On the Offense

Since we, as artists, put so much time and effort into our craft, we feel a particular strong ownership for our talents. We work relentlessly at trying to become excellent and put in countless hours mulling over the pros and cons of our abilities. It is because of this strong focus on our talents that we can become overly sensitive about feedback.

As we practice, our self-evaluation will often go into hyperdrive and we become extra in tune to "picking up signals from people. [These are] things that others might not even notice. Because we're going to pick up a lot of things like that, we need to be careful that we don't pick up something that's not really there." (Noland, 158).

We need to make sure that we are not taking offense to something when no offense was intended. Specifically, we need to make sure that all of our pride in our craft has not caused us to walk around with a chip on our shoulder. After all "He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him
who searches for it" (Proverbs 11:27). Noland astutely states, "don't make a big deal out of a comment that was not intended to be a big deal" (Noland, 158).

Being overly sensitive is something that we see throughout the bible with not so pleasant consequences. As an example, Noland shares a portion of the story of Samuel. Specifically, the elders of Israel approached Samuel and asked him to appoint another king to rule over them. This was extremely offensive to Samuel because he felt like Israel didn't like his leadership and almost caused a civil war. While Samuel was fuming over there request, God simply stated, "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7). Noland paraphrases this by saying, "in other words, God said to him, 'Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill, Samuel. This isn't about you, so don't take it personally" (Noland, 159).

Really, the only way to solve this conflict is to talk openly about the comment. Seek out the person that you felt slighted by and have a conversation about the comment. Typically, you will find that you took the comment more personally than it was ever intended. "So be careful not to take offense if none was intended" (Noland, 159)

In our worship team, what should we do if we disagree with someone's review of their work? Is this something that we need to work on as a team? If so, what do you think we can do to ensure that we are building each other up while continuing to be honest with each other about growth areas?

Are You Threatening Me?

What do you get when you cross Allison Reynolds, Andrew Clark, John Bender, Brian Johnson, and Claire Standish? Well, The Breakfast Club of course! This cult classic comically illustrates how five teens from five different defensive cliques overcome certain personality traits. The main reason this comedy became such a success is that it spoke to a broad audience’s fears about taking down defensive walls.

Everyone is defensive, but artists seem to be especially more so. Therefore, we need to learn how to manage that defensiveness so that it does not get in the way of our ability to excel at our craft. In The Heart of the Artist, Noland talks in great lengths about the dangers of defensiveness. He opens the discussion by stating, “Sometimes those of use with artistic temperaments get defensive when we’re criticized. We can be overly sensitive, and we let the least little thing hurt us. Sometimes we’re offended even when no offense was intended, and we take things more personally than they were meant to be taken” (Noland, 155). Sadly, oftentimes, the person who seems to be the most defensive doesn’t even realize that they are being so defensive. This problem is kind of a Catch 22. How do you tell an overly defensive person that they are being overly defensive?

The first step is to take an honest look at yourself and see if you are being overly defensive. Even if we’re being honest, probably most of us would say we are not a defensive person because it is hard for us to recognize that trait in ourselves. This means, instead, that we need to be aware that we may be overly defensive and be hypersensitive to how we listen to other’s feedback. Noland aptly states, “we can’t grow as artists until we deal with this character issue, which can be a blind spot for us artists.”

If we fail to address this blind spot, we will fail as artists. Noland lists three specific detrimental outcomes of defensiveness that occur when we are not open to feedback:

1.       Defensiveness Alienates Us from Others

“People reject someone who’s chronically defensive. The irony here is that the overly sensitive person eventually becomes insensitive to others because they’re so self-absorbed. What starts out as a defense mechanism against being hurt turns out to inflict an even greater hurt: loneliness and alienation. This isn’t good for the artist who’s trying to experience community or trying to build meaningful relationships in his or her life” (Noland, 156)

