The Alan Parsons Project

As a teen in southern California back in the mid seventies, cool date destinations were endless. One of my favorite places to visit was the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. Perched on a mountain above Los Angeles, scenes from the epic movie Birth of A Nation were filmed there in 1915 as well as scenes from Rebel Without A Cause, starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, back in 1955.

On this expansive 4,210 acres of land, several attractions make their home--one of which is the famous observatory that houses a planetarium. In the planetarium, back in the post-psychedelic era, they hosted laser shows accompanied by symphonic and cinematic music to punctuate the bigger-than-life nature of the lighting spectacle. The audience, of around a couple hundred (might have been less...I'm going on memory here), would sit in circular-arranged seating with head rests attached to allow gazing into the pretend sky where the lasers were projected. All the while, specially selected music played which accented the colorful array of moving light. The music that caught my ear every time was that of the Alan Parsons Project. His music was, and is today, a blend of vocal and instrumental pieces, infused with synthesizers and the creative use of studio effects like delay and reverb. Parsons' productions are always filled with great compositions, and are produced with great attention to sonic detail, which was well suited to the Quadraphonic sound system of the Griffith laser extravaganza.

The next day after the laser show, I rushed to my local record shop and caught up on all of the Alan Parsons LPs offered to that point. I waited in anticipation for each subsequent release for years to come. I lost track of his new records after Eye In the Sky, released in the early eighties. But as soon as the new medium of digital CDs offered his greatest hits collection, I once again marveled at the wonderful sound that flowed from my speakers.

Alan Parsons' career goes back to assistant engineer on the last two Beatles albums at Abbey Road. He was also an engineer on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Al Stewart's, Year of the Cat, and many more hits of which people are unaware. After Parsons teamed with Eric Woolfson (who passed away December 2, 2009) at Abbey Road Studios in 1974, there began a three decade creative force which brought sound scapes to pop music, rarely existent up to that point. The Alan Parsons Project (APP) forged a brand with the co-writing of Woolfson and his vocals and keyboards, along with other iconic APP vocalists like Lenny Zakatek and Colin Blunstone, and guitarist, Ian Bairnson (of Pilot fame with the hit, Ballroom Blitz--another Alan Parsons production). I have continued to enjoy these recordings to this day.

Alan Parsons has a website which is dedicated to his passion for handing his expansive knowledge of recording to a new generation of producers and engineers called The Art and Science of Sound Recording.

Even though Parsons' lyrics are a bit esoteric and laced with eastern philosophy and various religions, the productions employ broad sound scapes which evoke wonder and dream-like moodiness that I cannot find anywhere ele. Delightful!

I Am Not A King

As suckers for period films, Brenda and I went to see King's Speech last night. It's one of those movies that lovers of action or slasher films might snooze through. But we totally loved it from beginning to end.

As one who grew up stammering myself (see my blog entry about it from last year), I felt uneasy each time the future King of England would try to painfully force out a syllable in the movie. The fear of stuttering while speaking in public was almost as intimidating as the childhood fears that caused it in the first place.

In the movie, King George VI--played brilliantly by Colin Firth--was reluctantly forced upon the responsibility of the Monarchy after his father, King George V, died and the scandalous abdication of his older brother, King Edward VIII. Bertie, as his family called him, believed himself ill suited for the position. His speech impediment inhibited his ability to speak on the new burgeoning communication medium of radio, as his father was so masterfully able to do. Even before he took the throne, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranged for a speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) to help him. The Prince and the commoner had a rough start due to the therapist's refusal to kowtow to the spoiled Royal. Soon, with small successes, the subsequent King of England went on to deliver a wartime speech that united a nation. Lionel and Bertie remained friends for life.

The movie, as all great ones do, made me think. It reminded me of Moses, who was thrust on the stage during one of the greatest periods in the history of Israel to lead his people out of Egypt. Even as many would jump at the chance, Moses coiled back in reservation. His brother Aaron was given the task of spokesperson because Moses had a speech problem (Ex. 4:10-16). God didn't want Aaron to lead, He wanted Moses. The prophet Isaiah, at another time in Israel's history, was overwhelmed after he was commissioned by God to speak to the people. “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts," was his reaction to the invitation (Isaiah 6:5).

In the movie, after King George VI took the throne, he was sitting with his wife, head in hand, troubled that he would fail at this great trust that his country was placing on him. After all, Hitler was romping through Europe, and he felt it was his duty to stand up to the Fuhrer's advances. As he became vulnerable to the point of open sobbing, his wife consoled him by saying that she believed in him and his greatness as a person. He said to her tearfully, "I am not a king." Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, helped the King deliver his great speech, all the while encouraging him to face his fears, and reminding him that he was up to the task of the King of England.

