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How a Worship Arts Reception Can Help You Find New Volunteers

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This Sunday I have the privilege of hosting a Worship Arts Overview Reception at our newest Journey campus here in South Florida.

If you are familiar with the How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day resource, you know that the Worship Arts Reception is one of the KEY STRATEGIES that I use to involve new people in ministry on our Worship Arts Team.

It’s basically a short, 30-minute party that I host twice a year after the service and invite people who are interested in serving on the Worship Arts Team to attend. Read more

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Experience is NOT the Best Teacher – Leadership Lessons for Worship Leaders

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Contrary to popular belief, “Experience is NOT the best teacher.”

This is a lesson I was taught early on in ministry.

Simply going through a difficult challenge doesn’t mean that you learn from it. Doesn’t make you a better leader. Doesn’t prevent you from going through the same difficult experience again.

Like Wile E. Coyote, we’re destined to fall over the cliff again if we haven’t learned from difficult challenges.

No, experience is not the best teacher, but … Read more

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What Can Your Church learn from the Olympic Opening Ceremony

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Did you catch the Olympic Opening Ceremony over the weekend?

It was hard to miss (at nearly 5 hours long), but I think the ceremony actually holds a great lesson for you and I.

If you watched the Opening Ceremony you know the work, effort, creativity, and planning that went into the show. It didn’t come together in a day, much less a week, a month, or even a year (they started planning the London Opening Ceremony in 2007 – wow!).

The show was written by a group of skilled writers. The music was composed and sung by British legends. When the show was finally written, the most talented singers, actors and dancers were cast.

After months (even years) of rehearsal and technical planning finally that one show is performed, and if it’s great, it will be talked about for years to come.

Now – contrast that to what you and I do every week.

In most churches, the worship order is written not months, but days before the service (sometimes hours – ha!). The best talent isn’t available when the volunteer positions are assigned. The budget of the church is nowhere near the deep pockets of the Opening Ceremony (they spent $42 million). When the service is finished, you put it to rest and start all over again.

Seems a little unfair doesn’t it? Here’s the rub . . .

Most churches live in a world where they wake up on Monday and it occurs to them, “Hey, we have a worship service this Sunday! We should start planning.”

I call that the Week-to-Week Mindset. You know you have it when you just can’t see past this Sunday to plan for next Sunday, or the next month of Sundays.

It’s a terrible place to be in ministry, constantly battling to bring the service to life this week, feeling the frustration of not being able to relieve the stress and get ahead. It leads to burn-out, stale services, and missed opportunities.

If I may, I believe this is an area where the church NEEDS to learn from the entertainment world – be it the Olympics, Hollywood, or Broadway.

Now – I know that the worship services in our churches are not the same as these shows. In fact, our services are more important. The decisions that people make to follow Christ in our churches every week far outweigh the entertainment value of a show or concert.

But because of the importance of the work we do, we need strong systems for planning our services, just as our counterparts in show business do.

What would it look like if you had a preaching calendar that laid out what you would teach on each Sunday over the course of the next year? Think of the freedom that comes with that kind of prayer-soaked planning.

What would you be able to do to teach God’s word more effectively if you knew exactly the types of creative elements in a service 4-6 weeks from now? Would you find a great testimony? Find new media to use? Empower the creative people on your team to brainstorm ideas for how to make each Sunday life transformational?

Too many of us have a “what do we NEED to do” mentality of Sunday, as opposed to a “what COULD we do” mentality?

The first says, “As long as we have some songs and a sermon, we’ll be fine.”

The latter says, “What could we do with what God has given us to make this Sunday something special?”

To do that requires time, prayer and planning . . . it requires a desire to break the Week-to-Week mentality and get to work on not just this Sunday, but the next month or even year ahead.

Here are 3 things you can do to get started breaking the Week-to-Week mentality:

#1 – Hold a 30-minute (or less) meeting with your Pastor this week to discuss this Sunday’s service.

