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How is your Worship Team “Really” Doing?

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When is the last time you got on the balcony?

No – not the balcony at your church building or even the hotel from your last vacation. 

Getting on the balcony simply means taking time on a regular basis to rise above the hectic pace of your everyday work to see how your worship ministry is really doing.

It’s impossible to know how things are really going in your worship ministry when you’re in the daily grind. It’s like being on the floor during a packed-out concert. You can look around and see some things, but you don’t have a good perspective on the whole arena.

So, when you “get on the balcony” in your worship ministry, you are leaving the busyness of the floor seats for a little while to get a bird’s eye perspective on your ministry. And here’s what you find… Read more

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Where’s the Slack in your Worship Team?

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Do you remember the old Wendy’s television commercial from the 1980’s where the lady asks, “Where’s the beef?”
Jason Hatley
It was on of my favorites as a kid and a hugely successful advertising campaign because the question was so pointed (and true!).

As you approach your worship ministry in this New Year, you should ask some pointed questions as well.  Not, “Where’s the beef?, but rather, “Where’s the slack?”

Where is there slack in your worship ministry?

What areas have you let slip over the last few months? Where is there slack in your volunteer recruitment, in your worship planning, or in your personal growth?

Here’s why this question is so important…

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Three Goals Every Worship Leader Should Have in 2016

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Have you started writing your goals for 2016 yet?

I believe that God is honored when we take time to set goals for ourselves, our families and our ministries. Clear, God-honoring goals will help you and I both make a greater Kingdom impact in 2016.

In fact, I believe that the pastors and worship leaders who are making the greatest impact are the ones who are clear about what God has called them to, and are continuing to dream new dreams for Him.

I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the Harvard Business School graduating class of 1979. They were asked if they had clear written goals upon graduation. 3% had clear, written goals. 13% had some goals, just not clearly written, and a full 84% had no goals at all. Ten years later, the researchers interviewed those same students from that graduating class and what they found was astounding…

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Three “Must Do’s” for Your 2015 Ministry Calendar

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2015 is not even 2 weeks old and chances are your ministry calendar is already filling up!

Planning Meetings… Rehearsals… Mission Trips… Mid-week [insert your commitments here].

Faster than you realize, ministry “life as we know it” happens!

And if your calendar for 2015 isn’t planned, then 2015 will be a year of reacting to the demands of the day and playing catch up. Not the place to be if you want to make a difference for God’s Kingdom this year.

So, to help you plan your year before your year plans you, let me encourage you to break out your calendar and plan your entire ministry year (and personal life) for 2015.

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3 Worship Ministry Fundamentals You Can’t Afford to Ignore

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It’s the first night of practice for my daughter’s basketball team.

Among the nonstop bouncing of basketballs and the laughs of 3rd and 4th grade girls I’m reminded of one of the most important principles for any worship leader, Pastor or musician heading into the start of the New Year.

NEVER STOP WORKING ON THE FUNDAMENTALS
Do you remember when you first learned your instrument?

My guitar teacher spent time those first weeks teaching me how to hold a pick, how to count, how to take care of my instrument and more.

Like me, you probably learned scales. You practiced and practiced and practiced. It was exciting because it was new.

But the longer we play, sing, Pastor, and lead worship the more we tend to think, “I got this.” And the more we think that we don’t need to keep returning to the fundamentals of ministry that we learned so long ago.

The key to becoming a better worship leader tomorrow is working on the fundamentals today.

As we approach Christmas and the start of a New Year, here are three fundamentals worth reviewing in your ministry:

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What would you do with an extra hour this week?

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What would you do with an extra hour today?  

That’s a question that should captivate every pastor and worship leader.  

If you could wave a magic wand and get all of the items on your list done giving you an extra hour to invest however you like… what would you do with it?

OK – back to reality and let’s be honest… most pastors and worship leaders find their lives and their ministries stretched with more than can possibly be accomplished in a week (much less a day).  With the demands of work during the day, and then rehearsals, meetings and your kid’s basketball practice at night, we face our everyday lives with very little margin.  (And if something new gets added or goes wrong… well, we know where that lands us.)

But “what if…?”  What if you could get everything done in less time and discover you have an extra hour in your day? Read more

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Who’s in YOUR Circle? (3 Actions of Growing Worship Leaders, Part 2)

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Welcome to this special “Thursday edition” of our weekly training newsletter!  Today we continue the 3-part series we began last week with a question:

Who’s in your circle?

I’m not talking about your Google+ account. This question cuts a little deeper than that 🙂

I’m talking about the 5 or so people that are the most influential people in your life. They are the people that are currently speaking into your life (good or bad) and are, in many ways, helping to shape who you are today.

Why does this matter?

Well let me rewind quickly to lay the foundation. . . Read more
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Your 2014 personal growth plan?

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When is the last time you read the story of Samuel anointing David as the future King of Israel (see 1 Samuel 16)?

It’s one of the great stories of the Old Testament, and even now as 2014 begins it has powerful meaning for you and I as worship leaders… 3,000 years later!

Let me explain . . . Read more
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Two Secrets to Finishing Strong in 2013

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It turned Fall last week . . . not here in South Florida where it’s still blazing hot, but nonetheless Fall began for almost everyone else in the Northern Hemisphere.

It’s hard to believe, but the changing of the season from Summer to Fall reminds us that this year is 75% done.

Seems like just yesterday I was ringing in the New Year and asking God to do more in me and through me this year than ever before. Now here we are with just a few months left in 2013.
This is the time of year when you and I need to do TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS:  Read more

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3 Powerful (and Easy) Summer Reading Goals

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I admit it. I have not always had a love of reading. But it didn’t take long as a young Worship Pastor at The Journey for me to recognize my need to read in order to survive in ministry, much less lead a thriving worship team.

I first started in ministry at age 23. I was fresh out of college. I had been a worship leader, but I had never been a Worship Pastor in the church before. I could stand onstage and lead worship, but I couldn’t write a task list, build teams, lead people . . . you get the picture.

It was at that point – aware of my personal and ministry shortcomings, and certain that I needed to make a change – that I developed a love for reading.

How about you? Have you been there?

This Summer you and I have a unique opportunity. While most of the world looks at summer and says, “I’m going to take it easy and just GLIDE through the summer,” you and I can choose a better course. We can choose to GROW this summer. Read more