How long to attend before getting into the band?

[NoTim]

How long do you think someone should attend your church before they can get involved with the band? I ask because our church is in very much a growth stage. Our pastor is tired of leading worship, another guy has been doing it a couple weeks but I don't think he's the right guy for the job, of course that isn't up to me.

But to the point, this guy started attending about 3 weeks ago, and he has supposedly been in some big time worship bands. Also, a semi-professional drummer has been a couple of times. We do already have four drummers but 1) Is a commercial pilot who's schedule only allows him to be there once a month, 2) a flake, he actually has just not shown up, 3) an old big band drummer, he's good, but everything he does kind of sounds the same, 4) a 12 year old kid who lives an hour away, and inexperienced.

Once before we had a good acoustic guitar player start coming to our church, I think he was in the band within a month. A month later his wife stopped coming and a month later he stopped. That's okay, but kind of a high-profile exit when they're in the band.

So, what do you think?

[Brad]

It depends on the person. I waited a year before I joined the worship team. I waited ( even though I was asked the first month I was there ) as I wanted to make sure that was where my ministry was. I had played in bands for 20 years and playing was the easy thing for me to do. I wanted to be sure the worship team was where God wanted me to be and not where it would be easy for me. Each person is different. You will have to expect some will go. Everyone who wants to be involved with the worship team has to search their heart and pray that the Holy Spirit will make an opening if that is where they are supposed to be. One week, one month, one year. It really does not matter. As long as your heart is in the right place and thats where your ministry is.

[NoTim]

I understand what your saying Brad, and I waited about 6 months before joining, 3 to 4 months after I was first asked. But here I'm thinking more from the band's perspective. How soon should we wait to ask someone? I'm thinking not everyone will be as introspective as they could-should be. So how long before you can get a feel that someone is committed to the Church?

[DADGAD]

Originally Posted by NoTim

How long do you think someone should attend your church before they can get involved with the band?

It's a good idea to be a member of the church. Membership shows commitment and a willingness to submitt to the authority of the pastors, elders & WL. (Worship leader.)

WL's should interview prospective members to see if they will be "compatable." As musicians, we are in a leadership role. Everyone sees us so we must be people of integrity.

In my case, I attended my church for 2 weeks before being asked to join the WT. There was a shortage of electric guitarists at the time. I got to play because I was actively going through the membership class.

I ask because our church is in very much a growth stage. Our pastor is tired of leading worship...

I'd rather be a WL than a pastor. Yeah, it's a hassle. You're not someone of authority and you have to work with volunteer, tempermental musicians. But have you ever noticed that people rarely remember sermons, but remember the songs? We can communicate a lot in a 3 minute musical message, Spirit willing. In 1 Samuel 16:23 David's music drove away the evil spirit from Saul.

We had a visitor once who was considering suicide. He said the praise & worship music saved him.

Gary

"Trained vocalists have an amazing way of cracking crystal. Passionate vocalists have an amazing way of cracking hearts." – Danielle Egnew

[NoTim]

Of course there is no easy answer and I'm sure it changes depending on the band, individual, and needs.
And though DAD's advice is sound, I'm afraid it doesn't apply to our church; we don't have membership.

And, as I said before, Its not my decision, nor do I really want it to be. I'm very happy just doing my part.

Of course as our pastor says, "Musicians are 50% temper, and 50% just mental."

[Bob Rogers]

Well, I guess I'm about as far out to one side of this issue as you can get. I had never played at our church, but I friend of mine who I play with on occation said, "we need a bass player at the teen life mass." I started playing at the local Catholic church every Sunday afternoon. I've had fun and been welcomed warmly. And of course, when I screw up I have a big advantage. They can't excommunicate a Methodist.

[dubs]

Some churchs have various rules regarding when someone can involved but look at it this way:
As Christians we are called to influence and reach all people and there are various ways to communicate to people in their "language". Music is the language of musicians and that is the language they understand. Getting them involved is a hook, a way of getting them planted into the house of God because it speaks their language.
I belong to international charismatic church movement and have had totally unsaved musos playing in our services, but the deal here is that as long as there is strong leadership in the team, we the worship team are influencing him and there is strength in numbers, 20 of us onstage to 1 of him, the atmosphere we bring and carry into the house of God when we lead people to worship is going to influence that one person to experiencing God.
(by the way he was blown away by the music and the atmospheres, it was what he was looking for for his whole life). Religiousness by rules & regulations are often the wall to people coming into the house of God and finding God .

[Tim Swartz]

We serve a gracious God, anyone gifted with musical and/or other abilities should be afforded the opportunity to serve in that area. I see no reason to attach a time constraint.

