MIM Ezine April 18, 2006Table of Contents--
-The Reconstruction of A Youth Worker, Scott’s Ramblings, “El Shaddai Just Doesn’t Work” by Scott Miller -“Interviewing for Ministry Employment” by Rebekah Hanover -Book Review – "Why Men Hate Going to Church" -Classifieds The Reconstruction of A Youth Worker Scott’s Ramblings “El Shaddai Just Doesn’t Work” If you remember from the last article (see ezine archives for March 21), I began on a roller coaster ride of starting at a new church as a youth minister. My first assignment was to put together a worship service that youth would want to attend. Learning Who’s In Charge I had a few things against me. While in Seminary I graduated with a Masters in Christian Education. Outside of the required worship class, I avoided taking any worship or preaching classes. I had in my mind that God had not called me to preach. My calling was to hang out with kids. Boy, did I learn that God is much more in control of my life than I do! Three Months of Planning… For three months between moving in, getting settled, learning about the church and planning a summer mission trip; I had a crash course self-taught lessons in putting together a worship service. I began searching the net, looking at the local bookstores and talking to other youth workers. I discovered that there were very few resources in the area of Youth Worship. There were even fewer books dealing with youth worship in a mainline denomination church. There were quite a few resources for putting together “Worship Experiences” in your youth group program but nothing for churches trying to do a weekly youth worship service. July 1st finally came. We had our first service. Arghhhhh! It was horrible! We had around 30 kids and a few daring adults show up for our first service. Our music was “preformed” by a group of youth leaders and our choir director. I have tried so hard to block out most of that service but the one song that stuck out that we sang that morning was “El Shaddai.” I know in most of our churches that is one of the more contemporary “hymns” in the hymnal. Would any teenager in their right mind think that this is a worship song for them? Back to Work At that point, everything hit me at once. If we were going to do youth worship the youth had to be intimately involved in the development. If this worship service was going to live, the music had to be led much differently than doing an “adult contemporary service” adapted for youth. It had to truly be a youth service. It had to have characteristics that were much different. First, I had to gently work with the adults to include some kids in the band. Second, we had to change the music around. Third, I had to be willing to not be IN CONTROL. If this was going to living worship service, I had to be willing to be FLUID in my development of the service. This service was going to change as much as the youth culture changes. Musical Chairs The music was probably one of the toughest things to change. The changes came very slowly. I had some wonderful adult musicians with whom I am very close today. Somehow, we had to steer the ship a lot differently than they understood. Over the first year, our service took on the name of “The Ride,” and we began to make some music related changes. Over that first summer we brought in a college age girl to do some vocals as well as bringing on some teenage boys who were just beginning to learn how to play different instruments. I remember at one point we had eight different musicians playing every week and around 30 or so in the congregation. I still laugh at some of the songs that we used in this transition/development stage. We started getting slowly away from the “adult contemporary” songs. In order to keep our adults interested and enthusiastic, we still sang a number of songs they enjoyed. Some of the scary ones we sang were “Shake It Up Jesus” (re-written version of Twist and Shout) and I’m a Believer, yes… the same as the Monkeys with adapted lyrics…. (I know very cheesy!) Youth Taking Control Even though I moan and groan about these early years, they were fun and we learned a lot. The best part of it is that it started some interest with our youth. We had youth wanting to learn how not to just play music, but to lead worship. To make a long story short our band is now composed of youth and young adults. Our oldest member right now is 25 and our youngest is 17. The band has gone through many different transitions. Recently a youth that early on took over as the worship leader/lead singer is now in a career because of it. He is a youth minister and worship leader at a church about 20 minutes from his home church. Another very cool outcome of all of this is our adults who originally made up the band serve as mentors to our current musicians. Our youth who wanted to start leading still look up to them as inspiration and even ask them to fill in for them if they need to be away for a Sunday. Why Do It? Now the big question: “Why would any church want to have a youth worship service?” I would be so wrong to say every church should have a youth worship service. If you are a church that can support this kind of ministry and have the ability to pull it off, it is worth trying. We went from having only a handful of youth showing up for church every week to last week having 95 at The Ride. Even if we still only had the 30 – 35 people attending The Ride each week like we did in the early days, it would still be worth doing. Putting a weekly worship service like this together is a bit of a risk. However, what fun is life you do not take a few risks? Resources Here are some resources you can check out for music. CCM Magazine: Basically the “Rolling Stone” of Christian Music. This magazine will give you a chance to not only find new music but get to know a bit about the musicians that play it. http://www.ccmmagazine.com/ Relevant Magazine and Relevant Online: This magazine is the pulse of Post-Modern culture both inside and outside the church. www.relevantmagazine.com www.worship.com This site is a bundle of resources of both written and music dealing with modern worship. The Praise and Worship Team Instant Tune-Up Zondervan Publishing. “An easy-to-understand resource that provides straightforward, practical advice on ways to upgrade a music team’s sound and ministry, written for both volunteer and staff worship leaders and musicians who use contemporary Christian music.”
