After a very busy couple of weeks that included a trip out of town, then out of town company, then taking my son to the hotel for his Air Force induction, I finally get time to sit down and write.
Our trip was to a convention featuring many different artists. It was pretty good and we enjoyed visiting people and meeting new ones. However, I noticed a few things about some of the groups that greatly disturbed me.
Right off the bat a very popular trio got up and sang. They were actually very good but they used so many stacks in their background vocals that it made it sound like a choir. While the average SG listener could care less, it bothers me to hear tracks that are stacked to the point it sounds fake. If you want to be a choir-be in one or get one for your events. The second group that got up on stage also used stacks. The problem here was two-fold. First of all they used stacked tracks from the original national group. How do I know? I have seen the original group perform the same song plus the vocals on the solos did not compare with the stacked chorus. If you do not have the vocal ability to compare with the stacks, get rid of the stacks. It is just too obvious. This group did not have the vocal ability to cover the song they were doing, period. They weren't bad, but they weren't up to the national group's level. Plain and simply, know your abilities and your limits.
Another thing I noticed from the performances. Imitation. Several groups that are fairly popular regionally and on the edge of national recognition are imitating Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. They need to stop for several reasons. The most obvious one is that they are EHSSQ. I don't care what anyone says, Ernie's group is unique in one sense but very traditional in the other. They have their own schtick and no one can do it like they do. While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, these other groups are not doing Signature Sound or themselves any favors. They are not impressive when they don't have their own identity. Plain and simply, if you are going to sing in SG be who you are, not who someone else is. And if you insist on imitating, be on the same vocal ability level as the original. Since I am not naming names, I will just say that one group in particular (who have a large following) cannot keep up vocally with EHSSQ or even other groups on their own level. I was definitely not impressed.
The third thing that I had a hard time with is the song tag. SEVERAL groups would finish their "get 'em out of their chairs dancing" songs then start that tag at the end. Did it further the message? NO Was it unique or special? NO All it did was feed the ego of the singers on stage and get an emotion driven response that had nothing to do with worship. One tag is fine, but FIVE? Yes, one group did five.
Another thing. When you are given a time limit, stick to it. That is just professional courtesy. One group in particular did a 4 1/2 minute song, another 3 minute song, and then a 5 minute song. What was the time limit they were supposed to fit into? 8 minutes. When they finished their second song they actually looked at the audience and said they had another five minutes. What they had was 30 seconds. The audience was made up of mainly other artists, with a few fans in their as well. The lack of respect for the other artists shows when groups like this blatantly flaunt the rules of a well-run event. There was only one group asked to go over their time and that was because they closed the event and did the invitation. That is appropriate, the other group was not.
Overall, this particular convention was well put together, fast paced and very enjoyable. My observations here are not criticisms of the organization or the convention. They are the things I noticed with individual groups. The things that pastors and fans complain about.
It is time to start RESPECTING Southern Gospel and working with the ones who we are to be ministering to. Until that happens, we are not going to draw more people, we are going to lose them. When people hear good SG for the first time, they are drawn to the message of the music and the quality of the music. If what they see and hear is either mediocre, phony, or done to feed the egos of the performers, they won't stick around very long.
We need to get with it.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 5, 2007
Taking the steps
Yesterday, my pastor had a great message. It was about learning God's secrets. While secrets and mysteries can be used synonymously, they actually denote two different things.
Secrets are things we know that someone else doesn't know, but can (and usually are) shared. Mysteries are puzzles we have to figure out. Neither secrets or mysteries are impossible, they can be figured out.
Within this sermon, my pastor pointed out that there are steps to determining the answers to God's secrets and mysteries and that they are available to us all. That got me to thinking-what are the secrets of success in Southern Gospel? There are those who will say being in the right place at the right time is the secret to success in this industry, but I have to disagree. If you haven't followed the steps, it doesn't matter whether you are in the right place at the right time or not because you don't have the firm foundation that helps reveal what God has already given.
