Church Music Administration

I. Introduction

A. Ministry defined: The practice of church music IS ministry

1. 85% of a ministry job is relational; 15% is music)

2. It is an expression of God's love through His servants (not slaves)

3. It is an expression of God's love through:

a) Caring--listening, sensitivity

b) Concern--expression of honest concern to church members & staff

c) Hope

d) Regard

4. Leadership Matters to Consider--Adapted from Jim Spivey (Ex. 17:8-16)

a) No one is self-sufficient: You will have to rely on other people

b) Depend on others (v.11)--not just to help, but to support; wait on the right person

c) Do not become a hero (vv.14-16)

d) Focus on the great acts of God

5. The "I" Factor

a) Industry: to put in a full days work for a full days pay. Be there when you are supposed to.

b) Inspiration: Every day we must seek Christ daily in a quiet time with him so that I can be inspired so that they can see it in what I do.

c) Ingenuity: Every Churches context will be a little different. We must be able to understand how the church works and adapt to it.

d) Integrity: As church staff member, I will do whatever it is I say that I am going to do.

e) "We are ministers of music not merely musicians on ministry"

6. Who is a Minister of Music?

a) Must have a heart of a shepherd: We must lead.

b) Glorify in worship: Are we bringing all glory to God?

c) Proclaim Redemption:

d) Teaches the inspired Word of God.

e) Empowered by the Holy Spirit.

7. Who Does God Call?

a) Those who know that He is at work today.

b) Pursues a loving relationship with Him.

c) Seeks to improve as His servant.

d) Seeks to know Him better.

e) Know that God seeks to accomplish His work through His servants.

B. Priorities in Ministry

1. Different types:

a) Christian

b) Spouse

c) Parent

d) Church Member

e) Employed person

f) Community person

2. Principles of Control

a) Inner Circle (Principle 1): the inner circle takes precedence over the outer circle. You must grow spiritually.

b) Limited Potential (Principle 2): Whenever and inside circle is weak the potential in the outside circle is reduced. Most problems extend from spirituality.

c) Misplaced Priority (Principle 3): If my Job takes place over one of the inner circles, we are out of sync.

d) Maintained Priorities (Principle 4): When the order of priority is maintained, greater satisfaction is experiences.

3. Definition of a Minister of Music--A minister of music is one who has the nobility of being created by God yet is nothing more or less than a simple craftsman, given a ob to do, who does the job carefully, usefully, humbly fir the Glory of God. (adapted from Harold Best)

4. Ministry--"If I knew a way to make more impact with my life, if I knew a way that was more fulfilling, more satisfying, and more important than eternity, I'd be doing it. But I don't, and so, I'm in the ministry."--Rick Warren

a) Three Characteristics of Minister of Music--ACTS 6

i. Available: place at God's disposal. We may not no God's will for our lives but we must follow His will.

ii. Teachable: "blind spots" in the minister life.

iii. Example: live above reproach.

b) Praise: Praises God for what He has done.

c) Worship: Glorifies God for who He is.

d) Leadership is a process, not an event.

i. Romans 12:9--18

ii. LOVE without hypocrisy

iii. Diligence in service--be consistent in how you treat the people in your congregation

iv. Meet the "real needs"--most staff members tend to look at congregations and come up with "perceived" needs

v. Rejoice and weep in all circumstances--we tend to weep with people in the immediacy of the moment

vi. Humility in service

vii. Scriptures

(a) Romans 12:3-13

(b) I Corinthians 12

(d) Habakkuk & Titus--good for encouragement

(e) Go to a church with the anticipation that you'll be there forever

5. "Process" Leadership

a) Avoid evil for evil

b) Peace with others

c) Summary

i. Sincere--no "play acting" at the business of being a Minister of Music

ii. Cleansed of self--by maintaining a daily connection with God

iii. Pure, outgoing heart--do all possible to make sure your heart is right with God

iv. Shocked by sin

C. Leadership Profile Itself

1. Interdenominational levels of agreement:

a) Some agreement

i. Responsibility

ii. Family perspective

iii. Personal faith

b) High agreement

i. Self-serving behavior

ii. Pursuit of personal agenda--the first six months should be spent getting to know the people at the church before making any changes

iii. Self-protecting behavior--there is a tendency to be defensive in this ministry, but it must be avoided

iv. Bypassing decision-making process--every church has a "legitimizer"--someone completely unrelated to your ministry who must give approval for anything to succeed. Listen in interviews for names that people are passing; probably a legitimizer

c) No agreement

i. Ministerial approach

ii. Preaching style

iii. Worship style

iv. Musical language

v. Evangelism

vi. Social ministry

vii. Congregational ministry

viii. Community ministry

2. Profile: Prophecy

a) Upside: verbal skills--people who find it easy to talk in front of people

b) Downside: too "direct and to the point" (absence of tact and sensitivity)

c) Often misunderstood--people interpret directness with lack of concern

3. Profile: Service

a) Concerned with the needs of others

b) Deals with "everyday" needs--look for tasks that you must do, and do them; delegate everything else

c) Keep a low profile--they do what they do without any need for recognition

d) Are "full of good deeds"

4. Profile: Teaching

a) Concerned with the nurture and growth of others

b) Focus on problems

c) Focus on issues (rather than the personality presenting them)

d) Live before people as "an example for others"

5. Profile: Exhorting

a) Are helpful, but often the way they want to help you

b) Provide answers (sometimes without a question being asked--tend to be meddlers)

c) Tend to be confrontational (often more so than the prophets)

d) Help they way they think other individuals SHOULD be helped

6. Profile: Sharing

a) Communicate clearly

b) Look from other people's perspective

i. Logos--logic; who we are, the answer to the situation, the exact, correct thing to do

ii. Pathos--empathy, who you are; sensitive to what has meaning to others

c) Sensitive to others

7. Profile: Leading

a) Good at organizational skills

b) Good at delegating

i. If we don't know how to delegate, our job will be unnecessarily difficult

ii. You can't take care of more than about 400 people

iii. A typical minister of music can do at most no more than 4 tasks. Do the tasks no one else can do

(a) Adult choir

(b) Senior adult choir

(1) In the process of working with them, they see you as a caring minister and not a threat (by doing music they liked)

(2) Teach these people the praise choruses to teach them that they will not destroy their favorite musics

(d) Fill-in-the-blank (orchestra, perhaps? Whatever suits you)

c) Are willing to stand before others

d) Usually have experience in other places, or are good at acquiring it

e) Are extremely relational--they do connect, listen; are typically pleasant

8. Profile: Mercy

a) Bears the burdens

b) A downside because people will tend to be overly dependent on you

i. Remember: being a counselor is different than being a therapist

ii. Some people in the church will ALWAYS have more trouble than they can handle; learn to temper your gift so that this doesn't take away your other responsibilities

9. Profile: LOVE

a) Give with no thought of return

b) Are willing to do the right things just because they are the right thing to do

10. Profile: Enthusiasm--Highly motivated--"Sparkles"

11. Profile: Hope

a) Strong in difficult situations

b) Serve as an "anchor," or stabilizing element

c) You don't focus on circumstances, you focus on the God who will get your through them. Don't ask all the "why's," concern yourself with comforting.

12. Profile: Prayer

a) Put into words what the heart is saying

b) Do not be flippant with promises to pray when you're prone to forget later

13. Profile: Hospitality-Have a "welcoming" attitude

D. Three Characteristics of a Minister of Music (exemplified by Stephen in the book of Acts)

1. He was available--don't presume to put limits on what God can do with us

2. He was teachable--if you mess up, learn from mistakes; seek God's revelation and support in the face of "blind spots"

3. He lived above reproach--always be transparent

II. The Biblical Foundations of Ministers of Music

A. Music in the Old Testament

1. II Chronicles 20:14-22--Conquer

2. II Chronicles 29:27-30--Evangelism

3. Isaiah 6--Worship

B. Music in the New Testament

1. Ephesians 5:19--Worship practice

2. Colossians 3:16--Teaching

C. Historical Backgrounds and Precedents for the Music Minister

1. Until A.D. 250, the church was largely free in structure; beginning in 250, however, things become very structured, and became influenced by the philosophies of Plato

a) The Orthodox tradition

b) Roman Catholicism tradition

c) Coptic tradition

2. Medieval Period (Middle Ages)--A.D. 600-1045

a) Precipitated by the "excommunication" of the Orthodox church by the Catholics

b) Primarily influenced by Aristotle

c) The church and the state were absolutely equal (eventually, the church will dominate)

3. Reformation--Calvin, Zwingli, Luther (who never really left Catholicism)--1500-1750

a) Emphasis on the individual

b) Emphasis on minimalism

4. Modern Period--1750--1950 (or 1990, depending on who you ask)

a) Emphasis on reason

b) Emphasis on enlightenment

D. The Basic Point of the History of Church Music--the history of Christian worship is a story of diversity:

1. Christians have always demonstrated a wide breadth in worship, a diversity of ways to worship

2. However, the criteria for defining and marking this diversity may vary from era to era--i.e., the fact that change happens is consistent; the characteristics of the change is what is important