2.       Defensiveness Keeps Us from the Truth

“People tend to shy away from being honest with overly sensitive people, because they don’t want to hurt them…  [but] believe me, being deceived about your abilities is far worse than knowing and accepting your strengths and weaknesses” (Noland, 157)

3.       Defensiveness Keeps Us from Being All We Can Be

“When we allow ourselves to be defensive, we stop growing as people and as artists. Sometimes we get defensive because we feel threatened. We think we have to protect ourselves and our art. But the very thing we’re trying to protect suffers the most from our defensiveness. That’s because we cut ourselves off from that which can help us flourish as artists: constructive feedback” (Noland, 158)

Taking into account what you have learned and what you already know about defensiveness, answer the following questions:

1.       What causes an artist to be defensive?

2.       Why is defensiveness such a blind spot for artists?

3.       Have you known any defensive people in your life? How did their defensiveness affect you?

4.       Have you ever felt offended by someone and found out later that they didn’t mean to hurt you? What did you learn from that?

5.       Can you think of someone who takes criticism well or responds to suggestions with grace? What do you notice about the way this person handles those kinds of things?

Handling Criticism

We are now beginning the chapter on handling criticism (gulp). Noland begins the chapter with an anecdote and a set of study questions that definitely serves to touch a chord in all of us. At some point, we have all mishandled criticism and it has been very detrimental to our own ability to worship and lead others in worship. Here is Noland's story:

Justin is a sound technician at Southport Community Church. He puts in a lot of hours volunteering at the church. For most every service or major event, he's the first on there and the last one to leave. He sets up the sound equipment for the service, mixes drama, band, and vocals, and runs the lights. During the week he maintains the church's sound and lighting gear, and he's been doing all this for well over ten years. The church doesn't pay him and he's okay with that, even though he could easily spend more than forty hours a week there. He knows how rare it is for a church to hire a technical director. So he teaches physical education at the grade school every day and then runs over to the church by late afternoon. He enjoys what he does at the church, but lately he's been at odds with Sam, the new programming director. Sam's got all sorts of new ideas that put Justin on tilt every time they talk.

When they first met, Sam gave Justin a long list of changes he wanted to make. First of all, he wanted to lengthen rehearsal time, which meant that Justin would have to be at the church even earlier. Justin was already stressed out from all the hours he was putting in. He couldn't help but think, what's wrong with the way we were doing things before? Sam wanted new monitors, he wanted to move the speakers in the sanctuary, he wanted to mic the drums differently, and he wanted to go stereo with all the keyboards. Justin thought, Who does this guy think he is to come in here and change everything?

One of the changes that has been especially difficult for Justin has been the evaluation meeting he's now forced to attend very early every Monday morning. The key leaders involved in putting the service together meet with the pastor at a local restaurant and critique the previous day's service. This is hard for Justin. Every time anything negative comes up about the sound or lighting, he gets very defensive. One time the pastor asked why his lapel mic sounded as if it were on the verge of feedback during the sermon, and Justin snapped back saying, "Well, if I had some decent equipment to work with, we wouldn't have this problem." No one knew what to say. The conversation moved on, but Justin wasn't really listening during the rest of the meeting. He was lost in a series of negative and defensive thoughts: They have no idea how hard I work... I'm doing the best I can... They're luck to have me... No one else would put up with all this... I dont' get paid to do this...

Sam has made several suggestions about the band mix and vocal sound that haven't set real well with Justin. One time Same was onstage and asked for less reverb on the group vocals and more "warmth." This made Justin angry. I know what I'm doing. I don't need anybody to tell me how to run sound, he thought. But he complied, and even had to admit that less reverb gave the overall sound more clarity. To add insult to injury, several people complimented Justin on the mix as they left church that morning. Many people said they could hear the lyrics better. Justin appreciated their innocent encouragement, but he still didn't like the idea of that new guy Sam telling him how to do his job.

