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Well – All music that you do in worship should be done well. Whatever the style, the music should not be dull, lifeless, or monotonous. Traditional should not equal dull, and contemporary should not equal trite! Be innovative. Find interesting ways within your liturgical limitations to bring freshness to worship. Some worship conflicts did not originate as stylistic debates; they arose over lack of innovation and freshness!

Define Terms – Many times, discussions of worship and music are filled with terms that are not mutually understood. Several times I've discussed worship with someone and, upon concluding the conversation, I thought we were in full agreement. Later, I discovered that our definitions of words such as fresh, deep, and innovative, were very different. When discussing worship with someone, use many examples, and also describe the performance and liturgical function of a piece.

Focus on Content More Than Style – When we focus on content more than style we can be more objective in our discussions about worship and more effective in our planning. When we plan worship using excellent content, we are much less likely to be criticized.

Plan with Another Person or with a Team – I have found that planning with someone else helps me to approach worship more broadly. Currently, I plan worship with my pastor. We share ideas that result in a much more balanced approach. Planning with a committee or council can also be helpful. If your church is experiencing worship conflict, you should plan with a team.

Focus on Ministry – Always focus on ministry through music. Let people see and experience your love for them. When our focus is on ministry, we will often be empowered to do music that we wouldn't otherwise do. During a recent worship service, our congregation sang some songs about which I had reservations; however, when I observed first-hand how meaningful this music was to some of the younger people in our congregation, I was deeply moved. When music ministers to others, it should resonate with our call to ministry.

Learn About Change – Refer to the section, earlier in this chapter, on "Managing and Leading Change," for help in understanding how people relate to change. Choose not to view change as threatening.

Embrace Choices – People have many choices regarding music and worship. Even small communities usually offer various styles of worship each week. People should be affirmed when they choose. If your church offers alternative worship services, and you are not the leader of all of them, affirm the people who choose a different approach. A friend of mine who is a minister of music in a large metropolitan church is not involved with his church's Saturday night contemporary service. While this arrangement is acceptable since he is not skilled in contemporary styles, he has only attended the contemporary service once! This is certainly no way to model acceptance and inclusivity. We must be accepting of others and embrace their choices if we desire the same from them.