are the signs of this?

1. Worship services are divisive events.

In the final hours of His earthly ministry Jesus was concerned for the unity of the church (John 17:20-21 NIV).

Public worship is intended to unite the generations, not divide them.

Download Instantly at http://cmag.ws/8d 2014 creatormagazine.com

9

2. Public worship takes on the look and feel of a concert and the congregation is demoted to the status of “audience.” The wealth of the church is spent on image at the expense of substance. The church should be a holy counter-culture, not a “Christianized” version of the world. True worship is costly, yet the specific expenditure of funds always reflects the priorities of the church.

3. A church divided along cultural and generational lines cannot hear the complete voice of the Spirit. The Book of Psalms calls for an intergenerational discourse on the glory of the Lord, (Psalm 79:13 NIV) Older worshipers need to hear the voice of the Spirit in the songs of the youth. Younger worshipers need to hear the voice of the Spirit in the songs of their elders.

Reascending the Mountain There have been many casualties of un-Christ-like leadership over the course of the history of the church. If you find yourself in a place like this, your life is not over! Jesus has not failed you—people have.

There is much the Lord can teach you through this so keep listening to His voice. I recommend the Psalms as a

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volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

Recovering from Unscriptural Leadership Recovering from unscriptural leadership is like standing back up from an unexpected fall. For some it is easier than others. For most, you become more wary of finding yourself in the same situation again. Here are seven things that can help you recover.

Find your place at the feet of Jesus Read lots of Scripture, especially the four gospels, Acts, and the Psalms. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear the words of Jesus and take time to listen to what the Spirit reveals.

Forgive those who abused you This is not immediately possible and may take time to complete, but you gain from starting the process immediately.

Shake off any “victim” mentality Your permanent state is one of sharing in Christ’s victory. Victimhood is only temporary.

Treasure your friends The Lord has surrounded you with a network of brothers and sisters who can walk with your through this valley. A professional counselor can be a blessing in your recovery.

Find a place of service Regardless of how it compares with places you have served in the past, look for the open door.

Worship with a church every Sunday! Until you find another church home, explore other Christian spiritualities.

Journal your recovery This will be a priceless artifact of your life and ministry. prayer book. As worship leaders we tend to focus on the “hallelujah” psalms and skip those complaining ones. But we find in them an example to follow – pour out your complaint to God. He can handle it!

Can we return to the summit of the mountain and hear Jesus’ words again?

Of course we can. When we are at his feet, the winds of culture never steal his words from us. Other voices are muted so we can hear our Savior clearly. fine

THIS BEST SELLING EBOOK IS A REAL WORLD LOOK AT TODAY’S CHOIR REALITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL CHOIR IN MODERN WORSHIP

INCLUDED IN THIS 2nd EDITION ARE 2 WAYS TO IMPROVE THE SOUND OF ANY GROUP OF SINGERS IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES

DOWNLOAD NOW http://cmag.ws/58 2014 creatormagazine.com

11

TM

TM

TM

select twenty TM

TM

codes

what it is Creator’s Select 20 has always featured the best new church choral music – 20 anthems that will serve most any ministry. We choose by using criteria which include the full spectrum of musical and worship styles. We draw from all publishers, traditions, and styles, regardless of our personal taste.

On the actual review (see below to find the detailed reviews) we include a “worship-style bar-graph” to assist you in applying a S20 title to your ministry.

The graph, and the “theme” graphic identifiers on the next page, are not used to “pigeonhole” music, but to help our readers in understanding style.

The left edge of the graph would be complex music which is less predictable, often incorporating mixed or no meter, and less familiar tonalities. Texts here focus on poetry or more abstract word painting. The graph’s center represents present-day anthems written in a traditional, non-pop, non-gospel style, with texts that are commonly scripture based and written in second or third person. The right extreme would be pop, gospel, and rock musical styles, commonly including chord symbols in the accompaniment.

Texts will be less poetic, more straightforward, and primarily written in first and second person.

V

voicing

#

catalog number

C

composer

M

music sources

E

editor or arranger

T

lyricist and/or source

A

accompaniment information

U

usage

P

publisher imprint

©

copyright year and holder



highly recommended

The following are used at the end of each full review/comment: L End

read the full review online Creator has changed the way we list Select 20 titles. We now list important information for each Select 20 title here in the magazine, with complete reviews on our website at http://cmag.ws/2m.

Our general rules for inclusion in each issue through the editorial selection process are as follows:

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volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

• No more than two titles by any composer, arranger, or publisher

D

length using (S)hort, (M)edium, and (L)ong dynamic level of the ending difficulty using (E)asy, (M)edium, and (D)ifficult

Advent

Easter

Palm Sunday

All Saints

General

Pentecost

Baptism

Good Friday Maundy Thursday

Praise

Benediction

Lent

Call to Prayer Prayer Response

Call to Worship

Lord’s Supper

Offering Stewardship

Christmas

Missions

Thanksgiving

• Copyright dated this year or last year Scan the QR code to the left of each title to be taken directly to the complete review. The graphic gives an indication of the anthem’s primary use in a worship service.

Room At the Table 

Brethren, We Have Met to Worship

This Must Be Grace  V: SATB #: A08665 C: Jay Rouse A: Piano, opt. orchestration, opt trax U: Adult • General, All Saints, Anniversary • Small Church P: PraiseGathering ©: 2014

Celtic Gloria V: SSA #: HMC2368 E: Daniel Rashr A: Piano, optional fiddle, optional bodhran U: Adult Youth • Christmas, General, Concert P: Hinshaw ©: 2014

With This Bread, With This Wine  V: SATB #: 0 80689 20523 1 E: Ken Medema A: Piano • Lord’s Supper P: Jubilate ©: 2012

Nearer, My God, To Thee  V: SATB #:BP2003 E: Dan Forrest A: Keyboard, Cello (included) U: Adult • General, Memorial P: Beckenhorst Press ©: 2013

How Marvelous!

How Wonderful!

V: SATB #: C 5875 C: Joel Raney A: Piano, Optional Orchestration (C 5875O), optional trax (C 5875C) U: Adult • General P: Hope ©: 2014

And Peace Shall Guard You V: SATB #: MSM-50-9213 C: Michael John Trotta A: A Cappella U: Adult • Benediction, General P: MorningStar ©: 2013

I Will Sing New Praise  V: SATB #: BG2591 C: Joseph M Martin A: Piano U: Adult • Praise, General, Concert P: Fred Bock Music ©: 2013

Create a Clean Heart in Me/ I Will Rise and Go to My Father V: SATB #: 008397 E: Ed Bolduc A: Keyboard, Guitar U: Adult • General, Prayer P: World Library ©: 2013

Give Him Praise V: SATB #: 00116825 E: Harold Ross A: Piano, Optional Orchestration (00116828), optional trax (00116826) U: Adult • Call to Worship, Praise P: PraiseSong ©: 2013

scan the QR codes to the left of each title with your smartphone for the complete review, or go to http://cmag.ws/2m

scan the QR codes to the left of each title with your smartphone for the complete review, or go to http://cmag.ws/2m

V: SATB #: 35029200 E: Heather Sorenson A: Piano U: Adult • Call to Worship, General P: Shawnee Press ©: 2013

V: SATB #:BP1999 C: David Lantz III A: Piano U: Adult • Lord’s Supper P: Beckenhorst Press ©: 2013

The Church’s One Foundation V: SATB #: MSM-60-9032 C: Michael Burkhardt A: Organ, Brass Quintet and optional Handbells (609032B) U: Adult • Prayer, General, Easter, Festival P: MorningStar ©: 2013

Your Kingdom Reigns V: SATB #: 0 80689 28923 1 E: Cliff Duren A: Piano, Optional Orchestration (0 80689 12708 3), Optional Trax (0 80689 99632 0) U: Adult • General, Benediction P: Word Music ©: 2012

Everlasting Love V: SATB #: BG2577 C: Patricia Mock and Phillip E Allen A: Piano U: Adult • General P: Fred Bock Music ©: 2013

I’ll Tell the World That I’m a Christian V: SATB #: 35029244 E: Joseph M Martin A: Piano, Optional trax (35029245) U: Adult • General, Missions P: Shawnee Press ©: 2013

Sing and Be Joyful V: SAB #: 008918 E: Hal H Hopson A: Keyboard U: Adult • General, Call to Worship • Small Church P: World Library ©: 2013

Praise To The Lord, The Almighty  V: SATB #: 0 80689 27023 9 E: Tom Anderson A: Piano • General, Offertory, Call to Worship P: Jubilate ©: 2013

Serve the Lord with Gladness V: SATB, optional youth choir, children #: 00116781 C: Rollo Dilworth A: Piano, Optional Orchestration (download), optional trax (00116782) U: Adult, Youth • General, Praise, Thanksgiving P: Hal Leonard ©: 2013

Through Every Trial V: SATB #: A08667 E: Jay Rouse A: Piano, opt. orchestration, opt trax U: Adult • General P: PraiseGathering ©: 2014

May Christ Be Praised V: SATB #: 00116778 E: Robert E Grass A: Piano, Optional Trumnpet (included), optional trax (00116842) U: Adult • Call to Worship, General • Small Church P: Brookfield ©: 2013

2014 creatormagazine.com

13

good stuff

new stuff The Celtic Choir

Joseph M Martin

Shawnee Press An acoustic praise choral collection

Things we think would be helpful resources for church musicians and worship leaders...

