This week we look at our seventh core value—striving for excellence (not perfection). Webster defines excellence as “the quality or state of being outstanding or superior” whereas the term perfection implies “the quality or state of something that is as good or suitable as it can possibly be.” I have worked with many an artist whose primary
preoccupation was with “getting it right,” never making mistakes, chasing the elusive “flawless”performance. I can identify. As a young organist in my dad’s church growing up in Dallas, I was routinely evaluated by my mom at lunch each Sunday, which included her estimate of how many mistakes I had made that morning. (Bad Mommy--she had many other fine qualities!) Thank God for therapists!
But the pursuit of excellence in our ministry is not the same as seeking perfection. I remember years ago reading the motto of a music ministry at a very large, nationally known church in south Florida. It was simple but memorable: Excellence in all things and all things to God’s glory. Be excellent. Glorify God. On the surface, it seems fairly non-controversial. But in my experience with numerous worship ministries throughout the country, I believe that some “church musicians” seem to believe these two concepts are mutually exclusive.
Some would argue that the moment you begin to pursue excellence in your art, you quickly move to self-gratification or glorification. After all, the proponents of this viewpoint are quick to point out, the Bible says to make a joyful noise, doesn’t it, so all that matters to God is what is in our heart? The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 115 that at the core of our craft should be this attitude: “Not to us, O Lord; not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.” And the apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that the pursuit of glorifying God should touch every phase of our life: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
On the other side of the coin, it could be argued that we were made to exhibit excellence. After all, we were created in the image of God, the Original Artist, and that since He only created that which was good or very good, should not our creative pursuits be characterized by
excellence as well?
The scriptures are pretty clear that those who are chosen to use their art to lead God’s people in worship should do so with diligence and excellence, not just a pure heart. Psalm 33:3 reminds us to “sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.”
1 Chronicles 25:6 describes a musical family which was assigned responsibilities for worship leadership, with this interesting emphasis: “they were all under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all were skillful, was 288. And they cast lots of their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.”
Again, Paul in the New Testament reminds us that the focus of our lives should not be on the adequate or the ordinary but rather the highest and best, when he writes “whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about theses things. (Philippians 4:8)
A final rationale for Christian artists and worship leaders pursuing excellence is that we in America are trying to reach a fairly sophisticated listener when it comes to the music and art available to our members and guests every day of their lives. If the arts are considered a language through which we can communicate the gospel, that language must be clear, precise, and relevant to the culture around it.
So which way to we go? Do we “worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness”, as the Psalmist encourages, or do we reinterpret that verse to say “worship the Lord in the holiness of beauty?” Do we seek the beauty and glory of God through worship, or worship God through the achievement of creative and artistic beauty?
My question is, why must it be an either/or? In every area of this ministry, we can be moving toward higher ground. Spiritually, we must agree with Paul that we “have [not] already attained [spiritual] perfection, but I press on to make it my own because Christ has made me his own.” (Phil. 3:12) Artistically, we are entrusted with certain gifts which can always be improved upon, sharpened, and honed (Parable of the talents—Matthew 25:15ff).
When we view “excellence in all things and all things to God’s glory” as two sides to the same coin, we see ministry for what it is: a high calling which is at once a free gift and that which demands my life, my soul, my all. What about it, Hope Church worship team? Can we dare to become the church arts department that gets it…and gets it right?
-tad
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Short Accounts - 1.21.10
A belated Happy New Year, everybody! We return to those thrilling days of yesteryear (you know, just before Christmas) when we began unpacking our choir’s core values, one week at a time. To review:
Hope Choir Core Values
1. Know the Word.
2. Stay intimate with God.
3. Build up the Body of Christ
4. Find common ground with the seeker
5. Stay healthy.
6. Keep short accounts.
7. Strive for excellence (not perfection).
This week we are reminded that in healthy organizations and communities, relationships depend on honesty, openness, and remaining current in expressing our feelings toward one another. The familiar passage in Matthew 18:15 reminds us what to do when things do break down and we begin feeling at odds with each other: “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.”
The issue is not getting even or even getting something off our chest—the goal is restoration of the relationship. And in cases of the heart, timing is everything. To delay the direct approach often leads to suppression of feelings which give way to anger and resentment. Worse, we begin to “triangle” the relationship by sharing with a third party how we are feeling about the second party. This is usually less threatening to us personally, but is also almost always more destructive.
(By the way, if you are ever tempted to enter into one of those tri-angled conversations, remember a good question to ask is, “It what you are about to share with me about “so-and-so”
going to make me think less or more of that person? In other words, praise anyone to the hilt with others, but if you have a beef with someone, start with them!)
