Using Multi-Media 2 - Creating a Mood (75)

One of the greatest strengths of using multi-media is the ability to create a mood. A mood is defined as “[the] general feeling of [a] group”. Being able to change the mood of a large group by using multi-media is important because it is not simple to change the mood of a large group simply by going to every person and speaking with them directly. That is nearly impossible. By using multi-media we can control the mood of a large group of people very quickly.

Keep in mind that multi-media will have an effect on everyone it encounters. Make sure that your multi-media is producing what you want it to produce when you want it produced. It doesn’t make much sense to have really busy lighting on a soft, slow, somber song because it is creating the wrong mood. Likewise it doesn’t make sense to show a really serious video when your sermon is high energy and fun.

Multi-media is a tool, not an end. It is the means by which we move a people to a common mood. That mood enhances what the service/meeting is trying to accomplish and brings about a greater effectiveness more quickly. Remember, creativity is not what you do but how you do something.

Using Multi-Media

Multi-Media (power point (ppt), movies, videos, etc.) can either greatly enhance or greatly distract from a service. Here are some guidelines that will help you to use Multi- Media to your advantage.




1. When starting to use Mulit-Media, don’t overuse it

a. When you overuse multi-media it actually is counter-productive.
b. The goal of Multi-Media is to engage and connect people but a scattered overuse has a tendency to cause people to disconnect and they fail to pay attention.
c. Do a few things very well.

2. Plan out and practice how you will use your Multi-Media

a. Multi-Media is not something you can throw together; it must be planned for ahead of time.
b. When you have a plan in place, practice your transitions with your “media guy” so that the transition from live to media is not awkward.
c. It is vital for there to be flow from one media outlet to the next. This keeps it from feeling fragmented and disconnected.
d. The person who does your ppt should rehearse alongside the worship team in order to secure accurate slides that most certainly will enhance the worship experience for many people.

3. If your creativity distracts from the gospel, stop doing it

a. You know that if more people are talking about your light show and not the anointing of worship there is an imbalance.
b. Your creativity must enhance the church experience, not be the experience.
c. Your ppt is used to help people feel comfortable singing the words to the songs not to blow people away with how creatively you can present your ppt skills.
d. The backgrounds you use should enhance the purpose of the song.

4. Multi-Media should always submit to the vision of your church

a. I know this sounds really funny but we can focus so much on being creative and multi-media savvy that we forget to accomplish the vision set out by the church.
b. Once again, if your multi-media is not helping to accomplish the vision of the church, stop doing it.
c. Multi-Media should not be what keeps people in church; it must be the power of the gospel working in people’s lives.

5. Don’t use Multi-Media just because you can.

a. Everything you do should have a distinct purpose.
b. Doing just for doing sake is a big waste of time and energy.
c. Be intentional about how you use your multi-media so that it can accomplish a certain goal.

The Advantage

For the last three Sundays my pastor has spoken on the benefits of prayer and fasting. (click to listen or watch) The concept is that fasting and prayer are like steroids for your spirit (in a good way); they give you an advantage. In every area of life we are always looking for an advantage; that thing that will put you over the top. Prayer and fasting might very well be the advantage you are looking for in your music ministry.

Prayer and fasting are vital when…
1. you lack vision (Pr. 29:18)
2. you lack spiritual fervor (Rev 3:15-16)
3. you need an answer from God (Dan 10)
4. you need a miracle / breakthrough (Matt 17:14-21)
5. you lack spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1)

Obviously this is not an all-inclusive list. However, I see these 5 things as major deterrents to a successful music ministry. For those of you who are trying to revitalize, restore, reinvent, rediscover or create music in your church, fast and pray! It will give you an advantage that good administration or a new electric guitar player cannot do. Don’t be the “music” people and let the pastor be the “Bible” person. Grow. Be spiritually mature. Fast and pray.

Own It!

Worship leaders have many challenges. One challenge I hear over and over again is the challenge of getting more people involved. One of the reasons there is limited involvement is because most of us manage our teams instead of own them. Owners take responsibility for success and failures, come up with new ideas, instigate change and go the extra mile. Managers maintain and only do what the boss asks of them. Here are some tips on how to own your worship team and get people involved. (note: I am in the middle of this right now)

3 ways to own it:
1. owners take responsibility; managers blame shift
- First and foremost you must recognize that it is your responsibility to grow and mature your team. It is not the responsibility of your senior pastor or your best musician; you must own it.

2. owners recruit; managers expect people to come to them
- Too many worship leaders expect people to just show up, gear in hand and be ready to play. The reality is that if you want people to be involved you must ask them.
- Most people will not come up to you begging to be involved, most of them subconsciously expect an invitation from the leader; so invite away.

3. owners train for excellence; managers maintain status quo
- “He wants to be involved, he’s just not at the level I’m looking for.” So…….train him. If you have a young drummer who is always off tempo, go to his/her house over and over again, buy them a metronome, constantly play music with them and they will get better.
- Especially in smaller churches you cannot expect people to show up as skilled as you desire. Owners constantly sacrifice time and money in order to see their goals accomplished.

Clean Water

This is a video that we put together for one of our youth services.

Setting Goals

Here are some helpful tips when setting yearly goals for your worship team.

1. Make it measurable
- Nothing is more frustrating then having open-ended goals. Make sure that when you set a goal you can know if you have accomplished it or not.

2. Make it spiritual and practical
- Some of our goals can only be accomplished by a sovereign act or visit from God. These goals are only obtained by continual prayer and sometimes fasting. However, there are some other goals that can be met by practical means. Make sure your goals have a blend of only things that God can accomplish (this keeps you in a place of continued prayer) and things that you can accomplish (this keeps you from becoming stagnant).

3. Make it clear
- Your goals should be concise and easy to memorize. In a matter of one meeting your whole team should be able to know exactly what the goals are for this year and be able to articulate them on their own. Too many goals make things confusing and makes accomplishing any goals much more complicated.