Some of us will be thrust into situations not of our choosing where we will be required to take on actions or responsibilities that are greater than us. The truth is, we never know the potential within us until we are challenged and our natures are called to action. When those opportunities arise, we have a God Who will go before us with words, wisdom and grace for endurance. I am not a king, but I serve a great King. His voice can be heard through even the most humble person's willingness to stand up to a challenging task.

Creating Great Moments In Worship, Part 4: Rehearsal Preparation

Over the past several weeks, we have studied the process of creating effective moments in our worship services. It is impossible to exhaustively explore every detail and facet in this format but, as time and space allow, we will continue with this very important aspect of the worship production process: rehearsal preparation.

Effective rehearsals will help us to be mentally and spiritually rested when service time arrives. Our teams will be better equipped to deliver a more confident performance and our tech teams will have more time to work on the sound, lighting, video, stage settings and lyric projection if sufficient lead-time is given. A successful rehearsal is made possible by this simple reality: The leader(s), the music team, and tech team must be properly equipped before coming to rehearsal. Our music teams need advance opportunity to spend time with the songs in the set list before everyone gets together. I recommend having all the materials made available 2 weeks in advance. Once again, I hear people saying, "Jamie, you're nuts!" I am very aware that many are volunteer leaders and are shuffling personal, professional and church duties each week. Go with me here--if you can prepare for a service and rehearse right before you take the stage, then with a little planning, discipline and prayer, you can be prepared two weeks out--trust me. If you work toward this 2 week-out goal, you can give every reason for your team to come to rehearsal prepared (at least the excuses may be diminished, although, where humans abide, they will always exist!).

I constantly hear from leaders that some of their team members come to rehearsal unprepared. But the question is, are you prepared as a leader? Did you give your team sufficient time to be ready? Do they have the stuff they need to accomplish what is needed within a reasonable amount of time? Read my blog post entitled Good Eating!. In it, I expound on the reality that the pursuit of excellence is not for the timid, lazy, or the faint of heart. In order for your goals to be accomplished, you must go further ahead on the trail than the others to make provisions for your team to succeed. If you aren't willing to do this, I have serious doubts that you need to continue as the leader.

Thank God for our tech crews! They can make or break us. Our communication with them insures everyone's success. Give the tech crew a "heads up" for what you might need in the way of support prior to rehearsal. They need to know who is going to sing, solo, speak, announce, etc., so they can set up mics and program the mixer (digital boards). It is helpful when the sound person running the console can rehearse the fader moves with you in rehearsal.

Which ever method you use to distribute materials in advance of rehearsal, make sure you include a worship song list, music charts (I will emphasize the importance of using charts instead of "chords-over-words" in another installment), lyrics, and a recorded demo of the song that conveys the way you generally want it to sound. Whatever you do, make sure that your team has the tools to succeed. The arrangement, key and tempo may be different from the demo, but it should allow the band to find their sounds and grooves, as well as the singers to hear the parts. There are proper, legal ways to distribute these items and many questions concerning the use of artist recordings, sheet music, uploading rehearsal materials onto the church website, etc., may be answered online by my friends at Christian Copyright Solutions.

It is imperative that leaders make decisions regarding flow, segues, instrumentation, vocal parts, stage moves, etc., before rehearsal. Indecisiveness and insecurity in a leader breeds disharmony and insurrection! Come to each rehearsal with a plan to hit every area of need. It is important to put a time limit on weekly rehearsals. I recommend no more than 90 minutes. Special productions such as Christmas, Easter, etc., may require more time. Take time to straighten up the rehearsal space by discarding clutter, straightening wires and creating a clean slate each week. If you need help in making musical decisions, create an alliance with a skilled musician on your team to help you in planning and implementation. All successful leaders seek out support from people who compliment their skill set with strengths they don't possess.

In short, to prepare for rehearsal, an effective leader must:

1) Purpose to prepare services 2 weeks in advance
2) Distribute rehearsal resources in a timely, legal and effective manner
3) Create a rehearsal game-plan that can be accomplished in 90 minutes
4) Create musical alliances on your team to give technical and personal support
5) Clean up rehearsal space clutter to start fresh each week
6) Give the tech crew a "heads up" for what you might need in the way of support prior to rehearsal
7) Be the leader that your church and team needs

Your commitment to excellence, and the success that follows, will help attract people to the Kingdom. As a secondary result, it will bring personal reward and satisfaction.

Look for Creating Great Moments in Worship, Part 4: Rehearsal Tips, in the coming weeks. Any comments, questions or suggestions may be directed to: jamie@jamieharvill.com. Also, ask how Jamie can help your church realize a more effective worship experience.

