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LeadershipIssues: A Unique Program…

January 25, 2012 in leadership, Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Arts programs in churches tend to be unique… If nothing else, the nature of artists lends an off-the-grain vision to the programs that they lead.

When I began developing the arts ministry at LVC, there was nothing like it going on at all in that church… Worship music was the only artistic medium being employed in any of the existing programs…

Uniqueness was not a problem for me.

Raising up any new program in a church requires attention to the uniqueness of the program. If the new program overlaps an existing ministry, you will find difficulty recruiting leaders and participants.

Years ago, I was Education Pastor in a medium-sized denominational church. I was tasked with revamping the Discipleship Training program, which was plagued by two problems. First, some classes didn’t draw enough participation and second, other classes got bogged-down and stretched their 12-week study into almost 2 years (not exaggerating).

The first problem was easily explained: the chosen topics were indistinguishable from the Sunday School themes. The DT program was not unique in it’s content and participants were subsequently disinterested in making the time investment.

The second problem was also an issue in uniqueness, but not with the DT program… In our structure, we intended for Sunday School to be more a place of community. The leader of the “longest-running, floating DT class” had done such a great job of creating community in his group, that the participants were loathed to finish that course and move on. Since his gifts were better suited to pastoring and building community, we moved him into SS leadership, preserving and enhancing the unique purpose of SS.

A unique Arts program will draw out participants who are unactivated in other areas of church life. For example, our current model for worship features a band that is purposefully limited in scope: leader (with guitar), drummer, second guitar, bass, and second vocalist. The number is also limited by the technical requirement: worship music is played from chord charts.

Our Arts Ministry projects activate keyboardists, symphonic instrumentalists and choral vocalists. We also generally need players who can read music. The result of our unique approach allows these artists (who would not have a place on the worship team) to be activated and contribute their gifts in the life of the church.

I have come to believe that the purposes of God for our ministries can be easily discerned by simply looking at the gifts of the people that God has given us…

Lots of thespians… do theatre.

Lots of vocalists… do vocal ensembles.

Lots of photographers…

Lots of graphic designers…

Lots of technical musicians…

You get the idea.

The uniqueness of your program should reflect the uniqueness of your team…

And if you are having difficulty drawing interest, do a “uniqueness check”… Ask yourself whether this activity or program is similar in scope, theme or practice to other programs offered in your church.

NEXT UP: A Finite Program…

LeadershipIssues: Collaboration and Authority…

November 7, 2011 in creativity, leadership with 0 Comments

Take responsibility for creating a collaborative atmosphere for your team...

I don’t particularly enjoy collaborating within an authoritarian leadership structure… And that is largely the structure we encounter in church: Leaders who feel it is their responsibility (or even their “divine right”) to make the final decisions.

I am fortunate to work with a pastor who trusts me to make good choices…

Several years back, however, I worked with a different pastor who was quite the authoritarian… He was the person who introduced me to the pitfalls of collaborating in this context…

In authoritarian settings, I have found my creativity squashed by the realization that, ultimately, the guy in charge was going make a decision… That his opinions were (by default) more weighty than mine, regardless of his level of understanding in the medium…

Frustrating.

Don’t frustrate the creatives under your leadership.  Frustrated creatives do not produce the best results… Often, they give up and go away before the produce any results at all…

Here are a few “do-unto-others” rules for leading collaborative efforts with creatives:

1. Start with a clear vision of purpose. A vision of purpose will allow creatives to flow in their creative gifts, not just in their artistic skill.  A few years ago, I worked with a graphic artists to put together artwork for our Holy Week activities. I told her the theme, asked for a clean, modern look and let he go to work. She came back with several great ideas. We used all but one of them.

In the end, it was satisfying for the artist and I was rewarded with an end-product that far exceeded what I was capable of even envisioning by myself.

2. Start with a clear vision of outcome. This is different than a clear vision of purpose. A clear vision of outcome requires little or no collaboration, only instruction. If you are looking for a specific outcome, don’t ask for creativity, just tell the artist what you want the end result to look like in very specific terms.

Most artists are accustomed to working under specific expectations. The basis of most commercial art is commission… Someone with resources hires an artist to create something specific.

