I'm Sorry, But You Can't Sing With Us
I received this question from a pastor:
"How do you describe the minimum level of vocal ability that a person needs to possess before they will perform on a Sunday morning? As you might guess, this is prompted by a church member who very much wants to sing with the team, but frankly probably falls below the standard of what we would like to have on stage...."
Important question, right?! A simple, unemotional, yet empathetic, clear criterion is so important in this area. The way I like to go about it is something like this:
Thanks so much for being willing to serve. I want to make sure you're set up to succeed in this, and one way we do this is by a simple evaluation. It's not an audition, but rather, since we are all growing together, we want to know where we're starting and what we each are working on. To start singing on the team, there are four requirements:
Sing in tune (not flat or sharp)
Sing in time (able to match the rhythm of the song and the click)
Sing in harmony (either reading notes or improvising)
Sing with others (blend, controlling vibrato, etc.)
For each of those, we'll walk through a simple exercise of singing through a song together. If any of the areas are below our starting point, and you're willing to work on them, we'll help you work on improving them. If you're either uninterested or unable to work on them, we'll help you find a different role on the team. Either way, we want to help you discern the best spot for you to serve!
Again, something really, really simple and straightforward.
Here are some further ideas from our friends at The Church Collective:
https://thechurchcollective.com/next-level/breathing-and-breath-support/
-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)
I'm Sorry, But You Can't Sing With Us (Nº 113)
Five Faders w/ Dave Helmuth
Don't be another passionate, unhealthy leader (who doesn't know they are unhealthy) who misses their calling, has a moral failure, burns out, or burns others. (dang, that's dark!)
Be a Five Faders leader who is the best version of yourself and helps your team to do the same!
We'll explore the motivations we each have:
Artists notice nuance.
Shepherds consider the individual.
Priests overflow with simple love and pure devotion to Jesus.
Educators bring out the best in others.
Producers plan, in order to exceed usual limits.
The Five Faders model is not just a tool, it's a game-changer. It will help you understand your motivations and those of your team, paving the way for healthier and more effective leadership. The good news is that a Five Faders team is fantastic! The bad news is that if we don't know what motivates us, our passion often blinds us and we are an unhealthy expression of our Fader.
In this small group, we'll not just learn about the Five Faders, but also put them into action. We'll explore how to apply the concepts to our teams in a practical way, and learn from each other, which is one of the best ways to grow in your lowest Fader.
DATES AND TIMES
Mondays from 9 to 10:30 AM Central, from January 6 to February 24 (8 weeks)
BUY THE BOOK
https://amzn.to/4mWlA6a
WHO IS DAVE HELMUTH
I'm a coach who leads Ad Lib Music, the worship coaching organization I started in 2002. We have coaches in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, and South Dakota. I'm the author of the Five Faders book. I serve as a missionary in Costa Rica, where my family of nine and I have lived since 2019.