God's secrets are already revealed. They are revealed to those who believe. His mysteries are another matter. He reveals those as we are ready and prepared for them, and some will not be revealed until we are with Him.
Many people ask about the secret to success in SG. The first thing to realize is what that person's definition of success is. If you are thinking of success in terms of monetary rewards or material things, forget it. If you are in it to count the number of souls saved from your singing, then you are focused on the wrong thing there too. I will explain that statement in a minute. While that can happen, it should not be the measure of success in this industry. That isn't only because of the way the industry is structured but also because it puts the focus in the wrong place.
While there are stories about SG singers who were saved after they had been singing for 20 years, they are actually just a small part of the entire SG community. Real success comes from a firm foundation in the Lord and obedience to God. There are many great singers and groups out there who are never heard of because that wasn't the direction the Lord took them. There are many who may be known within the industry and are well-respected but the general public doesn't know who they are. Does that mean they aren't successful? Absolutely not, because they are obedient to the place the Lord has put them to make the most impact, and only want to be obedient to the Lord's calling on their lives.
I said I would explain the reference to those who count the number of souls saved. Think about it. While it makes us feel good to say "We sang at (fill in the blank) and (number here) came forward and rededicated or were saved. That makes (number here) that have been saved thru my ministry." Well, where is the focus of the ministry at this point? On the results of what that singer or group has done. While many excuses are used for putting out (I call it bragging) this information, the underlying idea is "Look what I have done" as if the Lord had nothing to do with it. Sorry, folks, you are the vessel (if you are obedient to His calling) He does the work! Give Him the glory and take no credit for yourself. To say "the Lord allowed me to witness" is a much better attitude and a truer statement. Our group has been involved in two or three things where a massive number of people came forward and all we could do is cry tears of joy. The feeling that comes from simply being used by the Lord to impact people for Him is amazing because I just don't see why He would use any of us. But He does.
To be available to be used by the Lord takes some work. It doesn't just happen. You have to follow the steps. I have already given the only two steps you really need. Yes there are alot of little steps that are industry specific within those two, but these two steps are essential for life.
1. Build a firm foundation. Is the foundation of your group or solo ministry in the Lord? Do you study His word? Do you spend alot of time in prayer? Do you praise Him, even when the results aren't what you expected or planned for? Do you trust Him with every fiber of your being? These are essential things to build a good ministry. If you aren't firmly built on Him as the foundation of your personal life, your ministry is not firmly planted on Him as the foundation of it as well.
Specific to SG, have you built a musical foundation of practice and training? Has God given you the ability to do what you feel called to do? I love to sing, but instead of time to practice and train, the Lord gave me five kids. I have spent a lot of my adult life changing diapers, running to football practices, school events, Special Olympics and the like. Time to practice and train wasn't available. But I love music, I have a heart for music and understand it. If only I had the time to practice and train. But, the Lord didn't give me the ability. Now we come to the crux of the matter. No ability makes the practice and train thing a moot point. Some people were not given that ability. Does that mean I have to give up on the calling I feel to be a part of music? No. I found other venues that are just as important. I do our groups website, I keep the schedule book, I run the sound at most of our events, and I am able to interact with people and encourage them thru this. Most importantly, I support my husband because God gave him the ability.
So to sum up this step-First get the foundation built. Build your personal foundation on the Word of God and time with God. Then build your ministry foundation with ability, practice, and training. And don't forget to learn. Learn about the industry and the little details of what is expected of you at different venues. Communicate with the audience members, try to get a sense of their need.
There is only one other step, really.
2. Obedience. Are you obedient to the Lord in your personal life? This can cover so many aspects I won't go into them all. But you know what they are-tithe, church attendance, prayer, Bible reading, etc., etc. If you are obedient to the Lord personally, then your ministry will be blessed because you will be obedient to Him there as well.
