Minister of Music Kevin Batson shares the highlights of his church’s music ministry on mission downtown at the Peace Center Ampitheater in Greenville, SC. Get inspired to take your music ministry into your community!
Christian Musicians Come Together Video (Christianbook.com)
•October 3, 2011 • Leave a CommentHere is a good example of Christian musicians uniting to do something good for a missional cause – those devestated by the earthquake in Haiti. Our challenge is to look at this as an example, envisioning our own way of bringing musicians together – collaborating – for a missional cause.
Worship That Ignites – By Mark Powers
•September 23, 2011 • Leave a Comment“Worship that Ignites”
Let’s get it straight: God created worship for Himself! So worship is NOT about us, nor is it about what we get out of it. Instead worship is about HIM and for HIM. The word itself comes from “worth-ship” which means to show the worth of the object of worship, not to glorify the worshiper. We need desperately to learn this lesson ourselves and teach it to our people over and over again.
Jesus gave us the formula for worship when He said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all to me.” He was also foretelling his sacrificial death on the cross. But when we look at His statement applied to worship, we realize that effective worship is not guaranteed by using any particular style or format. Jesus did not say, “If you have a great praise band, or choir, or orchestra, or sing only hymns or choruses, then you will draw people to me.” Again, worship is all about lifting HIM up. Ultimately, this is the only formula that will work to ignite people first to salvation and then to mission action and discipleship.
So how can our corporate worship ignite God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission? In other words, do our worship services create missionaries for Him in our communities?
First, we must make our worship services all about Him. Many years ago I heard this quote from Ken Hemphill, “When people fall deeply in love with God, most issues of church growth resolve themselves.” Our calling as worship leaders is to help people fall deeply in love with God. The ministerial staff at Brentwood Baptist, Nashville, calls this the “worship vortex”: when corporate worship is so totally focused on God that everyone present is swept up into His presence and connects with Him. Take anything extraneous (announcements, jokes, etc) and put it before the service or at the very end. Then focus on Him with all your might.
Second, don’t break the flow. Once you begin lifting God up in worship, be sure not to break the drama of revelation and response (see Isaiah 6). The worship service is a re-telling of the gospel: God revealing Himself to us and us responding to Him personally. Don’t interrupt the story. Let the full impact of this drama play out from beginning to end so that we are caught up in this powerful portrayal, time and again.
Third, teach constantly the Biblical concept that worship is lifestyle, not just an hour on Sunday. Weekly worship services are important as corporate worship for the Body of Christ. But worship in spirit and truth means total dependence on Christ every moment of life. Constant worship is the essence of our love relationship with God. And our “worship life” flows from personal relationship into mission action because we want to share it.
True worship will ignite the people of God to be His people in their communities… not just in the church. Focus totally on God, then don’t interrupt the drama, and constantly teach worship as a lifestyle. Let’s plan worship that intentionally ignites worshipers on mission!
I Am On My Own…How Do I Get Started? – By Rick McCollum
•September 9, 2011 • Leave a CommentYou may have stumbled upon this blog, linked up from another site or heard a radio ad about getting started as a Christian music missionary right where you live. Here is a 13-step process on how to become a music missionary right where you are!
1. Commit your life to Christ. Make Him the Savior of your life.
2. Dedicate your talents to His service. Place Jesus Christ as Lord of your life – in every daily act.
3. Find a local church in which to serve. Churches are there for your support in your Christian walk and as a place where you can serve.
4. Grow as a Christ-follower. Get involved in Bible Study on your own and in a small group or Sunday School.
5. Sharpen your talent and skills with excellence. Attend workshops, classes or take private lessons to refine your skills.
6. Write out and practice your personal testimony. What was your life like before Christ? How did you sense Christ calling you to Himself? When, where and how did you accept Christ as your personal Savior? How is Christ working in your life today?
7. Develop relationships with others who are not Christian. In order to be a missionary, you must be in the mission field.
8. Pray about opportunities for sharing your giftedness. Ask God to prepare you for the task to come.
9. Study the “50 Ways to Activate the Musicianary in You” from this blog and determine where God is calling you to serve. Brainstorm as to where God might want you.
10. Offer your time and talent as God gives you the vision for your ministry. Open up your schedule to be able to serve or perhaps you can serve during other scheduled events in your life.
11. Celebrate the victories as others come to Christ. Introduce them to your church or another church so they can begin their Christian journey.
12. Share the victories with others, encouraging them, also, to become music missionaries. Tell the faithful, your family and friends about God’s movement.