The communication between the two men has seemed like a tug-of-war. Every time Sam makes a suggestion, Justin asks why and then grudgingly complies. As a result, there is a tension at every sound check, every meeting, and every service. People feel as if they have to walk on eggshells when they're around Justin, because he takes even the slightest bit of criticism so personally. He seems angry all the time.

To make things worse, the two men clashed over a moral issue that came to the surface in Justin's life. Justin and his fiancee, who wasn't a believer, had been living together for several months. When Sam confronted him about it, Justin at first denied it. Sam persisted, and Justin accused him of being judgmental, pointing out that the decision to live together was a financial one.

The straw that broke the camel's back, however, may have occurred last week. More singers than usual were to perform during the service. A microphones were being handed out ten minutes before the service was to start, someone discovered two bad microphone cords - and no spares. Justin had been meaning to buy some new cords, but he just hadn't gotten around to it. He had dropped the ball. When Sam anxiously questioned him about it, Justin became defensive and angry, finally telling Sam, "If you want mic cords, get 'em yourself!"

During the service Justin could hardly concentrate. He was seething inside. He was angry at Sam, he was angry with everyone onstage, and he was angry at the church. His thoughts outpaced his emotions. What right does this newcomer have to make such outrageous demands all the time? And where does he get off, telling me how to do my job? Doesn't he think I know what I'm doing? If it wasn't for me, this service wouldn't even be happening. I deserve to be treated better than this. The anger burned hotter and hotter until Justin couldn't take it anymore. He got up and left, right in the middle of the opening song. He turned the board off and everything went dead. There was a loud boom throughout the auditorium, and the entire congregation turned and watched Justin storm out of the booth, down the hall, and out the door.

After the service, Sam tried several times to call Justin at home, but Justin was screening his calls and never picked up the phone. In his own way he was trying to punish Sam. He had everyone's attention now and he wanted to make his point. He sat home alone, sulking in front of the TV.

1. Why do you think Justin reacted negatively to every suggestion Sam made?

2. What would you suggest Justin do to patch up his relationship with Sam?

3. What should Sam do next to try to patch things up with Justin?

4. Do you think Sam was right in confronting Justin about living with his fiancee?

5. Is there any way the tension between Justin and Sam could have been avoided? What could they have done differently that would have enabled them to work together more harmoniously?

6. How does a defensive spirit affect rehearsals?

7. How should an artist handle criticism?

Focus People, Focus!

Have you ever listened to a speech, watched a movie, or driven a long distance in the car while wondering why in the world you agreed to listen to that speech, watch that movie, or taken that drive? Chances are the speech, movie, and drive all had the potential to be great if they were better planned out. If someone had taken the time to put themselves in the stadium, recliner, or passenger seat and understood how the communication of their message would be received, then chances are you wouldn't be wanting to pull your hair out strand by strand while counting the clicks of the clock on the wall while praying for it to end.

Nearly all of the great speeches and movies were first tested by focus groups so that the authors could get a preview of the outcome of their product. In addition, many travel sites give drivers and passengers a variety of things to do while enroute to make a trip more fun. So, while entities of the world spend endless hours and money developing a great product by focusing on effective communication, why is it that we Christians rarely take the time to really think about how we are communicating the greatest message? This conundrum is something that especially effects worship teams. Noland specifically states, "All artists need to know that communication [of their art] is just as important as technique" (Noland, 142).

As artists, we have the responsibility to acknowledge that our art form, when communicated effectively, can connect with people on a greater level than is possible to put down in words. Noland explains, "Art at its best stimulates the mind and moves the soul. If we in the local church don't get serious about how to communicate effectively, our art will move no one. No matter how accomplished or sophisticated we are, if thought is not given to communicating clearly, how are we going to reach people with our art? Paul has an interesting point in 1 Corinthians 14:7-9: "Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you, unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air" (Noland, 142).

