Who can join your team?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on July 25, 2009 at 4:12pm

The short answer is, if they don't fit, I usually don't take them on. Although I've held a paid position in the past, right now all my work is volunteer, and I simply don't have the time to work with each member as I'd like to.

If a violinist or sax player want's to join my team, it really depends on how competent they are. Arranging them into the song set is one thing, but if I have to teach them how to play better, how to control their dynamics, if I have to produce new musical scores for them, etc, then I say no. And if I do take them on, it's also with the understanding that they may not play on every song.

For example, I had a violinist play recently and on the songs where we didn't use violin, she sang backup.

In the end, I believe that it's important to stay true to your own style and identity, because adding someone just because they ask can become the same as playing all the songs people personally request - as the leader God has put you there to lead, not be led down the garden path, so to speak.

However, you also have to remain open to the possiblity that God is trying to stretch you and the ministry. so you should handle these things with prayer and wisdom. I find it best to sometimes not give an answer right away, but to say that I'll consider it.

Permalink Reply by Peter Goh on August 4, 2009 at 5:24am

Hey Rick, I like your good advice. Will take note if ever I have to face such a situation in future.

Permalink Reply by Junjie on September 8, 2009 at 3:36am

I agree with Rick, we should make it clear that we may not have all those instruments on every song. I think we do violence to the music if we have to try and force a certain specialised instrument to fit into all the songs ALL the time. With a violin, clarinet or guzhen (one of the chinese stringed instruments) that may just end up bad. Really bad.

Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on September 8, 2009 at 6:56pm

Junjie, even the regular instruments try to play all the time! Just last week I had to advise my bass player, my drummer, the flute/sax player and the vocalists (all at different times) not to do their most awesome fills on every line of the song!

Learning where to come in and where to back out is one of the key things for making a band sound really good.

Permalink Reply by Matthew Edey on July 25, 2009 at 6:05pm

Right now we sort of do a Hillsong style, (or modern in general) for the praise teams. However, if someone who played say the clarinet, and if they had the skill I'd love to include them in some aspects. There's a girl at my church who sings and plays viola so I've been trying to get her involved for a while not only for another back up singer, but to have the versatility of including a bowed string instrument.

Permalink Reply by john smith on December 16, 2009 at 1:57pm

Paul Baloche incorporated a cello on one of his recordings.
I found the cello (which does not play chords) very closely, emulated the pocket that a gritty electric guitar does when power chording. The cello plays with a sustaining tone (whole notes, halves etc.) This "padding" creates a "glue" that binds, and smooths out the percussiveness of all the rhythm instruments.
The cello should not be predominant though, supportive.
I have observed that bands using multiple guitarist have what I call "machine gunning".
Every person, strumming full chords, with opposing rhythms. Even the keyboardist banging out a rhythm makes for busyness.

Permalink Reply by Laura Fritzky on July 26, 2009 at 7:20am

I would recommend that you work them in as it is suitable for your worship style and congregation... especially if their hearts and motives are in the right place. Simply turning someone away because you they don't seem to fit in or because you don't have the time or patience could put you in a place of accountability to God... you never know what God might be trying to do in the music ministry for you or your church.

As a musician and music teacher, I believe that there is a place for anyone who is talented in playing any instrument and have a desire to serve. I would try to create opportunities for them to share their gifts during special worship services or holidays... variety can sometimes open an atmosphere of a fresh anointing and a different level of worship.

Perfect example: at a church I use to attend, we normally used acoustic guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. A young lady who played flute wanted to join the team. The praise and worship leader didn't know how to include her... I suggested that he allow her to play a solo part on one of the songs... it literally begin to melt the hearts of the worshippers, moved us to a different level of freedom in our worship.

My thing is this, If God sends you a competent musician who's heart is in the right place, he or she desires to be a part, regardless as to what instrument he or she plays create an avenue in which he or she can share their talents whether it is during special services, holidays or an occasional featured appearance during regular praise and worship service.

Permalink Reply by Laura Fritzky on July 26, 2009 at 7:23am

I would recommend that you work them in as it is suitable for your worship style and congregation... especially if their hearts and motives are in the right place. Simply turning someone away because they don't seem to fit in or because you don't have the time or patience could put you in a place of accountability to God... you never know what God might be trying to do in the music ministry for you or your church.

As a musician and music teacher, I believe that there is a place for anyone who is talented in playing any instrument and have a desire to serve. I would try to create opportunities for them to share their gifts during special worship services or holidays... variety can sometimes open an atmosphere of a fresh anointing and a different level of worship.