E. Why is there diversity?--Changes/variations in worship between peoples usually can be explained in the following elements:

1. Changes in theology, particularly in understandings of God, the church, and salvation

2. The church's relationship to culture

a) Relationships to culture, for example: among several possible positions, some Christians view their surrounding contemporary culture as something very

b) Resistance to cultural changes

i. Amish/Mennonite worship

ii. Greek Orthodox worship

c) Actively engaging the culture my take on the qualities of "entertainment"

d) Another aspect to worship and culture: typical spots where culture expresses itself in worship

i. Manner of preaching

ii. Manner of praying

iii. Manner of making music (not necessarily the words)

iv. Awareness and use of the body

v. Sensibility to time

vi. Assessment and use of space

vii. Language

e) Major metaphors and images--what become symbols do our culture? These change over generations

3. Shifts in piety/spirituality

F. The Precedents of Music Ministry

1. Old & New Testament Origins--other classes

a) Seven Classical Liturgical Families

b) Alexandria; West Syrian; East Syrian; St. Basil; St. John of Chrysostom; Gallic-Ambrosian, Mozarabic, Celtic, Callican; Roman

c) Ex opere operato--The Operations of God Himself

2. Medieval Period

a) Fourth Lateran Council--1215 (Transubstantiation)

b) Roman Catholic Culture dominates the West

i. The Mass

ii. Pontifical High Mass (sung)

iii. High Mass--done by a deacon (sung)

c) Ex opere operatis

3. Protestant Reformation

a) Precedents

i. Martin Luther--transubstantiation becomes consubstantiation

ii. Zwingli--does away with all the trappings of the Catholic church

iii. John Calvin--takes the best of both Luther & Zingli

iv. The Anabaptists--merely rebaptized people

v. The Anglicans--Henry VIII wanted a divorce, so he broke away from the Roman church

vi. John Wesley & Charles Wesley--were not Methodists, but Anglicans

vii. 16^th- & 17^th-century English Baptists

(a) Thomas Helwys

(b) Carey

viii. Luheran Worship--Christ is IN us, WITH us, and UNDER us

(a) Lord's Supper was very important

(b) Mass given in the vernacular

(d) "If not prohibited by Scripture, you can do it"

(e) Consubstantiation

ix. John Calvin

(a) T --total depravity

(b) U--unconditional election

(d) I --irresistible grace

(e) P --perseverance of the saints

(f) Frequency of the Lord's Supper

(g) Congregational Singing--Psalms were part of worship; unison & unaccompanied

(h) Religious education of children

(i) Emphasis on marriage

(j) True order: ULTIP

(k) Reformed theology

b) Post--Reformation

i. Non-conformist churches (revision of liturgy)

ii. Anabaptists--Switzerland

(a) Preaching the Word is central

(b) Congregational participation

(d) Hymns on martyrdom

(e) Two ordinances--Lord's Supper, Baptism

c) Precedents of Baptists

i. Reforms of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin

ii. Reforms of Puritans, Anabaptists, Free-churchmen

iii. General Baptists--1609 (Holland)

(a) General atonement--available to all who want it

(b) John Smyth, founder

iv. Particular Baptists--1638 (London)

(a) Limited atonement--like Calvinists

(b) ???

v. General Baptist worship patterns

vi. Shorter sermons and prayers

vii. Occasional use of collects and set prayers

viii. Greater use of music by instruments and choirs

ix. Children's sermon

x. Wider use of congregational singing

d) Roger Williams

i. 1635--banished from Puritan colony at Salem

ii. 1636--Rhode Island--religious dissidents and religious tolerance

iii. 1647--Code for Separation of Church and State

iv. 1707--Philadelphia Baptist Association

v. 1781--The First Amendment

e) The Four Great Awakenings

i. 1730-1740--George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards

ii. 1790-1820--Methodist circuit riding ministers; most influential revival in American history: FREE-WILL SALVATION

iii. 1890--Billy Sunday

iv. 1950--Billy Graham

f) Precedents: American Frontier

i. New Hampshire Confession of 1833--differences between North & South

(a) General Atonement vs. Limited Atonement

(b) Missions: evangelism in the South, theology in the North

ii. No set forms

iii. Ordinances were not observed much

iv. Suspicious of educated ministers

v. Preaching was primary

vi. Informal enthusiasm

vii. Exuberant singing

viii. Spirit of the immediacy of salvation

g) William E. Penn (1832-1895)

i. Info from Dr. William Reynolds

ii. Penn was a Major in the Confederate Army

iii. Lawyer form Jefferson, Texas

iv. At a Sunday School Convention, Tyler, TX: Texas Revival began

v. First to use a "song leader" (remember for Orals)

vi. First to use an "organ"

vii. Published gospel song books

h) Benjamin Keach

4. The 20^th Century--Ministry of Music

a) Leadership Training

b) Southwestern Seminary (1915)

c) Baptist Bible Institute--New Orleans, 1919

d) Southern Baptist Seminary 1943

e) Golden Gate 1950

f) Midwestern & Southeastern Seminaries

g) The Gospel Song Tradition

5. I.E. Reynolds

a) One of 43 evangelistic singers

b) Revivals on the frontier

c) Home Mission Board sponsored the project

d) 1910

e) Created the Department of Gospel Music at Southwestern

f) 9 students and 2 teachers

g) B.B. McKinney joins the faculty

6. Church Music Department--Nashville

a) B.B. McKinney founds it in 1941

b) Trained lay people

c) First Church Music Week--held at Ridgecrest, NC

d) First books--Let Us Sing, Music and the Scriptures

G. Minister of Music

1. The meaning of the title

a) From antiquity called the "Kappelmeister"

b) Mid-1930's--Westminster Choir College coined the term

c) Spiritual dimension of the office; the title Minister of Music assigned to the graduates

d) 1943--Southern Seminary took the concept and called its graduate Ministers of Music

e) 1930--1940, early 50's--most church music leaders were women

i. Many women in this time period were music teachers

ii. Many men were off to war

2. Definition: W. Hines Sims

a) Sims: 1952, Secretary of Sunday School Board's Church Music Department

b) Statement: "A minister of music is one who, having answered God's call for a church-related vocation, and having made adequate preparation, through specialized training devotes all his time to the development of a comprehensive graded choir music education program in the church."

i. Church-related--not solely to music ministry

ii. Preparation--not just musical, but spiritual also

iii. Graded choir programs--preparation for a worship choir

3. Five Areas of Work (Sims)

a) Congregational music activities

b) Graded choir program

c) Instrumental activities

d) Training opportunities (of lay leadership)

e) Promotional techniques--work with Association, State and Convention organization (to "interpret and undergird the work of the church and the denomination")

4. Significant Events (church Music Department, Nashville)

a) Baptist Hymnal, W. Hines Sims

b) 1963--Children's musical, "Lo, A Star" by Robert Graham

c) 1963--The Junior Musician

d) 1966--The Children's Music Leader, Music for Primaries

e) 1967--First Youth musical--"Good News" (the pivotal point from traditional to contemporary music)

f) 1970--William J. Reynolds became head of the Southern Baptist Church Music Department

g) 1972--"Celebrate Life"

h) 1975--Baptist Hymnal by William J. Reynolds

i) 1981--Wes Forbis

j) 1991--Baptist Hymnal, Terry York

k) Present--Mark Blankenship

l) Multiple choir programs

m) Senior Adult Music Ministry

5. State Music Departments

6. Historical Precedents: "We mest always remember that who we are is who we were." (John Quincy Adams, 6^th President of the United States, speaking before the Supreme Court, 1839)

H. Who is the Modern Minister of Music

1. First thing first: Minister, which is both:

a) Worship leader

b) Pastoral

2. In charge of Conflict Resolution (management)

a) Worship style--find the worship model that fits your church best

b) Musical choice

c) Volunteers

d) Soloists

e) Workers

3. Counselor

a) A counselor can resolve a problem in three sessions or less

b) Not a therapist (who takes over beyond this)

4. Administer

a) Good at budget

b) Maintaining a calendar

c) Special productions

5. A Programmer

a) Rehearsal planning

b) Children's choir plan--music education

c) Special Events

d) Weddings, funerals

e) Weekly schedule of the church--When is the choir scheduled?