3. Be a team player. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many leaders see themselves as apart from, or even above, the rest of the team. When you enter into a collaboration, you have to allow that some of your ideas will be trumped or even cast aside…

4. Remember that being the leader does not make your ideas better. This requires a cultivated humility… a choice to view others as more important and their needs before our own.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  (The Bible, Philippians 2:3)

When I direct a show, I have a few key moments that I want to play out just as I envision them. I lay these out clearly to the actors, musicians or technical artists… I will have other occasions, in the same show, when I specifically request collaboration. In these cases, I layout the theme or message that I want to convey and let the team run with it…

I also allow myself the artistic and human freedom to be wrong. Sometimes, the blocking or technical aspect doesn’t work the way I thought it would… Since the team is accustomed to having the freedom to collaborate, they can help fix it.

If your team does not get the opportunity to routinely question and critique your ideas, then you may not get the input you need to make your collaboration maximize it’s potential awesomeness.

As a leader, take responsibility for creating a collaborative atmosphere for your team… Then sit back and watch the magic happen…

Misjudging Josh: A Case Study…

April 25, 2011 in creativity, leadership, network with other artists, theatrical with 0 Comments

So, a couple of months back, I asked if you guys ever judge the creativity of a person by how they dress… If you know me, you’re probably looking for the follow-up… some punch line or story about a creative that was misjudged…

Here’s that story…

Josh, as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls

This is Josh.

Josh is a student at LVC and I’ve known him for almost 3 years… And until recently, I had no idea that he is a particularly talented actor…
Now, let me put this into context for you: I met Josh when he and his brother helped me build set-pieces for our live nativity event at LVC three years ago… We spent hours building frames and stretching canvas and painting murals and assembling them into the town of Bethlehem…
When I say “hours,” I mean 6 or 8 hours each week for a solid month… doing the kind of work that allows for a lot of “hanging-out” and talking…
In addition to that, I directed him in the nativity drama for three consecutive years…
I’ve sort of watched him grow from a boy into a young man…
Last fall, he invited me to a production of Guys and Dolls by a local youth-theatre with a great reputation… He mentioned in passing that he had one of the principal roles…
We loaded up in the Honda and went to the show…
When Josh took the stage, it took me a moment to recognize him… He seemed so unlike Josh… So much more like the sly, devilish 40’s-era heartbreaker, Sky Masterson (played by Marlon Brando in the film version)… It was some of the most brilliant acting I’ve ever seen in youth theatre (it actually rivals some of the good community and college theatre that I’ve seen)…
Then he started singing…
And dancing…
And I started forming a wonderful plan for Josh’s life…
But after the dust settles, I’m left with the grim realization that I sold Josh short because he doesn’t “seem” creative to me… Which is to say that he isn’t particularly outgoing… And that he doesn’t have a stand-out style… And he kinda slouches…
I acted all surprised that Josh has this outstanding talent, but I realize that he all-but told me on more than one occasion… I think I’ve heard him talk about 5 or 6 different shows or church dramas that he’s done… He’s always very enthusiastic about it… He’s always been right on top of learning his lines and following direction and finding his marks…
But I judged him according to my own (kinda stupid) criteria for creativity…
I misjudged… And I think the worst part is that I missed the great heart he has for expressing himself artistically through acting…
I apologized… He was gracious… And now he has joined the cast of Godspell, throwing himself into it with great enthusiasm…
It’s inspiring, really.
Got a story about your own misjudgement? Know a decidedly “unartistic” artist? Share…

Getting Together…

March 15, 2011 in creativity, leadership, network with other artists with 1 Comment

I love to collaborate with other artists…

Love.  Love.  Love.

Theatrical productions are rife with opportunities to collaborate… It is the single most compelling reason, in my thinking, to do full-scale theatre in the context of arts ministry: It gives purpose, context and accountability to collaborations.

Purpose…

I did a gallery wall at LVC last year as a prelude to launching our arts ministry… It was… nice…

But it lacked any sort of real purpose. The submission ranged from photographic art to pencil drawing to graphic design to painting… It looked diverse and aesthetically pleasing, but floundered thematically in the realm of “inspirational art,” lacking any kind of cohesion.

Our Godspell production, on the other hand, has a great deal of thematic cohesion… While focused largely on Jesus, Himself, it is also filled with themes and images of community and those themes are filling every creative aspect of the production.

