Ministry is Personal!

“When is the last time you had a physical?” I asked myself that question as I was setting my goals for 2011 and I didn’t like the answer. So I decided to get a physical earlier this year. And not just the basics . . . the works!

Among a litany of tests I received, by far the most important was the EKG. As you know an EKG measures the health of your heart.

An EKG is important because regardless of how well you do on all of your other physical exams, if your heart fails . . . well, the rest of your body will, too.

That principle is true in life . . . and ministry!

One of personal axioms that I’ve adopted over the last few years is that “Ministry is Personal.”

As simple as that sounds, the honest truth is that it’s easy to forget and even easier to take for granted.

You get caught up in the cycle of getting things done – writing charts, outlining worship orders, running systems, going to meetings, etc.

Is it just me? I didn’t think so.

And while getting things done is important (after all we have a worship service this Sunday don’t we), it’s not the complete story. It’s not just getting things done that makes us effective in ministry. It’s the personal touches as well.

Here’s a telling question to wrestle with:

Do I care about the people on my team more than I care about what they can do for me?

That statement has been a value of our team since nearly the very beginning. To care for the people on my team, and not to use them to accomplish my goals.

Systems are important to your team (check out the Free Report on this to learn more). But you must develop heart as well. After all what good is an audition system that can double your team in a day if you don’t care for and love the people God brings you to your team.

As worship leaders we lead people first, and sing songs second.

Maybe you’re like me and you love the people on your team but the personal stuff doesn’t come as naturally.

I think I’m really good at getting things done. I love to see things accomplished, and new ideas take form. But one of the areas I’ve had to go to work on in the last few years as our team has grown to over 200 members is this personal side.

It doesn’t come naturally to me, but here’s what I know . . .

The personal touch is vitally important to the health and growth of my team so I don’t ignore it. I work on it!

In fact I’ve had to create some systems in my life to ensure that we keep everything in balance. Systems like:
#1 – Sending birthday cards to our team members on their birthday. Simple but personally powerful.

#2 – Hosting lunches several times throughout the year at a local restaurant with 15-20 members of our team to ensure I get face-time with them, share vision and hear about their experiences on the team.

#3 – Sending a well-timed Thank You note to someone for their service on Sunday.

#4 – Making sure they join a Bible Study Group for their own spiritual growth.
Those are just a few of many small systems that we use to ensure a personal connection with our team members, but you get the idea.

You and I must work to make sure that we keep our ministries personal. Otherwise we become excellent executors, but poor pastors.

So – what could you do over the next 30 days to deepen the personal connection your team members feel to you and the team?

Your partner in ministry,

PS – Do you need a system for deepening the commitment of your team members to God, the church, yourself and the team? In the How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day resource I spend an entire section on an important element to the health of your team called the Servant Leader Process.

In that Process I teach you how to establish mile-markers for your team members to ensure they are growing as they serve, as well as how to identify rising leaders and put them on a path to greater levels of service.

PLUS – in that section I teach you how to develop a Worship Arts Team Covenant to get buy-in from your team members so that from the very beginning they know what is expected of them in the areas of serving, discipleship, preparation, giving and more!

And of course you will get all of the proven principles for how to Double Your Worship Team in a Day, creating a healthy and thriving worship arts ministry that can catapult your worship experiences to the next level!

In this 3-hour workshop, I will teach you the nuts-and-bolts principles of:

• How to exponentially grow the number of people serving on your worship team and ensure that you’re never short on volunteers again!
• How to create a thriving auditions strategy that honors God and empowers volunteers to serve in their area of greatest gifting.
• 5 foundations of an Effective Audition Strategy that you MUST have in order to maximize your team.
• How to develop seasons for your team so that current members are never “burned out” and new members are always joining.
• How to plan, promote, execute and follow-up on a BIG day of auditions
• How to capture over 40% of your audition sign-ups through a 30 minute pre-audition reception.
• How to lead an actual audition, including what to say and do during the audition.
• Actual scripts for how to follow-up with those who have auditioned.
• How to say “No” to someone who auditions in a way that connects them to another area of your worship ministry.
• How to deepen the commitment of your worship team to Christ, the church and the team through an easy to navigate leadership development process.
• And much more!

You also receive includes more than 65 additional resource files, including:

• a 45-page fill-in-the-blank printable notebook
• Audition applications for Band, Dance, Design, Drama, Media/Production, Vocal and Creative Writing teams
• Actual audition follow-up phone call scripts used at The Journey, including how to say “No” to someone who auditions in a way that connects them to another area of your worship ministry
• Actual emails used to promote auditions to the entire church database, welcome new team members and more
• Editable Photoshop files for flyers, information cards, and PowerPoint slides
• Orientation notebook and BONUS 2-hour mp3 of Jason teaching Orientation to new team members.

Plus much more!

Secure your 3-CD set here:

https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/double_wt_boxed/wli/
Download your copy here and save $30.00:

https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/double_wt_dl/wli/
www.worshipleaderinsights.com

www.jasonhatley.wordpress.com
TUESDAY MORNING INSIGHTS is Jason Hatley’s free weekly training resource specifically designed to provide you as a worship leader with proven principles, tips and practices to help you lead a healthy and thriving Worship Arts Team.

About Jason Hatley and Worship Leader Insights

In 2002, Jason Hatley helped launch The Journey Church in New York City, directing the programming of their worship services. He serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts and built from scratch The Journey’s worship arts team, a group of over 200 artists and technicians who develop and implement the creative and technical elements at weekly Sunday services. The Journey has been recognized as one of Outreach Magazines fastest growing and most creative churches.

Jason has been a worship leader since 1996. He invests in Worship Pastors around the country through interactive coaching networks and worship planning resources. He has been a featured break-out speaker at the Willow Creek Arts Conference, The Purpose Drive Worship Conference, as well as seminars around the country. He has a B.M. in Sacred Music Performance from Appalachian State University.

Jason and his family currently live in Boca Raton, FL where he serves as the Pastor of Worship Arts at The Journey’s newest campus in South Florida.