6. Music Leader

a) Intergenerational

b) Must relate to all musicians--readers and non-readers

c) Possess a variety of skill levels

7. Teacher

a) Teach through a rehearsal

b) Requirements

i. Know what needs to be rehearsed (within a piece)

ii. Know what plan you can use to rehearse

iii. Know what can be overlooked

c) Tries to make the right musical choice (appropriate for the choir's performance level)

8. Trainer

a) Of choir leaders

b) Of soloists

c) Of handbells and ensembles

d) Of instrumental groups

e) Of audio/video technicians

f) Of technology people

III. The Functions of the Music Ministry

A. Definition--the Biblical assignments of the Music Ministry

1. The base of the pyramid:

a) A revelation of God (not of man)

b) God must be revealed before we can serve

2. The Music Ministry's functions are instruments of Christ's mission to the world

3. The functions are a means of Christ's presence

B. The Revelation of God (Isaiah 6)

1. All the functions must begin with a revelation of God (Isa. 6:1--"I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted�"

2. God must be revealed before any of the functions can begin; we get discontented with our positions because we don't see God revealed in what we are doing

3. Our Biblical assignment begins here

C. Function #1: Worship

1. Old Testament: Isaiah 6 (worship order)

2. New Testament: Ephesians 5:19 (worship practice)

3. Worship comes before service; we tend to invert the pyramid, trying to evangelize before worshiping

4. Believers gather for worship in order to be spread out for service

5. Worship lessens the "gap" between Sunday's faith and Monday's ministry

6. Personal and corporate

7. Marshall the forces of God's power

8. Worship is not unlike a marriage--we do things for our spouse first, then for others

9. Worship means glorifying God first, then going forth to serve

10. Worship is VERTICAL; we reach UPWARD TOWARD GOD

11. Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs

a) Hustad, Don. True Worship--Reclaiming the Wonder and Majesty

b) Psalms

i. Historical (God the Father)

ii. The whole Psalter are important because all these areas are addressed: confession, dedication, adoration, lament, petition, thanksgiving

c) Hymns

i. At the time they were written, were extra-canonical "Jesus Songs"--Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior

ii. Hymns express and teach the faith

(a) Of Christology

(b) Of theology

d) Spiritual Songs

i. highly emotional songs about the Holy Spirit

ii. Create a Trinitarian formula; In all liturgical rites, there are morning prayers (chantings of the Psalms)

iii. Spiritual Songs--the joy of our experience in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit

D. Function #2: Nurture

1. Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 20:14-22 (God conquers; He fights for us); people are nurtured by being shown that the battle is not ours, but God's

2. New Testament: Colossians 3:16 (teach and admonish about God)

3. "Charis"--a gift of the spirit with a view toward ministry

a) As a music minister, I must exhibit love and care; we show God's people they can conquer the world

b) I must educate and teach; give the truth with grace; God's people can be prepared to do the task at hand Nurture is to equip the people for service

4. Nurture is INWARD

5. We reach inward toward each other

E. Function #3: Witness

1. Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 29:27-30 (proclaim: calling the people back to God)

2. New Testament: Matthew 28:16-20 (witness: presenting Christ to the world); before Jesus sent His disciples to be His witnesses, they were told to meet and worship

3. Witness is making Christ tangible to the world

a) Ghandi: "I would have been a Christian had I not met so many of them."

b) Mohammed: in his search for God and encountering Christians, he determined there must be some other way to God

4. Witness is making Christ visible to the world

5. Before we can witness:

a) There must be a revelation of God

b) There must be an established relationship with God through worship

c) There must be training in order to carry out the Great Commission

6. Witness is a by-product of our relationship with God

7. Witness is twofold:

a) Evangelism--"tell the story"

b) Social ministry--God's hands and arms in today's world

8. The pyramid of ministry cannot be inverted

9. Witness is the focused, faithful finish of the revelation of God

10. Worship is OUTWARD

11. We reach out to others

F. The Functions: Making Application

1. The act of joining things together

2. The act of "layering" things together

3. All the functions are joined together to create ministry

4. Ministry is the application of the tree elements to create an awareness of who God is in the world today

G. Denominational Tasks for the Ministry of Music (p, 8)-- the undertaking, through labor and effort, of an assigned piece of work

1. Task 1--Provide musical experiences in all congregational services (Heb. 10:25)

a) Key word: "all"--I am ultimately responsible for worship

b) Assigns the Music Ministry the responsibilities of planning, rehearsing, arranging, performing, and leading music in all congregational settings

c) Supported by the organizational structure (different from church to church)

2. Task 2--Provide church music education (Eph. 4:11-12)

a) Assigns the music ministry the task of planning and implementing a definite schedule of teaching, training and performing activities

b) Objectives

i. Positive attitude toward church music--always look to teach people about the music

ii. Increase knowledge--choirs are progressive, not events; each week should reflect incremental improvements in the choir's performance

iii. Guide development skills--youth and children's choirs are critical

(a) Start Kindermusik programs

(b) Give a CD of developmental children's songs to parents of newborns

3. Task 3--Lead the church to witness and minister through music (Matt. 28:19-20)

a) Assigns the music ministry the responsibilities of leading people to witness and minister through musical experiences and activities in the church, community, and the world

b) Expressions of the task take many forms

i. Missions

ii. Media

iii. Community events

4. Task 4--Assist church programs in providing training in musical skills and in consultation about equipment (Eph. 5:19)

a) The music ministry supports other church programs by providing resources

b) Places the music ministry at the service of those who want to use music to enrich their work or program

i. Teach songleading

ii. Teach a worship class at church that runs year-round

5. Task 5--Interpret and undergird the work of the church and the denomination (Eph. 4:2-3)

a) The music ministry must know the emphasis of the local church

b) The music ministry should understand the work of the denomination

c) Cooperative participation--the responsibility of sharing the information

IV. The Minister of Music: A New Place of Service

A. The Job Description

1. Defined

a) Based on Galatians 2:20-22 (2:11ff)

b) Every job that we do in church is made for certain things

i. Chores (will be different for each person)

ii. Tasks--the must do's of the job (can be chore)

iii. Jobs--extrinsic Rewards for the job, the things you do to make money

iv. Career--one's lifework characterized by what you achieve

v. Calling--makes what we do unique, inseparable from life

c) Within the Calling, there are certain components to observe (symbols):

i. Water

(a) Symbolic of being set aside for service

(b) Symbolic of being separated to walk in a new way of life

ii. The Cup and the Bread

(a) Christ's sacrifice for us

(b) Our sacrifice for Him

iii. The Basin and Towel--symbolic of being a servant (not a slave)

(a) Slave to Christ

(b) Servant to others (not slave)

iv. Dirt--shows us:

(a) We must "shake off" the dirt that slows us down

(b) There is a time to move on

d) Our foundational principle: We are ministers of music, not merely musicians in ministry.

2. Purpose: An organized summary

a) An organized summary of the duties and responsibilities of a given staff position

b) It is a compassionate guideline--where they are not asking you to do more than humanly possible

c) Identifies the objectives to be accomplished

d) Shows how the jobs differ from each other

e) Used to evaluate past performance

f) Sometimes, but not always, will include the qualifications for the job

g) Seldom includes compensation

3. Need for the Job Description

a) Effective & efficient operation within the church

b) Insures a fair return on personnel investments

c) "Business-like" operation (only staff relationships and budgets should be run this way)

d) Total contribution of all personnel (everyone has something meaningful to do and they are clear about tasks)

e) Performance against objectives

f) Allows for appropriate adjustments--does not necessarily mean firing people

4. Uses of the Job Description

a) To call, hire, and int'erview (ask to see a job description; this is basic professional courtesy)

b) Work distribution and evaluation

c) Settle disagreements

d) Add new positions (hiring associates)

5. Contents of the Job Description

a) Varies from church to church

b) Format (see syllabus, p. 22)

i. Function

(a) The introduction to the job

(b) States the purpose of the job

ii. Responsibilities--the tasks involved

iii. Authority

iv. Relationships

v. Other duties as assigned (MUST BE HERE)--frequently something you're interested in anyway

6. Value of the Job Description

a) As a work guide

b) To avoid work duplication

c) Improves work flow

d) Improves morale (since I know what's expected)

e) Gives the content of the job--eventually, from job to job and church to church, you'll learn what you're good at

7. Maintenance of the Job Description

a) Must be looked at annually

b) Needs to be looked at by Personnel Committee

c) Needs to be looked at by other staff members

8. Dangers of the Job Description

a) Lack of understanding by church members (and sometimes staff members)

b) Lack of revision

c) Lack of flexibility

d) If it is adopted by the church, it is difficult to change

e) Lack of special interest

f) Can be used as an unfair level

B. The New Call to a New Place of Service--Matthew 1:18 ff--Joseph's call of God; we can learn from this that:

1. He was a good person (v. 19)

2. He was a person of kindness

3. He was a person of openness

4. He was obedient and faithful

5. What is expected from the 21^st Century Minister of Music?

a) Think in systems (connections) in the church

i. Identifying the systems is the hard part

ii. The dominant employer of the area will cause the pervading mentality

b) Make use of united knowledge--the learning community (what is learned at Seminary is only foundational knowledge)

c) Understand risk

i. Failure

ii. Tempers

iii. People leaving church

d) Be able to "bring others along"--leadership

e) Be able to generate support for ideas--leadership

f) Manage "corporate" culture

i. Contemporary

ii. Tradtional

iii. "Baby boomer" blending

g) Insight and intuition--knowing the moment to intervene or offer help

h) Minister in an ethnically changing environment

i) The ability to "contextualize" ministry and music to the place in which we serve