We have all experienced worship with phenomenal musicians who have failed to make our souls fill with worship. Conversely, we have all, also, experienced mediocre musicians bring down the house with their spirit. So, we must continually ask our self the question: "Are we spending as much time thinking about how our message will be received as practicing our technique?" We may be fantastic at our craft, but fail to lead worship.

In order to ensure that we are communicating effectively, we need to be intentional with our efforts. This means that we all should be discussing what sort of outcome we would like from every song or other art form. Since not everyone picks every song, we need to have those who picked the song explain to those who will be using the song as a catalyst to lead worship what the intent of the song is. That way, we may be unified in our efforts to clearly communicate the Message.

In addition, we need to practice using our whole body in worship during rehearsals. Noland illustrates that worshiping with our arms straight at our sides, eyes averted to our music, and blank faces seems unnatural and does not effectively communicate the love of God (Noland, 143). Since using our whole body to worship may be a bit uncomfortable at first, it is really important to practice it during rehearsal so that we will be comfortable and genuine when we worship with the congregation.

In case you haven't figured out the incredible importance of communicating with everything we have, Noland leaves us with one last point, "We in the church need to take communication seriously, because we've been given the charge to communicate the Good News" (Noland, 144).

Are you convinced that it's important for art in the church to communicate clearly? What should we do to make sure that we are communicating clearly? What will you do to make sure that you are communicating clearly through worship?

Put on a Happy Face

At the end of the day, the success of our teamwork depends on our ability to submit to authority without losing our autonomy or artistic identity. This means that we must follow our leader(s) and listen to our Father about how, when, and what spiritual gifts to use. CS Lewis states this concept fantastically while discussing the arts. He states, "Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence about how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

This means that we can still stand out as artists and fulfill our purpose while submitting to authority. Noland states:

"Submitting to authority can be difficult for some of us. We artists don't like anyone telling us what to do. But assuming your leader never asks you to do something contrary to God's will, you have a responsibility to submit to his or her leadership. Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (110, Noland)
"Submitting to church authority is a sign of character. You may think your leader is wrong or incapable or even unfit to lead, but don't add to the problem by being immature yourself. I've seen people get so agitated over the littlest things, and I've seen people leave the church over relatively petty issues. Stubbornness is not a virtue and pettiness is not becoming. Don't be a thorn in the side of the leader. If you disagree with your leader or don't like something he or she is doing, go talk to that person. If you still disagree, pray that God will change your leader's mind or yours. But if nothing ever changes, you still need to submit and cooperate with the person's leadership." (111, Noland)

Yet, even through this submission, we should never lose our autonomy or artistic identity. Noland states:

"It's important for the artist not to get swallowed up completely by the team. When we lose autonomy, we stop taking responsibility for ourselves. I've seen too many artists try to get lost in the crowd and not take personal responsibility for the development of their gifts and the nurturing of their souls. I've also seen too many artists hide behind the spiritual reputation of the leader and not take responsibility for their walk with the Lord or for the sin in their lives. I'm talking about the choir member, for example, who doesn't take the development of his or her gift or spiritual life seriously, thinking that those things go unnoticed when you're part of a large group. Doesn't this person know that any team is only as strong as its weakest link? There is a side to being an artist that is solitary. We need to practice on our own, or we need to write in solitude, or we need to find the inspiration to create on our own. We have devotions and fight temptation on our own. Even though I'm trying to raise the value of teamwork in arts ministry, the arts are not exclusively a team effort. It's our responsibility to do the along part on our own." (111, Noland)

"When we lose individual autonomy, we also start living for the team's approval instead of the Lord's. A group mentality sets in that can be very dangerous for a team of artists. When that happens, we go along with the group without questioning. We don't take creative risks anymore for fear of losing our status with the group. We don't speak up if we hold an opinion different from that of the group. We become man pleasers instead of God pleasers. What was Aaron thinking when he misused his artistic abilities and made the gold calf? (Ex. 32:21-24). He created an idol for people to worship. He lost his sense of personal responsibility and listened to the group instead of listening to God. He gave in to peer pressure and betrayed his faith. It is dangerous for any artist to live for the approval of others and stop listening to God." (112, Noland)

For this post, respond to the following statement:

It has been said that fellowship, or community, is the art of knowing and being known. What is the difference between knowing and being known? Are you better at one than the other, or are you pretty good at both?