#2 – Plan a time in the next 7 days to plan for the next 2-3 Sundays. Put it on your calendar. Prayerfully plan worship orders, song selection, creative elements, etc. Discuss it with your pastor.

#3 – Create a system that will allow you to plan your services weeks, months, even a year in advance.

A good system is the key to breaking the Week-to-Week Mentality.

In my new book, Engage: A Guide to Creating Life-Transforming Worship Services, which I co-authored with my Lead Pastor, Nelson and I teach you the fundamentals for developing a worship planning system that will keep you planned in advance and relieve the stress of weekly thinking. We wrote this book to help you plan, implement and evaluate effective, life-changing worship services.

Engage is based on 9 years of planning and evaluating these systems at The Journey and in hundreds of churches around the country.

I encourage you to pick up a copy for yourself and anyone on your staff who is involved in the worship planning process.

Engage is available in bookstores everywhere. But, the best price is on Amazon.com:
* Engage – Paperback Link
* Engage – Kindle Link

This small investment in your team can make a big difference in your Sunday service.

Your partner in ministry,

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PS – You can create life transformational moments EVERY Sunday with thePlanning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop.

In this powerful, six hour workshop, my Lead Pastor Nelson Searcy and I will teach you the proven principles and practices that have made The Journey Church one of the most innovative and effective churches in America. 

In this resource you will learn:

  • How to maximize the worship time you have each weekend
  • How the pastor and worship leader can effectively work together
  • How to plan dynamic and effective worship orders
  • How to use media, drama and testimony that captures the heart of your people
  • How to create a healthy and focused team environment
  • How to use feedback that ‘‘builds up’’ and makes every service better
  • How to plan ahead so you can break the Sunday to Sunday tyranny
  • How to build all the elements of the service around the message
  • And much more!

This 6-hour workshop will teach you proven principles and practices to increase your worship planning effectiveness.

Recorded LIVE, Planning Worship Services for Life Transformation Workshop also includes more than 15 additional resource files, including:  

  • Fill in the blank workshop notes
  • Sample worship orders
  • Sample band notes
  • Sample message transcript
  • Sample planning notes, calendars and assignments
  • Sample ideas and resources
  • And much more!


This is a nuts and bolts resource that will teach you to make the most of your weekly worship times through effective, God-honoring planning.


Secure your 6-CD set here: 
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/planworship_boxed/wli/

Download your copy here and save $100.00:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/planworship_dl/wli/

 

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Your Worship Team Can Grow . . . and Here’s How!

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Did you know . . . This summer is the perfect time for your team to grow?

That’s the question I’ve been asking in Part 1 and Part 2 of this new series on How to Grow Yourself and Your Worship Team this summer.

The last two weeks I’ve challenged you to have a Passion for growth this summer and to partner with God in Praying for growth this summer. . . two very important parts of your growth plan.

But without this 3rd and final element in your Growth Plan for the summer, the first two will soon fade.

#3 – You Must have a Process for Growth.

You see, good intentions and spiritual inspiration will soon return to old habits if you don’t create a process for growth this summer.

This summer is the perfect time for your team to grow!

I know what you’re saying. “Jason, a lot of our church members are gone for the summer.” Or, “Our team struggles just to fill all of our serving positions in the summer. How could we possibly add new people when even my current team is out?”

I hear you. But the truth is that the work you do to help your team grow in the summer will determine the strength of your team in the fall.

Here’s what I mean . . .

I grew up on a farm in North Carolina (I know – that’s a long way from NYC). To this day my dad is a farmer.

Farmers don’t plant or harvest in the summer, but the work they do in summer determines how strong their crop will be in the Fall.

#1 – Farmers guard they’re crop in the summer. In the summer farmers guard their growing crops by ensuring they have enough water and are protected from anything that could harm them.

What are you doing this summer to ensure your current team doesn’t dry out . . .
. . . Spiritually?
. . . Creatively?
. . . In their desire to serve?

#2 – Farmers fertilize their crop in the summer. One of the key ingredients to the size of the harvest in fall is how farmers fertilize the fields in the summer.