Perfect example: at a church I use to attend, we normally used acoustic guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. A young lady who played flute wanted to join the team. The praise and worship leader didn't know how to include her... I suggested that he allow her to play a solo part on one of the songs... it literally begin to melt the hearts of the worshippers, moved us to a different level of freedom in our worship.

My thing is this, If God sends you a competent musician who's heart is in the right place, he or she desires to be a part, regardless as to what instrument he or she plays create an avenue in which he or she can share their talents whether it is during special services, holidays or an occasional featured appearance during regular praise and worship service.

Permalink Reply by Nathan Lawrenson on August 7, 2009 at 6:48pm

One of my greatest responsibilities as a worship leader is to equip, encourage and enable those I serve to worship God with the gifts he has given them. That doesn't always mean that they need to be on stage, leading worship with the band, but it does mean that I, at least, consider the best option for each person.

Three of the things (there are more) we value when it comes to music are quality, discipline and passion...any musician that comes to me with those three values already instilled in their lives/music is probably going to be utilized in some way leading others in worship. Yes, we have a certain musical style, and if you want to play with the band on Sunday morning, you've got to meet our standards, but we're not bias when it comes to instruments and voices. We have a harmonica player who plays with us about 2-3 times a month. We're currently working with a guy who plays sax (we're learning a few Big Daddy Weave songs). We currently have two tenors and two altos, but no sopranos in the band.

We also try to create as many venues as possible for people to worship God and lead others in worship. Art shows for those who are into visual arts, worship choir for those who love to sing but aren't quite ready for the band, youth band for those kids who still have a ways to go but will be valued by their peers, etc. People who love to play guitar are invited to lead worship for our small groups. People who love computers are on our tech, media and graphics teams, putting together the visuals for Sunday morning.

It's also about identifying everyone who serves in ministry as a "worshipper" and every ministry team as a "worship team". Worship is far more than music, and teaching people that changing diapers, cleaning toilets, serving guests, counting the offering, etc. is just as much about worship as singing and playing an instrument is critical.

Enabling others to worship, especially by using their gifts in a public way, is priceless. It places value in their lives and gifts, it encourages those who are watching/listening to use their gifts (musical or not) to worship, and it makes God smile. I can't imagine turning away somebody who wants to worship, just because I'm not creative enough to think of a way to use their unique gifts...being a worship leader is not easy. Too many people are sitting on their butts in churches all over the world because they've been told "no" one too many times...I don't want to personally add to that number.

Nate

Permalink Reply by David Prentice on August 29, 2009 at 10:32pm

It's a stretch on both sides. For you, you must be able to answer this question: How do I take what they do and incorperate it into what I do? This forces me to think outside the box. If you go to youtube and look at some live cuts of old secular bands, you'd be amazed at their capacity to incorperate instruments you wouldn't been inclined to associate with their genre.

For the person who wants to join, aside from musical competency, they must be able to work with the same materials as everyone else on the team. They will be given basic musical parameters (I.E. chord sheets) and then they must become their own arranger. This will force them to rise to the musical occasion, letting them know that it's gotta fit what you're doing musically on any given piece.

Here's a bit of musical philosophy. God has made all of us uniquely. One person is wired to sing in this style. Another is wired to play in a certain fashion. My job is to take those components, lay out some basic musical parameters and then mold those components into a viable group. I will lovingly guide ... however ... I resist the natural urge I might have to try and make them something they are not.
You are who God has wired you to be, musically speaking. I don't wanna be the one to presume that God wired you wrong!

Permalink Reply by Wayne Pau on September 28, 2009 at 5:15pm

Dave, I agree 100%. (I also like Nate's posting as well.) Especially about great bands crossing over and incorporating different instruments (and in my mind different styles, that take some serious skill).

Over the years, as the workers/volunteers on the teams I've served have changed, I've been challenged on how to great the most out of them. In some way like the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

What's really amazing, is not how I changed them or how they adapted to our team, but how much it stretched me as a musician. I became a much better bass player, after our team was given a committed bass player. With a new electric violin player, I became more proficient in composing solo parts. With additional singers, I got more creative with multi-part harmony and vocal accenting.

Bottom line, new people with new talents stretched me for sure. Pretty sure I'd be playing the same old thing, same old tricks if I wasn't given new, interesting members. Maybe that was God's way of re-molding me, shaking me out of my mold. Weird how that works.

Permalink Reply by Junjie on September 29, 2009 at 2:38am

True. We discover that we actually know more and can do more when we have more resources available. :)

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