j) There are competencies for the Minister of Music

6. The Churhc's approach

a) The Old Idea

i. Experience

ii. Longevity

iii. Loyalty*--originally to the church, now to the pastor

iv. No new skills are needed

v. Less adaptation necessary

vi. Adhere to the "old ways," or traditions

b) The New Idea

i. Education

ii. Flexibility

iii. Independence

iv. New skills

v. Creative

7. The New Approach for Ministry calls for

a) "Soft" skills--dealing with people

b) Critical thinking

c) Follow instruction (pastors)

d) Ability to solve problems

e) Work within a group--people skills

f) Pre-process information (think about things before we present them before others)

g) Pass the information along--share it with everyone rather than horde and control it

h) "A time of Kingdom people"

i) A void of " churchanity"--doing the church things, but not with the right motivation

j) Leadership is a business of the heart

8. The Basic Areas of the Job Description

a) Questions most often asked

b) Questions are not found on the printed job description

c) Is this person a Minister

d) Is this person an Administrator (does he overspend the budget)

e) Is this person an educator

f) Is this person a musician

9. The Church's Actions (Baptist Church)

a) A time of earnest prayer

b) The need is established

c) A search committee is formed

i. Contains members of Personnel committee

ii. Contains members of Music ministry

iii. The pastor (ex officio)

d) The church's objectives and goals for the position will be reviewed

e) The committee will write or update a job description

f) They will request resumes

g) They will also accept recommendations

h) They should consider every possible candidate, based on these items on the resume:

i. Christian commitment

ii. Philosophy of music ministry (should be small enough to fit on a business card)

iii. Ability to adapt to context (only element of these unique to every church)

iv. Interpersonal skills--will find it during the interview

v. Musical skills

vi. Education

vii. Church policy, practice, tradition

(a) You understand how churches work and can adapt and fit into their systems (changes can be made later)

(b) You are aware of how things have been done in the past

viii. Personal standards--church may investigate

(a) Marital status

(b) Credit history

ix. Family life--

(a) How involved in the church is your family (even though they weren't called)

(b) Some will give more child-rearing advice than they ought

x. Civic activities

xi. Other elements

i) The next steps

j) Determine candidates availability and schedule interviews

k) Primary contact--based on a review of resumes and recommendations

l) There will be a preliminary interview

m) They will deal with one person at a time

n) They will check references

o) They will then follow up with a selected candidate

p) Only when they are seriously ready will they bring the candidate before the church

q) The church will vote in accordance will local church policy

r) The candidate will be notified

s) They will complete the process (paperwork)

10. The Initial Contact

a) Take every call seriously (it may be a divine appointment)

b) When talking to the person from the church, listen carefully

c) Take notes

d) Be slow to respond--take your time

e) Graciously express your current feeling

f) Ask for an information packet

i. You want to see some church bulletins from normal worship services (mid-January, mid-July, mid-October--you'll get Christmas and Easter)

g) Review

i. When will I be contacted again

ii. What have you talked about

iii. Where will I meet with you

h) Pray immediately

11. God's Will

a) Eph. 5:17--"Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

b) Seek His intentional will--there IS a place God wants you at

c) Be aware of His permissive will--He will allow us to go to the wrong place

d) Take comfort in His ultimate will

12. What will the evangelical church look like? (ref. Dr. Kenneth Hemphill)

a) Ephesians 3:8-11

b) Community of Faith and Trust--people should find solace at the church

i. Revitalized worship--not necessarily "contemporary"

ii. Return of hymnody--people worship with music that means something to them

iii. Ministry to each other

c) Conservative and mission-driven

i. Conservative: a tight focus on what we believe

ii. Mission-driven: evangelism

d) Will have a Great Commission vision

e) Will be Bible-driven

f) Development of a "real" theology for what we are trying to do (not marketing strategies)

g) Creative

i. The leaders have vision

ii. They have imagination (not fantasy)

iii. They are open to change

iv. Ethnically diverse

v. Balanced program--excellence in formation

vi. The "85%" equation--85% of work deals with people, 15% to music

h) Corporate Strategies

i. Partnership strategies--working with other churches

ii. Passion to carry out the mission of Christ

iii. The church begins to focus on the "big picture"--what's going on outside the walls

C. Types of churches

1. The Liturgical church (e.g. Anglicans)

a) Low church--the authority lies in the people

b) High church--the authority lies in an individual

c) Evangelism is not the focus, obedience is (worship)

2. Traditional/Instructional (e.g. Presbyterians)

3. Revivalist/Evangelistic (e.g. Holiness/Charismatic)

4. Contemporary/Seeker (e.g. Billy Graham model, Willow Creek model)

5. Blended (various; many Baptist churches)

6. Post-denominational day (e.g. Bible churches)

a) Evangelical, but not always denominational

D. Types of Congregational service styles

1. The Evangelistic Church

a) Evangelistic focus

b) Low audience participation

c) Often near the highways

d) Persuasive preaching

e) Simple organizational structure

f) Lay people involved in outreach

g) Platform-oriented

h) Contemporary music, drama

i) Seen under numerous denominations

2. Bible Expositional Church (e,g,, McKinney Bible Church)

a) Make use of sermon notes, PowerPoint

b) Expository sermons

c) Make use of reference Bibles

d) Will often refer to original languages

e) Pastor has role of teacher

f) Congregation composed of note-takes

g) Comprised mostly of upper-middle class

h) Usually white-collar/college community

i) Usually located in urban areas

j) Dallas Theological, Talbot Seminary--examples of how this crosses denominational lines

k) Seldom successful in rural or blue-collar areas

3. The Body-Life Church (Seoul, Korea)

a) Do the same things other churches do

b) Prize the quality of relationships in the groups

c) The body ministers to the body (they care for each other)

d) Not pulpit-dominated

e) People look to one another for support

f) Pastors learn from other pastors

4. The Liturgical Church

a) Hymns were sung by grandparents

b) Worship not done for feeling

c) Centers all praise and glory on God

d) God is the focus of every worship service

e) Focus is not on evangelism, but on obedience to God

5. The Charismatic Renewal Church

a) Follows a feeling-flow service style

b) Sing, lift hands, go to the altar, hug

c) See a laying on of hands for healing, power, anointing

d) Emphasis on personal renewal

e) "Drop-outs" return (people who have left the church)

f) Focus is on a two-way communication between worshiper and God

g) The philosophy is if they don't get something out of worship, it must be dead

6. The Informal Church of the People

a) Typical

b) Preaching reflects who the people are and speaks to them

c) Pastor is a shepherd and one of them

d) The purpose is to preach, teach, nurture, evangelize and worship

e) Self-governing, self-propagating, self-supporting

f) People are more responsible in visitation than the pastor

g) Pastor organizes the people for ministry

h) Almost always, a denominational seminary graduate

E. The New Place of Service, part 2

1. Before You Go

a) Network

i. Association

ii. The church letter

iii. Other pastors/staff members

iv. College/seminary students

b) Inform the pastor but not the church

c) Prepare questions--"Tell me about�"; here you begin to develop profile; avoid the word "you"

i. Concerns of the church

ii. Volunteers

iii. Committees

iv. Individuals (people with money/influence)

v. Generations (history of the church)

vi. Finances

vii. Family emphasis (long-time members)

viii. Worship practice, style, direction

d) Questions YOU should ask

i. Denominational position

ii. Inform your pastor, but not the church

iii. Determine the type of church

iv. Are you a "fit" with this type of church?

v. Is God at work in your life?

e) Questions of importance (see "Determine the type of Church," p. 24)

2. When You Go

V. REMEMBER--Too often we are so busy saying "yes" that we fail to realize when we should say "no."

VI. Do not "manufacture" an image

VII. Do not try to "impress the world"

a) Three questions you should always ask

i. Excellence

ii. Expectation

iii. Genuine Care

b) General Questions

i. Can you and your family be happy?

ii. Is there opportunity for real ministry?

iii. What was the relationship with the previous music minister?

iv. What aspects of the previous minister's tenure were well-received? Which ones were not?

v. In what geographical location does the church membership live?

vi. What is the church's age balance?

vii. What is the preferred worship style of the church?

viii. What is the preferred worship style of the pastor?

ix. Is there a ministry to all age groups?

c) Musical Questions

i. What is the musical level of the church?

ii. What is the musical level of the community in which the church is located?

iii. What is the musical level of the public schools?

iv. What are the musical preferences of the church staff?

(a) Pastor

(b) Youth minister

v. What is the rehearsal schedule for the choirs, ensembles, and instrumental groups?

vi. What is the size of the children, youth, and adult choirs?

vii. What are the styles and abilities of the soloists?

viii. What is the school level of the accompanist?

d) Facilities, Equipment, Library

i. Are the facilities well kept?

ii. Is the choir room free for use at any time?

iii. How are the sanctuary acoustics?

iv. How well prepared are the facilities with the use of special productions or pageants?

v. Are the keyboard instruments properly tuned?

vi. What is the condition of the primary instruments?

vii. Is the library cataloged?

viii. Can the library system be easily understood?

ix. What styles of music can be found in the library?

x. What about the instruments in the children's choir rooms? Are they in good repair?

xi. Is there a resource room?

e) Finances and Administration

i. What is the music budget less salaries?

ii. Is this budget adequate?

iii. How does the church feel about fundraising?

iv. Have there been yearly increases or decreases in the music budget?

v. What is the potential for budget growth?

vi. Are there job descriptions for all positions? (e.g., children's choir workers)

vii. What are the music minister's nonmusical responsibilities?

viii.

