The Synergy Box

Internal Signals

2010-04-13T19:12:00.004-05:00

"As much as we long for external signs that point the way to the future, we must settle for inner signals that alert us to the proximity of new beginnings." - William Bridges

Despite Bridges' elegant description of the hint of a realized future, his words can't begin to describe the tension-filled climate of one seeking positive change who is unable to either see it or have it neatly offered up. The complexity of our human existence often lends itself to messy ends, waiting periods and new starts. Rarely is a new beginning crisply and cleverly packaged. More often it's a mish mosh. Some things ending, others beginning and a few things stuck in neutral.

What I find so profound about Bridges' thought is the fact that in the muddle of our misshapen lives, we can count on the new rising up in us. We can learn to lean into those subtle internal signals that point us correctly in the direction of a better future. I believe in the best of circumstances these are God-inspired moments, His signals of prompted change.

So my question to you is this: what God-inspired internal signals are rising up in you? And what should you do about them? Or better yet, what will you do?

No goodbyes?

2010-04-12T15:21:00.008-05:00

In my forward-thinking, future-focused world, new beginnings covet all my attention. Endings...not so much.

I know how to say goodbye. Sometimes I even over do it. But in my people-loving, the world-is-one-big-family mindset, I don't like to say goodbye. I'd rather holler, "see you later," as I whiz out of sight. And to me, later might mean next week or it could mean in heaven. When my circumstances change, I'm typically the first one to be ready to climb the next mountain. (Unless of course I wind up pouting about the unexpected or unfair nature of life.) I like new stuff.

But...endings are important.

When you move across the country, when your circumstances are drastically altered, when your ministry is ready for change, even when your wife wants you to learn to hang up your towel and you finally agree...you MUST acknowledge endings well. Each ending deserves attention. You must identify the losses and grieve them. You must discern how to provide closure, and you need to figure out how to celebrate contributions. You must pay attention to what it takes to effectively change.

Endings should not become THE focal point, but they must be a stopping point each time change is imminent. Glaze over them and you will miss the richness of celebration. Neglect them and you'll have people clinging to the way things used to be.

To what or whom do you need to say your goodbyes?

The Neutral Zone

2010-04-07T15:03:00.003-05:00

When you're stuck in between loss and gain, between old and new, between past and future, William Bridges the author of Transitions says you're in the "neutral zone." While being stuck in a season of waiting, seeming emptiness or renewal can evoke feelings of sadness, anger or discouragement, Bridges suggests, "Dying, the neutral zone, and rebirth are not ideas that we bring to life; they are phenomena that we find in life. The only trick is to see them - by looking beyond the reflected light of the familiar surface of things and seeing what is really there, working in the depths. The neutral zone - the time between the old life and the new - is a particularly rich time for such insight." In short, the neutral zone can be one of the most creative periods in your life or ministry.

This past year has been a full-on neutral zone for me, a time of working in the depths of my soul, my circumstances and my dreams to discover the richness of God and His blessings. This is what I've learned so far:

1. Blessings are better than happiness. Happiness is a fleeting emotion that the Bible doesn't spend much time discussing. Blessings are God's goodness applied to our lives. Seeking lasting blessings from God is a more worthy pursuit than momentary happiness.

2. Some visions mature slowly, some surprise you quickly. If vision is the tension between what is and what could be, you need to be able to see what could be. Sometimes a leader immediately and clearly sees what could be in their life or ministry. Other times, it takes time, effort, exploration and prayer to form vision. While the process is different, the outcome is the same. One just requires more patience.

3. Becoming really is better than doing. Mary and Martha have always been of great interest to me. I'm more of a do-er, less of a be-er by nature. Sometimes I would get so mad when I would hear the story of how Mary sat at Jesus feet while Martha did all the work. Here's what changed my heart on this: the realization (read duh-moment) that all doing emanates from being. If I am becoming a godly woman, my actions will follow suit. If all I care about is action, my ministry will dry up as soon as the actions are complete.

4. Most of us try too hard. Whew. That's a hard realization, and taken out of context, a dangerous one. My responsibility bone is very strong, so I believe in hard work, determination and follow-through. However, during my neutral zone experience I've come to realize that some of the things in life or ministry we get so amped up about ought to be given less attention. Where can we refocus that attention: on becoming, on visioneering, on connecting with others and on obedience to God. Basically, I'm learning some of us need to "lighten up."

5. Ministry stems from self-leadership and identity. We'd like to believe our church is a reflection of Christ and His holiness. While God does supernaturally move in and through many churches, each individual church is likely more of a reflection of its leaders. Theological argument with that previous statement aside, you cannot ignore the direct correlation between a leaders' character and identity and the culture of his or her ministry. Lest we get too self-important, ministry and the church belong to God. He is the One who determine the success or failure of any particular ministry or church. Yet, God chooses to use people. And have you ever noticed how those who are men and women of godly character, who understand the church and ministry culture and who are expert leaders tend to build effective impactful ministries? My takeaway: self-leadership goes a long way.

So what's your neutral zone experience? Where are you sensing an ending and a new beginning. Don't be tempted to jump over the neutral zone experience, or you'll miss a terrific opportunity to mine the depths of your heart and soul in connection with God.

The soul never thinks without a picture

2010-04-06T18:02:00.001-05:00

"The soul never thinks without a picture." - Aristotle

Just thinking about vision gets my heart pumping, my adrenaline flowing and my mind whirling. I can palpably feel a sense of urgency whenever I consider creating, clarifying or communicating a vision. In his book Visioneering, Andy Stanley suggests, "Visions are born in the soul of a man or woman who is consumed with the tension between what is and what could be." That pretty much describes me: consumed by seeing what could be and how to help leaders and churches get there.