Legacy Kurt Kaiser

Gospel Blues for 4 hand piano Joel Raney Hope A great collection that will put a smile on everyone’s face – both players and listeners alike.

Steal This Idea

But there are other variations on this theme, with graduates, grandparents, Irish in March, or an intergenerational group for All Saints Sunday.

Don’t stop there, however. Just because the men and women sit together in the choir doesn’t mean that they always have to sing together.

Look beyond the typical SATB literature to music for men’s or women’s choir.

Include children with the adults at least once a year – it just may inspire some of those young singers to continue singing the rest of their lives.

Finally, this idea goes beyond choirs.

Alternate men, women, and children during congregational singing based upon the text of the hymn or chorus.

Got an idea worth stealing? Send it to creator@creatormagazine.com

14

Nurturing the Creative Life of God’s People Michael J Bauer Wm B Eerdmans Publishing

volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

Hymns of Worship

Part of the Calvin Institute Liturgical Studies Series, this is a “must have” book for those who lead ministry in any of the arts.

David Wise and David Shipps

Word Choral settings of foundational songs of faith

Embracing Shared Ministry

God Made You Special

Power and Status in the Early Church and Why it Matters Today

Separate the Men and the Women

The spring season brings some wonderful opportunities to do special choir anthems Some churches have a women’s choir sing on Mother’s Day and a men’s choir on Father’s Day. Others do the reverse so that instead of ministry by women, for instance, it is ministry to women.

A new recording from one of the deans of sacred music

Arts Ministry

Cherry Garasi and Pamela Vandewalker Simply Word Kidz A nice addition to the Veggie Tales series of children’s musicals

Joseph H Hellerman Kregel Hellerman takes a look back at ancient Roman cultural values and uses them to provide context for today’s ministry paradigms.

Testimony of Life Joseph M Martin

Shawnee Press It’s not too early to think about Christmas, and this is a nice setting of lessons and carols

Excellence Killed the Church!

The Only Name

Shawn M Greener author-house

A bit of a polemic, but a worthwhile read nonetheless, if only to understand Greener’s point of view.

Yours Will Be Arranged by Cliff Duren

if

Word A worship musical for choir and multiple worship leaders

Playing Before the Lord

Money and Your Ministry

The Life and Work of Joseph Haydn

Balance the Books While Keeping Your Balance

Calvin R Stapert

Wm B Eerdmans Publishing

This is mostly a biography, but there’s a lot of music, and some music analysis, to go around. A great resource if you are interested in Haydn and his sacred music.

Margaret J. Marcuson

Marcuson Leadership Circle

This is a great book for those who have issues with money, particularly as money intersects with ministry.

Marcuson frames the discussion objectively and provides concrete examples of steps to take to overcome money issues.

by Vern

Sanders

leadership

music ministry benchmarks

T

hroughout history,

creative people – artists and musicians primarily – have had difficulty serving the church universal. In fairness to the church, creatives can be difficult.

Temperment, control issues, authority issues, creative freedom...you name it, and it has been a source of frustration to church fathers (and, to be accurate, church mothers, but for the purpose of this article, fathers will be used with the understanding that the term means “those in charge of churches”) for centuries.

On the other hand, creatives have made the argument for those same centuries that they – and their work – are simply not understood. We now understand this better because of all the left brain/ right brain research that has been done, but knowing that creatives are different is only half of the equation.

The other half – that a creative’s work can only really be evaluated by another creative of equal or more developed creative sensibilities, and specific

A Classic Case training in the creative discipline – is rarely spoken in public.

The reason for this can probably be best explained by citing the unaswerable question: “When did you stop beating your spouse?”

To answer the question in any other manner than “I never beat my spouse” implies guilt, and thus the one doing the answering is immediately incriminating themselves. But to use the answer quoted in this paragraph actually cannot be proven to be true if a beaten spouse exists.

If a creative tells a church father “There is no one [on campus/in town/in the world] who is qualified to understand the quality of the work I do,” the statement itself seems to confirm the temperment, control issues, etc. which are at the heart of the church fathers’difficulties.

In short, there are no benchmarks for creatives who serve the church.

Even the most now-beloved composers have had trouble as creatives serving in church positions. The complaints of J.S. Bach, for instance, are well documented.

Less well known is the experience of a certain Mr. Mozart.

In January 1781, Mozart’s opera Idomeneo premiered with “considerable success” in Munich. The following March, he was summoned to Vienna, where his employer, Archbishop Colloredo, was attending the celebrations for the accession of Joseph II to the Austrian throne.

Fresh from the adulation he had earned in Munich, Mozart was offended when Colloredo treated him as a mere servant and particularly when the archbishop forbade him to perform before the Emperor at Countess Thun’s for a fee equal to half of his yearly Salzburg salary. The resulting quarrel came to a head in May: Mozart attempted to resign and was refused.

The following month, permission was granted but in a grossly insulting way: the composer was dismissed literally “with a kick in the [behind]”, administered by the archbishop’s steward, Count Arco.

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social media... instant connections in

A Benchmark is a measurable standard, most often applied to technology; for instance, how fast a computer chip is, compared to the standard benchmark.

Benchmarks can be applied in other arenas as well, of course. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL – www. ccl.org) offers an assessment package for leaders, described thusly:

Benchmarks assesses 16 competencies that CCL researchers identified as being critical to successful management:

Leading the Organization

let your fingers do the talking join the conversation

• • • • •

Strategic Perspective Being a Quick Study Decisiveness Change Management Leading Others

Leading Employees • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Leading Employees Confronting Problem Employees Participative Management Building Collaborative Relationships Compassion and Sensitivity Putting People at Ease Respect for Differences Leading Yourself Taking Initiative Composure Balance Between Personal and Work Life Self-awareness Career Management Potential For Derailment

In addition, Benchmarks helps managers identify five potential flaws that may stall or derail a promising career:

http://cmag.ws/4i

http://cmag.ws/4k

•

Problems with Interpersonal Relationships

•

Difficulty Building and Leading a Team

•

Difficulty Changing or Adapting

•

Failure to Meet Business Objectives

•

Too Narrow Functional Orientation

(I take no position on the quality of CCL’s services, which I have never used, nor am I being paid to write this.)

In my role as Creator’s publisher, my colleagues and I spend a lot of time talking about many of the things on that 16 point list above. I would agree that if a person has a positive quotient for those positive traits, you’re probably going to find a leader. How good

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a leader is open to debate, of course.

So the question may be asked, what about benchmarks as they relate to the standard/mission critical tasks of music ministry? Are there benchmarks for which all church musicians might agree are “standards”? Here’s one list, from Rick Waynick, Director of Music at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Newport News, Virginia:

Among the many things used by the church to celebrate its faith, sacred music is exceedingly important [and] forms an integral and necessary part of the liturgy.

The function of sacred music in the liturgy is to serve not dominate. Sacred music heightens texts and helps the congregation express and share their faith. Sacred music that is done well helps to promote good liturgical celebrations and can nourish faith.

Sacred music is meant to unite the congregation.

Directors of Music are those folks who encourage and lead the congregation in their sung praise and prayer. They encourage active participation in the liturgy by means of hymnody, psalmody, responses, antiphons, and mass settings.

Music directors also help members of the choirs, instrumentalists, and cantors view their contribution as a genuine liturgical function of worship. Sacred music in worship is not an end itself but rather contributes to the prayerful atmosphere of the congregation.

Following are what I think are important benchmarks for an effective music ministry: * Sacred music is valued as a gift from God and supported by the clergy and congregation. * The function of sacred music is ministerial. * All involved with the music ministry ought to have a biblical understanding of the nature of worship, sacred music, and liturgy. * The music ministry takes place within the context of the church with a shared understanding of its purpose and mission. * Members of the music ministry are servants with a clear understanding and

a passionate commitment to the part they play in that mission.

Sacred Music is a gift from God and Supported by the Clergy and Congregation

* The music ministry is a team who work together towards common goals, show love and support for one another, and deal biblically and appropriately with conflict. * Standards are set by the Director of Music based on the ability of each choir. * The Director of Music participates in continuing education. * Sacred music is carefully chosen and planned. * The new hymnody repertoire is regularly and systematically reviewed. * The music ministry is technically, aesthetically, and expressively good and suitable for liturgy and effective for the congregation. * The music ministry includes a multichoir program for children and adults.

Some of Rick’s list are “mom and apple pie” kinds of things, but many are useful things to which a music ministry leader might aspire. In the context of evaluating creatives and their work, however, there is a notable lack of specifics.

How, for instance, do you measure “supported by the clergy and congregation?” What about “have a biblical understanding of the nature of worship, sacred music, and liturgy?” Then there’s the biggie: “deal biblically and appropriately with conflict.”

Can we set down some “practical” benchmarks for key music ministry leadership? What should they be?

Relative Benchmarks At Creator, we firmly believe in local solutions for local situations. As a result, articulating specific benchmarks for any particular church is difficult for anyone not on the ground at that church (see the unanswerable question, above).

