Comments on: Worship Leader Pitfalls #1

By: FredMcKinnon.Com » Blog Archive » Worship Leader Pitfalls #2 - New Music

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:24:56 +0000

[...] Series, Article #2 – “New Music”. The last WL Pitfalls was posted ages ago, “Lack of CT“, and can be found here. I hope to be a bit more consistent on posting in this series. I [...]

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:51:52 +0000

Hi Janet -

This is a great comment and question … one that I’d love to tackle in a future posting – so stay subscribed and tuned! Thanks for it.
Fred

By: Janet Peterson

Janet Peterson — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:54:42 +0000

Hi Fred, great stuff here! What would u do if your senior pastor just won’t allow you to flow with the move of the Spirit? Its frustrating as a worship leader to have him call the shots just because he likes it that way. Guess you’ve not heard this one b4, he even says “don’t worship in the Spirit but do it in understanding” Submit he says!!!! Help!!!

By: jordan fowler

jordan fowler — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:41:35 +0000

Hey, no problem. I threw these up on http://www.worshiptrench.com as well. here is:

1. sometimes I walk and reflect on key decisions

2. a trip to Barnes and Nobles or Borders to see a) what is selling b) titles of books for creative metaphors c) perusing periodicals on various topics

3. blog reading of sites on worship, theology, technology, and design of various sorts and types.

4. an occasional trip to the museums in Fort Worth (The Modern especially)

5. listening through all the new release samples on Itunes, Urge etc.

By: worship trench » Blog Archive » Carving Out Creative Time

worship trench » Blog Archive » Carving Out Creative Time — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:32:13 +0000

[...] has a great post here. This made me reflect on my approach to Creative Time. It is vital for us to have creative time. [...]

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:07:28 +0000

Jordan -
Awesome – would you share some more details of what a typical “creative time” looks like for you?

Thanks!
Fred

By: jordan fowler

jordan fowler — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 21:10:19 +0000

The company you mentioned is 3M and the beloved post it note was invented in a guys mandatory creative time (every leader ought to read those two Jim Collins books. Be sure to check out the monograph follow up he did for non-profits on Good to Great. You can get it at amazon. Little single chapter soft-cover.)

Here is my advice. You will never see creative time just drop in your lap. For context, Friday is my one day off a week (and I ain’t complaining about that at all, better than planting rice all day long 7 days a week like some of my Vietnamese friends. Plus, one day was good enough for God, so what’s my gripe and technically I have my Saturday mornings until 2 PM). I schedule Thursday afternoons for creative time, so I have to pace Monday-Wednesday like that is all I the time I have. My goal is to keep delegating more until I get all day Thursday as creative time. Then two years from now, add Wednesday afternoons and so forth. It all comes from the base of raising up leaders whom you can delegate effectively to. Once again, raising up leaders should 51+% of ever persons job in ministry.

By: FredMcKinnon.Com » Blog Archive » I'm an Enabler .. I'm Enabling

FredMcKinnon.Com » Blog Archive » I'm an Enabler .. I'm Enabling — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:48:15 +0000

[...] worship) I’d already been thinking about investing some of my “CT-Creative Time” [see this post] in learning it .. then, when faced with a weekend of leading worship with no band .. .I decided it [...]

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:12:16 +0000

Jack,

Thanks so much … I wholeheartedly agree with you about the prayer and personal worship time. That’s actually an entirely separate “Pitfall” that I’ll be addressing shortly … and is one of the absolutes we must hold to. I appreciate your reading and sharing.

For the Kingdom
Fred

By: Jack Kinsey

Jack Kinsey — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:26:33 +0000

Hello Fred,
Setting aside time to be creative is a struggle I think even for someone like myself who is a Deacon and assist P&W leader. I concur with others who have commented on this being a problem even for us volunteers. I think more important is our private time in prayer and personal worship. I’ve always relied on the Holy Spirit to guide my creativity. I often go for months without new songs or lyrics. Yet they come when He inspires them. Sometimes they come and I don’t have the ability to record them or write them down. This is often frustrating to me wanting to share these with others. Yet it seems at these time it is only for me to share back to God. So I have grown to accept these moments and cherish the times when He has given me new words and songs to praise and worship him. I appreciate your share this with us. This is an excellent article and I will look forward to your future writings.

God Bless .

By: klampert

klampert — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 05:02:03 +0000

great stuff fred..

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 02:19:42 +0000

Hi Fred,
I share your frustration in the “creative” realm of my ministry, but for entirely different reasons. My position as lead worshiper in a very small congregation is as an unpaid “volunteer”. My “paying” job is as a small business (read music store) owner, and, try as I might, the demands of my day (including family) leaves precious little time for that “alone” time that I can just sit with my Lord and Savior. Even then, the “creative” is not usually foremost in heart and mind.

Thanks for the insight……

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:11:07 +0000

Hey Ben -

Thanks for the comment .. I just visited your blog and commented there as well – interested to hear more about your audition process.

I’m glad the article was a good read for ya – w/ all our various hats, Creative Time can be hard to come by – we have to make it a priority, and I think everyone will be astounded by how much more “fresh” we are in what we bring forth!

For the Kingdom,
Fred

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:50:56 +0000

Dude! This is a great post Fred! I struggle a LOT with the multiple hats I have to wear and balancing and prioritizing. I’m a worship pastor on a small staff church and being the only “creative” guy on the staff, I’m blessed with the communications, web and all that stuff (which I actually enjoy doing). The only problem is that the weekend suffers since I struggle finding that creative time for the music and worship.

Great post!
Ben

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:52:21 +0000

Billy – ABSOLUTELY
Dad – Thanks!

By: Fred McKinnon

Fred McKinnon — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:51:59 +0000

Alex,

I think so – absolutely. I think it’s something best observed in moderation … I’ve been on the other end of the spectrum – spending too much time reading everyone else’s blogs, writing my own, and not enough time writing songs. When it’s all said and done, I’d rather write worship songs that bless the Body of Christ (and my local congregation) AND I’d like to think that I can dialog about worship and leadership on my blog and impact folks for the Kingdom that way, too.

It also depends on the environment and leadership where you serve … in some cases, where the pastor, etc., are active bloggers, it’s an easy sell. On the other hand, if you have leadership who think the whole subculture is ridiculous or a waste of time – it becomes a hard sell.

For the KIngdom,
Fred

By: alex

alex — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 04:34:21 +0000

Fred, really good stuff. I enjoyed reading it and will forward it on to others… could blogging be considered CT time?

By: Daddy

Daddy — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:44:23 +0000

Great! This applies to pastors as well! We can all get so busy doing the things that have just “got to be done” that we don’t make time for the more important, creative ideas the Holy Spirit is trying to lead us to. Good counsel for all!!!

By: Billy Chia

Billy Chia — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:32:30 +0000

Fred,
What are some of your measurable goals in this area?

Am I to take it that “#1″ means this will be a series? If so, I like it.