 Very good morning once again. Thanks for joining in. Let's get started From where we left off in the last class. We stopped at page 43 From chapter 4 we're learning started learning about Worship ministry and the organizational aspect of it So let's resume Where we left off we spoke a little bit about rehearsal and the difference between practice and rehearsal And so let's go actually let's go down to page 45. We'll resume from there It's 45 where it starts off talking about The importance of being skillful in everything that we are doing Right skill is actually been defined as the ability to do something well That's what skill is right There's this theory about 10,000 hours It's I forget who the person is who wrote this book called outliers Oh, man, if anybody remembers the author's name, please share it He wrote a book called outliers and one of the things what he says in the book is that If you want to be really really good at what you do The person would have required to practice for at least 10,000 hours So if a pianist a person who is aspiring to be become a concert pianist No, not everybody who plays a keyboard can be a concert pianist There is a huge expectation of skill that is required from a person who claims to be a concert pianist and And so what they they can come to the place only when they've attained or Put in at least 10,000 hours of practice so you can do the math of How long and or how many years it takes To complete 10,000 hours of practice to be skilled at something but you know There is just an example to share to say that To do something skillfully is to have the ability to do something well Like really well and we see that in the Bible as an example as well. So When Moses received the blueprint from God, he didn't you know, he just he didn't handle the blueprint to anybody to okay All right, it's your responsibility now to go and build the tabernacle or even David for that matter You know when he put together Levites He gave in charge He put a person called Kenanaya in charge of the singers because Kenanaya was skilled at what he did Right and so Moses gave the blueprint to the person craftsmen who were skilled at what they did And so still is huge. It's beautiful to grow in skill and it is It is our this You know the our skill or the gift that God gives us and as you continue to working on it You know, God will Take you to places that you would not have imagined For example, there is a huge difference between just a talent and skill You know, so just because you were born with some sort of a talent you could you could okay grasp something easily And if that is not worked upon That is an app talent is an absolute waste So you you know, you put in your effort you practice And you work on the talent on the gift that God has given to you and you build on it, right? And so it was David's talent and skill David says he was skillful in what he did and he would just you're not just skillful in Playing an instrument. He was skillful in everything that he did as a shepherd He was skilled now. He was a very good shepherd and as a and as a king. He was skilled, right? And and so When Saul was troubled, right? When that when that when the troubled spirit and evil spirit troubled him what they said is Bring someone who can play the harp and who's skillful at it And so who did they bring in they ended up bringing David, right to the king's court and so Your skill Can put you in the presence of the people that you would not have imagined because It's more than where you will be the importance is your skill is not for yourself Your gift or your talent is not just for yourself or for you to build your own fame. It's like, oh look I'm good at this. Oh look. I'm good at that your skill in The kingdom is always to be a blessing to another That's always been the kingdom principle is God if God is blessed you with something is for you to be a blessing to someone else and If you are skilled at something It's really about And you be a blessing to someone else That's the bottom line, right? So very three simple things to remember when it comes to skill is skill is a gift from God for his glory Okay Skill is a gift from God for his glory not your own glory not our own glory not for the glory of your own ministry Etc. That's for the skill of his glory, right skill must be developed very important Skill must be developed A little bit of outer context is There is a clip on if you know Harsha Boghly One of the famous cricket commentators Harsha Boghly. He talks about Sachin Tendulkar Sachin is one of the famous Cricketers in India and his classmate called Vinod Kamli and so they both entered the you know started playing for India I started playing from school and India at the very young age and he talks about how Sachin worked on his weakness on his skill while the other person did not It's a wonderful video that is just an example and I can give you example after example and whom I there is incredible potential in an individual Incredible potential in the individual and sometimes as leaders You know, you will you will have the privilege of seeing or having a bird's eye view of A person's life that you are leading It's a it's an incredible honor that we as leaders sometimes get is that okay? You just stand back and you see okay This person has an immense calling from God. The potential is Incredible