But here at Creator, we also believe in professional accountability in church music and worship ministry. It should be useful, therefore, to establish some relative benchmarks, and move from those general principles to looking at specifics for typical areas of music ministry.

But first I want to establish that what follows is my opinion, and if you decide to use this information for comparative

purposes, particularly as proof that your church musician is inadequate, you do so at your own risk.

What follows is not the result of a scientific study. Nor is it as elaborate as the requirements for certification at various levels by the American Guild of Organists. It is, however, based upon years of practical experience.

Before we get to specifics, let’s establish some ground rules and facts of life:

* Not every church can afford the best musician(s) in town for their ministry * Not every church (or its pastoral leadership) wants the best musician(s) in town in their ministry

As with most everything in life, even the definition of “best” is relative, and subject to interpretation, geo-/demographic idiosyncracy, and ignorance.

As a result, it seems more practical to list (taking the positive stance) general standards/benchmarks for “adequate,” “competent,” and “leader” categories for different aspects of music ministry.

I’ve provided a specific example of benchmarks with regard to a church’s website below.

So with that example in mind, let’s move on to some “practical” benchmarks for key music ministry leadership.

Remember that what follows is my opinion, and not the result of a scientific study. It is, however, based upon years of practical experience.

Church Website Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE

LEADER

• It exists

• Is SEO friendly in design and content

• Provides easily discernable answers to the two biggest search questions: Where are you located? and What time are your services?

• Is logical and user-friendly in layout

COMPETENT • Actually looks as if it was built in the past ten years, and that somebody put some thought into its design • Content gives some idea of who the church is, and is consistent in its look and feel to other information provided to who that church is • Staff biographical and job-specific information is provided, and updated when changes happen (i.e. when staff arrive or leave) • A listing of ongoing church ministries/programs is provided with generic descriptions of them

• Is easily navigable across platforms and is responsive when viewed on a mobile device such as a tablet or smart phone • Content is updated weekly, if not more often • One or more staff members has a blog and posts at least monthly to it • Content/design clearly answers “who we are” and “who we serve” questions in terms that both current members and demographically targeted potential members find intriguing (and if, for instance, it is a Presbyterian church, the website links to rather than presents extensive passages from the Book of Order)

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The Chief Instrumentalist So let’s talk about the chief instrumental accompanist for congregational singing. There’s a reason to start with this benchmark. Not every church has a worship pastor, or a minister of music, or a handbell choir director. But almost every church has someone who has the primary responsibility to accompany the largest choir in the church: the congregation.

Why almost every church? Because some churches prefer unaccompanied singing. Some churches use recordings, in which case the benchmarks for this position would probably reduce to “can turn the recording off and on at the appropriate time.”

And, yes, some churches don’t have a single player lead congregational singing, because they have enough resources to have a band, or an orchestra take this responsibility. But even in the largest, or most band-driven worship environments, there generally comes a time when a single instrument leads the singing. It might be a solo acoustic

Chief Instrumental Accompanist Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE • Can accompany congregational singing without detracting from the congregation’s participation • If necessary, can adequately accompany new music for congregational singing COMPETENT • Can accompany congregational singing in keys which allow for the most congregational participation • Can vary accompaniment depending upon the style of the hymn or chorus • If playing piano/keyboard/organ, can play the 4 part harmonies published in they hymnal (if any) used by the congregation and the correct chords from a lead sheet for a chorus • If playing the guitar, can play the correct chords a the correct time for the hymn or chorus, and can play more than one strum style

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LEADER • Can modulate between verses if it seems appropriate • Can transpose based upon the congregation’s vocal comfort zone • Listens and internally “sings along” with the congregation, helping when needed or providing only instrumental color when appropriate • Can play introductions that “set up” the music in a way that the congregation is prepared to sing when they are supposed to start • Can play transitions between hymns and/or choruses that naturally lead from the music just finished to the music coming next, so that the congregation is ready to sing when they are supposed to start the new song • Can play comfortably with other players

guitar for Silent Night on Christmas eve, or it might be a piano solo for The Heart of Worship, but there is one “default” player in almost every church.

I mentioned above that the requirements for certification at various levels by the American Guild of Organists are quite detailed. The problem is that many churches don’t have an organist, or even an organ, for that matter (well...I suppose it depends upon how you define “organ” but for the moment let’s agree that I mean “not a keyboard synthesizer” when I say organ).

As modern worship has evolved, a much higher higher percentage of churches now depend upon a piano, an electronic keyboard, or a guitar to provide instrumental accompaniment for congregational singing. While I recognize that the skill sets of a pianist/ keyboard player and guitarist are disparate, there are, I believe, some basic benchmarks nonetheless.

You’ll find my list of characteristic benchmarks for the chief instrumental accompanist on this page.

Worship Team Members Now let’s talk about worship team members leading congregational singing. I understand that many churches don’t have a lot of options here, but if you believe that the concept of first fruits applies to church music and worship ministry, we need to talk about it.

A worship team can be as small as a single vocalist on a keyboard or guitar, up to a full double (or triple) guitar band with a set of Tower of Power horns, and even include additional “standard” (strings, flutes, etc.) or “non-standard” (accordian, harmonica, bagpipes) instruments. The bagpipes reference was just to see if you were paying attention.

Unfortunately, sometimes members of the worship team are there to “showcase” their talents, because it may be their only outlet to do so. When this happens, the team is more about themselves than providing instrumental accompaniment for congregational singing. Not a good thing.

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With that in mind, there are, I believe, some basic benchmarks for a worship team member, be they a player or a singer. My list is below.

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Worship Team Member Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE

LEADER

• Can lead congregational singing without placing the spotlight on themselves, either because of bad musicianship or wannabe stardom

• Is flexible and able to respond positively (both in attitude and musically) when a particular song demands that they take a different role in the ensemble

• Understand the “team” concept of working together for the goal of leading the congregation in worship

• Can “lead” if called upon to do so

COMPETENT • Is comfortable in a variety of musical styles • Is comfortable in a variety of keys so that the team leads the congregation in the congregation’s comfortable singing range • Is prepared for rehearsal and worship, either because of their musicianship or the willingness to work outside the rehearsal to learn their part

• Can modify accompaniment or vocal scoring verse to verse based upon the text of the chorus or hymn • Listens and internally “sings along” with the congregation, adjusting when needed or appropriate to the congregation’s response • Understands what a “hook” is, and can reproduce or create one when asked • Can play or sing comfortably with other members of the team, helping the group stay “in the pocket,” whatever those other team members’ musical capabilities are

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spring training!

One of the best ways to improve the skill set of any individual or group is to set aside time for intentional work on fundamentals. Every rehearsal should ideally include time spent on developing the core competencies of players and/ or singers.

Even better is to schedule a “training camp.” For a group, this could be a summer or fall “pre-season” weekend of

Choir Members When talking about choir members we negotiate a slippery slope. In churches, many choir members don’t measure up, talent-wise, to the other leadership positions we are discussing here. That’s not a bad thing! It is, however, a fact of life.

By and large, a church choir needs more time and effort to do their leadership well. They also need more specifically talented leadership to help them do their own ministry, but we’ll get to that later.

A choir can be a few people or several hundred voices strong. That means that, in most cases, members of a choir feel a certain “safety in numbers” comfort about the contribution of their talents to the whole ensemble.

A mid-year “course correc-

At the same time, a choir can have very talented people sitting next to not-sotalented people, and that can create a unique set of problems. Let’s look at some basic benchmarks for a choir member.

tion” one-day intensive on

My list of characteristic choir member benchmarks for a choir director is below.

rehearsals, Bible study, and fun.

a Saturday or Sunday in the winter or spring can function as a refresher. It can also bring new ensemble members up to speed on musical fundamentals and expectations.

For the leader, a once a year

Choir Member Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

study leave week at a confer-

ADEQUATE

ence or retreat center will

• Regularly attends rehearsals, arriving on time

provide time to concentrate on both musical growth and leadership development.

A quarterly all day offsite without phones or tablets is a good way for a leader to refocus on ongoing development or to explore new skills to enlarge your ministry capabilities.

• Understands the visual relationship between up and down on a page of music and produces sound that mirrors it COMPETENT

• Can manage the vocal break without altering tone quality • Vocally blends by listening to others in the section and choir, matches vowels and places consonants properly • Vocally balances by listening to others in the section and choir and adjusting volume appropriately

• Can distinguish and reproduce intervals by hearing them played or sung

• Can sing solo passages if asked to do so

• Does not distract from rehearsal work at hand by talking, etc.

• Understands subtext in the text and communicates it through body language and facial expression

• Reduces repetitious mistakes

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• Reads music and carries a pencil

• Makes a positive contribution to the spiritual, social, and musical activities of the choir

• Can vocally produce dynamic contrast

20

LEADER

• Recognizes when a fellow singer needs help and provides it without distracting from the ongoing rehearsal

Choir Director Some people believe church choir directors are an endangered species. Yet singing, as an avocation, seems to be everywhere in the media). What’s up with that? Well…don’t get me started…(but I do cover that topic in my book The Choir in Modern Worship).