COMP!

Is there secretarial assistance?

ix. IMPORTANT: Is there a music council or music committee? (Syllabus, p. 71)

(a) Council--helps to do the job

(b) Committee--identifies the job

x. To whom am I responsible?

xi. What's expected of my family?

xii. REMEMBER: Not every chance to do something will help us fulfill God's purpose in our lives

f) Questions You May Be Asked

i. Most difficult question: "Tell us about yourself and your family."

ii. What is your philosophy of music ministry?

iii. Why are you prepared for this position?

iv. Tell us about your call to the ministry.

v. Difficult questions: "How will you deal with�"

vi. The unfair question

vii.

VIII. Planning for the Music Ministry

A. Definition

1. Planning shows us what we are doing; Acts 16:9--"�come over and help us."

2. Planning shows us where we are going; Acts 16:9--"come over to Macedonia"

3. Why have planning? Acts 16:3

a) Brings us together

b) Harmony but not unison

c) Creates a sense of purpose

d) Relevance--contextualizes the experience; i.e., come up with a plan for that church

e) Unity--"we," "together"

f) Stewardship--best use of resources

g) Growth--intentional plan

h) Confidence--God can; we cannot

4. Who is involved? WE ARE

a) Everyone must be involved in the dream/vision

b) We all put our dream into concrete form--a blueprint for the process

c) We all put our dream into action--we do something

B. Planning Concepts

1. Principles of Planning

a) Plan from ends to the means

i. The ends are our goals

ii. The means are our resources

(a) Space

(b) Human resources

iii. "Let's see how much we can do and not how little we can do."--Van Cliburn to Broadway Baptist

b) Obtain a broad base of participation--commitment

i. Those who carry out the action should be involved in the planning

ii. I may not be doing the specific planning of lessons, but I will oversee

c) Determine priorities

i. Some people are reactive--we wait until we run out of resources

ii. Other people are proactive--they recognize limitations (money, etc.)

d) Maintain an objective viewpoint--the reality principle

i. Know the prior realities--a set of existing conditions within which one must operate

ii. There are two sets of realities

(a) The Present situation

(1) Spend your first six months at the church getting to know the people

(2) Help the people to do what they're already doing, but better

(b) The Potential

e) Dealing with the realities

i. Individual differences is a reality

ii. Find facts to support my idea, or�

iii. Better choice: find the facts and let the facts speak for themselves

f) Keep It Simple, Stupid--make the plan honorable, create a sense of priority; simplicity encourages clarity; expressing confidence

g) Watch out for tradition--begin where they are

i. We are not to be merely an extension of the past, merely a new/recent part of it

ii. Traditions stabilize

iii. "The new should grow up in the shade of the old."--Martin Luther

h) Allow for flexibility

i. Keep plans pliable--if something unplanned happens

ii. Reflect changes--be prepared to adjust to the sermon, for example

iii. Unanticipated conditions--weather, etc.

i) Know when to adapt--there are times to make some changes

j) Know when to exercise directional control

k) There is a place for both

2. Types of Plans

a) Operational Plans--two types

i. The Plan for the Continuing Work of the Church

(a) Worship

(b) Witness

(d) Nurturing

(e) Missions

ii. The Administrative Plan

(a) Set up the ways to accomplish the work

(b) Establishes coordination

(d) Types

(1) Project plans

(2) Organizational

(3) Calendar

(4) Budget

(5) Promotion

(e) Policies--defines the boundaries or limitations for actions; budget

(f) Procedures--outlines the sequence of action to accomplish certain work; how and when to spend the budget

b) Time Span Plan

i. Long-range planning

(a) Enables organization to set priorities

(b) Gives organizations lead time to prepare for future actions

(d) Enables the organization to reach goals

ii. Short term planning--Anthem list

3. Plan for Planning

a) Identify Needs of this church--see the need clearly; there is a difference between actual needs and perceived needs. This is why I need to be there a while to see the true needs.

i. Need in terms of ENDS

(a) Where are we going? Where does this church need to be five, ten years from now?

(b) What are we trying to accomplish? Effective missions? High-powered worship?

ii. Need in terms of MEANS

(a) What major problems require solutions? Here I must be an absolute realist. God can and will change things, but I must realize that the people may not be willing to change.

(b) What conditions require changing? "We've never done it that way before."--Seven last words of the Church

iii. What is needed by this particular situation

iv. Define the need clearly--is it a need or a means?

b) Write out the objectives--a destination or end result

i. Clearly state what you want to do

ii. Avoid general statements--these do not describe my specific end result

iii. Precise meanings--clear directions for my desired results

iv. Objectives should be attainable--what is this group capable of achieving?

v. People seldom go beyond their stated objectives

c) Set up an organizations--what groups are needed?

i. Children's choirs

ii. Youth choirs

iii. Kindermusik

iv. Senior Adult Choir

d) Enlist and train leaders--teach them what to do

e) Assign facilities and equipment--where will all the groups meet

f) Plan a budget--it will ALWAYS COST MORE

i. High priorities first

ii. Non-essentials

g) Make specific assignments--intentional assignments. Everyone's responsibility is nobody's responsibility.

h) Write out the plans in clear form

i. What actions are needed

ii. What persons are responsible

iii. What is the order of action

iv. Who reports to whom (in periodic meetings)

v. What defines completion

C. Planning--Areas of Concern

1. Worship

2. Choral Planning

3. Administrative Planning

4. Physical and financial planning

5. Training

6. Presentation through planning (p. 49)

7. Finding literature (p.50)

8. Rehearsal plan (p.53)

9. Denominational resources (p.55; probably useless until Nashville gets its act together)

10. Calendar (p.59)

11. Checklist for the year (pp.60-62)

a) All possible items to be included

b) Ministry plan sheet (p.63--action plan)

12. Talent survey (pp.64 & 65). One may sow and another may water, but GOD ALONE GIVES THE INCREASE.

IX. The Demands of Organization

A. Basic Organization--Organization helps us have a music ministry that is:

1. Coordinated--all the parts fit and there is a sense of unity (shared, not hierarchical, ministry)

2. Balanced--every part is appropriately related to the whole. Not all parts are equal, but they are all balanced

3. Ask: "What does this particular church need?"

4. "No matter how much something may be meaningful to me, it may or may not have the same meaning to a person from a different environment." (Tom Avery)

B. Structured Organization

1. Right Leadership--doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time, for the right result

2. A Grouping of People doing the right things, ibid.

3. Organization is based on:

a) Grouping the clustering of individuals

b) Division--groups of similar needs/abilities

c) Functions--performing required tasks

4. Two types of required tasks

a) Contextual--tasks unique to this situation

b) Foundational--worship, nurture, evangelism

5. Four core values to music ministry organization

a) Time--use people's time efficiently

b) Connection--relationships w/people in organization

c) Soul--there must be spiritual growth in your organization

d) Music itself--both contextual and foundational

6. Any organization must be managed; there are three elements of managerial responsibility

a) Ability--I must use people w/ability appropriate to the task

b) Accountability

c) Authority--Don't micro-manage people in the organization

C. Leadership Considerations

1. Coercive Power--leader imposes punishment

2. Reward Power--"blessing" followed with something good

3. Legitimate Power--followers decide that the leader has power

4. Referent Power--personality of the leader grants himself/herself power

5. Expert Power-knowledge no one else has (withholding information)

6. Representative Power--the group chooses the individual who will look out for our needs

7. AT&T--"You work only 15% of the day; the rest of the day is spend in communication."

D. Leadership--A Minister who manages well

1. Authority Model

a) Leader is an authority

b) Multiple layers of organization

c) Commands flow down from leader

d) Decisions move up to leaders, who make the decisions

e) Concepts, ideas, and tasks are the essential data in the system, but all come from the authority

f) Numerous drawbacks

2. Support Team Model

a) Leader is a servant

b) Single layer of maintenance groups

c) No basic command role

d) Decisions are made by the team

e) Unity makes it easier for free & full flow of all types of data, including personal & spiritual needs of successes

f) Numerous advantages

3. Southern Baptist Denominational Organization--Music Ministry of the Church

a) Church minister of music

b) Associational Music Ministry & Director

c) State Convention--State Church Music Department & State Director

d) Convention--LifeWay

4. Organizing the Work of the New Testament Church

a) Pastoral Ministries

b) Bible Teaching

c) Discipleship Training

d) Women's Ministries

e) Men's Ministries

f) Music Ministry

g) Other

5. Baptist Church Polity--the Congregation of the Church is the highest authority

a) Pastors/Ministers are called by the church and Responsible to it

b) All committees and deacons are elected by and responsible to the church

6. Organization of Southern Baptist Church

a) An autonomous body

b) Spiritual democracy

c) No legislative body (affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, not members of it)

d) Church committees are responsible for much of the church's administrative work

e) Each committee is a "church" committee, not a "sub-committee" of another

7. Rules of Good Organization--Business

a) Assign definite and clear-cut responsibilities

b) Couple responsibility with authority to do their job

c) No changes are made without definite understanding

d) No one is subject to orders from more than one source

e) Observe the lines of responsibility

f) Criticize privately

g) No dispute or differences should be considered trivial

h) Changes should be approved by the one in charge

i) Be an associate, not a critic; a co-worker, not a boss

j) Evaluate--look at what you've got in your organization: do we really still need all this stuff?