Heat, Light, and Magic

Have you ever taken the time to really look at our worship team? We are a bunch of neurotic, quirky, passionate, intelligent, and deeply devoted people! Each of us brings something completely unique to our team that we would be absolutely lacking if a person were missing. No matter how small or large our contributions, they all play a role in the bigger picture of bringing people closer to Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:22-25 says, "Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor... But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other."

In order to develop all that we have to offer into something that God can edify in our team, we need to bring all of our spiritual gifts to our team. Noland states:

"I've seen too many artists neglect their other spiritual gifts. They perform and that's it. What about an artist who also has the gift of mercy or encouragement or helps or shepherding or evangelism? The team is incomplete without these gifts... There is such a wide variety of spiritual gifts, and we we need to look for opportunities to use those gifts whenever the team assembles. For example, rehearsal is more than just practice. It's yet another opportunity to use our spiritual gifts and raise up our fellow artists. Even if you think you don't need rehearsal, you always need the fellowship and the fellowship needs you. If you have the gift of encouragement, you can come to rehearsal looking for someone to encourage. If you have the gift of helps, you can be on the lookout for someone to serve in this way, someone who just might be sitting next to you at rehearsal. Instead of asking, "What do I get out of this?" we should be asking, "What can I give?" (108-109, Noland)

Hebrews 10:24 tells us to "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." This means that we need to see our role on the worship team as using our gifts to lift others up by asking ourselves "How can I use my spiritual gift today to stimulate my fellow artists spiritually?" or "Is there anything I could do or say that could benefit someone else on the team?"

The result of this is that our role on our worship team is valuable not matter how small. Noland states:

"Every team has members who know their roles on the team and perform them well. They're content to play their roles, because they know that if they don't, the group will not function as a team. The best team leaders are the ones who help their members identify their roles and set them up to be succeed in those roles. Some roles are more behind-the-scene than others. Some are more prominent than others. But the mature team player knows that a team can't function without all members pulling their own weight, without all members performing the roles they play to the best of their ability." (109, Noland)

In addition, being a part of the worship team means that we are all actually a part of our Church's mission and success. Thus, we may be required to step out of our comfort zone and help out in the church in other ways. We may find ourselves helping Grounds and Maintenance fix a wall or serving food with the Deacons on Wednesday evenings. Noland states, "We need to do our fair share whether it's in our job description or not."

Next, we need to give of our spiritual gifts without caring about who gets the credit or the glory. Noland states:

"If you really believe in the cause of [our] team, does it really matter who gets the credit or the glory? Is it more important that you get the credit or that the work gets done? It's typical for us to want to receive all the credit and glory for something we have done, but if you look below the surface, there's almost always an unhealthy, self-serving motivation behind this desire. In many cases there's a craving for attention that drives us to seek the spotlight. And nowhere was this more prevalent than in the world of the arts." (107, Noland)

"Sometimes we get all bent out of shape when someone else gets all the credit we deserve or glory we covet. A wise man once said, "It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit." (108, Noland)

No matter how much we try to not care about attribution, eventually we may come to a point where we feel the need to say something. Noland states:

"If credit is constantly attributed wrongly, it can be very demoralizing. It's true that God sees in secret, but it's the wise and sensitive leader who makes sure credit is given to the appropriate people. Sometimes people are not looking for a large display of public recognition. They just want to be thanked and appreciated for their contribution, so let's be sensitive to this on our teams." (108, Noland)