sky is the limit, but what is more disappointing is that then the person still don't realize it and don't do anything about Working on it or you know, absolutely waste their life Etc. So without working on their skill So skill must be developed Ask yourself this question. Are you good at something? Are you skilled at doing something? Can you get better? Right ask yourself that question and if you are not working on your skill if you are not investing in your skill to develop yourself Yeah, it's just wasting, you know Beautiful gift that God's given you okay, and the third point there says skill doesn't make worship more acceptable before God Okay skill doesn't make worship more acceptable before God See the only difference that The only thing that causes the difference or makes the difference between Worship music so to say Christian music or gospel music versus the Secular music of the world is the spirit of God Because you know doesn't matter if Hillsong is playing C major or if iron maiden or Metallica or Black Sabbath is playing C major the note still remains the same What are the notes for C major or C major chord is C E and G Okay, so Christian musicians will play the same three notes the secular musicians will play the same three notes But the only thing that will change and impact a life or you know Someone's spirit is the spirit of God over your music. And so it's very important that we You know, we combine Biblical truth with music and that is skill We combine biblical truth with our music and we lay before him and ask him you come and breathe over What I am playing Right and so music is powerful. There's no question about it But what transforms life more than just impact is the spirit of God over your music And it that's what was happening when David was playing the harp in the presence of King Saul Okay skill is important, but the Why I'm stressing on this point is most of us use that as a license To not be to not develop or work on our skill We say, you know, oh, it's about the heart brother. It's about the heart pastor. It's only about the heart It's about what's on the inside. That's matters the most That's 100% true But that is not the license for you to not work on your skill Okay All right, the commandment the command in the Bible is that let us come skillfully before him Anything that we do let it be done skillfully because he is worth it. He deserves it Let it be done beautifully skillfully So what are some of the you know traits of a skillful or the some of the skills of a worship leader? If you're leading worship or and now I'm not just talking about the person who's leading in worship in my opinion from and I've been in worship ministry for a while now at least two decades and Every person on the team is a worship leader regardless of what instrument you play Drums or keyboard or backup vocalists bass guitar acoustic guitar. It doesn't really matter You are a core worship leader with the worship leader who's leading the congregation every one of them is a co-worship leader, right and so Worship leading is an art and that it takes musical intuition and honed natural gift to lead well So what are some of those things expected? I'm a good worship leader or a skillful worship leader is one effective musical skill Organization and preparation experience practice leadership ability relational ability calling character intuition natural gifting God's grace Okay, so again if you're a worship leader and you're applying for a job in a church You know just like any other resume you see okay. What are your strengths? You know there's a section for that isn't it why I'm good at Microsoft office. I'm a team player. I'm on time I'm punctual etc etc And in addition to all of that, this is very important right this will be noticed Okay, are you are you skillful in music? Can you play at least one instrument and lead? Do you believe in organization and preparation or do you just believe blindly in just going spontaneous all the time? Let's improvise Being organized prepared Experience Practice do you practice a leadership ability? Are you able to lead? Well, right a relational ability and this is very important the relational ability is As worship leaders as worship team members You see there's the stage or the platform and then there's the congregation, right? And I've always said this for the congregation they see they always see Like there's an invisible line Between the stage and them the invisible line and it is the responsibility of the worship team To erase that invisible line and to make them feel welcomed and that they are as one Okay, that they shouldn't be intimidated. Okay people on stage are You know extra holy and we are just here. I'm not gonna, you know Distance ourselves from them but being able to relate with the congregation It's not just during the 30 minutes of worship or 40 minutes of worship After the service or before the service. Are you down there? Are you welcoming? You know people are you saying hi to them? I you know are you being warm? And welcoming to the people who are coming to the church and after the service is done Are you are you do you scoot home immediately or do you stay back to you know get You know just again say hi to people around so all of that is the relational ability that helps the congregation connect with you So that they know the person who