January 4, 2010
Ministry Tools
Bob Burroughs
Quote
The day you were born, the world rejoiced—and you cried. Live in such a manner that when you die, the world will cry—and you will rejoice. (Indian Proverb)
Scripture
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
Prayer
Jesus: Redeemer. Lord of the Second Chance. Friend. Counselor. Morning Star. Gentle Savior. Giver of all good things. Today, I pray for all who are involved in ministry. I pray that this New Year will be one of great opportunity, great love for others, quality time with family, renewal and refreshment, and one that will give each a closer walk with You. Thank you for the New Year, that each page is clean and we have the opportunity to write what goes on those pages. ‘Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the facing of these days.’ This prayer is in the name of You, Jesus--the Christ, the Savior, the King of kings and LORD of the universe. Amen.
What Think Ye?
The Journey Is Ours!
The journey into 2010 is indeed our journey. We have the potential and opportunity to make it a great and remarkable year--or we can make the choice to keep on doing what we've been doing and think that no one will know the difference.
Mediocrity is sort of like 'the frog in the kettle.' It just gradually shows up without fanfare or with flashing lights. It slowly begins to surround us when we lose the challenge to do better work, be a better musician, strive for excellence over average, and/or get into the mode that we know everything and don't need to refresh, refuel, regroup or renew our personal skills, programs or our walk with the LORD--who called us into the Vineyard where we now serve.
I know of a church that has sung the marvelous anthem, My Eternal King, by Jane Marshall (Carl Fischer Music), as the Easter anthem for the past 30 years. The choir still uses the music and the conductor still has his head in the score--as if it is a new piece! I cannot conceive of this kind of ministry being challenging to the singers or the conductor! Yes, it is a great anthem, but there are new and exciting Easter pieces now available and accessible that can be as inspirational as this one--if one will be open and willing to search.
2010 offers the same amount of time for each of us--no exceptions. YOU have the choice to be above average and lead your people to step up and grow a bit in the New Year or you have the choice to stay in the same old rut that has been around for some time now. Which will it be?
What think ye ? 
Leadership
Leaders for the New Century
We are now 10 years into the 21st century. Leith Anderson, noted author, pastor and leader, comments "Christian leaders MUST believe God is leading His people into the future. The leader must seek to lead people to lean into the future.”
That is such a great comment: “…lean into the future.”
How many people in your church, on committees, in your choirs/ensembles, and even staff members actually lean into the future themselves—let along bring people along with them? I can tell you now: not very many.
Here some thoughts that might cause you to think about “…leading people to lean into the future.”
• Lead them to concentrate on present needs and not past successes. One of the dangers of past successes is the tendency to settle into past-focused thinking. Today’s leaders must focus on NOW needs. How can you lead your people to think this way?
• You must find a few people of vision. Unfortunately, most church and staff people are not persons of vision. But a church needs only a few. Surround yourself with people who think “future." Help your people catch the NOW and FUTURE vision.
• Be a leader who looks out the window. Every organization—especially in the church--needs a leader who looks out the window, outside the church walls to 
the world that is NOW and in the FUTURE. If you and your staff are now leading your people in this direction, you may be stuck in the PAST!
• Future-thinking leaders must have pecific strategies. Simply looking ahead is not enough. Your vision must translate into specific opportunities rather than continually presenting problems. Recently, a church found itself ready to add a staff member, and the position narrowed to either a Minister of Counseling or a Singles Pastor. The church couldn't afford both. When the church committee began to look at projections for the area's singles population, they were stunned. The possible growth of this people group were astounding. They quickly realized that many Christian counselors existed in the area, but their congregation needed to seize the opportunity for a singles ministry.
Each leader and/or staff member should ask these questions to each other and to the church:
• How might our church's past prevent us from building a great future?
• How can we honor the past without being chained to it?
• Are we ministering in a relevant way to the contemporary need?
Once these questions are brought out into the open and the people have opportunity to think, ponder, and discuss the options, the church should begin to have a future-looking prospect. Without doing this, the church is destined to remain on the plateau.
http://www.winamp.com/plugins/download/95214
Family
To Whom It May Concern:
In this year of 2010. I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided that I would like to accept the responsibilities of being a 6-year old again. Here’s what I wish to do:
• I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant. 
• I want to think M&Ms are better than money, because you can eat them.
• I want to lie under a big Oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer day.
• I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all I knew were colors, multiplication tables and simple nursery rhymes.
• I want to think that the world is fair and that everyone in it is honest and good.
• I want to believe again that anything is possible.
• I want to be oblivious to the complexity of life and be overly excited by little things.
• I want to return to the days when reading was fun and music was clean.
• I would spend my afternoons climbing trees and riding my bike.
• I want to live simple again.
• I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind and making angels in the snow.
I want to be 6 again. How ‘bout you?
This Idea Will Work 
Begin the New Year Right!
Here are some thoughts to keep a Minister of Music on the cutting edge in 2010:
• A learning, inquisitive and thinking Minister of music needs to read much about such topics as • leadership • vision for the future • purpose • ministry
• Reading these kinds of articles, books and papers will not bring INSTANT improvement, but what is gleaned and taken from such reading will be lasting.
• Every minister of music should embark on an avenue of some personal study and share what you are learning and gleaning along the way with the choir. One such topic could be the area of worship and what is happening these days that is different than your style or philosophy of worship.
• Every minister of music should develop his own personal philosophy of worship and music in his/her church. Make ownership of this philosophy broad and include lots of others in the development process. Remember: you are leading a congregation each week in this philosophy of worship...and it needs to be their philosophy as well as yours.
• Bring in someone to hear and/or rehearse your choir on a regular basis—at least twice a year. The guest will re-enforce many of the things you are teaching the choir, and the choir will enjoy the change. Fall or winter choir retreats are good times to bring in a special guest to conduct the choir. Make sure it is someone you trust, know well, and respect.
• Ministers of music should attend at least two major music conferences each year! There are a multitude of good conferences now available to the aspiring and growing church musician. Select only those conferences that will improve your musicianship—and refresh your spiritual journey.
This Idea Will Work!
http://www.winamp.com/plugins/download/95214
Humor
To read more of this week's MME, please click here.
© 2010 Creator Magazine All Rights Reserved