It's Never Too Late

Jack LaLanne died Sunday at 96. It seemed he would never leave us, but mortality cast it's shadow once again over another much loved American hero.

Ever since I was a kid, Jack was an intimidating presence on TV. His message was simple, and I find it to be true in every aspect of life, most importantly, the spiritual: Remember, it's never too late. He was a celebrity who was the real-deal. He was in the fitness business to not only improve his own well-being, but teach Americans to eat right and get off their duffs and start moving. "The only way you can hurt the body is not use it," LaLanne once said. "Inactivity is the killer."

I had an elderly next-door neighbor named Frank Park who, until he died, never wore a shirt and always challenged the boys on our block to hit him in his tanned, leather-like stomach as hard as we could. He never flinched. Later in life I learned that Houdini made the same challenge and his fate was sealed when repeated hits to the abdomen by college student, J. Gordon Whitehead, cost him his life after peritonitis set in from a ruptured appendix on Halloween, 1926. My pal Frank, seemingly indestructible, fell off his back porch one day, bumped his head, and died shortly after. Another one of my heroes was gone.

Today, I do well to heed Jack LaLanne's challenge to keep moving. The well-being of America is at stake even more today with obesity at it's highest level in history. Even though our heroes are mortal, the words Jack LaLanne left with us are immortal. We can start fresh today with a new life. Remember, it's never too late.

Good Eating!

Who will be in the Super Bowl this year? We will soon find out. In 2006 I was in Pittsburgh leading worship when the Steelers were playing the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit. Pittsburgh won 21-10. There's nothing like seeing a sea of gold and black, waving Terrible Towels in a worship service. What a celebration that was! This Super Bowl Sunday I will be in Pittsburgh again, hopefully leading exuberant fans of possible AFC champs in worship. I am excited because this time I will singing and speaking!

The pastor of the church in Pittsburgh is spending several weeks teaching about spiritual gifts. On Super Bowl Sunday, my assignment is to speak on hospitality. As I was praying and thinking over the topic, the Lord gave me inspiration. My two main scripture references will be Isaiah 62:10 (about removing impediments and distractions to worship) and Luke 14:12-24 (the Parable of the Great Banquet). In the banquet passage, Jesus tells the story of a king who sent out his servant and invited people to the prince's wedding feast. When the time had come, and everything was ready, those who were invited began to make excuses not to attend. Jesus went on to tell the rest of the story:

[21] "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'[22] " 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'[23] "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

As Christians, we are called to invite our community to the celebrations we host each week. The problem is: we also get excuses from family and friends who would rather do something else on a Sunday morning (or Saturday night). As Christ followers and church leaders, it will be productive to ask ourselves these questions: Is the event we are inviting our community to worth attending? Is it relevant to the needs of those invited? I want to submit an acrostic which, I feel, contains a very basic checklist to help create a "banquet" that just might become the talk of the town.

As in every banquet I've attended, the main activity is to eat. The word E.A.T. contains the three beginning letters of the acrostic.

E: Our celebrations must be designed and executed with excellence. It is a learned skill. Excellence requires creativity, time, hard work, focus and money. The pursuit of it is not for the timid, lazy, or the faint of heart. The results will arguably be the best calling card for future guests.

A: Our celebrations must portray authenticity. They must be real, full of heart, humanity, and set in an atmosphere of grace and forgiveness. There may seem to be a conflict between excellence and authenticity, but I think that both can successfully co-exist. It will require a prayerful effort on the host's behalf to bring this about. Again, a great experience will bring people back for more.

T: Our celebrations must be timeless. Most burgeoning Christian communities are filled with various age groups. Focusing on one style of music, or a particular form of preaching or teaching, can be limiting. What is cool today may someday become uncool and/or obsolete. It's impossible to please every person all the time, but finding a solid middle ground will be challenging yet rewarding when those on the outer boundary learn to be supportive. Maybe the music is a little loud, or the songs are not the preferred style, but when people are coming to Jesus, and are growing in their faith, it is wise to give full support.

Building bridges to our community involves knowing the needs of our neighbors. The "people flow" that traverses through the calendar year (Christmas, Easter, new births, life changes, etc.) can be creatively harnessed to lead people right to our door! We can learn to be a beacon of hope in the midst of the marketplace and the highways and byways. People will come when they are loved, fed and encouraged.

Be excellent, authentic and timeless. Good EATing!

Kiss the Sky

This morning I caught myself singing, "...excuse me while I kiss the sky." It's a phrase I have had in the recesses of my brain since I was a ten year-old learning to play the electric guitar. I admire Jimi Hendrix as a musician and gain more respect for his music as I get older. He made an astonishing contribution to the art of rock guitar and his playing continues to sound fresh, modern and unique.