is leading on stage that you are not alien to them Okay, so they only see you on stage for the 40 minutes after that nobody knows where you are and So there is no connection with the individual at all So it is so you see that worship leading or being a part of the worship team itself is not only about being able to sing Well or play the instrument well as there's so many other qualities that are expected that are required of a worship team member All right and all of this if you as a leader or a ministry leader is very important for you to notice all this or If there is a person that you think can be you know Saved you teach them you invest into all of this right as a senior pastor or Ministry leader you tell them hey, you know, I've noticed that you you you know You lead worship well you incredible character what not but what you can work on is your relational ability With the congregation. I noticed that you're you know that you go back home immediately It's okay. If there's genuine reason that's absolutely fine So but you know, I would encourage you to stay back as hang around say hi to people Let them get to know you as well. So all of that You know has to be taught inculcated Etc. Okay and Still what are the character traits of an effective worship leader and Again as the ministry leader you if you are the ministry leader or the senior pastor If you're hiring a worship leader You know or selecting a worship leader to your worship team Here are some of the questions that you can ask yourself Right Are they humble? Do they have a vibrant secret life with God? Are they able to take direction or correction? It's very important. Are they able to take direction or correction? Let me just pause there for a minute and say that musicians are very sensitive people on earth This is just it's just so extremely sensitive You know, they come under the categories of artists right artists in general are very sensitive You know be it from a chef to an artist who paints You know, they take extra extra pride in the work that they do right a chef would want everybody to like his or Her food that he makes you know, I do use this ingredient this exotic ingredient You know, I only use organic from the farm to the table is just amazing You see all the different days, you know There's some sense of pride in it and you just tell him is like, you know, I think this could have been done better It's like what do you mean? I've been doing this for 20 years. I know better than you so, you know so they can take offense very easily and even Go to an artist who paints say I think a different color would have been nice Please like you understand color. I understand color. I've been painting for a while. What have you done with your life? You know, so a quick Statements like that can come when the offense is taken and same thing with the musicians You know, when there are certain guidelines for example that Musician on the worship team member can play on a Sunday only if they've attended the rehearsal on a Saturday or a Friday Right if they don't attend the rehearsal on a Saturday, they are not allowed to play on a Sunday but They will come because they will feel entitled certain people. I've been serving in this church Every Sunday for the last 15 years. How can you say this to me? Why should what is the need for me to come for rehearsal? I won't I'm a good musician. I'm very skilled at what I do Why should I have to come there are so many things wrong with that, right? Pump pride to entitlement to being sensitive and whatnot, right? So all of that and and especially very important to note there is are they able to take correction? If they are not able to take correction It's a huge red flag don't even waste another second Thinking about recruiting this person on your team to say bye-bye to them. Let them go. They will be peaceful You will also be at peace I hope you got what I said so Are the accolades and affirmations of people too important to them another red flag to notice Are they doing what they do to serve or to gain respect? Are they good husbands or wives parents and family members? Are they willing to train others to take over for them? Are they willing to train others or are they just too selfish is like why should I train? Why should I do this? Why should I waste my time in you know investing into other people are they skilled at what they do? Are they teachable and eager to learn are they willing to quietly care for the poor as much as they are willing to stand on a stage? Are they loving gentle and generous with all those around them? Do they have a substantial interior life with God that reflects in itself in their outward lifestyle? It's a beautiful set of questions that you can ask You know yourself Before you could recruit a worship leader on to the team I think it's very important You know one of the questions that I liked in this the third one from the bottom is are they willing to quietly care for the poor? I heard one of the worship leaders darling check In one of the very old album projects from 2008 she mentioned that we can't call ourselves worshipers if we are not moved in the area of justice Right. We can't call ourselves worshipers if we are not moved in the area of justice if you are not moved to help the poor or the Or the less fortunate in your society if you as leader or as a church Is not moved