How Do You “Strum” On The Piano
Most weekdays at 4 PMish, I give one of my kids a music lesson.
As you may imagine, they are not typical lessons. I either start playing an instrument to spark their curiosity, or I ask what song they are working on or what skill they’d like to strengthen.
Support Musicians
I was in a Guitar Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with my musician pastor. Yes, we played several of the most expensive guitars. No, we didn’t play any of the forbidden riffs on the electric guitars.
Once A Month
Lou has a lawn care business. He’s good at what he does. His customers are usually happy, and he’s making a decent living. He has eleven employees who work diligently in the heat of the summer sun.
Well, actually, I should say “had.” It closed earlier this year.
Recover
A worship leader once wrote this after leaving his church staff position:
“I need a little bit of space to recover from the battlefield before I go to the next war…”
Little Tests
Week after week, we stand in church during worship and wait for the lyrics to appear. Well, most of us never see the lyrics, but our congregation does.
Why?
An amazing, Jesus-loving drummer approaches you after church on Sunday and asks about joining the team. He’s available, hungry to serve, and you’re really drawn to him.
Make More Excellent Music
We want to make excellent music. And by “excellent,” I mean the best we can do with what we have. It’s a continuously moving target. It’s personal - you don’t become excellent by comparing yourself to others but by comparing yourself today to yourself yesterday. Movement matters.
Tell Me Your Story (Podcast Interview)
I was interviewed on the More Than a Worship Leader podcast, and he sent me the questions beforehand so I could prepare. I wrote my answers out and am sharing them with you for this week’s Fertilizer. (Make sure to respond to the questions at the end.)
What’s Your Secret?
You want to be a good steward of the leadership opportunity God has given you, right? You want to help your team be more confident and comfortable as they serve. You want more capable, Godly people on your team. You want to experience joy as you pour out each week. You want to complete your calling to the very end. You want to experience fullness.
Hire From Within
After two and a half decades of supporting churches in your worship ministry, we’ve noticed something. The longer we’re around, the more the church personnel change. While we do know some leaders who have been at the same church since 2002 (when Ad Lib started), many have moved on. Even though some leaders feel like fixtures, even they are no longer leading worship.
Lead Pastor, We Need Your Voice
Imagine a world where the two people who share the vast majority of stage time at your church were best buds. I know that many lead pastors don’t have anything near that on their radar screens for how they work with their worship leaders, but John Maxwell’s leadership Law of Connection is still irrefutable:
“Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand”
Post Conference Blues
Conferences are great! I used to be the guy who would sit in the auditorium in the afterglow. I didn’t want to leave. I had been inspired, encouraged, stretched, and poured into. What I received was not just information, it was impartation. I wanted to take many of the presenters home with me.
The Long Game
Are you aging out of worship leadership? Are you feeling burned out or pushed out? Do you wish you had the same passion for Jesus, worship leading, and people that you once had before all those years in worship ministry? How can you rekindle a youthful, yet mature exuberance for the next season of ministry?
My Favorite Questions
Thanks for reading this year! As we prep for a new year, I want to equip you with tools for reflection. Worship leaders usually aren’t very good at reflecting. Introspection and navel gazing, yes, but real reflection, not so much.
A Really Good Lunch
I was on staff and was failing with my techs. There was constant tension. There was contempt and sarcasm. And so much passive aggressiveness. There was no life. Rehearsals were dreadful.
Chord Nuances
Slash chords, color chords, inversions, and magic chords shape musical expression. I'll illustrate their unique roles with piano examples, but all melodic instruments can benefit from understanding these nuances.
Outlast
It’s happening all over America. Worship leaders with twenty and thirty years of experience are “aging-out” of leading worship.
No, they’re not, but that’s what they call it.
Which Fader Is The Greatest?
Which of the Five Faders matters most? The logical answer is “my Fader!” :)
This question makes sense, but it isn't the most useful one. Often, the underlying concern is finding justification to challenge a leader or team member who is out of balance or unhealthy.
The Five Faders Book is HERE!
Have you appreciated receiving the Worship Fertilizer or any of the many resources from Ad Lib Music?
Can I ask you a big favor?
What You Do Matters
It’s easy to lose sight of it, but “What You Do Matters.”