So what stops other church leaders from being as excited as I am about vision? Perhaps some leaders lack an understanding of the power of vision. Maybe some simply don't know how to get a vision from their heads into action. I love working with both these kinds of leaders, because as I said I'm passionate about vision. But the church leader who needs the most help when it comes to vision is the one who is afraid of leading change or who leads a church afraid of change.

Churches have a unique ability to know something is not working, know something needs to change then shield their souls from the need to change by touting tradition and an unwillingness to cause offense. This drives me crazy. Churches need to learn how to change when a change would make them more effective and more transformational. Churches ought to lead the way in understanding change. But for as many churches who fear change, there seem to be an equal number of churches and church leaders who too quickly jump on any change bandwagon that passes by. Where some churches decline for lack of change, others seem to alienate people as they reactively change ministry to suit the current trends.

That's why it all comes back to vision and why I'm so passionate about this leadership tool. When leaders understand not only what could be, but also what should be done in their unique church in their next season, a God-inspired vision is born. Then change is simple and obvious (though not always easy) because it flows from a picture of a unique God-designed future.

Apply this to your church. Apply it at home. We did and we're moving half way across the United States. For us that's an obvious God-inspired change. What picture does your soul need to see this season? Do you have the courage to change?

Moving Forward (or South)

2010-03-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

In two months time, we are moving to Orlando. You know: the home of Mickey Mouse. In the Sunshine state. Where tourists are the big industry. I am psyched! And am so looking forward to:
• Sunshine
• Beachfront
• Swimming
• Disney
• Warm weather
• And serving at Discovery Church

At the same time, moving means loss. I will miss:
• My Midwest friends!
• My extended family!
• My home here!

But I'm thinking big. Ready for the next challenge God has in store for our family.

Change is good right?

Yes, I say! As long as the change is rooted in a discerning spirit, purposeful and timely.

Our family has moved quite often lately. If you've been following our movements at all lately, you may have seen us in several different states in the last few years. But we're not shy about making a commitment to a community. We have simply always been willing to listen to the voice of God and literally move across the country at God's bidding. Our upcoming move is no exception. We feel called to make the Orlando community our new home.

So big changes are in store for us this summer. We covet your prayers for our family and the ministry God is calling us to!

10 Ways to Create Artistic Community

2009-11-04T10:26:00.005-06:00

Artistic community in the church is simply a "must do." Artists need each other. When you think about it, you have to admit that no artist, or person for that matter, enjoys being "used." Even task oriented people prefer to be appreciated for who they are in addition to what they can do. Over the years, my appreciation for the power of artistic community has grown exponentially, because artists and technical volunteers in the church create more transformational moments when they do so in the context of community. We all need to be known.

Some arts leaders naturally create a community of artists. Others need to work at it. The rest of this blog is for the later group. These ideas are for those who haven't yet moved their leadership to the "must do" community camp:

Buy the team pizza and sodas.
Create a green room backstage where the team can connect.
Put people into rotating teams who serve together regularly. Then switch the teams every six months or so.
Create a team blog.
Hold several team events each year (an early Christmas party or an artistic talent night).
Gather them monthly for an all-team meeting. Include programming and production volunteers. Use this time to cast vision and create community.
Pray together regularly before each rehearsal and each service.
Schedule a yearly or quarterly volunteer retreat.
Create a wall of appreciation (a bulletin board where they can leave each other notes of appreciation and care).
Place team members into shepherding groups. Assign a volunteer leader to each group to keep tabs on individuals' needs, prayer requests and major life events.

Raise the value of team and you'll raise the impact of your weekend services. It's worth every ounce of leadership effort.

Develop Your Artists' Gifts

2009-10-16T13:55:00.004-05:00

Whatever you do as an arts leader, don't let people stagnate in their gifts. Art wasn't meant to be stagnant. Sure, great art endures, but great artists seldom paint the same piece twice. Great song writers strive for new melodies and lyrics. Great church leaders strive for fresh weekend services. The same applies to the artistic talent of church artists and technical volunteers. They need to keep improving, to learn to do something new.

Next time you're faced with the decision to build into the talents of those in your ranks or assume they come fully prepared, think twice before you proceed. People in the church need us to give them the tools to make a difference for Christ with their art. Most of them will show up with a basic toolbox, but we need to figure out which tools they need that aren't in their box. Then we need to craft a plan to offer them support and personal growth.

The dividends are obvious. People get filled up. Art becomes more transformational. Community grows as people learn together. Not your job? Really? Does your church come fully stocked with professional artists who are spiritually and artistically always at their peak? Didn't think so. Take the time to build into the people within your care. Not only will you retain your volunteers longer, but your services will simply be better. It's worth it to develop your artists' gifts.

Grow Your Artists Spiritually

2009-10-15T15:15:00.003-05:00

What are you doing to help the artists in your worship arts ministry grow? What are you doing to actively disciple your artists? While it's easier to hope artists land themselves in a solid small group, read their Bibles regularly and develop a deep prayer life, the reality of being a worship leader or arts leader is that if you are the leader then you are responsible for the spiritual growth of your volunteers. God has entrusted men and women into your spiritual care, and you cannot hope someone else in the church is doing your job.

It's your job to reach out to those who serve on your teams and help them discover how God wants them to grow. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Pray regularly before rehearsals and weekend services.

Spend 10-15 minutes in the Bible together before each rehearsal.

Meet monthly with your teams to promote community, unity and spiritual growth.

Invite individuals to meet with you or their team shepherd whenever you see a spiritual need.

Write a blog or newsletter that includes spiritual direction.

Read a book as a team that promotes godly values and incorporates Christian character growth.

Invite team members to worship together during weekend services.

Serve as a team outside the auditorium from time to time.