Context…

I’ve observed that artists produce best in the context of a larger project. We’ve seen it in our Night In Bethlehem programs that we do with the LVC kids’ ministry… Activating about 70% of the adults and students in our church is a daunting task, but the larger scope and context of the project is part of the allure to volunteers… They can see that they are participating in something much bigger than themselves… There’s a sort of transcendence in it that keeps us coming back to it year-after-year.

A theatrical project gives the same opportunity to use our gifts and talents within a larger context.

I’m not a dancer. So, when it comes time to do a musical, I need a choreographer. Watching her work with the cast and watching that aspect of the show come together is a huge thrill for me. Even when my contribution is limited to operating the iPod…

Accountability…

If space-aliens were to break into my house and judge the whole of humanity by what they found, they’d conclude that earthlings have a strong aversion to finishing projects. Most of the creatives that I know personally have a similar struggle…

Projects with deadlines are either going to make us or break us…

That is, of course, the risk that is inherent in allowing artists to lead artists… I’m pretty sure that our pastor at the LVC has spent a considerable amount of time in prayer about Godspell… specifically regarding it timely completion… He has graciously declined to say so… out loud… but I know that it worries him.

Fortunately, I have the collaborative effort of a stage manager, an assistant director and a production assistant… to keep us on track and on schedule…

We haven’t missed a single deadline… Which reminds me:

Be sure to bring in a few left-brains when you start a big project.

Finally, remember what the Bible has to say about getting together:

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
- Ecclesiastes 4: 9, 10, 12

Defending the Godspell, Part 3: The Chief Clown…

January 28, 2011 in being christian, leadership, theatrical with 1 Comment

Jesus, as he is portrayed in the film version of Godspell...

I have to launch into this with a disclaimer:

I’m not a big fan of the clown imagery in Godspell.

Can I have my eternal life back now?

Seriously, as a follower of Jesus, I find the idea that Jesus is a clown a bit disrespectful. I don’t really think that was the Tebelak’s intent in writing the character that way, but calling someone a “clown” is not generally a favorable comment. Tebelak is no longer around to question about this, so I’m going to speculate on his intent and extrapolate (what I believe is) a better alternative.

The notes by Stephen Schwartz that have been added to the Godspell script since Tebelak’s death, give us some basic instructions about the character of Jesus in the show:

It is important that Jesus be the leader at all times… Even when a game or parable is initiated by another, there should be a clear sense that it is done for and with the master’s approval… It is easy for the show to appear to be “Jesus and His Nine Zany Friends;” this is wrong… (if He is) too “serious” or passive, the balance of the show is distorted. He is, if you will, the Chief Clown, in that He must drive the action at all times…

Jesus… must be the most charismatic individual in the cast. High energy, charming, funny, gentle but with strength. He is the sort of person others instinctively follow.

Tebelak’s use of the clown imagery was influenced by Harvey Cox’s essay and lecture entitled Christ the Harlequin, in which Cox emphasizes joy, festivity and holy mirth, saying:

The recent focus of theology has been on doubt, unbelief, or on the church’s mission to the world. All this is very important, but what has been missing is the joy of serving.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838029,00.html#ixzz1CMCiLgyB

This also correlates to Tebelak’s view of the Church, which I’ll tackle in another post, that the experience of following Jesus should be one of joyful volunteerism and fun. He even goes so far as to contrast this with the dutiful piety of the Pharisees.

The other obvious reason for using a theatrical device like this is to cast off the “religiosity” that has come to surround the image of Jesus. I’ve said before that I find it difficult to relate to most (if not all) of the iconic images of Jesus. And it was for the sake of relating to people that Jesus put aside His equality with the Father and “became flesh” (Philippians 2:6-8)…

Jesus should be, above all else, relatable… or we’ve missed the boat. It is not blasphemous or irreverent to portray Jesus as a real guy, with real feelings in a theatrical setting… I’m not talking about a “Buddy Christ” who winks at wrong-doing, but rather a relatable Jesus who is touched by our weaknesses and loves us in spite of them.

A Jesus, worthy of worship… worthy of sharing…

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…  (The Bible, Philippians 2)

So, we’ve decided to make sure that we’ve removed the religious trappings from Jesus’ appearance… No beard, for starters, and embrace a “normal” and simple style… a T-shirt-and-jeans-Jesus who might meet you at Starbucks or McDonald’s…

Which, by the way, I’m off to another meeting about our Godspell production…
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