Conversely, if you are unhappy with your perceived role or you're unclear about what your role really is on the team, "I would suggest that you talk to your team leader about this right away. If you don't, you will end up frustrated, bitter, and resentful. Don't let this happen to you. If you're confused or disappointed about your role on the team, please talk to your team leader." (110, Noland)


If this conversation feels like we have come full circle, it's because we have. As a team, we need to make the members of our team feel valued and have a specific role on our team. Think about members of our team whom we have seem to lost some contact with, members of our team whom do not seem to have their own role and purpose, and members of our team who may be feeling overworked. What can we do to incorporate them into our team? What can we do to give more roles and areas for ownership? What can we do to take away some of the stress of other members?

In the comment section, write about a specific thing that our team can do to help utilize everyone's gifts on the team by using the previous rhetorical questions as prompts.

Together We Stand, Divided We Fall

Just because we are all Christians, members of the worship team, and have spiritual gifts, does not mean that everything will be rainbows and unicorns. Unfortunately, our spiritual gifts come with a huge dose of hubris. Hubris is the extreme amount of pride associated with the way we feel we need to do things in order to have our spiritual gifts utilized in their self-perceived "perfect" way. Hubris is an extremely dangerous a double-edged word because it is directly associated with having a very negative outcome. The best metaphor of this is Achilles and his tendon. As artists, we continually have to be evaluating our actions and making sure that hubris is NOT overtaking God's will for our gifts.

In the Heart of the Artist, Roland lists 3 tasks that we need to focus on to make sure that we are using our gifts in the way God intended them:

1. A team player is committed to the the cause of the team

In ministry being committed to the cause of the team means that we put the church's mission above our own agenda. From time to time [we all] hear stories about arts ministries in which the team members aren't all on the same page. The result is musicians, drama people, dancers, etc. all doing their own thing instead of coming together for the common good. For example, a musician who uncompromisingly pushes a favorite style of music, even though it doesn't fit the occasion, is putting his or her own agenda ahead of the team's. (97, Heart of the Artist)

2. A team player encourages and supports his or her teammates

When it comes to the arts in the church, we need to cultivate an environment that is encouraging, life-giving, and supportive. That's part of what it means to nurture artists, especially the artists with whom we serve. Most of us have no difficulty encouraging someone whose gifts pose no threat to our place in the ministry. Our character is truly proven when we can root for those who have the same gifts we have. Can you sincerely encourage and pull for someone who has the same gifts you do? Another test of character some when someone else gets the opportunities we wish we could have. Maybe it's the solo we wanted, the part we wanted to play, or the recording opportunity we wanted. First Corinthians 12:26 (NASB) says that if "one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." Can you rejoice for someone who gets the opportunities you wanted? (102-103, Heart of the Artist)

3. A team player holds onto to his or her gifts loosely

Every once and a while [we] run into people [or find ourselves saying], "I'm not going to give of my time and talent unless my gift is used exactly how I think it should be used." NBA coach Pat Riley says, "Doing your most for the team will always bring something good for you. It means believing that everything you deserve will eventually come your way. You won't have to grab for it. You won't have to force it. It will simply catch up to you, drawn along in the jetstream, the forward motion of your hard work." Especially if God is in the picture, I think we can say with confidence that good things will come our way if we work hard and don't try to force it. If our talents and abilities are from God, who really owns them? He does. They're on loan to us and we are to faithfully steward them. So we can relax our white-knuckle grip on our gifts and lay them at the feet of Jesus, to be used to edify His church as He sees fit. (104, Heart of the Artist)

Roland's words are powerful, they speak right to "our hearts as artists." Of course we want to participate. Of course we want to share our gifts in the way we think that they should be shared. Of course we want to be an integral part of something that leads people to Christ. Of course we want to be recognized for our gifts. Of course, though, we need to understand that the use of our gifts is up to Him who gave them to us.