The good news is that choirs are no longer considered a bad thing in contemporary worship, and, as a result, many churches who got rid of choirs are now resurrecting them, and, therefore, needing choir directors.

get these EBooks

A choir’s director is often the leader of the largest “small group” in the church, which means that there are spiritual and relational requirements in the choir director job description as well as musical. As we look at some basic benchmarks for a choir director there is one caveat. This list assumes that the director has a reasonable accompanist, or can accompany the choir personally. While I know that some choirs “sing along with trax,” such a choir program does not really need a director, but rather someone who can press play on the playback machine.

My list of characteristic benchmarks for a choir director is below.

Choir Director Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE • Keeps the choir program alive • Cares enough about people to invest in the choir’s (and individual members thereof) development as singers, musicians, and worship leaders COMPETENT • Is comfortable teaching and leading the choir in a variety of musical styles • Is capable of leading the choir (collectively and individually) in an ongoing musical, vocal, and spiritual development • Is organized enough to plan ahead for a choir season, rather than working week-to-week with no apparent longterm plan • Contributes to the church staff team in the manner which is expected of that position at that particular church

LEADER • Has studied and/or mastered and is comfortable enough with a wide variety of repertoire to be able to teach the choir to sing in the appropriate style of any given piece of music (i.e. Bach sounds like Bach is supposed to sound, and so does Keith Getty’s or Bill Gaither’s music

at the Creator Store

• Knows enough about vocal production and technique to help the choir (individually and collectively) sing better and more easily • Maintains a regular spiritual development component of the choir’s life • Works productively in rehearsals so that the choir is always frully prepared to sing during worship • Adds value to the church’s staff team, and is able to contribute in a manner that moves the staff’s common agenda forward • Interacts with the congregation in a way that invites people to participate in the choir program • Cares about the entire musical and spiritual life of the congregation, and supports adult, children’s, and youth music and christian education programs and staff

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Worship Leader Defining what a worship leader does can be tricky. In some churches a worship leader is defined as somebody who owns a guitar.

In others, it means somebody who is a “songleader” (which means standing in front of the congregation and waving their arms during congregational singing). In some churches it is the band who is always out of town doing concerts.

So I contacted my friend Doug Lawrence, and asked: “What does a worship leader do, these days?”

Doug’s response? “A worship leader is an usher: someone who ushers the congregation into the presence of God.” Perfect. Notice that Doug didn’t say “a star performer.” He also didn’t say “someone under the age of 35.” Nor did he say “someone who spends most of their time at the church working on their next album.”

Unfortunately, each of those descriptions are all too common these days.

The most recent examples I can give are these: a comment from a young worship leader who, when I asked about how their ministry was doing in the church in which they served, said (and I quote): “Oh, I’m not worried about that.

I’m only there until I get a record deal and can go on the road.” a direct quote from a pastor in his late 50s, who asked me to help his church find a new worship leader, when I asked why a fully qualified in-house early 60s candidate wasn’t being considered: “I want someone under 40.” When I asked why, the reply was, “I just do.”

Look to the right to see my list of characteristic benchmarks for a worship leader.

Worship Leader Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE • Can play/lead/sing at least three songs • Understands enough about worship to know that it isn’t about what they do, but rather about what the congregation experiences COMPETENT • Has a plan for any given worship service • Can lead a team of musicians well enough to prepare them to deliver the worship that is planned • Is organized enough to plan ahead, and flexible enough to make changes when needed • Contributes to the church staff team in the manner which is expected of that position at that particular church

LEADER • Has a plan, but listens to the Spirit (and the congregation) and can adapt (including getting out of the way) on the fly during worship • Leads rather than tells the congregation what they are going to do before each segment of the service (i.e. “now let’s pray”) • Senses when there is a need for a transition, and when there is a need for silence • Lives in Scripture enough to pray/ comment “in the moment” during worship from a strong sense of what is “right for the moment” • Adds value to the church’s staff team, and is able to contribute in a manner that moves the staff’s common agenda forward • Interacts with the congregation in a way that invites people to encounter God • Cares about the entire spiritual life of the congregation, and not just the latest hit worship tune

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A Worship Leader is someone who ushers the Congregation into the presence of God Worship Planner Worship planning is one of those things that comes naturally to some people and not to others. It is not the kind of thing that can be learned quickly, and it is a task that I believe you can never get completely “right.”

Setting benchmarks for worship planners is one of the toughest things to define. It is something like the proverbial little girl with the little curl: when it is good, it is great…but when it is bad…look out. All you can do, when it comes right down to it, is listen, pray, study, and be creative (within the

confines of a given church’s liturgical structure, of course).

A worship planner’s job is done at a desk and on their knees, but it plays out in the sanctuary. It is like an offensive or defensive co-ordinator’s position in football: you make your plans, but then, depending upon what happens in real time, everything might go out the window, or it might be one of those special times when it just works.

You’ll find my list of characteristic benchmarks of a worship planner below.

Worship Planner Benchmarks The benchmarks below should be considered to be cumulative. That means that a competent website will also have all the benchmarks listed for an adequate site, and so forth. They should also be considered to be a starting point for discussion, not absolutes.

ADEQUATE • Phones in the hymn/chorus choices and choir/special music early enough to get the music listed in the worship bulletin or powerpoint • Understands enough about the liturgy (whether denominationally proscribed, or fiercely free) of the specific congregation to keep everybody engaged COMPETENT • Works together with the preaching pastor to design something that suits that pastor • Is conversant enough with Scripture to be able to include contextually appropriate music and spoken text for any given service • Is organized enough to plan ahead, and flexible enough to adapt, when needed, to unforseen circumstances

• Contributes to the church staff team in the manner which is expected of that position at that particular church

Vice President of Creativity You will surely have noticed that there are a few “job descriptions” that I’ve omitted. The simple reason is that if you serve, or employ, people who serve in the ministries of things like children’s music, handbells, orchestra direction and players, these benchmarks should, I believe, give you enough of a model to construct what you need.

There is one more thing that I want to point out, however. Too often, in my opinion, a church, and its leadership, tries to stuff their music and worship staff (and volunteers) into an “only music” box. Doing so comes at the expense of the other arts.

Drama, visual arts, dance, mime, and environmental design, for instance, are, again in my opinion, not “extras” or frivolous. There are many ways in which people process and absorb information.

While I understand that economics and the ambient talent pool surrounding a particular church have a huge influence, I feel strongly that to ignore the other arts is to potentially block outreach to a specific (although different than typically defined) people group.

That having been said, I hope these benchmarks are useful in helping you relate to and evaluate the worth of the creatives who serve in your church’s ministry. fine

LEADER • Spends more time in prayer and contemplation than writing the outline • Has enough of an observational worship background memory to draw upon past experiences to plan for just the”right” worship event at just the “right” time in a service • Leaves space and time for the Holy Spirit to work • Starts with a clean piece of paper for each service, not a “fill-in-the-blanks” template • Is creative enough to incorporate “new” things, and sensitive enough to provide continuity over time • Plans for a “moment” when people can encounter God, as opposed to a “service” that fills time and space

for further reading • Music Ministry Equal Pay: Pick Two? – Vernon Sanders • Volunteer Staff Development – Charles Torian • Common Traits of Excellent Churches – Paul Wilkes • Becoming the Complete Church Musician – Wayne Richmond • The Leadership Program for Musicians Serving Smaller Congregations – Rev Mark R Babb You can find many of these articles and/ or buy the Leadership Articles Compliation CD for just $19.95 at http://cmag.ws/6k.

All articles are available by calling 800-7776713.

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leadership

SEVEN

by Randall

Bradley

Foundational Skills

I

for the next generation of

music and worship ministry leaders

f one thing can be said

about music ministry during the twenty-five years of my teaching in higher education, it is that nothing stays the same. The field is constantly shifting, and how we do music ministry in the local church is all but static.

With few of the expectations of what music and worship leaders should know and be able to do falling off the leader’s plate and many more being added all the time, it is impossible to teach students all the knowledge and skills that might assure their success in the broad array of congregations they will serve – the field is simply too large and diverse.

As I reflect on this topic, I have chosen to move beyond the obvious additions that have made their way into our curriculum – guitar, more work with praise bands and popular idioms, presentation software, electronic instruments, technology, updated worship models, and music software. Instead I have chosen to focus on the foundational skills and principles that I believe are important for students to become leaders who function effectively in

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ministries that will span the next fifty or more years.

Ability to Minister Interdenominationally One of the critical leadership needs going forward is the ability to move inter-denominationally or non-denominationally. With the breakdown of denominations and the trend expected to escalate, students must know how to minister inter-denominationally and in settings where congregations do not have a stated denominational identity.

I am still occasionally asked if we only teach “Baptist Church Music” at Baylor, and it always causes me to think what might that look like if it were possible.

Today’s students must be conversant with a larege number of worship models drawn from a wide variety of cultural and theological perspectives.

They must understand the basic tenets of several denominational worship traditions in order to be conversant within traditions not their own and familiar with the ever-growing list of hybrids.

Spiritual Formation and Self Awareness With the expectation of ministers to pastor congregations with problems that are increasingly complex, ministers must be well formed as spiritual beings.

They must have core beliefs in place and enter ministry with the full expectation that they will be intricately involved in the lives of those who participate in the ministries that they oversee.

