Recently I’ve been pondering how creative types really need to be given space to find their process.  We all have different environments that affect our creativity and artistry, both positively and negatively.  My creative process is going to be different than yours.  I think this difference needs to be given room to breathe and be celebrated.  Many modern software and internet companies value creativity so much that they’ve completely altered the typical business and workplace experience.  This shift has sparked countless new concepts and innovative technologies.

So then…I wonder what would happen if more churches adopted this approach?  I wonder what would happen if it became common practice in church culture to engage the fringe creative artists?  I wonder what would happen to the oh-so predictable worship services and ‘outreach’ events?  My guess is that we would see a flood of inventive ways to express the truth and reality of our faith journey.  My guess is there’s a chance we could find new opportunities to connect with people who live far from God.

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I wanted to help promote a new worship CD a friend of mine just released this past weekend.  Andy Frank is the Music Pastor at CCV in Phoenix and you’re gonna love his CD.  Andy is a great musician, worship leader and has a huge heart to reach people for Jesus.  I got to sing some backing vocals on a couple of these songs, so I’ve been really excited to get my copy of this project.

My family got to attend his CD Release Concert on Sunday night and we all loved it.  Great time of worship and incredible production.  It was also cool to see his work with Hope 4 Kids International.  They had 120 kids get sponsored at the concert.  I love it!  More kids getting the help and love they deserve and need.  Way to go Andy!

You can get his CD on iTunes: ANDY FRANK – SHINE FOR YOU.

Make sure you stop by the Andy Frank Website as well.

THIS ARTICLE IS REPOSTED FROM RICH KIRKPATRICK’S WEBLOG:

CNNMoney.com recently did a series of articles based on research by payscale.com and found that 67% of those that lead worship or direct music in local churches for a vocation say the job is stressful. The research says this job is in the top 15 MOST stressful. Uhmm, this is obvious to those of us who lead worship, but to have research debunk the myth of the glamor of being a music guy/gal in a church might be helpful in fixing some things.

In the article we mentions how weddings and funeral musical work is stressful, but they really do not go to the underlying reasons I believe the majority of people in this vocation incur stress. Notice that senior pastors, youth directors and other ministry personnel are not on this list. While all ministry is stressful, something unique to this activity is in play. I say this with deep respect for those in other roles.

I fundamentally believe there is pandemic implosion of the worship leader role and vocation–even for the volunteer or bi-vocational worship leader. History shows this current pattern to be true (nothing new about worship wars for instance). Each week I talk with very talented people in this line of work and the same story is replayed over and over again. Every conference I attend, phone call or IM I field or observations I listen to by others has led me to consider a wide-scale threat. Glamorous you say?

Here are some unique mythbusting nuggets to consider:

• When there is conflict in a local church, the music becomes a rallying point for battle. Ever heard of the term “worship wars” in your setting? Well, guess who lives in the middle of that.
• Everyone has an opinion about the music and experience in a worship service, with the one who is leading the activity often being the only non-voting member in the discussion.
• Everything this person does is in public and executed through other people: choirs, worship bands, tech teams, etc.
• Leadership of churches often devalue the scale and scope of work to execute the quality and impact they expect.
• The skills needed include: creative and artistic genius, project management, musical talent, stage presence, theological facility, leadership, administration, ability to work independently, ability to be micromanaged and you have to look the part (whatever that means).
• In the push to be relevant to culture, the worship leader is only as relevant as the latest thing on one hand or if you have opposite views he/she must reject the latest thing. You can’t win either way.
• Spiritual warfare is heated in the activity of our public worship settings. So, obviously in that sense these folks are targets.

RICH KIRKPATRICK