Coming in May: Scott’s Ramblings #3 “Why can’t the youth just worship with the adults?”
Feel free to contact Scott to either agree, disagree or just pick his brain some more on this topic of Youth Worship at rscottmiller1@aol.com Scott would love to hear from you!
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“Interviewing for Ministry Employment” Rebekah Hanover Worship Director Crossroads UMC, Ashburn, VA
The Interview I have a friend, Will, who has never interviewed for a job that he has not been offered. On one occasion, he was even offered a job far higher on the hierarchical ladder than the one for which he had interviewed. When asked about the secrets of interviewing, he generalizes some vague answers. I have never been in a position to interview him. However, when left to observe on my own, and having now been in a position to interview others; there are a few striking similarities to those who interview well. Confidence Will, and others like him, exude confidence. This does not mean arrogance. I have found that those who come off as arrogant are usually overcompensating for a lot of insecurity. Know yourself, have confidence in your abilities and calling and never be afraid to give your self wholly to your unfolding call and the call of the community you are supporting. This is the type of confidence to which I am referring. Preparation If you have not already done so, know as much as possible about the organization with which you are interviewing. For more information about the leg work of preparation, see the article: “How to Find Ministry Employment” in the March 21, 2006, issue of Ministry in Motion ezine (www.ministryinmotion.net/MIM_Mar_21_2006.html). If you have a portfolio, bring it. Also bring extra copies of your resume. Whenever possible, send or bring something you can leave with your interviewer. I have spent my entire career working with the arts. I compiled and sent a dvd containing samples of my work with an opening menu containing my contact information. You want to be remembered. Give your interviewer something that will help them do so. Adaptability In many of the traditional job interviews I have been in, the question has always been asked: "What is your greatest strength?" Or rephrased, you might hear: "What is the greatest asset you bring to this organization?" I have heard a lot of different answers. I have given a lot of different answers. Regardless of your answer to any of the questions asked, the overall question in the back of the interviewer's mind is: "Is this person trainable and adaptable?" Any organization that turns into an institution has numbered days. Ministry and the Church, in particular, are more like a living organism. At Crossroads, we jokingly say: “The only constant is change.” It is true in your life. It is true in the dynamics of family and growth. It should always be true for the Church as it grows and adapts to the moving of the Holy Spirit. If you struggle in this area, you may want to spend time with others who can mentor and help you grow in this area or you may want to reconsider the position for which you are interviewing. If the changing dynamics excite and challenge you then be sure to express an openness to learn and grow. Appearance I am fortunate to work in a church where most of us wear jeans to work everyday. Knowing that, I would still never interview in them. If you know you will be interviewing in a very casual setting, wear khaki's and a dress shirt. When in doubt, wear a suit. First impressions are hard to undo. I once interviewed a young woman just finishing college whose resume looked promising. The position I was looking to fill would be extremely challenging, but I was also looking for someone who could grow into the rapidly changing dynamics of the church. I was also looking for someone who would be respected among those serving in her ministry area. Due to our location just outside Washington, DC, this mostly means professionals serving the federal government or contract organizations that serve the federal government. When she arrived, she was quite disheveled. This was my first indication that she would not command the confidence of those she would be leading. As I pushed some difficult questions, it was not a lack of experience that surfaced but rather her immaturity. As much as we would like to say that appearance does not matter, it is also a revealer of the subculture or attitudes that we have bought into. When interviewing, you are not being considered only for what you know or think you can do, but your ability to influence and lead others around you. That is something your appearance will help or hinder. Post-Interview As you see the interview coming to a close, always express your gratitude for the time they have spent with you and for being considered for the position. Before you leave, ask very politely about a timeline and the next step in the process. If you do not already know, find out if they will be calling candidates back for a second interview and with whom that second interview will be: the board, additional staff, an organizational executive, etc. Be sure to ask about the notification process. You should always follow-up with a thank you note for those with whom you interview. Before