8. Reynolds Organization

a) Keep It Simple, Stupid

b) Put duties in writing

c) Eliminate overlapping duties

d) Each organization has a meaningful job to do. Don't create a position just because someone says you should have it.

e) Don't bypass people in the organization

f) Put best workers in key positions

g) Help people see the total program (including minister of music, youth)

h) Communicate

i) Evaluate--assess how well we are doing the job

j) Track progress/decline

k) We have to minister

E. Organization

1. Music Staff

a) Smaller churches

i. Minister of music

ii. Organist

iii. Pianist

iv. Part-time secretary

v. Various volunteer leadership

b) Larger Church

i. Minister of Music

ii. Organist

iii. Pianist

iv. Music secretary

v. Music associate

vi. Orchestral director

vii. Youth Choir Leader

viii. Children's Choir Coordinator

ix. Any other positions as needed

x. Various volunteers

c) Music Staff

i. Church Staff

ii. Music Staff

iii. Music Council or Music Committee

iv. Children's Choir Leadership Staff

v. Youth Choir Leadership Staff

vi. Other staff as needed

vii. Regular staff meetings are needed regardless of the program size

d) Staff Meetings--use "care touches"

i. Small meetings can be effective--one-on-one, for example (go visit, not catch them in the hall at church)

ii. Discussed proposed objectives

iii. Discuss objectives for the coming week(s)--keep a written agenda in front of you and give it to the attendees

iv. Always allow opportunity for FREE DISCUSSION

v. Training elements--take five-minute opportunities to teach staff how to do things

vi. Calendar--always discuss this! Remember, the public school calendar will almost always supersede

vii. Create a sense of "we"--this isn't my church, ministry, or staff; it is ours

viii. Always have a moment to discuss changes, challenges, or needs

e) Music Committee--tells you how to do the job (p.71); NOT THE MUSIC COUNCIL

i. Purpose

(a) Deals with the musical life of the church

(b) Should represent the feelings of the entire church

ii. Membership--representatives from:

(a) Deacons

(b) Finance Committee

(d) Children's Choir leadership

(e) Educational division

(f) Congregation

(g) Ex-officio

(1) Pastor

(2) Minister of Music

(3) Accompanists

(h) Five to seven members, with regular rotation

(i) Term limits--three years

(j) Strive for balance within the program

iii. Qualifications

(a) Must show musical judgment, not always musical ability

(b) Should be comprised of individuals who can lead the program intelligently

(d) Leaders who can assist in other ways through their interest in music

(e) Have influence and respect of congregation

iv. Selection and Election

(a) Committee on Committees (Southern Baptist churches)

(b) Chair is always a layperson

(d) Membership elected on an annual basis

v. Functions

(a) Advisory group, promoting and offering support

(b) Assist in recruitment of choir members and other music personnel

(d) Educate the congregation as to the values, objectives, and purpose of the Music Ministry

(e) Reviews the work of the Music Ministry--usual done by numbers

(f) Determines policies related to things like:

(1) Weddings

(2) Funerals

(3) Organist's fees

(4) Private lessons on church instruments

(5) Private lesson fees

(g) Concerned with physical equipment, robes, instruments, hymnals

(h) Assist in the development of the budget

(i) Assist with special funding

vi. Meetings

(a) Usually meets every quarter; no standard pattern

(b) Must be kept well-informed with regular reports to keep them off your back

f) Music Council--helps you do the job (p.72); NOT THE MUSIC COMMITTEE

i. Purpose--serves as the primary planning group which is composed of music leadership

ii. Not every church will be a Music Committee or a Music Council

iii. Always establish a Music Council. If a Music Committee exists, add a Music Council.

iv. Membership

(a) Minister of Music

(b) Accompanists

(d) Choir sponsors

(e) Instrumental directors

(f) Study group directors, if applicable

(g) Any others who have major music leadership responsibility

v. Qualifications, selection and election

(a) Qualifications--all leaders in the music ministry; their qualification is that they are leaders

(b) Selection and Election--these people are enlisted by the Minister of Music and submitted by the Nominating Committee to the church for election

vi. Functions

(a) Plans the whole music program of the church

(b) Gives significant input in developing objectives and goals for the Music Ministry

(d) Help you develop a comprehensive curriculum and calendar

(e) Assists in preparing the music budget

(f) Keeps all music leadership informed, involved, and up to date

(g) Meet monthly

g) Search Committee--different from previous two committees

i. May have people from the Music Council or Music Committee

ii. Not a standing committee

iii. Sole purpose is to fill a position

iv. Goes out of existence once the position is filled

v. Interchange of names creates confusion

X. The Children's Choirs (p.133)

A. Staff

1. Choir coordinator (job description on p.142)

a) Needs of the choirs and directors

b) Children's Choir Resource Room

c) Liaison between parents and choirs

d) Plan, evaluate, recommend

e) The Choir Coordinator's Notebook, Nashville: Convention Press (find it in the library)

2. Assisted Choir Coordinator

a) Assists the coordinator

b) "Floating" assistant

3. Children's Choir Director

a) Plan, direct, develop the choir

b) Plan and implement curriculum

c) Guide the work of the accompanists

d) Responsible for spiritual formation

4. Children's Choir--Staff

a) Choir parents or sponsors

b) Assist on enrollment day

c) Assist in small group time

d) Attend to personal needs of the children

e) Assist with robes, costumes, etc.

f) Communication, contacts

g) Transportation

h) Role models--CHOOSE CAREFULLY

B. Children's Choir--Objectives

1. Worship, religious education, musical development, development of social skills and outreach

2. The program must be singing-based--not performance-based

3. Develop a program based on your church's context

4. "Ministry with no thought of return"

C. Children's Choirs

1. First Contact--birth to 3 years

a) 30 minute sessions

b) Parents involved

2. Music Learners--3 yr. choir

3. Younger Children--grades 1-3

4. Older Children--grades 4-6

D. Youth Choir--Objectives

1. To train "pre-adults"

2. Significant role models

3. There must always be a "carrot" in front of them

4. Musical development, social skills, worship, outreach

5. Give them something they cannot get anyplace else--Scripture text (not scripture-based) & music

E. Youth Choir--Break-downs

1. Jr. High and cambiata (changing) voices--grades 7-9

2. High School--grades 10-12

3. Leadership always comes from older teenagers--rookies (7-9) and veterans (10-12)

4. Affirm, don't evaluate

5. Officers within the choir

6. Choir parents--people you enlist yourself (not the same as a choir booster club)

7. Accompanists--strong rhythm, sight-reading, some improvisation skills

8. Choir Tour Handbook--Syllabus, pages 177-193

9. Adults on tour

a) Choir booster organization

b) Care group leaders

c) Section leaders (simply help to learn the music, not sing along with choir in performance)

10. Make sure the text of your music are "words that are working inside the hearts of young people"

F. Twenty Ideas That Work from Randy Edwards

1. Birthday cards--never forget one! (doesn't need to be e-cards)

2. Choir Stationery

3. Youth web page

4. Use e-mail

5. Set up an e-mail choir chat room

6. Increase your postage budget; you'll need to mail things

7. Mail a weekly update

8. Personal note card with youth choir logo

9. Develop a logo (let the kids design it); don't change it every year

10. Color laser printers

11. In the church mail-out, spotlight a youth choir activity

12. Consider a digital camera

13. Create a choir directory with pictures (every new choir member needs to have their pictures taken)

14. Bulletin board around the choir room--put up significant local youth accomplishments (this is choir parents' responsibility)

15. Systematically send a note to everyone

16. Write a devotional article in the mail-out

17. Prepare a brochure or booklet about the upcoming choir tour; offer a prize for anyone who can find important information not included

18. Keep a journal

19. All graduating seniors should receive a personal letter and a gift

20. Marker board in rehearsal to do illustrations; also have a PowerPoint presentation running with announcements

21. Try cue@texas.net, www.youthcue.org

G. University Choir

1. Leadership development

2. Worship

3. Outreach

4. Choir--worship

5. Ensemble--worship & outreach

6. Praise Team--worship

7. Never combine University-age singers with high school singers

H. Other programs

1. Ensembles--High school, Jr. High, University

2. Instrumental groups

3. Voice lessons for young singers

4. Orff Instrumental groups

5. Choir chimes

6. Handbells

XI. The Budget--Music Ministry: It enables us to do ministry (pp.209 ff; read John Piper's Brothers, We Are Not Professionals)

A. Malachi 3:10

1. About repentance from what we are doing

2. About what is really important and returning it to God

B. Introduction

1. Results of a 25 year survey--Christians give an average of 4% to all charitable causes

2. In 1997, a very prosperous year in the United States, Christians gave an average of 3%

3. Children of Israel--basic tax was 23.5%; in some years, 30--50%

a) Tax

b) Tithe

c) Temple upkeep

d) Festivals

e) Levites

f) Poor

g) Every third year, money went to the poor

h) Mal. 3:10--applies to the tax, tithe, and offering

4. A budget causes each organization committee, and staff member to examine the needs for its individual ministry

a) What is the real need?

b) What is involved financially?

c) Will our approach tend to create more problems than it solves? When you start somewhere, spend the first year getting to know the people, not spending the money on things they may not want.

d) For whom is this ministry planned? For you or the church?

e) What do we want to accomplish?