13. Help others to get started as Christian music missionaries. Disciple someone by taking them through the steps you have learned.
Blog Radio Ad
•September 5, 2011 • Leave a CommentHere is a radio public service announcement for this blog. It is running on several radio stations now. Please feel free to pass on to your radion station as a public service announcement. Send a note back to this blog if the ad is running on your radio station!
How Sources Are Indicated For Blog Posts
•September 3, 2011 • Leave a CommentIn an effort to inform everyone of the source of the blog posts, the following has been included:
1. “By” Line – If the blog post was written in full as an entry for the blog, a “By” line will appear alongside the title of the post. (At the conclusion of each blog you will see “By Rick McCollum” which only means the entry was inserted into the blog by Rick McCollum, editor, not that the post was written by him). The name of the actual contributor will be posted alongside the title of the post at the top of the post article.
2. When appropriate and when possible, the source of a video will appear alongside the title of the post. This source will be in parentheses “( ).” Normally, videos or photos are only available through links to other internet sites (such as YouTube). When clicked and viewed, you can see the source of the video.
3. All comments about the videos presented and any other written entries not given credit are comments added by the editor, Rick McCollum.
How About a Pre-Teen Choir Mission Tour! (Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover, Alabama)
•September 2, 2011 • 2 CommentsThis pre-teen choir goes on mission and reaches all ages in a variety of ways. You will get inspired to see this report.
MusicArts Mission Menu for Worship Ministries – By Mark Powers
•August 30, 2011 • Leave a CommentMUSICARTS MISSION MENU FOR WORSHIP MINISTRIES
Compiled by Mark Powers,
Director, Worship & Music, SC Baptist Convention –
Here is a menu of ideas to get your Worship Ministry started with mission action to your community. Most any worship ministry in our SC churches can accomplish at least some of these. Each idea exists to build relationships for the sole purpose of sharing an intentional witness of salvation in Christ. Teach your worship teams to think and act like missionaries in these settings. Train them to comfortably share their faith and invite others to Christ. Recruit prayer teams. Follow up on relationships that are developed.
1. HOLD MISSION MUSIC SCHOOLS – You’ve done Mission VBS, now try Mission Music School! Offer children’s choir and/or music activity experiences in a local park, cross-cultural church, or multi-housing facility. It could be once-a-week for six weeks, or every night for a week. Offer guitar, singing, music reading classes, etc for teens and adults.
2 PROMOTE COMMUNITY CONCERTS – Offer to host and promote a music concert in your church auditorium in support of a local festival or arts series. Choose a Christian artist whose style fits the event and your community’s musical taste. Worship ministry members can serve as ushers, stage hands, drivers, etc.
3. JOIN YOUR LOCAL ARTS COUNCIL – Place qualified and arts-dedicated worship ministry members in position to serve on your local Community Arts Council. Train them to be a missionary in their relationships as they serve to connect local artists to your church and its ministry. Find ways for your local artists to share their giftedness as an act of worship around your church and through its ministries.
4. PROVIDE COMMUNITY FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES – Organize your worship ministry groups and individuals to perform music and art at your local festival. Praise Band, choir, orchestra, age-graded choirs, ensembles, soloists, puppets, creative movement, etc can each take a time-slot and provide ongoing “entertainment with a message” to bystanders and shoppers. Provide face painting artists and balloon artists trained in evangelistic conversations and plant missional bystanders who can turn casual conversations into witnessing moments. Partner with other churches to join you in this.
5. PERFORM OUTSIDE THE WALLS – Take your worship ministry to the Park, Mall, Outdoor Amphitheatre, Public Building Steps, or anywhere else. As above, provide face painting artists and balloon artists trained in evangelistic conversations and plant missional bystanders who can turn casual conversations into witnessing moments. Hand out Frisbees, yard sticks, small calendars, etc with a scripture and your church info imprinted.
6. PRESENT URBAN BLOCK PARTIES – Provide a block party in an urban setting. Provide community clean-up in the morning. That afternoon, bring in inflatables, cook hotdogs, and provide services such as free medical screenings while your worship groups provide music and arts onstage. Play, laugh, smile, and share what Christ means to you in every moment.
7. PRESENT SUBURBAN BLOCK PARTIES – Provide a block party in a suburban setting at a neighborhood clubhouse or pool. In the morning make front-door visits and invite homeowners. Hang a packet of material on the doorknob of those who are not at home. That afternoon, bring in inflatables and cook hotdogs, while your worship groups provide music and arts onstage. Play, laugh, smile, and share what Christ means to you in every moment.
