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Adding new musicians
Hi everyone. I have a question for you and it is serious to me so I would appreciate your thoughts.
I am the full time worship pastor in a fairly large church. I lead all volunteers. Currently I have 3 different pianists, 4 bass players, 3 rythm guitar players, one lead player, 2 drummers, one sax player, and an aux percussionist. These volunteers have been playing together in different combinations for the past 18 months. Everyone wants a chance to play - and so I rotate folks in and out. It gets pretty complicated for me to juggle all the schedules not to mention the trials of different musicians working together every week.
Here is my question. I have two new people who have been coming to the church for about three weeks. They are very very excited and enthusiastic about wanting to join the team. One plays keys and one plays bass. I am scheduled to meet with them next Tuesday with a drummer, a rythm player and a couple of singers and run through some songs to get a feel for their abilities.
My thought is that if they go to our class for new attenders, and spend three months in loyal attendance that there is no reason why they should not be included in the rotation.
But here is my dilemma, as we all know, working together musicians feel each other and the music is typically of a higher quality, When I am constantly rotating musicians I don't know that I am doing anyone any favors. So here is my question for the group. If you were in my position would you...
1. Develop one band only and use subs only when needed.
2. Create more than one band and rotate them every other month or bi weekly?
3. Use different bands for different services (we have two).
4. Continue to rotate musicians as I have been doing and add in those that have the heart, desire and basic musicianship for worship?
5. Tell the new members I am "full up" for now.
6. Create an outreach band that rehearses and goes out into the community spreading gospel through music.
7. Other thoughts....
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
PC
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Pau on -
PC,
For us we actually have 4 teams and about 30 people in the Worship Ministry. This works great for me as a team leader because I get about 3 weeks to properly plan a worship set and we get in two practice sessions guaranteed. This has greatly improved the quality of Sunday morning worship for our service. (hopefully less burn-out too...)
What was also a great by-product was it allowed for some time to meet and get to know the people on your team more. It's now more like a small group, where we get to talk, share and pray. For a while we did a little book study as well. It's great bond that develops, both musically and personally.
Different teams also builds up other worship 'leaders', and this is another area members can serve and grow. We view our ministry as a 'people' ministry. Therefore, if necessary we're always willing to sacrifice a little quality 'Sunday' morning for growth that may affect someone's long-term spiritual well-being. (I'd love it if everyone served in some form or another! I think it would be amazing for our congregations spiritual growth.)
Lastly, I'm reminded what the former president of Tyndale Seminary, Dr. McRae told us once. When people apply for ministry, look for the 5 Cs. Calling, Commitment, Character, Competency and Chemistry. (I believe he got this from Bill Hybels). Without volunteers with all 5 pillars, it's hard to run a ministry. Don't feel obligated to let someone serve, if you don't feel it's right.
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Permalink Reply by PC on -
Thanks Wayne. Good stuff. I am a little confused - so just for clarity for me - you say you have 30 different musicians in 4 teams. Are you the worship pastor over all the teams? Or when you say you get three weeks to plan - does that mean that you "lead" a team, pick the set, rehearse the team, and report to the worship pastor?
Does the worship pastor join you on Sundays or not? I am not sure that I am at a place where my senior pastor would allow me to be absent from the platform on Sundays.
Just a little more information if you don't mind :-)
And I agree with your 5 C's. I am dealing with folks who were serving before I came, some that joined after I came and brand new ones in the last week. We have never had the 5 C's discussion - but this is all coming as I feel the need to create a Worship - Philosophy of Ministry paper to help provide some structure to the ministry area.
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Pau on
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=) I probably should have been more clear. Sorry.
We have 30 volunteers (with various talents) and we've spread them over 4 teams (#1 to #4) and we rotate them every Sunday. So my team, Worship Team #4 is up on May 30th. After the 30th, we generally have 3 weeks "off" until June 27 (usually 'up' every 4 weeks)
Our current team (Team #4) consists of:
- Bassist
- Piano/Synth
- Acoustic Guitar/Violin
- Drummer
- 2 Female Vocalists
- myself (usually play electric and sing)
+ A/V Engineer & PPT operator
I'm the designated 'Worship Leader' for Team #4, so I lead worship on Sunday, but also pick the songs, schedule practice, book the santuary and arrange the music. I delegate the power-point to a team member and a few other small tasks. We rely heavily on the 4 worship team leaders.
We actually don't have a full-time worship pastor. I'm a layman, with a full-time job outside the church. So is the ministry head. (BTW, we're a baptist church). I was the the worship ministry coordinator at my previous church before I moved, and I've been involved in worship ministry for many years, so I try to help out where I can. :)
I guess being absent from the platform may be problem. Hopefully it's only 'image' thing. Maybe you can continue to sing on each team? Maybe you can talk to your Sr. Pastor, and convince him you're growing the ministry (not work evading). Does your Sr. Pastor preach every sermon, every Sunday?