5. A budget allows us to be effective, relevant, and accountable

C. Why Budget?

1. We are accountable to the people of the church and to God

2. Establish priorities--there are three ratings

a) Rating 1--ministries that are essential to the Church fulfilling its mission (utilities, custodial, missions, music, Bible study, pastoral)

b) Rating 2--ministries that are important but not essential (youth mission tours, etc.)

c) Rating 3--ministries that are good and desirable, but not essential (office equipment, etc.)

3. To Meet Needs--requests from choir workers, upgrades of equipment, purchase of music, changing trends

4. Comprehensive approach to program--there must be shared ministry in the church in general and in the music ministry in particular

5. Avoids misunderstandings--the church is entitled to clearly understand where the money is going, especially because they gave it (it's God's money, not mine)

6. Sets up financial controls and monitors accounts payable--use of the purchase. Even though the money is budgeted, do we have the money to spend?

7. Focus on effectiveness and relevance--all churchless, regardless of size, have limits to the financial resources so the money must be spent where it is needed most

8. The Expenditure Statement (syllabus, pp. 217-218)

a) Headings--key to understanding it

b) Date and time statement was printed

c) Current Month actual--what was actually spent

d) Current Month budget--what was budgeted

e) Current Month variance--difference between the two

f) Year-to-Date actual

g) Year-to-Date budget

h) Year-to-Date variance

i) Designated Funds--money unspendable on anything but what it's been given for

j) Activity Funds--money set aside for specific event (youth trips, etc.)

D. The Ministry Action Proposal (or MAP, pp.214-216; 221-228)

1. Purposes

a) To identify the budget item with the ministry performed

b) To justify both biblically and financially the line item's existence

c) To relate the ministry to people's needs

2. Sections

a) For: ministry of music

b) Subject: what line item does this MAP go for?

c) Biblical foundation, or basis, for this line item; use some scripture to support

d) Budgetary justification to support the biblical foundation; projects both the big picture of this ministry and the detail; again, use supporting scripture

e) Cost to the church--how much it cost last year, the cost this year, and the reason for any variance. Don't use percentages, use real numbers

f) Long-Range Implication--what does this mean for the church in five to ten years?

g) Alternative--what are the options if I don't get this money? Have people buy their own music or share copies?

E. Budget Summary (p.216)

1. Project Basis

2. 6 MAPs plus a cover sheet--example on p. 221

3. 1 MAP for each major line item--underlined items indicate line item

4. Increase next year's budget by 3.5% overall

5. Remember to total this year to get total

6. Distribute the increase any way you choose

7. Remember--justify all increases

8. Remember--explain the decrease

9. Yes, funds can be reallocated from one line item to another; identify, explain and justify the reallocation

10. Check addition, check percentage

11. Refer to example--pp.221-228

12. Project must have a cover sheet, summary, and not more than one page for each MAP

13.

COMP!

This is the one place the church is justifiably run as a business

14. COMPS MAY INCLUDE A BLANK M.A.P. TO BE FILLED OUT

F. Guidelines for Budget Planning

1. Purpose--to document plans for the proposed use of the receipts given by church members

2. Source

a) Offerings--anything other than a tithe that is given on a regular basis

b) Tithes--10% of gross income

c) Gifts of the membership--things beyond tithe or offering ("in memory of"'s, designated gifts)

d) Outside sources--things given to the church from other organizations

e) Some revenue--things like parking lots convenient to nearby businesses

3. Goal determined--various committees review the church program for an appropriate amount of growth

4. Areas included--world-wide (missions) and local causes (national missions), local ministries and causes (food pantries/soup kitchens), supported by the church

5. If the goal is not reached, the finance committee reviews and reevaluates--usually the finance committee will ask you to reduce spending

6. What are the budget needs?

a) Basic needs--utilities, plant maintenance, mission causes

b) Increase based on growth (membership)

c) Increase based on rising cost (inflation)

d) Based on the church's financial patterns

e) Average annual increases are 3.5%--5%

7. Look at the past, determine whether or not the church's giving patterns support the proposed increase

8. Remember, there is only so much money--equal distribution of funds is not always possible

9. Be realistic, but also be prayerful and challenging. You want the "reach" to your new budget to be seen as a challenge, but not a discouragement

10. What elements should be included in the music budget?

a) Music and related supplies

i. All choirs

ii. Anthems

iii. Instrumental music

iv. Soundtracks

v. Books--method books for orchestra, for example

vi. File boxes

vii. Any other related items

b) Music literature--periodicals (children's choir mags, e.g., Worship,etc.)

c) Maintenance (really should be in Administrating the House of God, not Music)

i. Instrument tuning and repairs

ii. Choir robes

iii. Sound equipment

d) Printing--worship guides/bulletins

i. May or may not be included in some budgets

ii. Special programs--Christmas, Easter

iii. Mailings to youth choir

e) Program--lots of items

i. Pageant--a "side door event;" that is, something that will cause the community to check out the church when they otherwise would not. However, keep it in perspective--this is not the main way to reach the lost

ii. Outreach--choir tours, handbell festivals, training events

iii. Honoraria--orchestral players, supply instrumentalists

iv. Concert series (optional)--fees, motels, special needs--remember, the artist is in control

v. Promotion and publicity--related to special events

vi. Music Academy--costs related to the project (short term)

f) Fellowship--choir fund for flowers, food for socials, etc.

g) Methods and materials--special needs for different musical organizations

i. Choir awards

ii. Anything the workers need to do the job

h) Payroll

i. Music secretary

ii. Organists/pianists/keyboard players

iii. Anyone whom the Minister of Music supervises

i) Administrative--may or may not include:

i. Office supplies

ii. Professional memberships (like ACDA, state music minister associations)

j) Purchase of New Equipment--usually not found in the music budget

i. Minister of Music is responsible for this, though it is seldom listed in the Music/Worship MAP packet or House of God department

ii. Building & Grounds--purchase of New Equipment

k) Other items--some Ministers of Music are assigned items such as:

i. Library

ii. Kitchen

iii. Other items as assigned

G. Submitting the Budget

1. Propose a realistic budget

a) Must be reasonable--how many tithers do you have, and what is their average income?

b) Based on growth & projected income

2. Budget Review Meeting

a) Staff reviews their budget proposals among themselves so if anyone's going to cut your budget, it's you

b) Staff adjusts before the committee

c) Review outline--p.219

3. Be prepared to answer the committee's questions

4. Support information--be able to support your requests with documentation

5. Warnings

a) Don't try to oversell--plead the case, then let the jury decide

b) Don't take limits personally

c) Be realistic

i. Don't expect to get an increase at variance with historical budget increases

ii. Don't try to do too much your first year; learn the church and budget gradually

d) Increase the budget--pages 212-213. Relate the increases to people's needs; this often "greases the wheel"

XII. The Assimilation Process--a Key to Choir Ministry and Growth (pp. 125-129)

A. The Outline

1. Initial point of contact

a) Prospects for the church

b) Worship guest--the person who visits you first; you usually have only three chances to lock them in

c) Welcome center

d) Other--never discount a name from someone else

2. Before the prospect attends choir:

a) Monday--Minister of Music's contact letter for anyone who indicated as visitors that they have musical experience

b) Friday--phone call from the Music office

c) Next Monday or Tuesday (or Visitation night)--prospect visit; if they aren't there, leave a card

3. When the prospect attends rehearsal the first time

a) Establish three to five relationships--people who actually try to get to know the prospect

b) 7 to 21 care touches--things done for the prospect above and beyond expected efforts (e.g., if the prospect asks how to get somewhere, don't just tell them--take them)

c) Relationship 1: Door greeter (do this with all choirs); this person knows everyone in the choir

d) Relationship 2: Secretary & Guest packet (p. 75); Door greeter takes prospect to Secretary who starts enrollment and gives prospect an info packet

e) Relationship 3: Minster of Music: Secretary introduces prospect to Minister of Music, who will tell prospect how much it means to me for them to be here

f) Relationship 4: Secretary introduces prospect to a Care & Concern Leader in a section (not to be confused with a Section Leader, who helps teach notes); a Care & Concern group is usually composed of only three to five people, who then introduce you to as many other people as possible

4. "What are the 7--21 care touches?" (p.126)

a) Care touches 1--9: the New Member or Guest Packet

b) Care touches 10--15: Weekly, monthly, year-long follow-up by Music office and Minister of Music

c) Care touches 16--21:

i. TAG (Touch All Guests) visit--someone from the prospect's care group to go visit

ii. ???

