One of the greatest tools we have at our church is called “Xpress Faith Columbia.” Although it is multi-layered in its approach, one part that mobilizes choir members is a webpage of testimonies. Take a look at this page: http://www.expressfaithcolumbia.com/joomla/stories.html Also, you will see a video of more Xpress Faith Columbia Testimonies here on this blog.
If you are interested in having an “Xpress Faith” campaign at your church, contact Rick McCollum at 803-736-0624.
50 Scripture Passages that Motivate Worshipers to Mission
“Why a MusicArts Mission Movement?” – Mark Powers, SCBC
From the moment I accepted the offer to become Worship & Music Director in the Fall of 2007, I knew that God had something different in store for me to do. Publishing nice brochures, planning training events and camps, and resourcing our 2100 SC Baptist churches is a great job and lots of fun. But I sensed that there was something more that God wanted from me in my new leadership position. After 28 years as a full-time worship leader in SC churches and now as Worship & Music Director, I assumed that the task ahead would be all about worship. I was only partially right.
In the spring of 2010, while sick at home with bronchitis, God distinctly spoke to me and revealed a plan for our worship ministries to go beyond weekly worship and pour out our giftedness into our communities. (No, it was not the medicine talking!)
The evangelical church has been in a worship revolution for the past 30 years or so, and that has been much needed. In the process, however, we have often made worship an end-in-itself. But God calls His church to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission as our primary goal. So worship rightfully should be a means to igniting us to the mission of winning the world and making disciples for Christ.
After much prayer and consulting with wise counselors, I shaped the vision and began to share it. In August 2010, we announced the MusicArts Mission Movement (M3) at the SC Worship Summit at White Oak. The following month, 6 young worship leaders and two ministry coaches joined me to shape the movement. Meeting monthly in the context of Leaders Edge training, we joined in prayer and study and visioning together. Along the way, God brought clarity as well as other people and organizations to join us as partners.
In December, I had the privilege of presenting the M3 concept to fellow State Music Directors at the Lifeway Summit in Nashville and then taught a class about it at the Baptist Church Music Conference in June, 2011 in Houston. Those who hear about the movement seem very receptive because they know that 80% of our Southern Baptist Churches are plateau’d or dying. Across the American church, there has been a cry for the church to become missional again in all it does. Yet many churches remain complacent and self-centered. But in SC, all those partnering in the M3 effort are ready to take action and get to work.
In September 2011, our office is starting four M3 Regional Resource Groups which will meet monthly for worship leaders to study, pray, receive resources, and plan ways to lead their worship teams to impact their communities for Christ. Stay tuned to this blog for more information. Or e-mail me at markpowers@scbaptist.org to enquire about the sign-up process for a Regional Resource Group near you. Let’s show the rest of the USA how to follow Christ into the world using worship arts and serving our communities.
This song/video by Steven Curtis Chapman is inspirational to motivate a passion about missions because it is all Yours, God! Claim your city for God!
Ministers of Music Jason Burley and Adam Langley collaborate to form a Community Choir and bring Christian music to their great city. Love Loud was a contemporary gospel concert that included over 100 singers from 6-7 churches in the area and a 20 piece orchestra. The music was fabulous, and it was such a great and fun way for our churches to share God’s love in the community. Jason and Adam put in many hours of planning, promoting, and rehearsing. Love Loud coincided with the Red Rose Festival.
THE WC
I call it the “WC.” That does not stand for water closet (which is the term used in England for rest room). Instead, it stands for “Worship Choir.” On that “WC” file at my church, I have all kinds of information, including the list of every person who has ever sung in our choir, any person who has indicated they might be interested in singing with us and all people who have been submitted as prospects for our choir. With one look at this list, I can tell you which service they attend, whether or not they are active, their vocal part, which folder and robe they use, their birthday, their height, their mailing address, email address, phone numbers, the last time I contacted them, how I made that contact, when to make the next contact and any other pertinent comments about them.
Yes, my choir members know that I have this tool and that I use it. In fact, I get teased about knowing everything about them, including their blood type (I don’t really know that information). Yet, this tool has proven helpful in activating musicians. Even those who are inactive from ministry for years get contacts. Some of these include people who have stopped coming to church altogether. Not too long ago, a baritone in my choir who had become inactive and not darkened the church doors in nearly ten years, rejoined our choir specifically because of my persistent contacts. He probably would have become “out of sight, out of mind” if not for this WC tool to keep me reminded.
This is a tool I developed for myself three decades ago and it is still serving me well. What started out as a card file became a Word document and now is an Excel file. It could probably serve as my “home page” for my computer because it is the most used file on my network. Why is that? It is because people are the reason for ministry. With the best music in the world, still neither ministry nor missions can come to life without the people. More than that, I see each person as gifted and called to be used by God. Therefore, when a person who is gifted tells me “no,” I take that as a “not now.” People do go through seasons of life when they, perhaps because of medical or personal issues, cannot get activated into the church music ministry. However, even if they cannot see their calling, it is my duty to make sure they are reminded throughout their life of that giftedness and the calling to use it for the kingdom.
Activation is the starting place for a lifetime of music missions. Using a tool like the WC in my ministry keeps me reminded of the name of every person that I have sensed God is calling to activate their giftedness. I pray for them and contact them. I seek them out and give them reminders. I challenge them and offer them ways to be equipped. The WC is just a tool, but it is a great one for me and one of the biggest ways that I can stay focused on people instead of focused on the mechanics of the music ministry. It is also the first step of activating individuals to a lifetime of being on mission with music.
Join Global Missions Project and take the music of God around the world.
One of today’s missional movement guys is interviewed on what it all means. In this video, Eric Swanson interviews Reggie McNeal about missional churches while Keith Young scribes.
50 WAYS TO MOBILIZE THE “MUSICIANARIES” IN YOUR CHURCH
Here are examples of how church music groups can use music to be on mission for Christ. Groups may include vocal or instrumental choirs or ensembles.
50 WAYS TO ACTIVATE THE “MUSICIANARY” IN YOU
Here are examples of how one person can use music to be on mission for Christ.
Rick McCollum
worshipersonmission 