Help each individual team member discover their next step or spiritual growth area for the year.

Grow yourself as a leader and share your personal areas of growth with the team.

Helping artists grow spiritually doesn't mean you need to complete an hour of Bible study each time you meet. But it does require you to build a culture of growth within your ministry. What's one thing you can do today to help your artists grow? Start now!

Taking Care of Your Spiritual Health

2009-10-14T16:07:00.007-05:00

How healthy are you...spiritually? Yikes. Depending on the criteria you use to judge a person's spiritual health, it's likely that most of us will come up lacking in one way or another. Employing the basic spiritual disciplines as criteria, you could assess your spiritual growth based on how often you go to church, read your Bible or pray. Using community based criteria, you could judge your growth based on whether or not you attend a small group, serve regularly in your church or volunteer in your community. And to some extent, these measures would be accurate.

But how does God look at it? What does He use to measure my spiritual health? I think it's less about my practices and more about my heart. I think God looks upon our hearts and minds, searching for those who wholeheartedly worship and adore Him. I think He cares that I'm growing into the best Sandy Johnson He made me to become - one who displays the heart and character of Christ more and more each day.

Uh, oh. I sense a tension point here. Though spiritual practices are never the measure of a heart solely devoted to Christ, the more I become like Him, the more I will want to participate in the life He has to offer. The more I desire to grow, the more I will realize that growth requires me to put myself into positions to be taught and stretched by God. Some of these are spiritual practices.

It's easy to forgo reading the Bible or praying. It's simple to stay home on Sunday mornings or skip serving. Personal stagnation requires little to no effort on our part. Taking care of yourself spiritually requires more. It means placing yourself in positions to become more like Christ. And it means every time you encounter more of His truth, you yield more of yourself to that truth.

If you're the leader of an arts ministry, consider how you can work toward spiritual health yourself. Then lead your teams there. Artists who minister on the platform and behind the scenes must be yielded to Christ. There is no other option, if we are to draw people to God.

Introducing Online Consulting Resources

2009-10-07T08:08:00.016-05:00

The Synergy Box has just released a series of online consulting resources for the creative arts ministry in your church. Online consulting, how does that work? Each resource is designed to introduce you to a critical topic on arts leadership, identity, culture or creativity and includes an overview of the topic and a discussion guide to help you lead your team through an assessment of your ministry in this area. After you've finished your discussion, you can email your notes to The Synergy Box, and within seven to ten days, you'll receive personalized suggestions for your church arts ministry.

The Synergy Box also offers telephone consulting and on-site consulting services. Check out our website at http://www.thesynergybox.com/.

Visit our booth at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta this week!

Artistic Style in the Church

2009-09-21T09:49:00.005-05:00

Should churches be traditional, blended, contemporary or edgy in artistic style? What do you think? When you walk into a church should it feel tried and true or should it surprise and even shock you? Yikes! Even trying to answer this question is kinda like walking up to a ticking bomb and trying to diffuse it with only ten seconds left on the clock (not that I've ever actually been in that situation to know what it really feels like). I'm guessing most of us would be inclined to run should we ever encounter a ticking bomb...and we likely feel the same way about a discussion on artistic style in the church.

While artistic style in the church can become a very complicated and even volatile issue in the church, I'd like to simplify it a bit with the following observations:

1. Art is subjective.

While one person will enjoy traditional worship, another will enjoy rock and roll. One is not better than another. Each one, however, will reach different people.

2. The artistic culture you create will attract some people but not others.

People may attend your church for the teaching or the community, but many picked your church because the style of the church suits their preferences. They probably picked your church because the art and the culture makes it feel like home to them. Others didn't like your music or culture and went elsewhere.

3. You need to choose your artistic style intentionally.

Because art is subjective and because people will tend to come based on the feel of your church, you must choose your artistic style carefully. Trying to be all things to all people dilutes your effectiveness. People have tons of choices when it comes to church (with the exception of smaller rural communities). Choose the style God had called you to and execute it with confidence. Your reach will be more effective when you focus on a target. It's still true that if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time.

My real point: Get clear on your church's artistic style. You'll do more for God's kingdom by addressing the issue head on than by only talking about it when the music of the day doesn't suit someone's personal preferences.

Relevance in the Church

2009-09-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

Our churches must be relevant. Think about it. Do we really want the opposite to be true? Do we want our churches to be known as irrelevant? Certainly not! But when we say we want to create relevant worship services, what exactly do we mean? Are we just trying to be cool or hip? If we define the word relevant as the Encarta Dictionary does, “having some sensible or logical connection with something else such as a matter being discussed or investigated,” our churches simply must be relevant. Either we step up in this area, or people will label us irrelevant and tune us out completely.
To create relevant worship services, we must consider three types of relevance and how to create next steps:

1. Become spiritually relevant.
People come to church to meet with and understand God. Most likely, they didn’t walk into church to sit in a coffee shop, walk through a bookstore or attend a concert. When we plan and execute our worship services, we must be intentional about helping people experience and respond to God. His truths, found in scripture, are timeless and relevant. Let’s make a commitment in our churches to preach truth well and to help people open their Bibles and dig into scripture that moves their heart toward God.

2. Become relevant to daily life.
When someone sits through our services, do they feel we meet them where they’re at? No matter why people come to our churches, they are seeking an experience related to their daily life. If you live in a metropolitan area, seek to understand the concerns of those who live downtown. If you have a ton of parents, talk frequently about the joys and struggles of raising kids. If you’re a church with a high percentage of college students, talk about how they can make a difference with their one and only life. Most of our churches are filled with a mix of people, but if we’re intentional about speaking into the lives of our congregation, we will become relevant to their lives.