In SG, obedience to the Lord may mean going to that church of 30 people and singing for no money. It could mean putting aside denominational and racial bias and going to a church where you think you have nothing in common with the members. It may mean flying halfway around the world and learning a foreign language so that you can take the gospel message there. The Lord expects you to think things thru carefully by all means, but if He insists you must be obedient and go. Being obedient to the Lord is an amazing thing. The blessings that come from the people you meet always make the inconvenience worth it.
Yes, obedience to the Lord can be inconvenient. I love my church, but lately, because of our group schedule I feel like a stranger there. It is inconvenient to stay in a hotel when you are a homebody like me, it is inconvenient to get up at 4 am on a Saturday or Sunday morning when you got to bed at midnight the night before. But it isn't about convenience, it is about obedience. If you are called, inconvenience becomes a blessing, no matter how tired you are.
So to sum this step up-be obedient to the Lord. Obedience in your personal life is essential to obedience in your ministry. If you aren't used to being obedient personally, obedience in ministry is much harder to come by. It will be easier to say, "Lord, that just doesn't work for me" and then you have allowed sin to enter your ministry.
This past week, the Lord has made it clear to our group that He intends on sending us farther than we thought we would ever go. The interesting thing is that it is in the opposite direction of where we thought it would be if we did expand. The saying "Go west, young man" is very appropriate in this. Since the expenses of our group are paid by the people who choose to give love offerings and who choose to buy product, we don't have a clue how this will be funded. That doesn't mean we won't go. In fact, it is the exact opposite. We know and have learned that when He tells us to do something, He has always provided the way. That way may not be the way we expect, or the accomodations we expect (do you know how many "quaint" hotels there are in the world?) but our needs for what He calls us to do will be met.
Secrets are things we know that someone else doesn't know, but can (and usually are) shared. Mysteries are puzzles we have to figure out. Neither secrets or mysteries are impossible, they can be figured out.
Within this sermon, my pastor pointed out that there are steps to determining the answers to God's secrets and mysteries and that they are available to us all. That got me to thinking-what are the secrets of success in Southern Gospel? There are those who will say being in the right place at the right time is the secret to success in this industry, but I have to disagree. If you haven't followed the steps, it doesn't matter whether you are in the right place at the right time or not because you don't have the firm foundation that helps reveal what God has already given.
God's secrets are already revealed. They are revealed to those who believe. His mysteries are another matter. He reveals those as we are ready and prepared for them, and some will not be revealed until we are with Him.
Many people ask about the secret to success in SG. The first thing to realize is what that person's definition of success is. If you are thinking of success in terms of monetary rewards or material things, forget it. If you are in it to count the number of souls saved from your singing, then you are focused on the wrong thing there too. I will explain that statement in a minute. While that can happen, it should not be the measure of success in this industry. That isn't only because of the way the industry is structured but also because it puts the focus in the wrong place.
While there are stories about SG singers who were saved after they had been singing for 20 years, they are actually just a small part of the entire SG community. Real success comes from a firm foundation in the Lord and obedience to God. There are many great singers and groups out there who are never heard of because that wasn't the direction the Lord took them. There are many who may be known within the industry and are well-respected but the general public doesn't know who they are. Does that mean they aren't successful? Absolutely not, because they are obedient to the place the Lord has put them to make the most impact, and only want to be obedient to the Lord's calling on their lives.
I said I would explain the reference to those who count the number of souls saved. Think about it. While it makes us feel good to say "We sang at (fill in the blank) and (number here) came forward and rededicated or were saved. That makes (number here) that have been saved thru my ministry." Well, where is the focus of the ministry at this point? On the results of what that singer or group has done. While many excuses are used for putting out (I call it bragging) this information, the underlying idea is "Look what I have done" as if the Lord had nothing to do with it. Sorry, folks, you are the vessel (if you are obedient to His calling) He does the work! Give Him the glory and take no credit for yourself. To say "the Lord allowed me to witness" is a much better attitude and a truer statement. Our group has been involved in two or three things where a massive number of people came forward and all we could do is cry tears of joy. The feeling that comes from simply being used by the Lord to impact people for Him is amazing because I just don't see why He would use any of us. But He does.
