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Resolving Conflict In Worship Teams
What sort of issues do you / have you faced in your worship teams? How have you dealt with it?
What's the best way of dealing with the common issues of people not turning up to worship practice, or not turning up on time, or not practicing the songs on their own, etc?
What's the best way of dealing with the common issues of people not turning up to worship practice, or not turning up on time, or not practicing the songs on their own, etc?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Judah Community on -
Hmmm.... Quite a perplexing situation you are in. Likely difficult (for me) to understand all of the personal / political ramifications of any action I might suggest.
Before I did anything, I would cover the whole thing in prayer. I think that what you'll be fighting against is them taking this personally. Artists are weird, sensitive people. Perhaps praying that the Holy Spirit will give the answer to both you and this person would be good. As they are sensitive, they'll know that when it is time.
Sometimes it isn't the message, it's who the message is coming from. I've been in more than one situation where I may have had the right answer, but hearing it from me was too familiar or not the proper timing for the audience involved. Sometimes it is the packaging. Perhaps being consistent in talking about how playing with the team in unity - supporting the leader with your bass - is an incredibly fulfilling worship experience. Might be enough to get them thinking...
I would avoid radical change unless God specifically directs you to do so. If He does, go for it and follow your instincts. If He doesn't, there is a high potential to act out of frustration which has a tendency to hurt relationships. I would be praying that this conflict is not resolved, but redeemed. What a testimony it would be to your future team members if this ended favorably for both you and this person.
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Permalink Reply by Scott Lathrop on -
We're working through some issues now as well. Some advice I've taken from this site as well as some other leaders, Jared Anderson, Rick Muchow, etc., Start telling the group changes are coming and give it a month or maybe 3. Tell them what the changes are and give it some time, announce a date the new change is coming and give it some time. Then make that change. This helps eliminate surpise etc., people can't say they didn't know it was coming. Then put those rules into place for any new members. We've decided new members must audition etc., but we won't ask existing members to tryout.
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Permalink Reply by daniel cash on -
Two words: CAGE. MATCH.
Two musicians enter, one leaves.
Plus the pay-per-view fees can help raise money for new equipment (and musicians).
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Permalink Reply by Judah Community on
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I can tell that you're using the highly regarded 'Thunderdome' approach. 2 men enter, 1 man leaves. : )
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Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on
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I've been in the scenerio where a worship team member "came with the package" when I took over, and within the first six months it was obvious it wasn't going to work. Not so much musical ability as unable to follow direction.
My preferred route is always to work with the pastor on these issues, and get his/her suggestions and help in dealing with it. But it doesn't always work. Because of the long-standing history of the person involved, the pastor refused to let me move them on to another existing ministry that would have suited them well.
To make a long story short, after four years of this, the person started secret meetings with the other band members and it cost me my job. Dan is so right is saying that it will only get worse if it isn't dealt with.
However, by that I don't mean a radical approach. A good steady path with lots of wisdom and prayer, for sure, but at least have a path. Leaders who just wander aren't much good to those who are trying to follow.
I too am praying for a "redeeming" of this. God bless.
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Permalink Reply by Erin Sweeney on -
Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions. It has become embarrassingly obvious to me that we have allowed our frustration to have the upper hand and haven't bathed this in prayer as we should have. You have definitley offered some great suggestions as well as the reminder to take it to God. He certainly knows the situation the best and knows the hearts of everyone involved. If I remember, I'll post again in a few months an update as to how God has helped us and grown us through this.
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Permalink Reply by bet nich on -
My take - if they refuse to take direction they are not being teachable. Someone needs to ask this group - what does the Bible say about that? It doesn't matter how good a worshipper or how 'sensitive' to the Holy Spirit someone claims to be, if they don't turn down when the rest do there is no unity, and the worship comes out sounding like an uncertain trumpet.
Leadership and the Pastor need to make all in your group accountable to them...
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Permalink Reply by Jal Lagas on -
Leading by example!!!! When Jesus ask his disciple to pray...He also pray together with them. My point is, if we want our team member to turn up for practice early..or what so ever that is, we must do it first!! This method works in our worship team.