3. Become culturally relevant.
For many people, culturally relevance in the church is a sticking point. But the world will either see our churches as a source of truth or they will relegate us to the list of those out of touch with society. Becoming culturally relevant means we seek to include references to or aspects of our local, regional, national and global culture. If our area is being flooded, we need to speak to it. If our region is having an important holiday, we can use elements of it in the service. If our nation is currently attracted to a certain type of music, let’s consider using it. And if our world is worried about global warming, let’s figure out how we can take these concerns seriously. Cultural relevance does have a place in the church.

4. Provide next steps.

Whether it’s spiritual, life or cultural relevance, perhaps the best way for our churches to be relevant is to help people engage in worship and apply what we’re teaching about God in our services to their daily lives… Challenge those who attend your services to life-change. Give people a worthwhile assignment. Help them think differently about their Monday-thru-Saturday-life. Move their hearts to recognize their Creator. When we do this relevance goes beyond a point of connection and becomes a catalyst to point people to God.

What's Your Ministry DNA?

2009-09-17T10:43:00.003-05:00

Churches have a certain feel to them. Walk into one church and it's friendly and laid back. Visit another and it's more formal and liturgical. Every church feels different. That's what I'd call church DNA. It's the visible and invisible culture of a church or ministry.

Ever think about how your church "feels" to the people to attend? To visitors? My guess is that the first time you entered your building or attended a church service, you thought a ton about it. You wondered if it felt right to you. You carefully critiqued the atmosphere, the people and the services. You wanted to know if you could feel at home at the church. You explored its DNA.

We either resonate with the DNA of a church or ministry or we don't. So, what if you're the leader and you don't like some of the things you discover about your DNA? Well, it can be changed, but be prepared for an intentional and lengthy change process, because DNA shifts require time, patience and visionary leadership.

For the most part, DNA is discovered, not decided. Ultimately changes over a long period of time can alter the DNA of your church or ministry, but for the most part, your church DNA is set. If you've always been known as the most friendly church in town, it's unlikely that you'll suddenly become unfriendly. If you've always valued solid Bible teaching, you're not going to give that up. But once you discover and understand your DNA, you can work with it...not against it.

Why not throw your energy behind your reputation as a "compassionate, friendly, authentic, forward-thinking church?" Or whatever positives your church is known for. It makes sense to build on those attributes of your church God is already using to move people toward Christ.

Artistic Ministry Values

2009-09-16T15:28:00.004-05:00

How many times have creative people differed on the development of a creative service element? That's like asking how many ants are on my driveway at this moment? Too many to count! Artistic people drive creativity through their unique and distinctive thought processes. No two creative people see the same piece of art the same exact way! That's the beauty and the practical difficulty of working within a team of artists.

While we cannot and should not force all creative people to think the same way, we can help them communicate and work together better by creating a set of shared values. If we want creative people to behave in a certain way, we've got to make our expectations known. If your church values excellence, let your artists know. If you value authenticity, make that known. If you're into including everyone who wants to help, make sure everyone is on board with that vision. Do what it takes (typically a brainstorming meeting with your team) to list out your team's core values. Then figure out what it will require to ensure everyone who participates in your ministry knows and understands these values.

When your leaders and volunteers value the same things, powerful ministry can occur. But when you're all behaving out of a different value system, watch out. Trouble is right around the corner.

Vision

2009-09-14T17:47:00.004-05:00

One of my very favorite topics is vision. I love visioneering: the act of envisioning a picture of your preferred future and catalyzing yourself, your team or your church toward it. My pulse increases when I talk vision with other leaders. My spirit lifts. My passion increases. I'm fanatical about vision.

So what is it that gets me all worked up about creating a picture of a preferred future? It's results. Leading a team of people toward a specific goals and watching them take joy in the journey is compelling. You get results when people pool their skills, gifts and energy toward a common future. Contrast that with managing people stuck in the nitty-gritty of a day to day tedium that moves people no where. No results. At least none that probably really matter.

My challenge for you today is to consider whether you have a picture of a preferred future for your ministry or your church. Or one for yourself personally. Where do you want to be in one year, five years, ten years. While the Holy Spirit must lead and guide and direct our steps, it's our job to plan. We plan, He guides. We step, He leads. Vision is not what we might do, not what we're thinking about doing...it's what we MUST do.

Craft a compelling vision today you will achieve results.

Arts Identity & Mission Statements

2009-09-10T09:49:00.006-05:00

Do you have a target for your arts ministry? Sometimes we think of mission statements as that crusty old saying that people in the church can't remember and don't implement. If this is the case, then no wonder we would steer clear of creating one for our arts ministry. But if you understand your mission statement as a target that aligns decision making, perhaps you'll get on board with taking the time to develop a mission that serves your ministry.

A mission statement answers for you and everyone involved with your ministry these basic questions:

What?
How?
Why?

It tells you where to focus and acts as a decision making matrix for your ministry.

Check out this arts ministry mission statement from one of the teams I worked with:

Our arts ministry mission is to become God-inspired servants facilitating heart transformation.

What do you read in this statement? Hopefully you see we were about developing ourselves creatively (God-inspired), spiritually (becoming servants) and transformationally (facilitating heart transformation). Our focus was on creating a healthy team of people who were being transformed so they could bring transformation to others. This statement guided our decisions, helping us set targets for creativity, spiritual growth and task-related teamwork and transformation. And as we embodied the mission, we grew together in unity and toward increasing levels of impact.

Do you have an arts ministry mission statement? Are you using it to guide and direct your ministry decision?

Arts Team Needs

2009-09-09T17:09:00.004-05:00

Art in the church is utilitarian. Hardly ever is a church or weekend service a gallery of art created for art's sake. In the church, we create art that moves hearts and souls toward Christ. We don't perform a drama or sing a solo simply to gratify ourselves and our own desires. We're aiming our art at a target (some of us more intentionally than others) and hoping we'll get to change some lives.