The difficult issues with which they will deal can easily cause them to burn out quickly if their core self is not God centered and grounded. In addition, to maintain their energy for leadership, they must have a strong awareness of themselves and how they relate to others.

A Love for All Genres and Styles The days of “toleration” of styles and genres outside our personal preferences within music ministry are fast coming to a close. With individual identity so closely connected to music, to not love someone’s music risks the

possibility of being perceived as not loving the person.

In these days of music pluralism, those who use music as their primary ministry tool must love many styles and genres of music. Music and worship ministry leaders must be willing to listen to and participate in many kinds of music beyond their current preferences and affinities.

Leadership In Times of Change In a process that we held a couple of years ago regarding curriculum, after spiritual and musical preparation, leadership development was perceived by multiple focus groups as the most important component of preparation.

Closely connected is the ability to lead in congregational change.

growing canon of songs from the last fifty years, students must be aware of newer songs coming from various parts of the world as well as indigenous songs being collected and contemporary hymns being crafted.

An Ethic of Self Care With more to know, more to do, and more people to whom to minister, the need for learning how to set boundaries and establish an ethic of self care is paramount to survival in ministry of the future. As addiction numbers soar, depression and mental illnesses increase, and technology allows us to believe we can do more and more; congregants will increasingly turn to their minsters for support.

As ministers, we must remain healthy if we are to minister to others. Ministers of the future must be prepared to know

their limitations, have strongly held commitments to families and loved ones, and set up accountability with other ministers and support groups.

Young ministers must start now to establish a community of others who hold them to high standards of personal care.

As we move forward in music and worship ministry, our field’s expected knowledge base and skill set will likely increase, yet our capacity to know more and do more will not. We will be required to make more choices regarding what we are able to do, and we must learn to depend on others for what we do not know and cannot do. In the meantime, turning our attention to skill and actions that matter most will be crucial and our ability to focus on what is most important will assure that we remain both viable and healthy. fine

As we face the future, the rate of change will likely escalate, and today’s students will be required to lead in greater amounts of change than in my generation. Looking back, the lack of ability to adapt to and lead in change seems to have been responsible for many music ministry colleagues dropping out of ministry.

A Multicultural Perspective While slow to catch on in some circles, ministers must develop an outlook that involves not only Western traditions but the traditions of Asia, Africa, South America, and others. As technology and travel decreases the size of our world, leaders within the church will be expected to sing and lead in ways that affirm the global reach of God. The next generation of leaders must be encouraged to interact with the songs of other cultures, and they must develop the skills to teach and enliven songs from cultures whose cultural and congregational models are less western influenced.

A Broader Repertoire of the Church’s Song The repertoire of the congregation’s song is ever increasing, and it is impossible to know even a small portion of all the congregational song material available. However, not to be aware of the broad body of material available is to risk short changing the people that we serve locally.

In addition to traditional hymns and the 2014 creatormagazine.com

25

leadership

by Lura

Milner

FIVE

Tips For a Proactive Resumé

A

nd then it happens... Five Tips

you thought things were going wonderfully at your job. Then a meeting is called and you don’t have a job. So what do you do? How do you get back into the job market?

More importantly – what could you have done to be ready for this moment to happen?

No one likes being out of work – for the most part, the human race likes to be employed and happily employed at that. But sometimes life happens and changes occur.

Routine Maintenance So how can we be ready? What can we do to be proactive to prevent the last minute panic of building a resume and skills list? There is a simple two word answer: Routine maintenance.

Just like a car requires routine maintenance, your resume requires routine maintenance. Here are a few simple tips that, when done on a regular basis, can help mediate the uncertainty and anxiety that a job loss creates.

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volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

Ask for a letter of recommendation from your supervisor every year Yes, every year.

Here’s why. Usually when we ask for a letter of recommendation, our boss gets suspicious. Are you looking for another job? Why? By asking for a letter of recommendation every year suspicion is reduced because you can explain that you are keeping your portfolio up to date.

Repeating this every year also allows the supervisor to write a more objective and current recommendation, rather than rushing to put something together when you need to apply for a job at the last minute. Experience has shown that these non-rushed, non-threatening letters of recommendation are more genuine, and more informative than last minute letters.

Keep a short resume and a long resume In your long resume, you will want to list every single possible responsibility or accomplishment associated with a job or activity. Yes, this can be long.

(Mine is currently seven pages.) After all, it is your professional life.

Your potential employers will never see this long version. The long version is for you.

Why? It helps you remember those things you accomplished at a position ten years ago. It also provides some options in personalizing a new resume.

If your new dream job wants experience in youth choirs – but you have not worked with youth choirs since college, you can pull the description of that experience from your long resume and personalize your short resume.

Practical tip Let your supervisor know you will be repeating your reference letter request every year. Then they learn to expect it and are not surprised by the request each year.

By the same token, as you personalize each short resume with relevant job descriptions, save a copy of those descriptions in your long resume. This builds an extensive list of different ways to describe the same responsibility in a variety of words that appeal to different employers.

Practical tip Be sure to label which version is your long version in the file name. This avoids accidentally sending a potential employer your 10 page unedited resume.

Run your resume through Wordle (wordle.net) Wordle is a graphic representation of the frequency of words. In other words, it will take a passage of text and calculate which words occur more frequently and which occur less frequently. It then creates a word cloud image, where the size of the word in the cloud is proportional to that word’s frequency.

Are the large words the message you want to convey with your resume? If not, consider doing some word edits within your resume. Add or edit words to help the computer see exactly what you have to offer your new dream job.

Second, look at your Wordle graphic to see if you are missing any skill sets.

Do you think that you have a lot of mentoring experience but that is not represented in the Wordle graphic?

What experience are you missing? What characteristic do you want to be better represented? These things can be fixed by rewording your resume, or going out and getting those experiences now – before you need them for that next position.

Keep in mind these cloud images are not meant to be stored and saved. You are allowed to print them or save the image to a public gallery. However, you are not allowed to save them as an image or transfer them to another file.

Why is this important?

Computer scanning may seem like a big box corporate method. However, no matter what you think of the technique, computer scanning is an efficient method to use. As a result, many smaller companies and churches are using this method.

These days it is safe to assume that your resume will be scanned. That way you can prepare for it – not surprised by it.

On the one hand, some people believe you should use the same word to describe a particular skill so that your resume is consistent. For instance, mentoring, coaching, guidance, advising, would all be described as one skill – mentoring – for all instances of this skill in your resume.

By using just one description word, your resume is easier to read. This method also allows that word to have a higher frequency count when your resume is scanned by the computer.

On the other hand, what if your particular potential employer is looking for the word coaching and you have only used the word mentoring?

A competing school of thought believes in utilizing a variety of description words for one skill across all instances in your resume. This method increases your chance of having that one word the computer scan is looking for.

Quality

What does this Wordle word analysis help you do? Three things. One – it helps you see what the computer sees.

Two – it helps you see what you are missing from your resume and skill list.

Three – it helps spot any consistency problems in your resume.

First, a majority of employers these days utilize a computer scanner to perform the first round of screening resumes.

These scans are simply looking for key words. Does your resume have them or not? That will determine which pile your resume is placed in.

Finally, use this Wordle graphic to determine consistency within your resume. There are two approaches to this.

By utilizing Wordle you can determine if the vocabulary in your resume is a representative picture of your skills.

What word is the largest? (Disregard words like the, and, a, etc.)

“The tour was very well planned and provided a great mix of tourism and missionoriented excursions. The choir was highly impressed – their favorite tour to date.”

Dennis Coleman, Director, First Congregational Church of Bellevue

For over fifty years, we have customized tours to fit each group’s unique interests, abilities, and expectations. Many satisfied ensembles return year after year, knowing that we can provide them with a memorable experience every time.

800-627-2141

WST 601 273 533 • CST 2063085-40 Photo courtesy of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Choir

ACFEA Tour Consultants 123 Second Avenue South, Suite 105 Edmonds, WA 98020 www.acfea.com . email: info@acfea.com

2014 creatormagazine.com

27

The downside to this method is the frequency count of each individual word is much lower. Also, it makes reading your resume a little harder because there is no consistent vocabulary.

To put it in musical terms, the singleword method is like featuring a single soloist throughout a piece of music, while the multiple-word technique would be like passing the solo around during the course of a song.

I personally prefer the single-word method. I like having a higher frequency count for a strong description of a particular skill. When editing, I use the most common description of that skill within my industry.

Choosing a method for your resume is a personal decision. Do what feels right for you and the position for which you are applying.

written in the captions of photos where appropriate.

I am not suggesting that your name be plastered all over every page of the church’s website. But make sure appropriate references to you are present, particularly where it will be in sync with the information in your resume. If you’ve done it, flaunt it.

Practical tip If there are any negative links in your Google search – i.e. another person with your name that was just released from jail (this actually happened to a friend of mine) – consider using a middle initial in your resume. Be prepared for possible questions regarding this negative press for your name.

Options in resumé design Practical tip Paste the simplest version of your resume into Wordle or be prepared to remove text formatting after entering it. Remove your contact information as well.

Google yourself Yes, run your name as a Google search.