To be available to be used by the Lord takes some work. It doesn't just happen. You have to follow the steps. I have already given the only two steps you really need. Yes there are alot of little steps that are industry specific within those two, but these two steps are essential for life.
1. Build a firm foundation. Is the foundation of your group or solo ministry in the Lord? Do you study His word? Do you spend alot of time in prayer? Do you praise Him, even when the results aren't what you expected or planned for? Do you trust Him with every fiber of your being? These are essential things to build a good ministry. If you aren't firmly built on Him as the foundation of your personal life, your ministry is not firmly planted on Him as the foundation of it as well.
Specific to SG, have you built a musical foundation of practice and training? Has God given you the ability to do what you feel called to do? I love to sing, but instead of time to practice and train, the Lord gave me five kids. I have spent a lot of my adult life changing diapers, running to football practices, school events, Special Olympics and the like. Time to practice and train wasn't available. But I love music, I have a heart for music and understand it. If only I had the time to practice and train. But, the Lord didn't give me the ability. Now we come to the crux of the matter. No ability makes the practice and train thing a moot point. Some people were not given that ability. Does that mean I have to give up on the calling I feel to be a part of music? No. I found other venues that are just as important. I do our groups website, I keep the schedule book, I run the sound at most of our events, and I am able to interact with people and encourage them thru this. Most importantly, I support my husband because God gave him the ability.
So to sum up this step-First get the foundation built. Build your personal foundation on the Word of God and time with God. Then build your ministry foundation with ability, practice, and training. And don't forget to learn. Learn about the industry and the little details of what is expected of you at different venues. Communicate with the audience members, try to get a sense of their need.
There is only one other step, really.
2. Obedience. Are you obedient to the Lord in your personal life? This can cover so many aspects I won't go into them all. But you know what they are-tithe, church attendance, prayer, Bible reading, etc., etc. If you are obedient to the Lord personally, then your ministry will be blessed because you will be obedient to Him there as well.
In SG, obedience to the Lord may mean going to that church of 30 people and singing for no money. It could mean putting aside denominational and racial bias and going to a church where you think you have nothing in common with the members. It may mean flying halfway around the world and learning a foreign language so that you can take the gospel message there. The Lord expects you to think things thru carefully by all means, but if He insists you must be obedient and go. Being obedient to the Lord is an amazing thing. The blessings that come from the people you meet always make the inconvenience worth it.
Yes, obedience to the Lord can be inconvenient. I love my church, but lately, because of our group schedule I feel like a stranger there. It is inconvenient to stay in a hotel when you are a homebody like me, it is inconvenient to get up at 4 am on a Saturday or Sunday morning when you got to bed at midnight the night before. But it isn't about convenience, it is about obedience. If you are called, inconvenience becomes a blessing, no matter how tired you are.
So to sum this step up-be obedient to the Lord. Obedience in your personal life is essential to obedience in your ministry. If you aren't used to being obedient personally, obedience in ministry is much harder to come by. It will be easier to say, "Lord, that just doesn't work for me" and then you have allowed sin to enter your ministry.
This past week, the Lord has made it clear to our group that He intends on sending us farther than we thought we would ever go. The interesting thing is that it is in the opposite direction of where we thought it would be if we did expand. The saying "Go west, young man" is very appropriate in this. Since the expenses of our group are paid by the people who choose to give love offerings and who choose to buy product, we don't have a clue how this will be funded. That doesn't mean we won't go. In fact, it is the exact opposite. We know and have learned that when He tells us to do something, He has always provided the way. That way may not be the way we expect, or the accomodations we expect (do you know how many "quaint" hotels there are in the world?) but our needs for what He calls us to do will be met.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Are You Really Ministry-Minded?
For my first post, I have chosen a subject that is controversial for many people in the Southern Gospel industry.
We have all heard the saying "Their heart is in the right place" when referencing groups or soloists who are just bad. I can't tell you how much that comment gets on my nerves.