This distinct use of the arts in the church practically guarantees that the individual needs of artists will not be the same as the needs of a church artistic team. A church arts team needs:

strong overall performance
a sense of unity
a heart of mutual servanthood
transformational artistic content

As noted in the last post, artists need to be fulfilled, express themselves individually and be respected for their artistic identity. Not the same needs as the team, right!

Church arts leaders must be aware both the needs of individual artists and the needs of an entire arts team. Since they vary so widely and are sometimes polar opposites of each other, this is one area of the church where we might use extreme caution. No artist likes to feel insignificant. Nor does any team enjoy serving together in disunity with a lack of purposeful impact. If you're a church arts leader, choose wisely how you lead into meeting the needs of both artists and teams! Try building a culture of open handed artists who sacrifice, submit, communicate and respond to healthy leadership. When you fill this tension gap with the qualities of Christ and the purposes of the church artists grow willing to meet the needs of the team and ultimately find their own met in the process.

Individual Artist's Needs

2009-09-02T09:28:00.007-05:00

Ever thought about the needs of your fellow artists? What if you're a leader in the church. Have you paid attention lately to whether or not the individual needs of those serving in your ministry are being met? If not, let's start now.

What do artists in the church need? Perhaps some need more than we're able to give and some don't need much at all. Here's a short list of what I've discovered I need to pay attention to when leading artists in the church:

artists need to have their gifting fulfilled, their artistic purpose for existing
artists need to maintain individuality, not loose their artistic identity
artists need acceptance & respect
artists need opportunities for individual artistic expression, serving in their sweet spots

Funny thing: what the church needs from artists doesn't always match what artists need.

So what to do? How do we maintain a sense of purposefulness in our churches while moving toward our church artists? My vote is to start with honesty. Do two things:

Be honest with your artists about which needs can be fulfilled in the church and which cannot. Do everything you can to help artists know their contributions are significant and relevant.
Yet teach them that the church does not exist to gratify the artistic desires of our congregation. The church is God's plan for redeeming a lost and broken world. Help artists get this straight in their minds, so they can volunteer with an attitude of servanthood.

10 Ways to Advocate for Church Artists

2009-09-01T09:15:00.008-05:00

Artists in the church need a little bit of loving! Here are 10 ways you can advocate for their needs as you lead:

Vision - Paint a picture of the preferred future for your artists, so they can unite toward a goal that's bigger than themselves.

Servanthood - Help your artists see the value of servanthood, so the team can be about proclaiming God's message instead of self-promotion.

Information - Ask your pastor for sermon information at least three weeks in advance, so artists have time to create.

Preparation - Send music and scripts home several weeks in advance of a service, so your teams have time to prepare.

Rehearsals - Schedule rehearsals, so artists can rehearse not only their parts but how their parts fit into the whole.

Equipment - Ask for appropriate equipment, so your teams are not constantly frustrated with gear that doesn't work.

Budget - Give your teams enough money to allow creativity to flow, so that ideas are not immediately discounted because no money has been allotted for creative ministry.

Encouragement - Tell your artists when they're doing a great job, so they know their contribution is significant.

Constructive Feedback - Lovingly let your artists know when they're coming up short, so they want to keep raising the bar.

Hospitality - Find a place to set up a green room and supply it with basic food & beverages, so your artists will feel at home and cared for.

5 Ways to Influence Your Church

2009-08-28T09:37:00.006-05:00

Ever wish you could change your church? I have. While change for the sake of change itself is never the goal, sometimes our churches get stuck in patterns of activity or ministry that are no longer effective. When this occurs, sitting in the pews (or even in a seat of leadership) and observing fruitless leadership or ministry can drive a person crazy.

So how can you gain influence in your church? How can you gain the ability to speak into ministry? Check out these five suggestions:

Be respectful - Criticizing and pulling in the opposite direction of your current leadership is a certain way to diminish your voice. Most pastors and leaders are doing the best they can. Offer respect for their efforts.
Get involved - Want to make your voice heard? Get into the trenches first by serving selflessly and earning the right to be heard. Your voice will mean more when you're a participant instead of an observer.
Offer support - Pastors and leaders in the church are super busy, so when you come alongside them and meet their immediate needs, you'll likely have space and opportunity to offer influence as well.
Offer solutions - If you see a problem, become a problem solver. Offer viable solutions to an existing problem and you will be seen as a partner in ministry, instead of a critic.
Stay positive - While you might easily picture a better future, you cannot expect your church to change overnight. Stay helpful and positive. It's one of the best ways you can continue to encourage and motivate your leaders.

Why does it matter? You may be the one to change a church for the better...and in the process offer eternal life and connection with God to hundreds if not thousands of people. Influence is an investment. Choose where to invest yours wisely.

Vision and Art

2009-08-27T08:37:00.007-05:00

A few months ago, I was caught driving in a thunderstorm on my way from state to state. I knew I would need to drive into it, because the radar predicted storms all night, and I had my children with me. We couldn't stay where we were and yet we knew we'd have to face a huge storm to get where we needed to be. To make matters worse, tornadoes had touched down along the road we needed to travel along. After waiting for the right moment, double-checking the radar and saying a prayer, we set out.

At one point as we drove the rain was so intense the road seemed to disappear under the dark river of water and the windshield wipers refused to keep up with the torrent of rain. My stomach knotted up as I drove, seemingly knowing it was unsafe to keep going and unsafe to stop. It's amazing how much a situation like that fosters prayer! After several hours of wheel-gripping stress-producing driving, we made it home safely and without incident.