The same is true for you. You may not add a lot of new people to your team in the summer, but by planning and preparing now you will ensure that your team grows exponentially this Fall.

In fact, the Fall is almost always the biggest time of year for team growth. Last Fall our team in NYC added over 75 new people to the team. . . in one day through a BIG DAY OF AUDITIONS.

And not only at The Journey, but the members of my coaching networks who ran audition systems last Fall experienced dramatic growth as well.

And so can you . . . if you have a Process to Grow Your Team.

I believe the best process is to hold a BIG DAY of auditions.

I teach this system in my coaching networks and in the How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day resource.

It’s a powerful system that has been implemented by hundreds of churches of all shapes and sizes who have told me that the system worked for them as well, helping them deepen the commitment of their team members and involve more people in their life-changing worship arts ministry.

The truth is . . . the audition system is WAY more than I could give you in this post (it’s over 3 hours of practical teaching and a ton of bonuses to boot!).

But I believe so strongly that this system will help your worship team can grow, that I’ll make you a BIG GUARANTEE:

If you secure the “How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day” resource by this Friday, July 27, study it and sincerely implement the biblical and practical ideas presented in it this Fall, and you do not see an increase in the Health and Growth of your team through a big day of auditions, I will give you DOUBLE YOUR INVESTMENT back (how’s that for a guarantee on your investment).

Yep, I’m basically willing to pay you to listen to the resource.

And the reason why is because I am confident that with the right system and your passionate and prayerful leadership you can see more new people than ever before step out of their seats and start serving on your team.

So, here’s HOW TO SECURE your How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day resource today.

Click Here to Download NOW:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/double_wt_dl/wli/

Click Here for the Resource on CD:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/go/double_wt_boxed/wli/

I hope you’ll take me up on this challenge, and I hope that you will share with me all that you see God do in your team through the process.

Your partner in ministry,

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PS – See below for more details on the How to Double Your Worship Team in a Day resource.

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



And if you aren’t absolutely satisfied with this resource (or any of my resources for that matter) simply return your product within 365 days for a prompt and courteous refund.

Jason Hatley
Pastor of Worship Arts
The Journey Church

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.

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Beat the Summer Slump

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A worship leader told me once that the summer was the worst time of year for him and his team to grow. He went on to explain that because of this, he took it easy during the summer, didn’t challenge his team (or himself) to grow and just coasted through until fall arrived.

What I told him next was hard for him to swallow, but absolutely true. Read more

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How much do you “Love” Sunday?

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What do Sunday services and peach orchards have in common?  

I’ll explain in a moment, but first would you agree that a prerequisite for every worship leader must is a full-out love of Sunday?

I know, I know . . . sounds simple.  But before you answer . . .

When I say “Love Sunday” I don’t just mean the “20 minutes of glory” that happens when you and I are leading music, the band is rockin’, the Spirit is moving, and we’re on top of the world.

Loving Sunday also means loving the work of preparation for Sunday.  And let’s face it, that’s not always easy to love!

The administrative, the menial, the scheduling, emailing, printing charts, preparing for planning meetings, repairing gear… if we’re honest most of us don’t love those things nearly as much as the “20 minutes of glory”.

Yet, they are just as much a part of a life-transforming Sunday worship service as standing onstage and leading worship.  In fact without them, Sunday would never happen!

So let me ask again . . . do you love Sunday?

Some worship leaders (by my definition) don’t.

They only want what I call “the goody”?

That is, they only want to be onstage leading, and could really do without the hassle of the administrative prep work that goes into making Sunday great.

They want the fruit without the work.  But it just doesn’t work that way.

I grew up on a farm, and one of my favorite things in life are homegrown peaches.

My grandfather owned a peach orchard with hundreds of trees in it, and during the summer that’s where I worked.  It was grueling, hot, sweaty work.  The job came complete with wasps and sunburns (and that was just before lunch).

It was hard work.  But you know . . . I think one of the reasons I love peaches so much is because I had to work for them.  I sweat over them.  I had some skin in the game long before I took the first bite.