Before I launch into my tirade about why it is wrong to totally focus on this part of a person's ministry, let me just say up front that I am not questioning anyone's salvation or their heart for God. These are just my observations, and one's I have gathered from others in my little world, on the prevalence in SG to accept less than the best.
My question has to do with whether the group or soloist who performs so badly that unsaved people walk out on them are truly doing it for God or for themselves.
According to Webster's New World Dictionary ministry is "the act of ministering, or serving". Minister is defined as "to give help to". Roget's Thesaurus lists help and foster as two words used in place of minister. Taking these definitions and synonyms into account, it is beyond me how anyone who performs SG publicly on a regular basis and sees people walk out on them on a regular basis can believe that they are ministering. I am not talking about people who have to leave or go take care of personal business during an event, I am talking about people who may be unsaved being disgusted with the quality of talent they are hearing and walking out, possibly never to know the Lord as their Savior.
In discussing this idea with several people it has been pointed out to me that there is a big difference between singing in your home church and going out into a public forum and singing. Once you make the leap to a public ministry, the requirements change. First of all, you are no longer singing to "home folks" who love you and are willing to overlook your lack of talent because they know you love the Lord. Once you make the move to a public ministry you are singing to people who do not know you, and (quite frankly) may judge you on the level of talent you have. What they know of you isn't how much you do at your church for the Lord, or how much time you spend in Bible study at church or at home, or how much you give over and above your tithe as ways to show your love of the Lord, what they know of you is what they hear coming out of your mouth. If it isn't good, people who are not saved and looking for the answers they need only see that you like to sing, albeit badly. Remember unsaved people aren't looking at the same things a saved person is, they are looking from a different perspective.
The Bible says "Study to show thyself approved." I want to know why this doesn't apply in the gospel music field. All it takes is to get yourself booked in places, and for the rest of us to say, "We know their heart is good, so it is okay." So the performers who do not have the ability to do it are given a pass by those of us who know better.
The Bible also says to play music skillfully. How is it skillful if it is off beat, out of tune, and just noise to all but the select few who don't care how bad it is? It isn't, and that is the gospel truth.
Skill is defined as a great ability or proficiency. I think we can all agree that music is meant to be on beat and on key at the very least.
The other thing about jumping to the public ministry forum from your home church is performance. Do you have to dance around or whatever to impress people? No, and I am not saying that it is wrong. Our group moves around, bounces, sometimes dances and can be seen as manic at times. However, the hardest groups or soloists to sit through are the ones that do not do anything accept sing. When you combine that with the lack of ability to sing, it is absolutely horrendous. It is not only boring, it makes even me question why they took that stage to begin with. If you take a public stage and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through song, no matter how bad you are, people should be able to at least tell you enjoy doing what you feel the Lord has called you to do. Telling people about Jesus is the happiest thing in the world, and out of it, don't make an unsaved person think that it will be the end of their lives if they accept Him. They should be feeling like their life is beginning. In a nutshell, being a sourpuss Christian with no talent is even worse than a happy Christian with no talent.
Once you take your personal ministry public you have a whole new set of responsibilities. You become responsible for presenting Jesus to people not only through the songs you sing, but through your ability, your attitude and your public demeanor. Privately, we all have bad days and we fail, but the listening audience at that event should never know that. Does that mean to act and think holier than thou? No, but the way you present yourself and the message, if truly done with a humble heart, will do that for you. Your only purpose should be to engage your audience to get their attention to the Gospel message. You can't do that if they are struggling to get past your inability to sing the songs.
If no one tells you that you need to do something else for the Lord, or most people don't, you are not absolved of the responsibility of this spiritual gut check. Go into the studio, record yourself, listen to yourself. If you are truly listening with a heart for the Lord, you will hear how good or bad it is. If you think you are good, or settle for anything less than the best (not just your best) then you need to ask yourself if you are truly ministry-minded or if your real reasons are because you like to hear your own voice.
We have all heard the saying "Their heart is in the right place" when referencing groups or soloists who are just bad. I can't tell you how much that comment gets on my nerves.