I am struck by the fact that sometimes leading in the church can feel an awful lot like my moments of terror on the road. We know we can't stay where we are, we know we need to move forward but we fear the journey will be filled with unpredictable and somewhat dangerous events. In times like this, we desperately need vision!

"Vision," says Andy Stanley, author of Visioneering, "is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be." I love this definition. We need both a picture of a preferred future and a conviction that moves us to action. Our churches need this type of vision.

So what role do the arts play in vision? Put basically, a clear mental picture of the future is just that: a picture. And painting pictures is what art does so well. Art acts as a tool for bringing both the mind, emotions and spirit together as you paint a portrait of a preferred future. Art connects a mental image with the story we're all living, while adding color, life and energy to the ideas. Art has the power to influence and convey your vision.

While all visions have those scary, dark moments when it seems like we cannot see the road ahead, art gives us the ability to focus our hearts and minds on the convictions we carry that move us ahead even during the difficult times. Art also helps us see the beauty of God's plans for our lives and churches, turning storm clouds into beacons that guide us home.

Let's use our art to help our churches see the wonder of bringing souls into God's Kingdom, the beauty of fully surrendering ourselves to our Maker and the plans God has for our own hope and future. Art speaks. It feels. It breathes into us. Let's harness the power of art to help us move to the places we know we need to be and toward the people we want to become.

The Influence of Worship

2009-08-26T09:56:00.006-05:00

Ever since I can remember, I have been inspired by attending worship services. As a Kindergartner I listened in awe to our traditional church choir sing, all dressed up in fancy choir robes. As the melody drifted over me, I wanted to sing with them! Then there were Christmas pageants, and I got to dress up as an angel (thank goodness I didn't get the part of a sheep). Then children's choirs, solos in church and a youth traveling choir.

In high school, I got a chance to contribute even more. I directed my first drama in the church at age 17. It was a full Christmas pageant. Not terribly difficult, since it was a few pre-written scenes packaged between traditional choral music, but it was amazing! I got to help people worship.

Ever since I got my first taste of what it meant to lift up God's name in holy praise, I was in! I wanted to be part of the story. I wanted to create something that would suggest the fullness and beauty of God. Singing, dancing, acting or working behind the scenes...it didn't matter. I loved it all. Still do. (Well not the dancing so much anymore. We'll leave that to people who have maintained their flexibility.)

What I didn't realize at the time is that I have a heart of worship. And specifically, I have a heart to use creativity and the arts to help others experience and respond to God. That's what worship is all about. Worship is our response to our experience of God. It's our way to tell our Savior that we love Him, that He is good, that He is trustworthy and powerful. Worship is my way to reach out to God in the same way He's reached to me.

The life-giving power available to us as we breathe in the influence of our own worship and the worship of others changes us. It makes us more aware of our sinful and broken nature and the sacrifice God made to cover all our failings and separate them from us forever. It makes us more able to find freedom at Christ's throne. It helps us connect in relationship to our Maker. Worship cannot help but influence us.

Whether you express worship in music, service or simple prayers, I challenge you to embrace your own heart of worship and connect with the living God. It'll change you from the inside out. And if you're a leader of worship in the church, don't diminish the importance of your role. You help people respond to their experience of God! That's a high calling worthy of a well-spent life.

Inspiration

2009-08-25T10:50:00.004-05:00

Did you know that one of the meanings of the word inspire is "to breathe into or upon; infuse with life by breathing?" That means when we're inspired by something we're actually changing at a deep level. We're taking life from that which gives us inspiration. Inspiration is breath that gives us life.

It feels empowering to be inspired: to have something sparked deep within that offers creativity, ideas, energy and growth. If you're not sure, consider what it feels like to be uninspired. Dead, unenthused and lifeless are words that come to my mind; being uninspired is energy draining. Inspired is just the opposite; it offers you new life.

So today, my challenge to you is to figure out what inspires you. The arts have significant influence in our lives. We are moved by drama done well, by a song that stirs our soul or by a video that captures our human experience. Combining both intellect and emotion, art activates both sides of our brains and helps us discover things about ourselves, our Maker and our human experience. How can you allow yourself to be captivated by inspiration today?

Check out Cultivate

2009-08-24T09:28:00.004-05:00

Lately, I've been doing a bit of writing for Cultivate, an online community for Worship Arts Leaders. The Willow Creek Association launched this site in June of 2009 in hopes of creating an online resource to empower arts leaders to lead their teams to increasing spiritual health and meaningful ministry. If you're not already a member, take time to sign up and read through a few articles or engage in one of the groups.

When we get into the trenches of ministry, we can quickly allow the importance of our own personal growth and development to be pushed to the side while we advance the cause of urgent ministry. But I challenge you to take care of yourself. Leading others drains our creative and spiritual tanks. You can't give what you do not have. So take time today to fill your tank.

http://www.cultivateonline.org

Where Healthy Church Begins

2009-08-20T09:53:00.006-05:00

Books on healthy church abound. They contain references to relationships, emotions and workloads. They talk about ministry, programs and balance. With simple or radical methods of building church health, they each expound upon the idea that God desires the church to be a place of unity and community.

So why doesn't the church thrive on unity and community?

Sin is the obvious answer. We are all sinful people. And the church is made up of sinful people just like you and I. As Paul says in Romans 7:17, "For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time."

We hurt when we should help. We lie when we ought to offer truth. We hide when we should be exposed. We doubt when we should hope. We insist when we should desist. Our desire to do good is hindered by our sinful nature; we are broken.

Where does that leave the community of God?

It seems clear to me we have a choice. Every day we can choose to surrender to our sinful nature that seeks to hurt and deflect OR we can choose to believe in the power of God within us to create a healthy community filled with love, optimism and unity.