What comes up in the first ten links?

Hopefully it is links to the latest press releases or website descriptions of your fantastic ministry. Or even better, a link to the video of the latest Christmas Program performance. Something good should be in those first ten links.

And here is a hint: something is always better than nothing. Many people will think “Perfect! My name does not come up at all!” This can actually hurt you when it comes to applying for a position.

Employers then start to wonder – why isn’t he/she on the internet at all? Are they actually using technology? Are they really at the positions they claim to be at? Can they use social media?

Are they really involved or just on the peripheral?

If your name is not creating links from a Google search, talk to the website person at your church. Ask them to include your name in the description of events where appropriate. Suggest that your name be tagged in photos or

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volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

This last tip is more of a personal choice. Resumes can have a variety of appearances and a variety of formats and layouts. It is so easy to use a Word template, insert the relevant information and start printing out copies for potential employers. The name of the new resume game, however, is personalization. Have multiple versions of your resume ready.

Of course we all need the traditional chronological resume. That is a timeless classic. Keep that. Then experiment.

If you are applying for a more creative position, do you have a creative resume that speaks to your skills? Can you create one?

One of the biggest trends these days is the use of infographics. If, for instance, you are applying to work in the social media and technology department within a non-profit organization – have you thought of creating a resume that resembles tweets?

If you are applying for a position that is music based, have you thought of a resume that graphically looks like music?

I am not saying these types of

If you want to pick Lura’s brain about re-

sumes, career changes, or the latest digit of pi, you can find her at about.me/luramilner

resumes are for the masses. They would not be sent to everyone.

However, every once in a while there will be a job application that needs a great deal of tweaking to make your resume stand out from the crowd – in a good way.

If you are interested in seeing some examples of these new graphic resumes, do a Google search for “graphic resumes.” Both image examples and links to free graphical resume creation services available online will pop up.

Check out a few of these links and see what appeals to you and what might be appropriate for your industry. Use them as inspiration. I personally found three or four layouts that will greatly update my resume – without looking like I am trying to be flashy or obnoxious.

Practical tip When you send a non-traditional resume to a potential employer – always include the traditional resume as well. This allows them to scan the traditional resume if they want. It also helps you appeal to different people on the selection team – some will want to see the non-traditional resume – some will prefer the traditional resume. Be sure to include both.

Bonus Tip One of the biggest things to remember when it comes to a job search is to be ready. Your dream position may just come along at the most random, unexpected, and possibly inconvenient time for you.

Just because you are happily employed now, does not mean you should reject any potential opportunities. And while it is smart to remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the proverbial fence, always be open to discussions and possibilities – even if just to research what you might want to do five years from now.

Building and creating your dream job takes time and effort. Always be collecting information. Then you can be ready if that job does show up – even at the most inconvenient time. fine

leadership

by William

Schoenfeld

GUIDE LINES

For a Music Leadership Search Committee

T

he decision to hire a church

music leader into active ministry within a congregation is considered by most people to be second only, in importance, to that of selecting a senior minister or senior pastor.

Even in denominations who place pastors, it is commonly felt that music leadership is the second position that should be filled. The time and energy exercised by a Search Committee for a music position is considerable. Thus, some basic guidelines need to be followed through the entire selection process.

One paramount rule for any search committee to follow is keep the candidates well informed! A considerable amount of frustration is generated when a dossier has been sent and then months pass before anything is reported, if at all. Even a quick form letter – or email, which is even less personal – to say that the position has been filled is better than no response at all.

To be certain that a qualified leader is selected for any church music position, let’s analyze some important points which might facilitate the process.

Creativity in the Workplace Companies want creative workers, in the sense that they want people who take on tasks in new ways and are able to solve problems. Creative thinking has been defined as a 21st century skill, which are the skills students need to learn to prepare them for the workforce. The further we get into the 21st century, the more important creativity will become as a job skill.

Of course, the opposite is true and can’t be ignored. Just because companies say they welcome creativity in the workplace doesn’t mean it’s actually happening. A 2012 Adobe study called State of Create showed that while 8 in 10 believe creativity is critical to economic growth, 75% felt pressure to be productive rather than creative at work. This factory-driven mentality still rules in many companies.

Source: 12 Most Pervasive Lies About Creativity by Lindsay Price, who is a professional playwright and dramaturg for the youth market with over 400 productions a year across Canada, the US and overseas.

2014 creatormagazine.com

29

The Search Committee After the decision to replace or add church music leadership has been made, the wise selection of a Search Committee is a major priority.

The choice of a chairperson is crucial!

He or she will set the tone and tempo of how the selection process will proceed. Some basic considerations in seeking a chairperson are: 1. An individual who is vitally active within and enthusiastic about the life of the congregation. This is not a job for a relatively inactive church member, in the hopes that they will become active!

2. Someone who is highly supportive of the present church staff, particularly the senior minister, since the committee will be seeking to add staff that will contribute to the overall timbre of the current administration.

3. A person who is highly organized and willing to set a strict agenda for the overall selection process.

4. A leader willing to commit a great deal of time during the search. A realistic time-frame for the entire process is six to nine months. A full year is not an unreasonable length of time to devote to selecting the right person.

5. The chairperson need not be a musician. However, the chairperson must have an acute appreciation for the music of the church and must be aware of the vast significance of having music leadership on the staff. The chairperson must be enthusiastic about and understand the future potential of the music program.

Vision is an essential quality for a chairperson.

The second person in importance on any search committee is the secretary.

They must also be well organized and willing to devote a great deal of time, keeping all candidates and the other members of the committee informed during the process.

The balance of the committee should be representative of the congregation.

Skilled musicians, presently involved with the music program, and nonmusicians who are interested in and enlightened of the program, should both be represented on the committee.

The Initial Search The only time when Jesus retreated to pray through the entire night was before He selected His disciples (Luke 6:12-13). Prayer must be at the foundation of any search committee’s work. Prayer must be the first step, as well as a continual factor throughout the entire process of selecting a person for the ministry position.

Initially, the committee needs to begin answering a number of questions leading to the formulation of a solid job description. Questions that should be answered include: 1. Why does our church want to change or add music leadership on its staff?

2. What goals can we hope to accomplish by such a decision?

3. What activities, if successfully performed, would lead to the accomplishment of these goals?

4. What skills, experiences, and other qualities are needed to perform these activities successfully?

5. What is the climate (influences that can make the task easier or more difficult) in which these activities must be performed?

Questions such as these will direct a committee’s thinking in the formulation of a comprehensive, yet realistic, job description. Reworking and revising the job description a number of times

will help everyone to more adequately understand the scope of the position being filled.

The Committee also needs to assemble a biographical sketch of the congregation and present staff in place. This document should also include the major goals and priorities – both musical and non-musical – of the entire congregation, and an overview of the community.

Many search committees are creating a list of both musical and theological questions to which all applicants must respond. Such a questionnaire can only provide the committee with more insightful information concerning each candidate.

Bonus Online Content 50 Questions for Interviewing with a church

http://cmag.ws/3p

8 Questions to answer as a ministry position applicant http://cmag.ws/5

When this preparatory work is completed the committee is ready to begin advertising the position, both locally, and if appropriate, nationally. A deadline date for accepting resumes should be included with all publicity.

Candidate Communication Once a committee has solicited resumes and dossiers, the responsibility of communication with those applying must by accepted. The candidate’s nightmare is to send a resume and related materials with great hopes of being accepted as a viable candidate, and then not hear from the church for months, or maybe not at all!

one paramount rule for any search committee to follow is keep the candidates well informed 30

volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Reading for Preaching

The Preacher in Conversation with Storytellers, Biographers, Poets, and Journalists

by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. This beautifully written book is not only for preachers, but for all those interested in good reading that…

• generates delight, • tunes the ear for language, • enlarges compassion for people and situations, • and “gets” wisdom.

Eerdmans 2013

Purchase at worship.calvin.edu

As each resume is received, a job description, church/community profile, questionnaire and cover letter should be immediately mailed. The cover letter can be short, stating that the applicant’s resume and materials will be reviewed (along with the returned questionnaire), and giving an approximate date for an initial decision.

As the committee begins to receive resumes and returned questionnaires, a system for judging each applicant, based on certain criteria, will have to be formulated. This is when time spent preparing the job description and questionnaire will begin to pay off.

Narrowing the Candidates Assuming that there is a sufficient response, it is best to initially narrow the field to half, and then pare that list again to a short list of no more than five candidates. At each point in the process, those not selected should be notified immediately by a gracious letter.

The five final candidates should now receive all communication by phone.

Letters should only be used to confirm personal conversations.

The remainder of the selection process might follow these steps: 1. Divide the committee into teams of two or three, assigning each candidate to a team for investigation.

For the most part, this process involves contacting references. Each viable candidate should have furnished three to five references. The type of references should be varied – a mixture of professional and laity and not all ministers or all musicians.

Reference checking should be done by phone. Avoid having references fill out forms! Before the round of calls, each team should be clear about the current legal boundaries of what can and can’t be asked of the referees.

2. Following phone contacts with references, one evening should be devoted to an initial phone interview with each prospective candidate who was not eliminated from the short list by the reference check process.