Before I launch into my tirade about why it is wrong to totally focus on this part of a person's ministry, let me just say up front that I am not questioning anyone's salvation or their heart for God. These are just my observations, and one's I have gathered from others in my little world, on the prevalence in SG to accept less than the best.
My question has to do with whether the group or soloist who performs so badly that unsaved people walk out on them are truly doing it for God or for themselves.
According to Webster's New World Dictionary ministry is "the act of ministering, or serving". Minister is defined as "to give help to". Roget's Thesaurus lists help and foster as two words used in place of minister. Taking these definitions and synonyms into account, it is beyond me how anyone who performs SG publicly on a regular basis and sees people walk out on them on a regular basis can believe that they are ministering. I am not talking about people who have to leave or go take care of personal business during an event, I am talking about people who may be unsaved being disgusted with the quality of talent they are hearing and walking out, possibly never to know the Lord as their Savior.
In discussing this idea with several people it has been pointed out to me that there is a big difference between singing in your home church and going out into a public forum and singing. Once you make the leap to a public ministry, the requirements change. First of all, you are no longer singing to "home folks" who love you and are willing to overlook your lack of talent because they know you love the Lord. Once you make the move to a public ministry you are singing to people who do not know you, and (quite frankly) may judge you on the level of talent you have. What they know of you isn't how much you do at your church for the Lord, or how much time you spend in Bible study at church or at home, or how much you give over and above your tithe as ways to show your love of the Lord, what they know of you is what they hear coming out of your mouth. If it isn't good, people who are not saved and looking for the answers they need only see that you like to sing, albeit badly. Remember unsaved people aren't looking at the same things a saved person is, they are looking from a different perspective.
The Bible says "Study to show thyself approved." I want to know why this doesn't apply in the gospel music field. All it takes is to get yourself booked in places, and for the rest of us to say, "We know their heart is good, so it is okay." So the performers who do not have the ability to do it are given a pass by those of us who know better.
The Bible also says to play music skillfully. How is it skillful if it is off beat, out of tune, and just noise to all but the select few who don't care how bad it is? It isn't, and that is the gospel truth.
Skill is defined as a great ability or proficiency. I think we can all agree that music is meant to be on beat and on key at the very least.
The other thing about jumping to the public ministry forum from your home church is performance. Do you have to dance around or whatever to impress people? No, and I am not saying that it is wrong. Our group moves around, bounces, sometimes dances and can be seen as manic at times. However, the hardest groups or soloists to sit through are the ones that do not do anything accept sing. When you combine that with the lack of ability to sing, it is absolutely horrendous. It is not only boring, it makes even me question why they took that stage to begin with. If you take a public stage and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through song, no matter how bad you are, people should be able to at least tell you enjoy doing what you feel the Lord has called you to do. Telling people about Jesus is the happiest thing in the world, and out of it, don't make an unsaved person think that it will be the end of their lives if they accept Him. They should be feeling like their life is beginning. In a nutshell, being a sourpuss Christian with no talent is even worse than a happy Christian with no talent.
Once you take your personal ministry public you have a whole new set of responsibilities. You become responsible for presenting Jesus to people not only through the songs you sing, but through your ability, your attitude and your public demeanor. Privately, we all have bad days and we fail, but the listening audience at that event should never know that. Does that mean to act and think holier than thou? No, but the way you present yourself and the message, if truly done with a humble heart, will do that for you. Your only purpose should be to engage your audience to get their attention to the Gospel message. You can't do that if they are struggling to get past your inability to sing the songs.
If no one tells you that you need to do something else for the Lord, or most people don't, you are not absolved of the responsibility of this spiritual gut check. Go into the studio, record yourself, listen to yourself. If you are truly listening with a heart for the Lord, you will hear how good or bad it is. If you think you are good, or settle for anything less than the best (not just your best) then you need to ask yourself if you are truly ministry-minded or if your real reasons are because you like to hear your own voice.
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