We choose our direction, for what we believe will inform our actions. And our actions will create the community of our mind's choosing. A healthy community of God begins in the minds and hearts a leader and a congregation who will not succumb to the failings of man's limited sight, but who will rely on God's presence and supernatural vision. It is only with godly, humble dependence on Him that healthy church begins.

Healthy Creative Team Culture

2009-08-19T10:06:00.005-05:00

As passionate as I am about creatively crafting church services and vision to express the love and grace of our Savior, I am equally passionate about creating a safe and synergistic place for creative people to flourish. It irks me to no end when those of us in church leadership expect artists to produce moving and holy moments in an environment of open relational hostility or creative utility. Artists cannot be expected to lovingly lead our congregations in worship if when they are experiencing a lack of the same from the church.

Well, hardly any church sets out to alienate and dismiss the needs of artists. But at the same time, few understand how to meet the unique needs of the creatives in their culture. So they don't try. Or they try and come up short. A healthy team culture doesn't exist without a few key elements. We must work at it. In Organizing Genius, Warren Bennis suggests, "The most exciting groups...resulted from a mutually respectful marriage between an able leader and an assemblage of extraordinary people. Groups became great only when everyone in them, leaders and members alike, is free to do his or her absolute best."

So what gives artists this freedom? What does a healthy creative team culture look like? Here are my top ten non-negotiables:

Godly, visionary, creative leadership

A clearly defined church vision, artistic vision, style and identity

Senior leadership's active support

Well defined roles and communication processes for staff and volunteers

Excellent creative processes

Resources that match the desired outcomes

High doses of encouragement and constructive feedback

Active spiritual shepherding

Training and equipping opportunities

Shared community experiences

And bonus item # 11. A green room stocked with food and water. Seriously. It helps a ton!

So, if you read that list and thought, that's basically creating a great arts ministry, you're right. A healthy creative team culture reflects a well-thought out and intentionally implemented ministry. It is possible. And it starts with someone with a vision for creating a great artistic team. Perhaps you!

A red rubber ball helps you design a healthy creative culture for your life

2009-08-18T10:33:00.008-05:00

Have you ever read the book Rules of the Red Rubber Ball by Kevin Carroll? If not, stop reading this blog right now, run to the bookstore and then continue reading. Seriously, I love this book. Go to the bookstore. Find it at the library. Go...

Okay now that you've got the book in your hands, page through it. Do you find yourself thinking: unique, creative...unusual perhaps? Maybe you've owned this little book for quite some time and never really gave the content much thought. Perhaps you got a bit sidetracked from the message of the material by its unique and creative form. Well, let me help a bit...

The big idea of the book is that you can live your creative dream. The book talks about designing your life - centering it around your dreams, filling it with vision, helpful relationships and a sense of passion and meaning. It's about building a healthy creative culture for your life. To accomplish this task, the author suggests you follow seven steps:

Commit to it

Seek out encouragers

Work out your creative muscle

Prepare to shine

Speak up

Expect the unexpected

Maximize the day

Sound easy? I don't think so. But with intentionality, strategy and follow-thru, it's possible. Now those are three words artists may find difficult: intentionality, strategy, follow-thru. So maybe you need to think about it as another form of creativity...creative life planning.

Why would you want to build a healthy creative culture for your life? Simple. Those who are healthy and creative themselves can lead others to that same place. They can fill the world with ideas, innovation and meaning that impact the world for Christ. Those who have not found a way to create this world around them settle for less. Ideas, innovation and meaning may be present, but their ability to access and implement them is compromised.

So did you get the book yet? Spend time designing a healthy creative culture for your life. Your impact depends on it.

Catalyst Conference 2009

2009-08-17T22:29:00.007-05:00

Join The Synergy Box this fall, October 7-9, at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, GA. This year's theme is "Make Your Mark." After 10 years of building into next generation leaders, they call their influence pure leadership adrenaline. I call it transformational.

Stop by our booth on the upper deck for more information about how creative synergy changes everything!

Check it out at www.catalystconference.com.

Where Does Motivation Come From?

2009-08-12T10:06:00.006-05:00

Lately (meaning the past several years) I've been thinking about personal motivation. My question: how do I convince myself to do the things I want to do...or don't want to do, without a deadline imposed by someone else (or without extrinsic motivation)?

Some things I do because I like them. They're easy. They're comfortable. They flow. But sometimes I get to the end of a day or week and wonder why I wasn't able to accomplish what I had in mind or become the kind of person I envisioned. Here's what I've recently discovered: the best way to find personal motivation:

Search your mind and heart for the feeling you want.

It seems that feelings drive behaviors. And more importantly, thoughts drive feelings. Basic psychology...yes. The way God made us...totally! If we want to do more or be more, we must discover through thoughtful discernment a desirable feeling that will drive our actions.

How do you apply this? Here's a simple two step process:

No matter what project, relationship or role for which you're needing more motivation, think about the feeling you're going for. Is it contentment, power, compassion, gratefulness, appreciation?

Match your actions to the feeling. For example, if you want to be more content in your relationship with your Senior Pastor, figure out what contentment would look like and what actions would be required of you. Do you need to ask to meet weekly for lunch? Do you need to meet your deadlines? Do you want to know what he really thinks of your art? Act on these thoughts: set up a lunch date, get clear on project deadlines and break the big ones into smaller chunks, ask your Pastor the dangerous questions about what he thinks of your creative performance.

Through these two simple steps you foster self-awareness and action. You choose how you want to think, feel and act. You do have choices. Other people do not have the power to dictate your thoughts, feelings and behaviors (though it can seem like it). Find the feeling you want and act thoughtfully. Then, watch your levels of intrinsic motivation soar.

One extremely important side note - some of the feelings we'd like to experience just aren't appropriate. Weed those out before you move to action. Most importantly, on a daily basis, ask God to align your desires with His own, and put actions to those desires. I can't wait to see what He does!