The entire committee needs to participate in these interviews, perhaps by using a speakerphone or listening on extensions for this call. Have a set number of questions that will be asked of each candidate. Give the candidates an opportunity to ask questions of the committee, but remember that this is an initial interview. Each interview should not last more than 30 minutes.

3. The Search Committee then reevaluates all five candidates in light of the information gathered from references, the questionnaire, and the initial phone interview.

Some committees hold a straw vote directly after the initial interview to see if a candidate should move on in the 2014 creatormagazine.com

31

process. It is advisable to wait for a final decision to eliminate someone, however, until all the candidates go through this stage, unless a candidate is clearly not a good match after the phone call. Again, all information should be balanced against the job description.

4. The five should now be narrowed to the three prime candidates that the committee feels best meet all the criteria.

Each of the short list candidates should now be phoned to inform them of the committee’s initial decision.

5. Set up a block of weekends during which each of the three final candidates can be brought to the church for in person interviews.

If at all possible, set aside three consecutive weekends so each candidate (along with their families, if possible) can be fairly “compared.”

Each visit should include the majority of a weekend, and be hosted by members of the committee. Each candidate should directly participate in planning, conducting and/or leading worship.

Keep each week’s interview schedule as similar as possible to maintain continuity. An example might be:

Thursday arrive in time to be able to conduct adult choir and worship team rehearsals Friday meet with senior minister and other related staff members Saturday tour community Sunday participate in morning worship, followed by a formal interview with the Search Committee in the afternoon.

6. Following the last interview, let a few days pass so that each committee member can prayerfully absorb and review information, personal notes and impressions.

The committee can now meet to make their decision.

The final candidate should now be contacted to determine if that individual is ready to be formally hired by the church’s ruling body. Once a candidate has accepted, the other candidates should be phoned to inform them of the committee’s final decision.

Snags Don’t be surprised if unforeseen snags slow your ideal timeline. It is not uncommon to find, for instance, that the proposed salary is too low or that certain benefits should be added to the compensation package.

Some hierarchical processes may require the involvement of further committees or boards. Should staff changes come during the process, especially in the role of Senior Minister, this can – and in most cases should – slow or stop the search completely. In any case, all candidates must be kept informed.

Objectivity A final word concerning objectivity for both the chairperson and the committee members. There are critical differences between: 1) a committee that questions as if to eliminate, 2) a committee remains warm, yet cautious, and 3) a committee that makes every candidate feel as though they were exactly the “right choice.”

Avoid comments like: “You really seem to be our person!” “You certainly fit our job description perfectly!” “You surely are saying exactly what we want to hear from our next music minister!”

Committee members who are not accustomed to working with interview processes can tend to exhibit unusually high levels of excitement for each candidate. This sense of false hope in unfair to the candidates. Even though it may sound redundant, the enthusiastic spirit of finality should be saved for the end.

fine

Interested in writing for Creator?

We are looking for a few good writers

Check out our Guest Blogger Guidelines

cmag.ws/8a

32

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American Choral Music without you!

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2014 creatormagazine.com

33

leadership

E. Wilgocki

ALL THIS

by Marilyn

and 16th Notes Too!

A

s a Director of

Church Music, Minister of Music, or Choir Director, the ability to “minister” means different things to different directors. Effective music ministry must be built not only on musical expertise, but also on one’s ability to relate, interact and be responsive to people.

If professional church musicians truly perform their responsibilities, they are not only musicians, but “ministers” in the finest sense of the word. Looking at one’s job in this light might have a startling affect on a church’s program, creating a real sense of community among musicians, volunteers, and co-workers on the staff.

Love the Work

34

change in dynamics becomes the focus of great frustration, annoyance and even animosity between director and musicians, then the point has been missed. If that problem is lifted up as a challenge, held forth as a goal, placed into succeeding rehearsals as part of the scheme of things, the end result – although perhaps not perfect – will be one of proud achievement, both for the director and, more importantly, for the musicians themselves.

Establish Rapport and Trust Rapport and trust must be established in a ministering environment. This cannot be done overnight, or even in a season. Some history is needed.

People know if the director truly likes his or her work. Choir members can smell it, see it, hear it, feel it. They can read it in the director’s eyes, body language, in offhand comments, in enthusiasm and energy (or lack thereof).

It could easily take a year, perhaps several. The ability to honor confidentiality must be proven. An “open door” policy must be practiced to be believed. Taking the time to talk and to respond in an appropriate Christian manner must be shown as an obvious constant.

If the interpretation of a phrase, of a difficult rhythmic passage, or of a

All these experiences build rapport and trust. Little events will present them-

volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

selves; in a sense the director is being tested every time interaction occurs with any one of church’s people.

Be a People Person Effective music ministry requires workable “people skills.” Is the director an effective listener?

Does the director treat each person as an individual, rather than lumping him or her together with others with similar problems? Is there effective follow-through?

Are the antennae in place? Does a casual comment catch the director’s ear? Is this soprano hurting? In some ways perhaps people skills are a top priority!

An ability to lead, inspire, and really care about people can overcome, in the ministry sense, many musical dilemmas caused by a lack of musical training. One should always work at professional growth, but a “ministry” approach to and with people makes for an enviable professional church musician, exceedingly more successful

than many extremely well-schooled professionals.

Communicate Communication is one of the most critical factors of a healthy music program.

An effective director must be able to speak, explain, demonstrate, illustrate, use humor, tell a quick story, and/or utilize imagery.

Express Gratitude

At today’s life pace, strong time management skills are crtical. A director must respect the considerable amount of time given to the church’s music program by the many volunteer musicians.

Volunteer musicians need to be thanked—over and over and over again.

“Seventy times seven” comes to mind.

They need to know of the director’s pride in their work, whether that is in person, by email or a thank you card, in the church’s newseltter, or on the ensemble’s Facebook page.

Rehearsals really must start and end on time, respecting the volunteers’ schedules. If a multi-choir program is in place, publishing a music schedule for each month helps people plan – it’s an appreciated gift to busy people.

Musicians must be told and/or shown what is needed; they aren’t mind readers. Yes, the Bach chorale presents an “understood” fermata at the end of each phrase, but it’s not written in, and singers will have to be educated, at least at first.

The conductor needs to shape that phrase using gestures, the face, and even the whole body. At the same time, volunteer musicians need to be treated with respect and honor. The effective music minister shares personal insights, so that the end result might be appropriate for the piece and for the desired interpretation of it.

Brand new!

Be Time Conscious

When doing sectional work within a rehearsal, others can assist so that rehearsal time can be used to the best advantage possible. Soloists and accompanists need separate rehearsal time with the director and shouldn’t use the ensemble’s time.

If the director appears organized, the musicians will respond accordingly.

Note, too, that these time/respect premises also work well with children, reducing discipline problems greatly.

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The presentation of outstanding attendance awards at the end of a season takes little time and effort but means a great deal. One never tires of receiving a word of gratefulness.

In rehearsal, little “snippits” of thanks can be tactfully interspersed, without it appearing patronizing or becoming obnoxious or insincere. A “Great job!” makes a subtle but vital point that will cause even the most tired singer to give a little more for the balance of the time. As a group, the ensemble needs to know that the director is actually listening and truly cares about the effort that is given.

NEW MUSIC FOR FALL Visit our website to see sample music pages and listen to audio tracks of our latest offerings for your choir.

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www.morningstarmusic.com 2014 creatormagazine.com

35

Practice Prayer An effective music minister prays for and with the choir members. Even in the most hectic of situations, a moment for prayer is a leveler. It brings one back into focus and causes everyone to look upon the intent of church music – that of glorifying God and thereby ministering to God’s people.

Walk With Your Musicians Fellowship and social activities are important. Participating in the individual lives of choir members is equally important in this area.

Your Select 20 Anthem CHECKLIST

Here’s a “done for you” list of suggested anthems for the rest of the Sundays in 2014. These are all Select 20 Anthems that, for the most part, have earned a Highly Recommended rating from Creator’s editorial board. Special Sundays are highlighted in red. These anthems fit with the lectionary reading for each Sunday, but they can be used without reference to the readings. Just copy this list, check the boxes of the anthems you need, and send it to your favorite music supplier. q 06/08/14 Pentecost He is Here! arr. Camp Kirkland Gaither Music GG5531 q 06/15/14 Trinity Sunday Welcome to the Family arr. John Helgen Epiphany House EH1030

Experiences – good and not so good – should be shared. Community can be built by being part of that community.

As much as is possible within a daily/ weekly schedule, and effective director needs to be accessible.

q 06/22/14 In Times Like These arr. Dave Williamson Lifeway 6-34337-186290

Rejoicing in the baptisms or dedication of babies, praying with those experiencing marital difficulties, listening to parents whose children are having personal problems, sharing in the joys of weddings and graduations, being a source of comfort to those who have lost loved ones – these and many other opportunities present themselves as avenues in which the music minister can truly “minister.”

q 07/20/14 You Are There Glenn Pickett Hal Leonard 08754493

By the same token, an effective director also knows when to “back off.” Some people are very private; that need must be honored and respected, even though the director feels helpless, unable to be of support in a particular instance.

Keeping the “door open” allows that person the opportunity to share in their own time frame. And then there are times when the director should allow the tables to be turned and let the people do the ministering.