8. ADOPT A THEATRE/CONCERT HALL – Adopt your local community playhouse or concert hall. Provide finger foods for dinner for cast and crew during production week before final rehearsals. Provide volunteer ushers for performances. Offer volunteers to help strike the set and load out after the show has ended.
9. PERFORM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO ARTISTS – Send volunteers out on Saturday mornings to take coffee, tea, fruit, danish, water, etc to artists who work in studios in art districts. Build servant relationships to build bridges into their lives. Let them know that you are serving them in Jesus’ name because you value them and their art.
10. PLACE ARTISANS IN PUBLIC VENUES – Cultivate your best solo or group performers to present music/art in local bookstores or coffeehouse settings. Barnes and Noble, Books a Million and other places will allow you to audition to present in their stores. If accepted, be sure to place one or two others who are adept at casual witnessing to be in the audience and engage listeners in conversations.
11. ADOPT-A-SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM – Go meet your local school chorus/art/band/drama teachers and offer them your help. Help them set up and run the PA system for programs, supply volunteer ushers, offer to print and copy their program, provide a party for the performers the day after the performance, etc.
12. GO TO JAIL/PRISON – Call the chaplain at your local jail or prison and offer your worship groups to come and present programs for the inmates. You can even present your Easter or Christmas musical in a simplified form at the prison in preparation for presentation at your church.
13. SING FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS/SOUP KITCHENS – Your worship groups and artists will be welcomed at shelters and homeless centers especially if you help serve the meal then sing for those assembled afterwards.
14. GO TO DRUG & ALCOHOL REHAB CENTERS AND HALFWAY HOUSES – Many lonely people in rehab are just waiting for someone to visit and present them hope and friendship. Music and arts can build bridges into their lives.
15. HIT THE RETIREMENT VILLAGES – Nursing Homes are a no-brainer, but have you thought of presenting art for the numerous retirement villages that are springing up across our land? Here are vibrant senior adults who are clustered in communities for social interaction and minimal health care needs. Many are eager to hear your message in art and hungering for interaction with younger people.
16. WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS????? Register for this site, then comment on this article to share your ideas and successes!
Soul Revival Gospel Band – Redeeming the Song (Soul Revival Band from Greenwood, South Carolina)
•August 29, 2011 • Leave a CommentIf you have heard the Swingin’ Medallions beach band, you’ve heard the style and sound of Soul Revival Gospel Band. That is because this band started out as members from the great beach music band, the Swingin’ Medallions! Based out of Greenwood, SC, this band has the professional sound of beach music, but they have redeemed the songs! Soul Revival was formed in February 2002. They take “oldies but goodies” from the 50s, 60s and 70s and write new lyrics. The revised words contain a positive Christian message. Most of the melodies they play would be considered beach, rhythm & blues, disco, or 50’s rock & roll.The group’s vision is to provide a type of music that would attract all ages of people with a familiar tune that they would recognize and tell them about Jesus with the words. I’ve had them perform at my church and believe me, you’ve never heard anything quite like it. They are truly music missionaries because they speak the music language of the people but bring them the Christian message. You can find them at http://www.medallions.com/soulrevival/index8.html The idea is simple – if you have a secular band but you are Christians and want to witness for the Lord, keep the style but change the lyrics…..redeem the song!
Music Ministry Studios (Riverland Hills Baptist Church of Columbia, South Carolina)
•August 24, 2011 • Leave a CommentRiverland Hills Baptist Church of Columbia, SC, has developed Music Ministry Studios that reaches out to the community and provides music training by Christian musicians. Director of the Studios is Cindy Burn who says this about the Music Ministry Studios:
“For some time one of my goals was to find a way for our students to take our message outside the walls of our church. Certainly, I believe that the criteria alone of who we are serves the overall community and city. We are open to all students regardless of their church membership or lack thereof. I would say that 50% of our students are non members. Many of these students throughout the years have come to be a part of RHBC in many other ways and are bringing along their families. Many of our faculty have chosen to participate in our orchestra and we are readying some older students for ministry among our children’s choir program and providing opportunities to show to our people what they are learning. But getting out, literally, into the community will be accomplished this year as we have scheduled 3 dates to take 10-12 students to one of our assisted living facilities nearby to perform for their residents. We intend for it to be much more than a performance, however; we will spend time with these folks and minister through the loving hands of young people. Our mission is to provide excellence in music education while we promote the cause of Christ and the value of music in our churches.”
Take a look at their Music Ministry Studios brochure: musicbrochure
Rick McCollum
worshipersonmission 