This concept particularly rings true for those involved in upfront leadership. Many passages remind us that we can’t love both God and hate our brother. What we do to the least of our brothers, we do to HIM, and (my favorite) “if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar (public worship)…and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and [worship] God.” (Matt. 5:23) If we are to have credibility as lovers of God, we must also do everything in our power to remain connected and “clean” with each other.
One final note: keeping short accounts means no sandbagging. What does that mean? Simply this—rather than collecting dirt (or hurt) on someone over a long period of time, only to erupt when the bag bursts with a laundry list of wounds and offenses, try staying current. When someone says or does something to hurt or offend you, gently approach them immeditely. Use “I feel” statements rather than “you did…” or “you always… “
Another way to approach a hurtful incident is to ask the (offending) person to “help you understand why he did such and such.” The key is to live in a posture of humility and forgiveness, realizing how much God through Christ has forgiven you. To ignore these principles may make you feel more comfortable momentarily, but you will end up breaking the heart of God and losing a brother in the process. Will you, members of Hope’s worship community, join me in seeking to keep as short accounts as possible with one another? If the God who is holy is able to remove my sins as far as the east is from the west and to toss them into the sea of forgetfulness, who am I to keep score? Can I get a witness?
-tad
Next week: Strive for excellence (not perfection)
Hope Choir Core Values
1. Know the Word.
2. Stay intimate with God.
3. Build up the Body of Christ
4. Find common ground with the seeker
5. Stay healthy.
6. Keep short accounts.
7. Strive for excellence (not perfection).
This week we are reminded that in healthy organizations and communities, relationships depend on honesty, openness, and remaining current in expressing our feelings toward one another. The familiar passage in Matthew 18:15 reminds us what to do when things do break down and we begin feeling at odds with each other: “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.”
The issue is not getting even or even getting something off our chest—the goal is restoration of the relationship. And in cases of the heart, timing is everything. To delay the direct approach often leads to suppression of feelings which give way to anger and resentment. Worse, we begin to “triangle” the relationship by sharing with a third party how we are feeling about the second party. This is usually less threatening to us personally, but is also almost always more destructive.
(By the way, if you are ever tempted to enter into one of those tri-angled conversations, remember a good question to ask is, “It what you are about to share with me about “so-and-so”
going to make me think less or more of that person? In other words, praise anyone to the hilt with others, but if you have a beef with someone, start with them!)
This concept particularly rings true for those involved in upfront leadership. Many passages remind us that we can’t love both God and hate our brother. What we do to the least of our brothers, we do to HIM, and (my favorite) “if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar (public worship)…and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and [worship] God.” (Matt. 5:23) If we are to have credibility as lovers of God, we must also do everything in our power to remain connected and “clean” with each other.
One final note: keeping short accounts means no sandbagging. What does that mean? Simply this—rather than collecting dirt (or hurt) on someone over a long period of time, only to erupt when the bag bursts with a laundry list of wounds and offenses, try staying current. When someone says or does something to hurt or offend you, gently approach them immeditely. Use “I feel” statements rather than “you did…” or “you always… “
Another way to approach a hurtful incident is to ask the (offending) person to “help you understand why he did such and such.” The key is to live in a posture of humility and forgiveness, realizing how much God through Christ has forgiven you. To ignore these principles may make you feel more comfortable momentarily, but you will end up breaking the heart of God and losing a brother in the process. Will you, members of Hope’s worship community, join me in seeking to keep as short accounts as possible with one another? If the God who is holy is able to remove my sins as far as the east is from the west and to toss them into the sea of forgetfulness, who am I to keep score? Can I get a witness?
-tad
Next week: Strive for excellence (not perfection)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Draw Near - 10.8.09
Continuing in our series on core values that shape our worship arts ministry, let’s focus on staying intimate with God. If we loosely define being intimate as being relationally close to another, it becomes apparent that intimacy with God has less to do with what we know to be true about Him and more about really knowing Him…relating to Him, talking and listening to Him, loving Him.
Imagine, for a moment, the difference between sitting around your table on your birthday and having your closest friends and/or family members enthusiastically (sometimes humorously) singing happy birthday to you. You are aware that beyond their singing skills and the familiar words are numerous shared experiences which over time have yielded a closeness and intimacy with them that transcend this simple tradition.