Note: The 4 teams are fairly autonomous. However we do track the songs from week to week, so teams can help each other, repeating new songs, etc.
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Permalink Reply by bet nich on -
Waiting List? Substitutes for emergency situations?
What you are doing now is good - it takes a true leader to juggle all those people and teams. Do you have prospective Praise team members practicing with current musicians a few times before playing for services?
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Permalink Reply by PC on
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Hi Bet. Oh yes. we have a regular rehearsal on Thursday nights before each Sunday service to go over music with all musicians and singers. Some prolonged rehearsals for learning new material. Thanks for the encouragement. It is beginning to get to be rather large though - so I am looking for new alternatives.
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Permalink Reply by PC on
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Thanks for the insight Bruce. On the flipside of your argument about getting people involved too early - we cannot ignore them. We need to be discipling them in some way. I agree that there should be a period of time to get to know their hearts and their motivation and I will pray about the additional 2 months. We need to ensure that we are encouraging them all the while and allowing them to be a part of the team, just not on the platform yet. I think again that the philosophy of worship ministry tool will be invaluable in communicating expectations and also dealing with the possible questions of the current band members regarding their own place in worship. I am pleased that the Lord is blessing us with musicians who want to give their gifts to the Lord - now I must do a good job of leading and sherpherding the larger ministry,. Thanks brother.
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Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on
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PC, if you need to be on stage, then I'd suggest organizing 3 or 4 teams that you will still lead, but that have mostly different members. That way they will start to gel with each other, and your scheduling duties will be greatly reduced. If you go to 4 teams (i.e. to accomodate your bass players for instance), then see if some of your other players (guitarists, pianists) will volunteer to play on two teams out of the four.
Currently we have 3 teams, all led by different leaders, and we have a 3-week rotation. There is no paid worship leader.
I would also encourage the training of new worship leaders, slowly but methodically. I do that by having at least one or two of the songs in the set led by someone else while I just play guitar and sing harmony. Over time, your pastor and congregation will be used to having someone else lead the songs, and you can begin scheduling in some breaks for yourself BEFORE you burn out...:)
And I think the three month waiting period is long enough; three weeks is definitely not. Also, when they start, make sure they know it's a trial run to see how they gel with the team - maybe 3 times or so. Just a thought, but it's easier to bid them farewell if they know up front that it's not a done deal.
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Permalink Reply by PC on
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Rick,
Thank you for your response. I like your thoughts on letting others lead and actually have begun to do quite a bit of that - allowing especially the male voices to take the lead while I provide harmony. My Pastor says that what is lacking when I am not out front is energy and flow of service. And I honestly think there is just a expectation that since I am paid full time I ought to be on the platform every Sunday just as the senior is. I do belieive it is important for me to mentor other leaders and I know there are some that want to lead (but are not ready to lead.) I also think that I need to share with the senior and the board the pro's to this approach so they do not see my "backing off" as being lazy or a lack of leadership - but more that I can turn my attention to additional ways to disciple and sherpherd my people. It's funny - congregations say that they don't want a "star" on the platform - and yet they question my motives when I am not the "star." Maybe I need to be more public in all the areas I am working on behind the scenes so that they can understand my heart and that I am not just ridinig the gravy train.
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I don't think the energy and flow can be totally derailed for only one song...I think you're right in that they believe that the paid person needs to do everything. But pastors are called to train the layity, and so are the worship pastors.
So, yes, I'd make sure your leadership knows and understands what you're doing when you let others step up once in a while, and then do it confidently - work on the song transitions, the person's skills, etc so that the switching of places goes smoothly.
And if anyone complains, just smile and explain that you're only doing your job before God. Remember, only a leader can train other leaders, and I believe it's a leader's responsibililty to do so.
By the way, if you'd like to share a few musicians, we could always use some extra's way up here in Canada!
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Permalink Reply by PC on
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Hahaha. Yeah well - that would be a long commute from Illinois! God will bless you my friend - be in prayer (which I am sure you already are) and I will pray for you as well. Just curious - what is the size of your church? Our church is 600 - 700 so it is a bit easier to find talent. I cannot imagine what it must be like to NOT have musicians to play and worship with, but God provides for us and I know that when the time is right He will provide for your church as well.
Blessings,
PC
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Permalink Reply by J Pettigrew on -
PC, I would also recommend you consider using one "band" for an entire month, then rotate to "band B", etc. This will keep the same team members together every time, and be less distracting for your congregation, as the team would be consistent from one week to the next. If someone doesn't work well with their assigned "band" then you can switch them out or rearrange the team accordingly.
Just a thought.
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