The same is true for us and our love of Sunday.  Long before we are able to enjoy the fruit of Sunday, we have to learn to do the work of Sunday.

It reminds me of a quote I read recently by Jim Rohn:

He writes: “Somebody said you have to love what you do, but that’s not necessarily true. What is true is that you have to love the opportunity. The opportunity to build life, future, health, success …. Knocking on someone’s door or making that extra call may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity of what might be behind that door or call.”

I may not be crazy about all of the tasks I do each week, but I absolutely LOVE the opportunity that completing those tasks brings.  And the truth is that leading with excellence on Sunday begins with pursuing excellence in everything I put my hands to during the week.

That’s what it means to love Sunday.  And that’s what it means (in my book) to be called as a worship leader in the church.

So . . . “Do you love Sunday?”  I hope so!

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PS – Leading music each week is only 10% (at best) of what you contribute to your church. It’s the other 90% that defines the course of your ministry career!

As a worship leader God has given you a unique calling, and loving Sunday is just part of it. In The Call of Worship Leader resource, you will discover the four key areas to your calling, and how they determine you overall effectiveness in ministry.

Whether you are a new worship leader, considering a call to worship leading, or have been leading worship for years, this resource will help you discover:

  • Why the call is the single greatest determiner of how effective a worship leader you can be
  • What the call really means and how to know if you have it
  • The four key elements that are in your call and why you must develop all four
  • How you can immediately begin equipping artists for ministry in your church
  • Three ministry-defining truths that you must learn for effective leadership in your church
  • How you can build and lead winning ministry team leaders
  • How you can cultivate and inspire passion for the Sunday service . . . in you and your team!
  • And much more!



And if you aren’t absolutely satisfied with this resource (or any of my resources for that matter) simply return your product within 365 days for a prompt and courteous refund.

Download your copy here

Jason Hatley
Pastor of Worship Arts
The Journey Church

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 is the author of Engage: A Guide to Creating Life-Transforming Worship Services and Revolve: A New Way to See Worship as well as over a dozen worship leader personal and ministry growth resources.

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.

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Have you said these Five Dangerous Words?

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CAUTION! Uttering these five words is certain to bring disaster to your services and your team. It will create unnecessary stress, and without a doubt lead to confusion and missed opportunities.

It may even be bad for the environment and make puppies sick.

OK – so maybe those last two are a stretch (ha!), but I believe the other side-effects will definitely happen if you say these five dangerous words.

What are they? I hesitate to put them in writing, but for your sake, let me share them. They are: 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 Leader 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. Read more

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How to Raise New Leaders on your Worship Team

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Do you remember the story of Michael that I shared with you last week? He is a fellow worship leader (and a member of my coaching network) who, after leading a round of auditions, recently found himself at the helm of a fast growing worship ministry.

Like many of us would be . . . a new level of leadership is a bit overwhelming, but he’s growing through it and doing a great job.

Have you ever found yourself there . . . under the mounting stress of leading a worship team (regardless of the size) that just felt like it was more than you could handle at the time? I have!

Wherever you are in ministry — whether you lead 20 or 200 people on your worship team — there are leadership principles that can help remove the stress and maximize the gifts and opportunities that a growing worship ministry holds.

We kicked off this 3-part series by talking about how our personal growth ALWAYS precedes our ministry growth last week.

And now here’s leadership principle #2 . . . Read more

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Lessons for Leading a Growing Worship Team, Part 1

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Every week I receive emails from worship leaders, but I was blown away by this one. Take a look:

“We just had our 2nd round of auditions this past Sunday. Trembling with excitement and fear in response to what’s happening here… Through our most recent auditions process “Journey style”… we have added about 40 new team members. I have been feeling the extra work load of the growth we experienced. Now, I am close to feeling like a deer in the headlights… This boy needs a new set of skills!!! (not to mention, a vacation 🙂 So looking forward to seeing what God is going to do next!”

Have you ever been there before? Overwhelmed by God’s blessing on your ministry and not quite sure of what to do next? Read more