Now imagine dining out at your favorite restaurant on your birthday and having total strangers surround you—your waiters and waitresses who have been conscripted by their boss to acknowledge your special day with some local version of Happy Birthday. First, if you’re like me, you are feeling awkward or, worse, dying inside of embarrassment, and secondly, you are aware that these well wishers had little choice in the matter…it’s part of their job.
Sometimes we as followers of Christ can fall into patterns of “doing our job” as the worship leaders at Hope…going through the motions, even saying and singing the right things, but feeling empty inside or at least a bit disingenuous. I have even heard teammates confess that they feel hypocritical when they sing worship songs because their personal lives or walk with Christ have hit a rough patch or even flat-lined.
It is at times like these that we can do a quick inventory, asking a simple question: “If God seems far away from me right now, guess who moved?” It is even in the dark and desperate times that God reminds us “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) For His part, He never stops calling, never stops wooing, never stops pursuing us. Just move toward Him.
There is also an immediacy to God’s invitation to stay close to Him when He warns: Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. (Issaiah 55:6) Yes, He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but there is something about delaying or postponing getting close to God for a more convenient season that becomes less likely the more time passes, and we grow comfortable with the distance.
My encouragement to each of you is to have at least one other person in your life who routinely asks you how you are doing in this area. Close, personal brothers and sisters in the faith can help us fan the flames of our passion for God before we find ourselves running on spiritual fumes. Fumes are more like the remnants or even memories of former days when we really walked hand in hand with our God. Let’s make a covenant in the worship ministry to lovingly encourage and challenge each other to keep the main thing the main thing. As a worship leader, it is the sweetest gift we can give to the Body…and to the Lover of our souls.
Next week: Build up the Body of Christ
-tad
Imagine, for a moment, the difference between sitting around your table on your birthday and having your closest friends and/or family members enthusiastically (sometimes humorously) singing happy birthday to you. You are aware that beyond their singing skills and the familiar words are numerous shared experiences which over time have yielded a closeness and intimacy with them that transcend this simple tradition.
Now imagine dining out at your favorite restaurant on your birthday and having total strangers surround you—your waiters and waitresses who have been conscripted by their boss to acknowledge your special day with some local version of Happy Birthday. First, if you’re like me, you are feeling awkward or, worse, dying inside of embarrassment, and secondly, you are aware that these well wishers had little choice in the matter…it’s part of their job.
Sometimes we as followers of Christ can fall into patterns of “doing our job” as the worship leaders at Hope…going through the motions, even saying and singing the right things, but feeling empty inside or at least a bit disingenuous. I have even heard teammates confess that they feel hypocritical when they sing worship songs because their personal lives or walk with Christ have hit a rough patch or even flat-lined.
It is at times like these that we can do a quick inventory, asking a simple question: “If God seems far away from me right now, guess who moved?” It is even in the dark and desperate times that God reminds us “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) For His part, He never stops calling, never stops wooing, never stops pursuing us. Just move toward Him.
There is also an immediacy to God’s invitation to stay close to Him when He warns: Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. (Issaiah 55:6) Yes, He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but there is something about delaying or postponing getting close to God for a more convenient season that becomes less likely the more time passes, and we grow comfortable with the distance.
My encouragement to each of you is to have at least one other person in your life who routinely asks you how you are doing in this area. Close, personal brothers and sisters in the faith can help us fan the flames of our passion for God before we find ourselves running on spiritual fumes. Fumes are more like the remnants or even memories of former days when we really walked hand in hand with our God. Let’s make a covenant in the worship ministry to lovingly encourage and challenge each other to keep the main thing the main thing. As a worship leader, it is the sweetest gift we can give to the Body…and to the Lover of our souls.
Next week: Build up the Body of Christ
-tad
Come Away - 9.24.09
In reflecting on last weekend’s advance, I recall the words to one of my favorite communion anthems, Come Away, written by Ken Medema.
Come away for a little time apart,
for the changing of the heart; come away.
Come away to a taste so bittersweet,
where hope and heartache meet; come away.
Here is light to light the darkest maze;
here is song to fill the pathless days;
here is call among the crowded ways.
Bread of Life, wine of happiness and tears, faithfulness and fears;
this feast awaits you here; come away.
For those who were able to come away, it was a feast in so many ways, not the least of which was sharing the Lord’s meal at the conclusion. What did I take away? You are a very special group of people, dearly loved by God and learning step by step to dearly love each other. I was really moved by the genuine effort on each participant’s part to really make connection with others. Is there anything sweeter in the human experience than reaching out to others made in the image of God and being a conduit of His love? More precious to God than musical harmony is relational harmony. Keep after it!
