You see them leading worship, dancing and acting on stage. They also operate the lights and sound during the weekend services. But what goes on in the Frontlines Ministry when the stage lights dim and the auditorium is empty? In this issue, Life at its
Best magazine talks with the leaders of Frontlines about their ministry and how they prepare behind the scenes.
T
he whole concept of the Frontlines Ministry derives from 2 Chronicles 20, in which an enemy army is marching against Jehoshaphat. Instead of commanding Jehoshaphat to send out his soldiers, the Lord instructs him to send the singers out first. Following this example, the Frontlines Ministry—or creative arts department—helps to prepare the congregation to receive the message during New Hope O`ahu’s services. “That’s why we praise and worship,” explains Pastor Rod Shimabukuro, who oversees the Frontlines Ministry. “We’re exalting the Lord and we’re also doing battle to see the work of the Lord happen in the hearts of people.” The Frontlines Ministry is synonymous with the Evangelism fractal, one of New Hope O`ahu’s “pillars” for spiritual growth. The Evangelism fractal also includes the programming, creative arts, technical and service support ministries, according to Technical Director and Producer John Tilton. “Under programming, it’s [the weekend services] conceptualized and planned; under Frontlines, it’s artistically created, then it goes to the technical teams to support it and the service support teams handle logistics,” Tilton explains. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the different areas of the Frontlines Ministry.
PROGRAMMING
Creating an artistic presentation for a weekend service starts with the programming ministry, who plans and orchestrates the ideas and elements for the weekend services. “I work with the musical director, the
vocal director, the video director, the dance director and with each team of dancers as well,” explains Lanu Tilton, who serves as one of the programming directors, along with Wendy Kinimaka. Once they receive a pastor’s message synopsis, the programming teams discuss various elements—such as a song—that would best bring out the sermon. To prepare for this brainstorm, Tilton researches these creative elements, using websites like Worship House Media. When the team comes to a decision, Tilton contacts each area of the Frontlines Ministry to set the details in advance. In addition to being a programming director, Tilton is also one of the producers. This role gives Tilton a different perspective of a weekend’s program. “The producer sees it [the program] from a different angle because they see everything unfold,” Tilton explains. “You’re up in the booth, so you’re able to see and feel the reaction of the congregation; you can sense when something is really hitting them.” One of the joys of being involved with Frontlines is using her passions to advance God’s Kingdom, according to Tilton. “I believe arts in the church are the most unused weapons of warfare,” Tilton says. “The arts itself is not powerful, but hook it up with the Holy Spirit and it’s a weapon.”
VOCALS
The vocal team—usually six to 12 individuals—leads worship at the beginning of church services. The singers volunteer during weekends they are available; thus, teams vary every weekend, according to Creative Director Dane Ison. “They’re asked to be able to sing at least once a month,” Ison says. “One of the
Life@itsBest JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2011
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