you leave, be clear as to with whom you should be in contact for information on the unfolding selection process. Take some time to reflect on your experience in the interview. You may learn some way you may improve upon your interviewing skills, but as much as they are interviewing you, you are also interviewing them. Is this a place you could really work, thrive and make a difference? As you are processing your post-interview experience, ask yourself what was your gut feeling? So much of our communication is nonverbal and subconscious, and I have found that there can be great wisdom in processing why something just doesn't feel right. I accepted a position I had no business accepting. I ignored that "something is not quite right" feeling. Although I learned a lot, I found myself working for someone who was very insecure, in an abusive system, being theologically misaligned, supporting a mission into which I did not really want to live. After 2 very tumultuous years, I left. There is never a perfect job free of all conflict, but you are joining a team where trust is essential. After the interview, do you still see yourself as theologically aligned? Did you connect with your potential co-workers or did you see or experience behavioral patterns that are alarming? Is the expression of the mission and vision of the organization something into which you want to live? If you are giving positive answers to the questions above, you are probably already excited with the possibilities of teaming with the organization. The decision is now in the hands of your interviewers. If you are giving negative answers to the above questions, it is a good indication that the position will not be a good match for you and you will probably not grow into God's potential for you there. Stay in prayer and keep at the job hunting.
Check out Ministry in Motion's Christian Jobs page here...
Helping Churches Dream Dreams and Live out their Vision! Book Review – Why Men Hate Going to Church By David Murrow, Nelson Books, 2005, ISBN #0785260382, 248 pages Reviewed by Teena Stewart The bulk of the volunteer work in churches is done by women. If your church is like most, there are many more women in worship service than men. What is it that keeps men from coming to church? What keeps them from coming back and getting involved? David Murrow believes that most churches today unintentionally repel men. By becoming more aware of what appeals to men as well as what turns them off, churches can improve the numbers of men they minister to and their effectiveness in that ministry. Murrow is not lobbying for male domination. However, he does state that most churches are in need of “more masculine strength, nobility and resolve.” The answer is not lording the masculine spirit over the feminine, but rather in finding a balance. Whether you agree with Murrow or not, chances are you will find this an intriguing read that will at the least make you rethink how you are doing church and at its most effective cause you to rework and restructure current operations so that they become more man friendly. We can captivate men by tapping into their masculinity, giving them the opportunity to do great things. This might include incorporating techniques and devices in our worship services to which men can relate. This might include keeping up with technology since men are out in the workforce and technology is a huge part of their lives. If they show up at a church that uses outmoded technology it is a real turnoff. Men are not naturally adept at reading so we need to consider modifications such as using more visuals and audiovisuals. The sermons we preach, the terminology we use, and the lyrics we sing can also have very feminine connotations. If men see an institution (in this case the church) as being unmasculine or even sissy, they will stay far, far away. Morrow also points out the reason that bulk of volunteer ops in churches are appealing to women but not to men. He suggests that churches work on developing and promoting more masculine volunteer opportunities. If we deliberately begin to shift our focus away from the needs of women and children and try to find ways to also incorporate and appeal to men, then men will be more likely to come and participate and they will bring others along. Morrow devotes an entire chapter to Pastors and the Masculine Spirit as well as an additional section on explaining ways we can teach men. Some suggestions include allowing them to learn through personal discovery, creating an interactive setting, and having simpler, one point lessons. This book holds a wealth of information for those trying to understand how they can reach men. Whether you are the senior pastor, worship pastor, or simply a church leader, you can improve your church’s ministry to men by reading this book and applying many of its suggestions to what you are currently doing. SPEAKER AND CONFERENCE LISTING SPECIAL! For the next few months Ministry in Motion is offering a speaker and conference listing special. List your speaking and conferences absolutely free! This offer is good through June 1, 2006, so don't miss out on the excellent promotional opportunity. Click here for more information.
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