Our worship team is blessed with some of the most astounding hidden gifts. It seems like every day a member is stepping up and portraying God's will in remarkable and influential ways. Since we are so gifted in our team, we need to make sure that everyone is allowed the chance to use their gifts in the way that "God intended." This means that a few of us will need to start asking others if they would like to participate before taking on a task by ourselves. It also means that others of us will need to start sharing more about our hidden gifts and look for ways to serve our congregation, our team, and our Father.

The reflection assignment for this post is somewhat simple:

Identify and post about something that you will now start doing to make sure that other's gifts are celebrated and used better within our team. An example of this may be: "I will recognize that the congregation worships in a multitude of ways and instrumental interludes with electric guitar or drums or harmonica provide an equally beneficial moment for the Lord to do his work as vocal lyrics do."

No Good, Very Bad Habits

In spite of how powerful and meaningful team ministry can be, the task of getting a group of people to interact and perform as a team is a difficult one. Besides the fact that we artists have a propensity to shy away from teams and community, the Evil One does everything he can to disrupt teams. He'll try to sow disunity; he'll try to undermine morale; he'll try to sabotage the cause; he'll try to frustrate plans. Believe me, he'll do everything he can to defeat any and every team that's trying to advance the kingdom of God. So let's begin our study of teams by looking at four things that can kill a team. (93, Heart of the Artist)

1. Selfishness (93, Heart of the Artist)
2. Grumbling and Complaining (93, Heart of the Artist)
3. A competitive Spirit (94, Heart of the Artist)
4. Unresolved Relational Conflict (94, Heart of the Artist)

If we're honest, the four team killing components sting when we read them. The reason? Each of us has contributed to each of the "Deadly Four" and can probably recall a moment when we acted in that way. Since we are all sinful beings in nature, the solution to combating the Deadly Four is to establish, re-establish, or remember our code of ethics. This code of ethics can be written or unwritten, spoken or unspoken (95, Heart of the Artist) as long as it sets up a culture of expectations for how we want our worship team to be.

This leads you into a very tricky assignment. You will need to think and pray about what we can do and are already doing to achieve our best worship team without allowing yourself to be selfish, grumble and complain, have a competitive spirit, and/or bring about unresolved relational conflict. It is important to note that creating a code of ethics is a conversation about creating the best situations and worship culture for the needs of our church, community, and each other. Creating a code of ethics is not about singling out what a person is or is not doing. It is always best to keep Matthew 7:2-5 in mind:


² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Taking heed from Matthew 7:2-5, your reflective assignment is to post about 1) something that you think our team is doing well in meeting our "unspoken" code of ethics and 2) something that you feel we should change/add to our code of ethics.

If you feel uncertain about the message of this post, I truly recommend that you read pages 93-96 in The Heart of the Artist. Rory Noland goes through each of the 4 traits that can kill a team in detail.

The Artist in a Community

"Many of us artists are longing for a place to belong, a place where the arts are flourishing, where God is using the arts in a powerful way. A place where artists can experience meaningful fellowship with other Christian artists, where we can learn from each other and cheer each other on. I believe that's part of what God wants our churches to be: a place that harnesses the arts for His glory and nurtures artists." (89, Heart of the Artist)

This belonging comes from a mutual respect of what each person brings to the team as well as an understanding of what you bring to the team. Leading worship is a team sport and we can only lead and serve our congregation as so much as we all respect and understand each of our roles on our team.

Romans 12:3-8 explicitly states that we were all created for a purpose:

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

All of that is to say that being a part of our worship team means that you belong for two reasons:

1. Your gifts and abilities have created a niche for you on the team. (92, Heart of the Artist)
2. Your personality has created a place for you on the team. (92, Heart of the Artist)

As you take the time to digest the power and responsibility that comes with being on our worship team, reflect on what you specifically bring to our team and what ONE other member of our team brings to the table by replying to this post. The catch is that you must pick ONE member of our team who has NOT been mentioned by someone else. In this way, each person will reflect upon themselves and have someone else reflect up them.