Great worship leading tips from Jamie Harvill:

When I set out on my professional music career in 1980, the first thing I learned from my mentors was to connect with the audience. I was taught that the stage is not like a fish bowl, where the audience peers statically at the action happening on stage. The potent energy that flows back and forth from performer to the audience is a very important aspect of the presentation. That is why live performances haven’t been completely obliterated by movies and television; people still desire that back-and-forth, “being there” camaraderie of a live program.

The concept of “entertainment,” in the context of church, is forbidden in certain circles. But as I’ve said before, using musical and dramatic techniques to enhance the art of storytelling can help create a flowing and enjoyable experience–one that allows the audience to lose self-awareness, to the point where they are fully engaged in the action on the the stage. To make sure that I’m not misunderstood, I want to emphasize that delivering the message of Christ and His redemptive power is, by far, the most noble and virtuous use of the stage, cutting-edge technology, and excellence in all genres of performance.

The difference between a great performance and an average or poor performance is essentially the connection with the audience. Jackson made a humorous but accurate observation of a great performer, using Bono, lead singer of U2, as an example. He said Bono is “married” to the audience, when most of us are just “dating” the audience. It takes a great amount of work and skill to create a great performance, and in doing so, we earn the audience’s respect. I’ve personally seen U2 perform live and Bono had that huge indoor sports arena in the palm of his hand!

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Excellent advice from Jamie Brown:

When you’re in ministry, there are going to be times when you say some really stupid things to people in your congregation. In the moment, you’ll either not be thinking clearly, or not thinking at all, and you’ll open your mouth and say something that you should have kept inside. I am really good at this.

Here are some things that you should never say.

“When are you due?”
Unless you have no doubt that the woman you’re speaking to is 100% pregnant, and that the news is public, never ask this question.

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The upcoming Superman: Man of Steel movie has a website with free resources and free pastor’s screenings across the country:

ManofSteelResources.com

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David Murrow: don’t try to be something you’re not:

I’m a member of Alaska’s largest church. It’s a lot like every other megachurch. We meet in a cavernous, windowless room with stage lighting and two huge projection screens. We’re led by a rock band and a casually dressed pastor. The service lasts exactly 75 minutes. Our church draws a large crowd that attends sporadically. There’s a relatively small, highly committed core of members that keeps the machine going.

I like my church. But it’s in Anchorage, 26 miles from my house. So my wife and I occasionally worship at a small traditional church in our little town of Chugiak. (Let’s call it St. Mark’s)

We’ve been enjoying our Sundays at St. Mark’s. The richness and rigor of the liturgy is refreshing after years of seeker-sensitive services. It’s an eight-course meal, carefully measured out for us by church fathers – confession, forgiveness, praise, instruction, communion, giving, fellowship and benediction. It’s like a spiritual multivitamin in an easy-to-swallow, hour-long pill.

St. Mark’s has a lot going for it. The people are friendly, but not overly so. There is a healthy number of kids and young adults. The facility is well kept. The sermons are insightful. We love the depth of the hymns – and the people sing robustly (as opposed to most megachurches where very few people sing). It takes my wife back to the 100-member churches of her youth.

But last Sunday was different. Once a month, this little church does a contemporary service. Gina and I were surprised – unpleasantly so. Continue reading.

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Take a look at your ministry with tips from Brian Howard:

Have you carefully thought through a new ministry that you want to start? Have you evaluated your current ministries? Here are 12 planning questions that will help you think through starting a new ministry or evaluating a current one. Consider planning a day away to write a plan based around these 12 questions:

1. What is the purpose of this ministry?

What are you hoping to accomplish with this ministry? What is the purpose and mission of the ministry? How does it fit into your overall vision? Is there a primary purpose? Is there a secondary purpose?

2. Who will this ministry serve?

Who is the target of this ministry? Who will it benefit? Is there a primary target? Is there a secondary target?

3. What are the needs of those who this ministry will serve?

What services will we offer in this ministry? What are the needs of the target group we are wanting to serve? What are their Spiritual needs, Physical needs, Emotional needs, Intellectual needs, Relational needs. Which of these needs should our ministry focus on?

4. How will we provide these services and meet these needs?

What will be our ministry strategy for providing services for the needs of our targeted group? What is our Step-by-Step process for making this ministry happen?

5. How will the ministry be led?

What type of leadership qualities and skills are required to lead this ministry?

6. What kind of team Is needed for this ministry?

Is a team needed for this ministry? How many people are needed? What are the various roles and ministry responsibilities that are needed to support this ministry? What are the skills and abilities needed for those who will make up the team?

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