5. What is a Care & Concern leader?

a) Study Guide, p. 127

b) Study Guide, p. 129

c) Group size should be limited only to three to five people

XIII. Acoustics & Building (pp. 231 ff)

A. Philosophy of Acoustics

1. "To provide those shapes and angles which reduce the energy of reflected sound through diffusion and diffraction or otherwise negating objectionable sound characteristics, while at the same time providing maximum sound support through hard surfaces, for singing and reading of the congregation and choral groups."

a) Shapes & Angles--what increase/decrease the way sound energy is reflected or absorbed in the room

b) Diffused & Defracted--all sounds have objectionable characteristics that need to be eliminated, but not at the expense of good, positive characteristics

c) Maximum sound support is best accomplished by the hard surfaces

d) Singing--using the voice indicates best the quality of sound in a hall; if too much sound is absorbed, people will not be able to hear much beyond their immediate vicinity

e) Choral groups--in poorly designed rooms, no choral sound will be successful

2. "Only after all other approaches have been explored should the use of acoustical (sound-absorbing) materials be considered."

B. Objective Terms (p. 231; most important to know & understand)

1. Reverberation--the persistence of the sound before it decays

2. Reverberation time--the interval of time between the start of the reverberation time and the time it becomes inaudible

3. Dead spot vs. Live spot (deacon boards vs. youth groups?)--all rooms have places where sound requires reinforcement. There is always an acoustically dead spot in any room as well as an acoustically live spot

4. Absorption--the dissipation of sound energy; not desirable (heavy carpet, acoustical tiles, etc.)

5. Diffusion--breaking the sound up without absorbing it (breaks the sound down into equal parts)

6. Decay & Attack

a) Decay--the gradual decrease of sound energy in the room

b) Attack (important to the musician)--the ability of the hall to respond to the onset of sound

C. Subjective Terms (pp. 232-33)

1. Loudness--relative to the listener (what's loud to a senior will not seem loud to a youth); the "color" of the sound relates to the desirable/undesirable overtones set off

2. Live--pertaining to reverberation (as in, lots of it)

3. Dead--the room absorbs all sound; it sounds like you're singing into a pillow

4. Clarity--the ratio of loudness to the direct sound

5. Brilliance & warmth--a mixture is necessary; keep them in equal balance (not too much of one over the other)

6. Presence--the sound seems that it actually is coming from its true origin

7. Blend & balance

a) Blend--the mixing of sounds into a harmonious whole

b) Balance--requires proper proportions of each instrument

D. Reverberation--lots of people want to kill the acoustics of a room

1. Singing must be enhanced by the acoustics, not defeated by it

a) Must be pleasant to the singer--he must be able to hear people around him

b) Blend--the room can help mix voices together and prevent negative sounds from dominating

c) Greater dynamic range

2. Acceptable reverberation time

a) Organists like a minimum of three seconds

b) Singers need two seconds or less (because the consonants will become blurred)

c) Speech--one second (since words are most important)

3. Acceptable compromise for most churches

a) Two seconds in an empty room is a pretty good compromise (some will be lost when people are in there)

b) Reverberation control

i. Diffuse the reverb, don't absorb it

ii. Consult with an acoustical engineer, not just your architect

iii. Certain wall and ceiling configurations enhance the diffusion of sound while other configurations create problems (not just the materials)

c) Room size & shape

i. The room should have a balanced size for the number of people to be seated

ii. Worship rooms should be either rectangular or square (though the tendency is to make them fan-shaped)

iii. Ration of width to length--4:5

iv. Ration of width to height--2:1 or 4:3 (follow the law of the Golden Mean)

v. Shape--put the audience as close to the sound source as possible

vi. Sound reflective surfaces should be as close to the sound source as possible

vii. Thick glass, without drapes, create good reflection of sound

viii. Raked or sloping floors--better visibility and variety (angled down towards the pulpit)

ix. Surface irregularities in construction

x. Ceilings--Exposed beams, coffer-work, and/or slight apex or such designs toward the center (not less than 45�)

xi. There should be within the room a number of convex shapes--balcony railings, rear and side walls of choir loft

xii. Balconies are always a problem; they should be no deeper than 1.5 times the opening height

xiii. Balcony ceilings should always be sloped from the opening down to the back

d) Shapes to avoid

i. Concave walls and dome-shaped ceilings

ii. Steep A-frame ceilings

iii. "Cruciform" arms between the choir and congregation

iv. Parallel walls of highly reflective material on the sizes of the choir

v. At least 2 degrees canting (convex)

vi. Variation of material on the walls

vii. Flutter echo is to be avoided. It is an indication of the presence of standing sound waves which negate the projection of sound where it is needed most

e) Recommended materials for various surfaces (p.234)

i. The ceiling should be as hard as possible

(a) One inch thickness (or double) if possible

(b) Made of plaster

ii. The walls should be made of brick, or thick wood if placed in panels or uppoer or lower half of the wall

(a) Sheet rock--must double thickness

(b) Avoid 1/4" wood paneling

(d) Avoid wood shutters. They trap sound.

(e) Avoid drapes. They trap sound.

iii. Major sound absorbers--the floor/rug, pews, and people

(a) Aisle carpeting--the thinner the better

(b) Carpet pad is twice as absorbent as the carpet itself

(d) Pews break up the sound

iv. Acoustical material

(a) Often placed on the rear wall to prevent echo reflection

(b) Use a convex shape instead of the acoustical material, if possible

(1) Place them in irregular or random arrangement

(2) There are different absorption coefficients

(3) Always place the acoustical material on the rear wall first

(4) If necessary, place along the outside perimeter of the ceiling or the upper part of the side walls

(5) Avoid absorbing materials on the floor, wall, ceiling, around the choir, and instruments (except drummer); trumpets on carpet, strings on hard floor

(d) Platform itself should be a hard surface

f) Sound Isolation (p.234)

i. Free from exterior and interior noise

ii. Protect against outside noises

iii. Effective sound isolations between rooms are created by:

(a) Double walls with heavy insulation between them

(b) Doors made with sound isolation construction

iv. Air conditioning ducts should be as large as possible & fiberglass-lined (removes the objectionable "hiss")

v. A/C units should sit on floor "springs" (a sound-absorbing cushion)

vi. Pipes underneath the floors should be on "springs"

vii. Halls & lobbies--sound absorbing material

4. Choir Loft

a) Should be half as wide as the sanctuary

b) Capacity--10% of the room

c) Ceilings should be as high as possible (no overhang to separate it from the sanctuary)

d) Choir loft ceiling should be sloped if possible (reflects sound toward the congregation)

e) Shape of the choir loft should be determined by the shape of the sanctuary

f) Should be slightly wider than deep

g) Four rows are preferred over three (gives a little better space usage); five are more functional

h) Avoid parallel walls on the sides of the choir loft

i) Reflection from the side walls is secondary only to the angle of the ceiling

j) Floor must be on a hard surface--ABSOLUTELY NO CARPET

k) Make sure the floor is braced

l) First row should be at platform level

m) Riser heights should be 8" minimum; 10"-12" is better. Graduated heights after that:

i. Good--10", 12", 14", 16"

ii. Best--10", 14", 18", 22"

n) Riser width--36" minimum; 38"-39" better

o) Front row--48"-60" wide (allows space for handbells or instruments

p) Use individual chairs

i. Flexible seating

ii. More functional

q) Removable choir railings

i. Hidden openings

ii. No "swinging" gates

r) Instruments

i. Organ

(a) Loft area, front and side, and placed at angle

(b) Lowered for visibility

(1) Never more than 6"-8"

(2) Do not "square the instrument"--forces the organist to hear from only one ear

(d) Bass sound waves must not be lost

ii. Piano--same level as first row of choir

(a) Low railing around it

(b) No railing between piano & choir

iii. Handbells & other instruments work very well between the choir rail & the first riser

5. Other

a) Lighting should be comfortable, controlled brightness, dimmer capability

b) Proper light diffusion--avoid objectionable reflections, "bright" spots, shadows

c) Dimmers--pulpit, choir, accent, organ, and piano

d) Heating & ventilation--adequate air circulation in the choir loft year-round

e) Fresh air circulation

f) Separate A/C for choir loft

g) Air should not blow directly on the choir

h) Humidity and temperature control

6. Music Suite

a) High ceiling--at least 12'

b) Approximate the sanctuary in size & shape, but less alive

c) Hang acoustical drapes from floor to ceiling

d) Size--accommodate 2-3 times the number of singers in any one group; 8--14 square feet per person in each choral group

e) Risers in the rehearsal room

f) One or two good pianos

g) Basic audio & video equipment

h) Uniform, glare-free lighting

i) Refreshment area

j) Additional rehearsal rooms (for handbells, instrumental groups, etc.)