My special thanks to Jenn for an incredible amount of invisible servant leadership, as well as her worship leadership on Friday night. Thanks also to helpers Ashlie, Scott, Benito, and to Debby, Louise, and other members of our drama team: Rebekah, Janet, Hector, Jim, Brian, and Kim for their contribution.
Over the next several months, this column will touch on one of the many core values we looked at during some of last weekend’s teachings. Next week we will look at Colossians 3:16—Know the Word. Make it a great week!
-tad
Come away for a little time apart,
for the changing of the heart; come away.
Come away to a taste so bittersweet,
where hope and heartache meet; come away.
Here is light to light the darkest maze;
here is song to fill the pathless days;
here is call among the crowded ways.
Bread of Life, wine of happiness and tears, faithfulness and fears;
this feast awaits you here; come away.
For those who were able to come away, it was a feast in so many ways, not the least of which was sharing the Lord’s meal at the conclusion. What did I take away? You are a very special group of people, dearly loved by God and learning step by step to dearly love each other. I was really moved by the genuine effort on each participant’s part to really make connection with others. Is there anything sweeter in the human experience than reaching out to others made in the image of God and being a conduit of His love? More precious to God than musical harmony is relational harmony. Keep after it!
My special thanks to Jenn for an incredible amount of invisible servant leadership, as well as her worship leadership on Friday night. Thanks also to helpers Ashlie, Scott, Benito, and to Debby, Louise, and other members of our drama team: Rebekah, Janet, Hector, Jim, Brian, and Kim for their contribution.
Over the next several months, this column will touch on one of the many core values we looked at during some of last weekend’s teachings. Next week we will look at Colossians 3:16—Know the Word. Make it a great week!
-tad
Community - 9.10.09
In a little over two weeks, we start our outreach Christmas project, and this year we will intentionally be inviting singers who can join us just to work on that event. Call it an introduction to music ministry or a “taste of Hope Choir.” This means we will be welcoming them into our community to experience how we work, how we live together, how we love one another.
Our rehearsals for Sunday worship will still begin at 7:00pm on Thursdays, but at 8:00pm we will shift to Christmas prep and be joined by these special guests. Hopefully we’ll attract some new singers, who can’t yet commit to an every Sunday morning ministry, but are willing to take a first step.
Some may come boldly, brimming with self-confidence and ready to tackle the impossible. Others might come with anxiety and fear that their contribution will not be noticed or needed. Think back for a moment to the last time you joined a group for the first time. What were your hopes at that first meeting? Any fears? What made that experience such that you wanted to return? Or what, perhaps, happened that kept you from going back?
My sense is that we have (at least) two universal desires when it comes to joining a new community: 1) to “fit in” and 2) to be needed, or valued. In a choir, that primarily can be related to the musical contribution we make, but as human beings, I think we wish to be valued for who we are, not just what we can do. Some in our very own Hope Choir even now are waiting to be noticed – not in a prideful way, but in a manner that says, “When I am not here, am I missed?”
Let’s practice the art of hospitality with each other tonight, and be all the more ready for any newcomers in the next few weeks. Don’t forget what it took you to brave joining a new group for the very first time. I believe how we handle the “little things” of creating a safe and welcoming place brings a smile to the face of God!
-tad
Our rehearsals for Sunday worship will still begin at 7:00pm on Thursdays, but at 8:00pm we will shift to Christmas prep and be joined by these special guests. Hopefully we’ll attract some new singers, who can’t yet commit to an every Sunday morning ministry, but are willing to take a first step.
Some may come boldly, brimming with self-confidence and ready to tackle the impossible. Others might come with anxiety and fear that their contribution will not be noticed or needed. Think back for a moment to the last time you joined a group for the first time. What were your hopes at that first meeting? Any fears? What made that experience such that you wanted to return? Or what, perhaps, happened that kept you from going back?
My sense is that we have (at least) two universal desires when it comes to joining a new community: 1) to “fit in” and 2) to be needed, or valued. In a choir, that primarily can be related to the musical contribution we make, but as human beings, I think we wish to be valued for who we are, not just what we can do. Some in our very own Hope Choir even now are waiting to be noticed – not in a prideful way, but in a manner that says, “When I am not here, am I missed?”
Let’s practice the art of hospitality with each other tonight, and be all the more ready for any newcomers in the next few weeks. Don’t forget what it took you to brave joining a new group for the very first time. I believe how we handle the “little things” of creating a safe and welcoming place brings a smile to the face of God!
-tad
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