Forcing oneself into another’s life is inconsiderate and ineffective. However, when connection is made, then music ministry becomes more meaningful, more complete. When choir members and directors know each other well, then a community of faith, which is expressed through this wondrous vehicle of music, can be built.

Imagine – all this, and sixteenth notes too. What an awesome ministry we have!

fine

q 06/29/14 Mercy Reigns Jay Rouse PraiseGathering A08642 q 07/06/14 The Whisper Craig Courtney Beckenhorst BP1967 q 07/13/14 A Debtor to Mercy Alone John Hudson Beckenhorst BP1941

q 07/27/14 Neither Death Nor Life Jonathan Cructchfield MorningStar MSM-50-9820 q 08/03/14 God bestows on each one a name Fred Gramann ECS 7330 q 08/10/14 Deep Waters Peper Choplin Beckenhorst BP1636 q 08/17/14 You Are Jehovah arr. Cliff Duren Lifeway 6-34337-252605 q 08/24/14 I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me arr. Ron Smail Cypress CP1152 q 08/31/14 I Shall See Michael John Trotta MorningStar MSM-50-8092 q 09/07/14 A Covenant Prayer Dan Forrest Hinshaw HMC2289 q 09/14/14 Every Knee Shall Bow David Rasbach Beckenhorst BP1960 q 09/21/14 Manna From Heaven arr. Richard Kingsmore Lifeway 1-4158-3137 q 09/28/14 Exaltation Jan Sanborn Fred Bock BG2332 q 10/05/14 World Wide Communion With This Bread, With This Wine Ken Medema Jubilate 0 80689 20523 1

q 10/12/14 Seek the Lord Craig Courtney Lorenz 10/3770L q 10/19/14 God is Here! Joel Raney Hope C5791 q 10/26/14 The Gift of Love Hal Hopson Agape HH3922 q 11/02/14 All Saints This Must Be Grace Jay Rouse PraiseGathering A08665 q 11/09/14 Soon and Very Soon arr. Jack Schrader Hope C952 q 11/16/14 Every Good Gift James M Stevens GlorySound D5805 q 11/23/14 Christ the King Make a Joyful Noise Lee Dengler Augsburg 978-1-45145165-8

q 11/30/14 Advent 1 O Come, Redeemer of the Earth arr. Richard Nichols Fred Bock BG2593

q 12/07/14 Advent 2 Every Valley John Ness Beck Beckenhorst BP1040 q 12/14/14 Advent 3 O Come All Ye Faithful Dan Forrest Beckenhorst CU1011 q 12/21/14 Advent 4 Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis arr. Sheldon Curry Alfred 39120 q 12/24/14 Christmas Eve To Bethlehem Bob Burroughs Augsburg 978-1-4514-2407-2 q 12/28/14 Psalm 148 arr. Richard Nichols SoundForth 270207

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2014

volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

now trending on

creatormagazine.com

Desegregating Worship Music

The Language of Trust What you say is important in leadership and ministry...

One Article in Randall Bradley’s 7 part series on Desegregating Church...

Gunfight at the Samaritan Well http://cmag.ws/f2

http://cmag.ws/b3

Seven ways to have both innovation and tradition in Worship...

http://cmag.ws/ds

Twitter Feed We’ve found that twitter is a great way to find people and information in the areas of our interest. Twitter shouldn’t be intimidating, but its primary ground rule – no post can be more than 140 characters – does take some getting used to.

The good news? You don’t have to spend much time to find out whether something is important to you.The bad news? You can’t always tell if people’s intentions are good. Here are some suggestions of people we find add value to our lives via twitter.

@Creatornow first notice of new articles at Creator’s website @DougLaw Doug Lawrence tweets about church music and worship @gettymusic news and information from Keith and Kristyn Getty @hughballou Hugh Ballou tweets about transformational leadership @iwsfla tweets from the Webber Institute for Worship Studies @Marcuson Margaret Marcuson tweets about Money and Ministry @MSMPublishers what’s new and interesting from MorningStar Music @paulbaloche tweets from the well-known singer-songwriter @PhiferSteve Steve is the voice of The Worship Renewal Center @thesingerlink network with singers and directors all over the planet @vernsanders Creator’s publisher finds interesting things on the net @TimothySharp tweets from the Executive Director of ACDA

@WorshipStudioMM Marcia McFee writes about worship

Promising Practices and Innovation The first article in an ongoing series about innovation and leadership...

http://cmag.ws/f9

2014 creatormagazine.com

37

last page

by David W. Manner

preparing for reality W

Dr. David W. Manner is Director of Worship and Administration for the KansasNebraska Southern Baptist Convention.

orship change is

inevitable as congregations consider the fluidity of their surrounding cultures and contexts. Leaders who facilitate worship must also learn how to develop, cultivate, and lead change by listening to the voice of their community and congregation.

How will those leaders be prepared to recognize and respond to cultural shifts if the educational institutions that train them have not also embraced an attitude of adaptation? Here are some educational imperatives: Help students discover that music and worship are not exclusively synonymous. If music is the only driver during their educational preparation it will inevitably surface as a primary point of contention.

Don’t compromise preparation for congregational acclimation in the name of institutional accreditation.

Open their eyes to the foundational tenets of worship based on history, theology, Scripture, prayer, and communion before immersing them in the music.

in the language and praxis of chord charts, capos, and kick drums.

Educate them in the various and fluid dynamics of worship teams and praise bands as well as choirs and orchestras.

Keep them abreast of the current trends in audio and video media and technology.

Expand their awareness of the arts to include other genres and media expressions beyond music. Help them understand that embracing the arts as both verbal and visual relieves the pressure of music as the primary driver and culprit.

Help them to understand that leading music doesn’t necessarily equate to leading people.

Adequately prepare them for staff and congregational relationships. Most worship ministry failures and forced terminations are as a result of leadership and relational conflict and rarely occur as a result of musical deficiencies.

Help them to understand and appreciate the relational dynamics of multigenerations before ever considering the musical dynamics of those generations.

how can they teach new worship languages if they don’t speak them?

In addition to traditional musical analysis, teach them to be conversant

38

Train them to be curious and open but also judicious students of the congregation’s culture.

Provide resources and principles to help them weather the changes that will inevitably occur in the future.

Model healthy change that values conviction, collaboration, and patience.

Encourage the students to read ecumenically and study worship through the eyes of various denominations, faiths, cultures, and generations.

Remind them constantly that their college or seminary training is not the end but the beginning of their worship education. A terminal degree should not signify the death of learning.

Require institutional administrators and faculty to attend worship conferences, concerts, classes, and workshops outside of their areas of expertise, stylistic preferences, contexts, cultures, and even comfort. How can they teach new worship and media languages if they don’t speak them? fine TM

TM

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In each issue we give one church musician or worship leader a chance to have their say. There are no restrictions on topic here (other than the obvious ones of slander, libel, and silliness). If you’d like to contribute your thoughts email us at creator@creatormagazine.com.

volume 36 - number 1 | creatormagazine.com

CMS

MAY 1, 2&3, 2014

The Chapel at Crosspoint, Buffalo, NY

A conference featuring practical training for the entire band, tech crew, leaders, songwriters, & indie artists... improving skill & inspiring talent for God’s glory!

MAY 1 - ONE-DAY INTENSIVES (choir, guitar, bass, drums, keys, audio, songwriting, vocals) MAY 2 & 3 - CMS CONFERENCE

presented by

MATT MAHER :: PHIL KEAGGY :: MARK SCHULTZ BRENTON BROWN :: THE NEVERCLAIM

BENJI & JENNA COWART :: CEILI RAIN :: BLUES COUNSEL GROOVE LOUNGE w/ ZORO, ADAM NITTI & DAVE CLEVELAND

& the CCLI SONGWRITERS in the ROUND w/ LESLIE SATCHER, DON POYTHRESS, IAN ESKELIN, BRENTON BROWN & BENJI COWART, KEYNOTE SPEAKER: JERRY GILLIS

I have had the privilege to be a part of the Christian Musician Summit conferences over a number of years now, and I can tell you it is an event that both educates and encourages musicians, vocalists, technicians and anyone who desires to improve their skill and having an impact in this world with their God-given talents. ~ Phil Keaggy

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these are our stories... these are our songs...

a Church Musician is a high calling for me.

Being One hundred years from now we all will be a part of the history of church music--the “story” of church music. Like

our predecessors, we all have our role to play. Some are composers, some are lyricists. Some are paid directors while others are volunteer choir members or accompanists. Some sing solos from the platform and others sing God’s praises from the back row of the congregation. And, like our predecessors, our calling is to carry the “song” forward for the next generation. Whatever the role, our contribution will only be fully understood by those who look back on what we planted, nurtured, and passed on to them.

The story of church music started before the birth of Christ and will continue until we are all singing at His throne in Heaven.

For me, just being called to play a part at all is the most important thing. This is why I am proud to be a Church Musician.

Richard A. Nichols Composer, Choral Director, Greer, South Carolina Get to know more about Richard Nichols and a free packet of his music at FredBock.com/richardanichols

moving our heritage forward...

FredBock.com/richardanichols

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