Sign up for the Leadership Summit

2009-07-22T11:40:00.004-05:00

Sign up for the Leadership Summit, August 6-7, 2009. Don't miss this excellent training opportunity!
http://www.willowcreek.com/

Tackling Burnout with More Work

2009-07-20T10:56:00.007-05:00

Why is it church leaders so often run themselves into the ground? Why, if you hang around a church for very long, will you consistently hear words like "burnout" and "overwork" linked to people who work for the church? Why is that?

Yesterday, my nine-year-old son asked me, while we were driving, "Mom, does the church ever close?" Deep ponderings from a precocious child? After a few more probing questions, we determined he was really asking whether or not the church ever takes breaks from weekend services. "No," came my obvious answer, "the church is always open."

And it's true. In one way or another the church is always open. Sunday is always coming. Someone is always in need. Ministry happens 24/7. So, is this perpetual state of church availability what leads to our burnout dilemma? Perhaps. But more likely, our overwork comes because we, the leaders, staff members and key volunteers of the church, are "always open". We make ourselves available to those in need no matter the time of day. We push aside personal plans to go out of our way for others. We give to others unselfishly. We are ministers in the church.

But what happens if in our best effort to minister to others, we forget to minister to ourselves? Or worse, what goes down when we won't allow ourselves to be ministered to? Here come those ugly words..."burnout" and "overwork". I've been there. And it really doesn't feel good.

So, maybe you're reading this knowing that you're one of those church people who is open 24/7. Let's get real about your internal health:

When you're so concerned with the interests of others that you forget to put yourself on the list, you have a problem.

When you help everyone else and refuse to be helped yourself, you're in trouble.

When you're selflessly serving to support the needs of others when those same needs are going unmet in your life, you're in way over your head.

At one point or another, almost everyone who works in the church could put themselves into that list somewhere. We all fit the profile. Yet to combat this problem of overcommitment and lack of self-care, I offer you one simple solution: put yourself on the list.

You're heard this advice before, haven't you? This is disappointing and completely unhelpful information, you're thinking? Yet, let's be real. But by the grace of God, you cannot help anyone if you are unhealthy yourself (physically, emotionally, intellectually or spiritually). You cannot lead others where you have not gone. Sometimes the best way you can help others is to put your own needs on the top of today's to-do list and problem solve a way to meet them. If ministry to others truly matters to you, you must take care of yourself.

The way to tackle burnout is with more work: self-work.

Sometimes the most difficult words to say are, "I need help." Especially for those who lead in the church. Believe me, I know. I am a master of helping others and neglecting to care for myself. Yet, letting a trusted friend or colleague help you find health will change your life for the better. And instead of them thinking less of you, they're likely think more of your leadership, because good self-leadership will allow the rest to follow.

(By the way, self-work probably means you'll need to take a few other things off the list. But cross that bridge when you come to it. Start by asking for help.)

Leading Up to the Senior Pastor Begins with...

2009-06-08T11:03:00.004-05:00

When is the last time you were an advocate for the arts or the artists in your church? Being an advocate means representing the needs and wants of your ministry or your teams to those who have decision-making power. To be a good advocate, you'll need to be good at leading up.

How are you doing on the key aspects of leading up?

I have demonstrated consistent respect for my senior leaders. They know I "have their backs", and I understand I will not be heard unless I demonstrate respect.

I have aligned my ministry with the vision of the church and its leaders. I'm not pulling in a different direction, but I am supporting God's direction for our church.

I have proactively uncovered the needs within my ministry and my teams and created a vision to meet them. I am leading from a visionary and strategic mindset.

I have taken the time to effectively communicate the needs of my ministry in a language my leaders can understand. I have used both my right brain and my left brain to express and document the needs of my ministry.

I have asked my leaders for what I really want. I have not beat around the bush asking for less than the best for my ministry, but I have been straightforward about what we need to create compelling art.

Leading up well begins with good self leadership. When artistic leaders begin from a place of healthy, proactive leadership, our senior leaders will not only be open to us leading up, but will begin to partner in ministry with us.

5 Signs Your Arts Ministry is Struggling

2009-06-07T21:58:00.004-05:00

It's not easy to keep an arts ministry afloat in the church. Whether we struggle with artistic identity, arts community, creativity, artistic process, or all of the above, we all know church arts ministry can be hard. Here are 5 signs your arts ministry may be heading for trouble:

The pastor and the arts leader often struggle to communicate with each other.

Volunteers are making excuses about why they cannot serve more often, and the arts leader is often reduced to begging to fill volunteer positions.

The congregation is involved in "worship wars" and have divided into traditional and contemporary camps.

The creative team has great ideas, but they seldom make it off the whiteboard.

The technical teams and the music teams are barely speaking to each other.

Perhaps these signs seem extreme, but unfortunately it's easy for one or all of these problems to arise in a church arts ministry. So, if you find yourself in one of these spots, what is the next step?

While it's not appropriate to oversimplify the solution to such problems, sometimes the first step in solving a problem is to identify it. Once you can acknowledge the fact that you really are having communication problems in your leadership or "worship wars" in your pews, you can start to deal with it.

Today, I challenge you to prayfully consider areas where your ministry is struggling. Admit to God where you need help and ask Him to provide solutions. Seek help from those in your network who seem to be one step ahead of you. Look for advice from leaders you trust. Move your ministry from struggling to stepping (forward that is).

Synergy Defined

2009-05-15T16:52:00.001-05:00

What if we combined artists and teachers? vision and strategy? inspiration and preparation? What if we catalyzed the church with synergy? That's what this blog is all about.

syn·er·gy
1. The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.
2. Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.

Does your church have it?