[Matt Plescher]

Originally Posted by dubs

there is strength in numbers, 20 of us on stage to 1
of him...

this is off the thread topic, but what are 20 people on stage doing?

just curious
Matt

[NoTim]

What are 20 people doing?

I don't mean to apply an artificial constraint such as time. I was using time as a measure of commitment. It seems to me, you would want to see some level of commitment to the church. I think having band members revolving in and out of the band would not be good for the band or the congregation.

That leads me to another question. For that I will make a new post.

[Spanky]

I think in a worship team you ought to make sure the person is commited to The Lord first before being a part of leading worship---then the church--then the ministry
After all you can't be any kind of Worship team member if you are not commited to God first then your church denomination, then the worship ministry-----worship is too important to just throw someone into to lead church members into the prescence of God--I don't care how many "big time worship teams" the person has played for-------------Is he or she" Right" with the Lord--someone's got to know the answer to that question before he leads or even helps lead Worship in my church !

Especially the worship team members---------

[NoTim]

Okay Rev,

It's your job to decide when Mr. X can join the team. Your team could use him, but are not in any dire need. First week he is there, after the service, he says that was great, I’m sure this is the place for me. I’m a professional guitar player, and I would like to be involved in worship.

How are you going to decide when and if Mr. X can join?

[Spanky]

Gotta get to know him a little---I visit a new church member--have coffee go to llunch, jam a little and talk about his relationship with The Lord and why he might like to be a part of the worship team etc.---just from a pastoral viewpoint it couldn't be after just showing up and saying "wow this is great"--gotta go deeper--worship team members can be very influential in the church---don't forget Lucifer was the Choirmaster before he rebelled against God and started the whole "fallen angel" thing goin---

[tom grossheider]

A lot of great and valid points have been made here. Here is an example from one of the largest churches in the USA, right here in the Chicago area. Bill Beck knows the one.... Anyway, no matter how gifted a particular singer or instrumentalist, they are not allowed to perform solo in a service unless they have been there for 2 years being a part of some type of ensemble. For them, the pool of "talent" is such that they can afford to make that decision. Primarily, it is because that they (the church elders) want to make sure that the individual's motivation for serving is correct. I can see their point, but churches of a smaller size with much fewer people don't have that luxury, but the need to check people's motivation is still there. I see a need to always check MY motivation for playing. Is it some ego trip for me? Do I treat playing for God on Sunday as just "another gig"? God forbid! For me, it is ministry and service. Worship team involvement is very much a leadership type of service, and should always be treated as such.
I wouldn't want someone wandering in off the street without realising that. But having said that, we occasionally will hire a player to do certain things when we have an orchestra, but these are all good friends and sometimes not even believers. In that case, they are not leading in worship but playing for a special event, and we treat it like an outreach, hoping to reach the unsaved orchestra members for Christ. Tim, you made a good point about God being gracious. Anyone with a heart to serve in this capacity and the talent, even if it isn't perfect, is always welcome to play at our church. We have had a lot of junior high and high school musicians joint this past year, I've really enjoyed it!
Sorry to be so long winded, one day we will discuss this stuff in the clouds!!

[NoTim]

Good words Rev and Tom. I understand what the Chicago church is trying to do, but 2 years seems like a long time.

I know for me every Sunday, just prior to the service, I'm praying, "not my will, but Thy Will." Otherwise I have a tendency to want to fill every little hole in the music. It sure is a fun and gratifying struggle to serve God in this way.

[dubs]

[quote="NoTim"]What are 20 people doing?

quote]

Well on Sundays we have 10 bv's/worship leaders onstage, two or three guitar players, bass player, drummer, piano player, keyboard player, and a horn section.

I agree with all the points made, but my point of allowing unsaved person play doesn't mean he's on the worship team, but to allow God to speak in his "language" another form of evangelism. Yes the person does need to show some degree of committment to the House and have a good relationship with the Lord and I can understand various "rules" in place especially in large churches, but with our worship music dept. of 350+ & growing, we aren't bound by strict rules per se, rather the importance of connecting people to God and building strong relationships with people - by establishing relationships with the team are you truly able to see a persons heart rather than just making everyone follow a hard & fast rule. I found key to building great relationships is hanging out having a meal, there's power in having a meal with someone and Jesus understood it . eg. the Last Supper. Our Music director constantly builds relationships, you can go over to his house any time of the day and you will almost find someone over there hanging out, having a meal - I don't know how he does it but there is such great unity and closeness in the team (even at 350+) , it feels like being in a close family.

here's my church:
www.cccworships.com

Cheers & God bless

[Wanker]

I was playing drums on my 3rd visit. I wasn't even "saved" yet. Probably not the best way to do it. Of course I wasn't leading it either.

I'd say once you're sure this guy has the right heart and his beliefs do not contradict your church's beliefs you can work him in.