or challenged by that or bothered by that we can't really call ourselves worshipers so Yeah, all of those matters besides music And leading worship being able to sing well Okay, let's move on So from then on a role of the singers The main function of the singers is to stand before the congregation as a visual inspiration to worship They need to be worshipers first before with a vocal ability and able to radiate worship as I mentioned just a minute ago that there is a Congregation see that there's an invisible line between the stage and then right But one of the thing that will erase that invisible line is This thing called free dumb Okay, and it's like a river a river or water can only flow Down right the water will never flow upstream like you know go up It will always flow down and it is our freedom of expression of worship When it flows down from the stage that it raises that line and sets people free and encourages them to worship to come in and join in in worship and If we as worship team members are not and we if we don't believe what we are singing for example And let's take this call chorus to our God We lift up one voice to a God we lift up one song to a God we lift up one voice You know it could just be a bunch of lyrics put together to our God We lift up one voice, you know you can sing it like that or we can come in agreement with those words and say to our God Let's lift up one voice, you know when you when you agree when you come in agreement with what you are singing That that river of freedom begins to flow from you and then you know and congregation will begin to sense that And and they will know that you are not just putting on a show You know You're not just faking You know experience or you know But they will they will be able to tell the difference between authentic worship and a worship that is not authentic It's as simple as that. Okay So it's very important that and this goes to everyone on the team It's not just the role of the singers, but it's the role of them every musician is that they become one with the song but they are singing one with the music that they are playing and When they release it from that place of authority that freedom the river of freedom You know begins to flow and sit and sit the captives free Okay, let's move on so we remember we are talking about the organizational aspect of worship ministry from the worship leader to worship team members and And one of the process and how we recruit the worship team members at APC is that we have auditions We hold auditions We have three auditions in a year So Why hold auditions? Why don't we just put up a signboard and say, okay, anyone who wants to join the worship team, please come and join the worship team We don't do that with other area of ministries say for example the ushering team You know, we don't ask them if you if they've completed their degree in hospitality management Or hotel management only then you can join the ushering team not really if you know if you're an extrovert Even if you're not if you like people if you like to greet them. Yeah, I mean the team you're welcome but worship ministry is different Worship ministry is different we We cannot and we should not just put up a sign and say anybody who wants to join the worship team, please come join it's very dangerous because It requires skill if a person is not able to sing in pitch if a person who is leading worship is not able to hold the pitch Or tell the difference if they are tone deaf And people there are a lot of people who are tone deaf and that's absolutely fine because they will be good at something else Right, it's so it's it's fine It's it's a gift if people who they're able to tell the difference between a major and a minor chord or just Sing in pitch it's a gift and that they need to work on and so if I have a person on my team who cannot sing in pitch They are not going to be able to lead well because they are going to be a distraction to everyone Even if the congregation members do not know music theory or not know everything about music They can still tell that this person is not singing in pitch or in time And so is that helping the congregation or not helping it isn't helping isn't it right? It's It's it's just creating more confusion and chaos and nobody would want to follow the person who is not able to sing in pitch or sing in time and Me and my mom always have a fight during prayer time It's one is she can sing in pitch, but she cannot sing in time and So and I'm like maa, please sing in time. You know, this one two three four It's good fun, but Yeah, so why why hold auditions is Auditions give of it's not to Present it like okay, this is the X factor, you know, if you've seen that A show X factor or the voice or American Idol or Indian Idol, you know, whatever Okay, let's see how you sing. Well, and I'm going to you know pass you, you know It's not that but the auditions is to give a fair opportunity to everyone If a person has been singing for years for a decade or if a person is singing for a month or two It doesn't matter. It's the same platform for that everybody will be What do I say I'm trying to Get a different word for a judge Yeah, you get the point, okay, so the parameters will not change for For different individuals. It's to give a fair opportunity to anyone who wants to join the worship team Based on