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Permalink Reply by Dan Gooderowe on -
Well, I'm looking for any thoughts on the following. I have led worship for a dozen years for a church that only recently moved into a permanent location having gone through the long process of building. We started out at less than 35 people in attendance and saw it steadily rise until it is in the 350-400 range for two services both of which I lead a worship team. I have a music minister above me who ministers to both this church and the original one which is in another town and is more traditional. As things progressed, I sensed that the gifts God gave me musically were not going to be enough and being more right brained and having areas of weakness in administrative areas, I was told that my "areas of giftedness" would be accentuated and things like getting a set out on time which I usually did, which was 6 days before the service etc. could all be delegated in order for all to be in their "sweet spot" of ministry. Having started a choir and then turned it over to the music minister who truthfully was more suited,was always willing to do the grunt work of setting up and breaking down before the building became permanent, I had wrongly visioned that I would be able to be part of the new surroundings and help build an even stronger worship team. Now I am being told that I will be replaced by someone who has better organizational skills etc. but would continue to stay on playing piano/keyboard and in addition work with mentoring youth. I had done some mentoring already including my own children in ministry but as things have progressed, I can see that I will not be in any position to lead without a lot of protocol and micro-managent as the pastor always defers to the music minister. Whatever happens, I will be and have been gracious in whatever the future may hold and would never be divisive or cause problems of any kind. I love the church however I do not want to be spending the last years of my productive years (early 50's) in frustration or worse, be just hanging on because the pastor is rewarding my years of loyal service under much less desirable conditions many times. I'm not sure what to do and have already met and like the new prospective WL but I can see where there will be many differences of opinion etc. and I certainly have the humility to just go along but know that my wife who was my partner in a duet we gave up for this ministry but senses the music minister's taking control and fear the dynamics of being called to this place would be now more out of financial convenience than being used for something much more. There are so many other issues but basically my wife and I earned our living "gigging" before I was asked to leave another ministry job and slowly we had let a lot of that go. Though she's been a faithful member of the ministry, I think she has felt more and more stifled and like me can see that the music minister is assuming greater control with the pastor's blessing which I disagree for many reasons but would never dishonor. I'm wondering if I should look elsewhere for a fresh start, or return to playing "gigs' which would now include doing ministry at various churches giving concerts and sharing original music. I never looked at this as a "job" and now that it feels like one, I'd rather just play for free if I could figure out how to make ends meet as I'm a full time teacher but that's not enough to support my family. Sorry for the rambling thoughts here but hopefully some of it will resonate with at least one person. Through it all, I've been blessed and I believe I did a good job for God and know they will carry on fine without us but also that we helped in a big way to get therm where they are.
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Permalink Reply by bet nich on
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This might be God's timing to renew your concert ministry - start seeking venues and see if this is so.
The big issue may be with the church you now serve at, in terms of getting Sundays off. Some will allow it, others may be very controlling in terms of letting their people visit other churches. Depending on their response, you may be able to say something like "since you have hired a Music Minister and are giving me less responsibility, we would like to only do x amount of Sundays per month". Of course you may have to line up a replacement for the times you are gone, or perhaps the Music Min. could do that...
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Hey Dan, thanks for sharing the concerns on your heart. First off, as someone in their early 50's as well, I can certainly relate - there comes a sense of "time's running out" and yet we have to remember that many of God's great warriors were well-on in years before they accomplished some of their more important things for God. It's almost (as Gordon McDonald puts it) like we're finally smart enough and experienced enough to get it done right and with the least effort!
Yes, you have done much to get the church to where it is now, and you are to be commended for that. Many people unknown to you probably know that as well, but you'll not hear it, at least not as often as you'd like to - put it down to human nature. Just know that our Father knows your deeds and He will not forget them.
Not knowing all the related details (and I don't want to), it seems to me that the best course is to create a plan where you and your wife can back out gracefully. It is a reality that sometimes ministries change, and not everyone involved is gifted to change with it. A youth leader might be great with 50 kids, but when it swells to 150, he or she might be in deep water. I know I can handle multiple worship teams but throw a choir at me and I'm lost! Which would create a problem if my church wanted to have me reinstate the choir...:)
Where your church is going may not be where you think it should go, but the fact is, it's going there. So you either have to be comfortable with that, or find a place where you are comfortable with the gifts God has given you. As I'm sure you already know, do your best to make the transition as peaceful and gracious as possible. Don't burn bridges, don't put down ultimatums, and don't attach a detailed thesis to the pastor and board on how the church is going to crash and burn after you leave. Remember that this is God's work, and this just might be what He's using to move you on to even greater (for Him) and more rewarding things.
May the Lord give you peace as you give this over to Him.
Rick
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