RE: [Worship] Personnel Problems

["Tim Miller" <tim@wriimage.com>]

These are a few things I've paid blood to learn, which have helped me
weather the seas of bringing change in the two churches where I've led
worship for the last decade.

* Before you can change someone's behavior, you have to change their
values (or identify the good values they already have and build from
there)

* Maxwell's Leadership ladder (title -} relationship -} vision -}
reputation). You start with just a title and people obey because they
have to. Then as you build relationship, they go a little beyond the "I
have to" level because they want to help you - in learning to trust,
value and care for you on a personal level, they become more willing to
hear your vision. (I've tended to do this backward, to my demise.) As
they experience success in reaching your vision, they learn to follow
because they know you're taken them there. Until you've built a known
reputation as successfully taking people to a certain place, you can't
come in and work with a group of people on that level. You have to start
at the beginning.

* The plan is nothing without the pastor's very visible, very consistent
support

* Lots of different and conflicting goals going on - unity and direction
issues need clarification and prioritization by pastor, church, you,
ministry, congregation, workers...

* Church growth doesn't come from great, well-designed and implemented
offerings of worship expressions. Church growth, especially from the
unchurched, comes because they see people experience tangible, life
changing interaction with God. 

There are 3 agents of change in a church.
1) the "prophet" type person who identifies a specific need for change,
disrupts the status quo, asks uncomfortable questions
2) the outside consultant who is brought in for short term help in an
area of their expertise
3) the inside person who has the relational connections with people to
help them make it through the change

The first two agents of change come from outside the congregation and
have to stay outside. They are key initiators of change. Then it's time
for them to go. They don't have the relational connections with people
which hinder making tough decisions, and which also allow them to help
people make it through the difficult process of change. The third person
has a history with the people, is one of them, and while they can do the
long term stuff, they have a difficult time initiating the change
because of relational ramifications. Which kind of agent of change are
you?

It may be helpful to bring in the other agents of change as well, or at
least someone who can help identify and clarify expectations, values,
etc. Does the conference you're a part of allow for this? For example,
we wanted to have a worship seminar and so we brought in the worship
leader from one of the other churches in our conference. On the other
hand, when we realized that we needed help in doing discipleship better
(our conference really doesn't have specific "experts" in this), we
connected with a discipleship focused organization to help us. On a
personal level, I wanted to go deeper in my ability to bring up worship
leaders under me, so I entered a certification program to develop as a
coach / mentor. I'm sure there are others available and qualified to
help, if you (and the church) are willing to ask.

-Tim Miller
Zion Chapel
Goshen, IN


**************************************************
       Looking for praise and worship music resources?
                      Visit our list sponsor at:
                  http://www.worshipmusic.com

      Any questions about your subscription or the list? 
                Contact worship-help@praise.net
**************************************************