parameters like are they able to sing in pitch? Are they able to sing in time? Do they know how many? What is the knowledge of the song that was sent? Okay, so let's just look at some of the points here Why hold auditions have a focus point for people to connect with worship ministry? It's like one of the touch points Right in in the corporate world or especially in the digital world. There is thing called the touch points Okay, but in between a company and the customers, okay What are the different touch points that the customers have do the customers have to get in touch with us? When they purchase our item, do we send them a message of thank you saying we glad you came and you know Dined with us. That's one of the touch points, right? And do you provide them with an additional toll-free number so that they can reach out to you for future reference? That is another touch point Okay, so like that One of the touch points for people of the congregation to worship ministry. I'm saying one of the touch points And not the only one is the auditions When we play an announcement saying, okay, we're going to have worship auditions Okay, who do I get in touch with you give the email ID and the phone number and now the Congregation has a point of reference Right, so that's why we hold auditions. We also want to grow the team Right, we don't want to be You know the same Size as we've been for the last 10 years we want to grow so that's why we hold auditions To increase the level of musical Presentation of your music to provide a consistent common and helpful method for growing worship ministry personnel To give away and expand ministry Okay, very quickly I want to share the worship the audition process at APC is So at least a month in advance. So what is the date today is October 3rd? So We if the auditions on November 5th, that's a month away. We will start announcing it from this Sunday October 8th, let's say So saying that okay, you know audition to register for auditions go to APC. Oh dot org slash auditions And there they can go and fill a form and we'll get the names as soon as we get the names of those who have registered for auditions We will email them a list of songs that they have to come prepared on the day of auditions So if you're auditioning for an for electric guitars You'll be sent two three songs that you need to work on prepare well and come for the auditions Same thing for every other musician. Okay, and so on the day of auditions you know, we have the auditions and They play the song and they are Marked on the certain parameters like I just mentioned which like see the song detailing the knowledge of the song Have they practiced? Well, do they have good dynamics? Are they able to sing and pitch sing in time? Etc etc all of that. Okay, and so once The next process of the next step of auditions is once they've cleared the auditions and they have selected We have then have the orientation process So the orientation process is they need to attend the orientation meeting one They need to attend at least a five practice sessions of the current worship team They you know, they have to go and observe and see okay, how they are practicing The different songs, how do they approach learning different songs new songs and then they need to attend at least two sound and set up Meetings they'll have to come in very early in the morning At in them. So once they have successfully finished the orientation process They will be started rostered in the team. So you see it's it's a it's quite a process, right? It's you know Just putting up a signboard saying coming during the worship team that versus The process, you know, like what I just mentioned so Right. So, okay, there's a question from Rosalind can past ashes sing well or understand notes and pitch and chords or of curiosity I wanted to know I actually haven't heard listen or heard him sing Rosalind, I mean so because I've only heard him preach and teach so Yeah, I saw I don't I don't know about that and he's actually mentioned that he used to lead worship when he started prayer meetings and moneypull as a student and So, yeah But he's got a good knowledge of songs because every time, you know, there's been times when you know We are leading in worship towards the end of ministry time award, you know He will come and suggest songs like can we do this song? Can we do that song? So yeah, I would say that he's got a good grasp of things. So Yeah, you're welcome. Okay. So again just once again to Say that the I absolutely love the orient the audition process at a PC It's not I'm not saying that because I'm the worship pastor But it's this this has been the process from the time I joined a PC in 2012 and I joined the APC worship team in 2014 You know the audition process has been the same the orientation process has been the same and I didn't see any need to change it because the After they've except after they've successfully Completed the auditions selected for auditions This orientation process is a beautiful filtration a filtering process. That's where their character is tested You know everything about the person is tested in this process Because some of them you might have people coming and saying I should I go through this orientation process? I've been playing an instrument for 15 years. I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to sit through