Found in Worship Musician! Magazine - May/June 2013
Even under the best of circumstances, leaving a team or congregation is most often accompanied by a sense of loss. How worship teams embrace musicians as they come and go speaks volumes about the culture of both the team and the congregation. The goal of this column is to spark conversations regarding how to better realize these opportunities to improve worship team culture around welcoming new prospects, as well as blessing members who are moving on.
FIRST HELLOS…
Make Time to Take Time
Every team has it’s own rhythm before, during, and after service. You might want to consider creating a time during which your team is always prepared to welcome a new prospect. If they come up during a busy time, being able to give them a specific time to come back shows a level of consideration that is a great first step in welcoming someone into the fold. First hellos are a great opportunity to show that you value people enough to ensure that even their first interaction with your team is a purposeful one.
Spirit of Inclusion
I’ll call this one the Jesus test. Would you greet prospects differently if Jesus were watching from the side of the platform, and if so, what might you want to change? You never get a second chance to say a first hello, so why not make each person feel truly welcomed—it’s a great way to demonstrate your value for people for more than their potential contribution.
Ministry not music
While musician talk is tremendously valuable in building a point of connection, as musicians we can sometimes miss the very ministry moments we were put on the platform to field. Music and gear talk offers a great bridge into deeper conversations like how a newcomer can get planted into a small group. Taking an active interest in people’s spiritual development is a great way to demonstrate that your team is about more than the time you spend worshipping together.
Vision Casting
The more a team is on the same page about why they are there, what the team values are, and how they are serving the congregation, the easier it is for a newcomer to catch the vision. Developing a culture where each team member can clearly articulate your Church’s vision can be equally helpful in getting (and keeping) new members on track once they’ve actually joined the team. Can everyone on your team articulate your Church’s vision, and if not what are some first steps your team could take to move in that direction?
Audition Process
Since the audition process and team requirements have a tendency to shift over time (especially in a multi-site model), it’s a good idea for teams to get together at least once a year to talk about what may have changed and why. If getting connected in a small group is a requirement, letting people know right away speaks of your interest in their spiritual development, not just their musical capacity. Mature believers will appreciate this, and it can also open the door into a discipleship opportunity for those who don’t.
LAST GOODBYES…
Raising the Bar
While last goodbyes can be emotionally and even politically tricky, they frequently reveal the depth of connection that is actually holding a team together—or keeping them apart. Most companies will at least gather around the water cooler and say a round of goodbyes before a person rides off into the sunset. Why is it that Churches seem to fall particularly short in this area and what might we do to raise the bar?
Sign a Card
Regardless of why someone leaves, giving (or sending) a card signed by the entire team is a small way to show that you value the investment people are making with their time, gifts, and resources. In situations where there have been differences it also offers the opportunity to show that your team holds forgiveness as a key cultural value.
Pick up the Phone
While a card is a great start, taking a few moments to pick up the phone and call someone is a great way of communicating that you truly value them. As hard as calls like this can be to make, it’s much harder to leave a Church and hear from next to no one. We are called to do better.
Team Prayer
When a member leaves not everyone can or should know why. Holding that team member up in prayer is a great way for a team to come together and demonstrate their collective heart to see good things come to any member, be they present or past. Leaving a worship team you know will be praying for you provides a spiritual covering that can do much to counteract the range of feelings most people feel when they step down or change congregations.
Doug Doppler is a passionate presenter at worship conferences and also loves to coach worship musicians and teams, especially in the area of the multi-site Church. He is also the author of the soon-to-be released title “The Worship Guitar Book”, which will be published by Hal Leonard.
Even under the best of circumstances, leaving a team or congregation is most often accompanied by a sense of loss. How worship teams embrace musicians as they come and go speaks volumes about the culture of both the team and the congregation. The goal of this column is to spark conversations regarding how to better realize these opportunities to improve worship team culture around welcoming new prospects, as well as blessing members who are moving on.
FIRST HELLOS…
Make Time to Take Time
Every team has it’s own rhythm before, during, and after service. You might want to consider creating a time during which your team is always prepared to welcome a new prospect. If they come up during a busy time, being able to give them a specific time to come back shows a level of consideration that is a great first step in welcoming someone into the fold. First hellos are a great opportunity to show that you value people enough to ensure that even their first interaction with your team is a purposeful one.
Spirit of Inclusion
I’ll call this one the Jesus test. Would you greet prospects differently if Jesus were watching from the side of the platform, and if so, what might you want to change? You never get a second chance to say a first hello, so why not make each person feel truly welcomed—it’s a great way to demonstrate your value for people for more than their potential contribution.
Ministry not music
While musician talk is tremendously valuable in building a point of connection, as musicians we can sometimes miss the very ministry moments we were put on the platform to field. Music and gear talk offers a great bridge into deeper conversations like how a newcomer can get planted into a small group. Taking an active interest in people’s spiritual development is a great way to demonstrate that your team is about more than the time you spend worshipping together.
Vision Casting
The more a team is on the same page about why they are there, what the team values are, and how they are serving the congregation, the easier it is for a newcomer to catch the vision. Developing a culture where each team member can clearly articulate your Church’s vision can be equally helpful in getting (and keeping) new members on track once they’ve actually joined the team. Can everyone on your team articulate your Church’s vision, and if not what are some first steps your team could take to move in that direction?
Audition Process
Since the audition process and team requirements have a tendency to shift over time (especially in a multi-site model), it’s a good idea for teams to get together at least once a year to talk about what may have changed and why. If getting connected in a small group is a requirement, letting people know right away speaks of your interest in their spiritual development, not just their musical capacity. Mature believers will appreciate this, and it can also open the door into a discipleship opportunity for those who don’t.
LAST GOODBYES…
Raising the Bar
While last goodbyes can be emotionally and even politically tricky, they frequently reveal the depth of connection that is actually holding a team together—or keeping them apart. Most companies will at least gather around the water cooler and say a round of goodbyes before a person rides off into the sunset. Why is it that Churches seem to fall particularly short in this area and what might we do to raise the bar?
Sign a Card
Regardless of why someone leaves, giving (or sending) a card signed by the entire team is a small way to show that you value the investment people are making with their time, gifts, and resources. In situations where there have been differences it also offers the opportunity to show that your team holds forgiveness as a key cultural value.
Pick up the Phone
While a card is a great start, taking a few moments to pick up the phone and call someone is a great way of communicating that you truly value them. As hard as calls like this can be to make, it’s much harder to leave a Church and hear from next to no one. We are called to do better.
Team Prayer
When a member leaves not everyone can or should know why. Holding that team member up in prayer is a great way for a team to come together and demonstrate their collective heart to see good things come to any member, be they present or past. Leaving a worship team you know will be praying for you provides a spiritual covering that can do much to counteract the range of feelings most people feel when they step down or change congregations.
Doug Doppler is a passionate presenter at worship conferences and also loves to coach worship musicians and teams, especially in the area of the multi-site Church. He is also the author of the soon-to-be released title “The Worship Guitar Book”, which will be published by Hal Leonard.
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