this orientation process I want to immediately join the team. I think I'm sorry Doesn't happen like that. This is a system in place. You like it. You be in it. Otherwise, nobody's compelling you or holding you back Please feel free to leave right? So it's the fair opportunity for someone who's Just been playing an instrument for a year or less or for those who've been playing an instrument for a decade It doesn't matter. It's the same process that Everybody will have to go through if they want to be part of the worship team at APC no excuses okay, so that's about auditions and Once auditions is done. You'll see at the bottom of page 47 and 48 going into 48 They'll begin to be rostered in the worship team. Now you'll see a Message that will usually usually go out Right a worship team roster message. So that's an example Of what I've pasted there So what happens is on the 15th or the 17th of every month I had sent out a message kind of similar to this saying for example This message was sent or must have sent somewhere in the month of November I'm sure it was 17th or 16th Asking them for the their availability for the month of December Okay, so and in that message I will mention all the Sundays that are there with the dates And then extra services in that month So Some some months like the month of October has five Sundays. So Long month So you have four Sundays plus two combined services that's one is Christmas service and the New Year service We need a lot of people So we set out that message and people will start responding Either to me or we have worship coordinators for each location APC in Bangalore has five locations central which is an MG road And then you have the north south east and the west and so Each worship team coordinator of that location will get the dates Of people from that location and give it to me and I will eventually put the roster together I'm I'm not sure if I've shared an image of the roster before but let's just for our sake I'll show you how the what the roster looks like This is not new for John Paul Okay, so as you can see I'm sure John misses the site of this roster. So No, I'm making 16 every month Yeah, so Okay, let me just put it out there making the roster is not fun. Okay, it's It takes me solid One week to put the roster together to balance everything. Okay, I'll take you through the roster. So here's it is Because we don't have a place of our own we hire different studios To meet for practice. So and this sheet contains all the list of different studios and and then the second sheet will have Will have the Sundays again Yeah, and all the sermon topics there just to help the worship team members know, okay What's the sermon for that Sunday and they can prepare accordingly? Okay, it's a sermon plan and then one sheet will contain only worship leaders For different Sunday for different locations. As you can see central south northeast West Okay so last Sunday is done and So Sunday 8 October you see Josh's leading worship. I am at South next Sunday Moses at North Nirmal at East Melvin at West And so on and so forth. So once this is sorted now I will put them let's say for example go to the central team here Once the worship leaders are set now. I have to put the band together Right. Yeah, so who's playing keyboards who's playing acoustic guitar? Is there electric guitar one most of the times? There's no electric second electric guitarist who's playing the bass who's playing the drums backup vocalist Yeah, and MD simply means music director. So that's Okay, so this is what this is the system that we follow at APC For now Okay, and this is the organizational part of it. So, you know, as I mentioned Worship ministry is not only about singing on stage and all the lights and all this beautiful thing and all of that There's a lot of organizational part. It's not a lot of Parts that are not fun. I should say But it's still, you know, everything is learning process. Everything is, you know Yeah Okay, so Jeff, you know, you've asked a question I have seen some churches paying salary to every member in the worship team and in some churches worship team members are volunteers What about APC and is it necessary to pay the worship team members? It depends of I mean from judge to judge at least in I can't speak for the West but in India It's from what I've seen most churches is It's about it's about volunteering and at APC also it's about volunteer And so those who want to volunteer serving in the worship team, they're welcome to Unless they are part of the staff Yeah, we don't pay the worship team members But we take good care of them Yeah Okay, are you guys with me any other questions any thoughts that you want to add? I hope you all are Okay, because you know, this is all practical things and I hope You know and all of these points are not to say that this is what you need to do in your church or in your ministry All of these pointers are here to help you have You can to come up with your own system that will suit your church's, uh, you know ecosystem Yeah But it's very important to have a structure a plan an administrative department a good administrative system That will You know help the the ministry function well Okay, uh, any questions All right, if there are no other questions, we'll pause here. We'll take a break and we'll come back and resume All right. Thank you