After Brenda heard me sing the phrase from Hendrix' Purple Haze, she was compelled to do a Google search on the song. To her surprise, she came across something that the world may never know about Jimi.

Hendrix, according to his manager Chas Chandler, was said to have written the song after a troubling dream. In it he was walking under the sea where a purple haze surrounded him and he became lost. The interesting part is that in his dream his faith in Jesus saved him. At one point, according to the story, Hendrix wrote the chorus as "Purple Haze, Jesus Saves," but decided against it.

Of course, a Google search isn't the end-all to a quest for facts. One is required to dig, verify and confirm again and again a claim purported to be truth. In this case, outside of a memoir, we may never know. I even read a few years back that Stevie Ray Vaughan had a spiritual awakening before he died.

I can only hope that Jimi and Stevie looked beyond their incredible musical gifts to the Gift Giver. Even though I cannot know for certain, my imagination takes over and I see these two geniuses kneeling at the throne, playing their Fender Strats, singing, "Purple Haze, Jesus Saves!"

Blue Monday

Today, the third Monday in January, is referred to as "Blue Monday," the most depressing day of the year. Statistics supposedly show that the gloom we feel today may be related to the passing of time since Christmas, where we stand on our New Year's resolutions, and basically the long-haul of winter before us (This, of course, should never be confused with Major Depressive Disorder, as diagnosed and treated by a health care professional).

With some searching, I found that Blue Monday was actually a marketing ploy born in Europe six years ago to boost air travel. Americans haven't necessarily caught on to this tradition, but it seems plausible to me that Blue Monday has some connection to reality. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD for short) is a real condition that affects Americans--especially the snow-bound in places like New England: the sun disappears and seemingly endless cold days take over until spring comes to rescue the afflicted. Seasonal mood variations are believed to be related to the lack of light. As we venture out from our frozen bungalows, we refill our serotonin deficiencies, helping to increase our sense of well being.

To get through Blue Monday, advice from professionals include: keep active, eat well, care for others, do something you are good at, ask for help, talk about your feelings, take a break, drink sensibly, and most importantly, book your next flight to Cancun.

10 Guilty Pleasures

Since it's the end of another work week and I am afforded the time for activities that I love to do (as opposed to have to do), I put a little thought into what my guilty pleasures might be. I haven't really listed them in one place before, but here we go! I know it's risky to do this; blogging is risky enough, so I am taking a big chance here with the hope that you won't cross the street to avoid me the next time our paths potentially meet. This list is in random order so don't let #1 give you the wrong idea!

1) A hot bath: As high a temperature that our water heater can produce--scalding hot water and sauna jets help me to say goodbye to everyone for as long as it takes. No one follows me in there except Brenda when my cell phone rings (see #6).

2) Grocery shopping: I know...Brenda hates it, but I don't mind it at all. I guess it's a way to spend money--on necessities. Spending money on non-essentials is, for sure, a guilty pleasure, but I'm not ready to admit it yet!

3) Visiting Amazon MP3: each morning I look for a great $3.99 deal on records I otherwise wouldn't normally buy.

4) Listening to 60s & 70s bubble gum, one-hit-wonder songs: They bring me back to my childhood. So if you hear me humming the melody to, "Julie, Julie, Julie do you love me...," just remember, I warned you here...

5) Watching King of Queens re-runs on TBS: I love to watch the interplay between Doug and Carrie. There's always a funny, unspoken facet of life that they seem to capture.

6) Gadgets: I love the quest for the "newest and coolest" stuff. My dad says that his father was the same way. They'll make you poor, real quick...but gadgets also make it easy for creditors to get a hold of you.

7) Disneyland: I will visit there as often as I get to southern California. Again, I think it brings me back to being a kid. Walt Disney is a fascinating person as well as a creative inspiration.

8) Staying in my PJs all day: I can be a total recluse when the opportunity avails. I get alot done: write songs, work in my studio, do my blog, etc. You just don't wanna see me in my super-hero outfit...it's very sad.

9) Hamburgers: I love them, but my health suffers if I eat them too often. A couple times a month won't kill me, though. Fries are a weakness, too! I totally love the aroma of deep-fried food as it hangs in the air above a McDonalds or a Burger King...smells like vacation to me!

10) Breakfast: I know my guilty pleasures are mostly of the food variety. This is certainly tied to my struggle with excess poundage. Nevertheless, there's nothing like a Grand Slam at Denny's, anytime of the day; it's a main course and dessert in one package. When traveling, I search out a breakfast place like Cracker Barrel, Waffle House, Bob Evans, Perkins, IHOP, etc., while Brenda scouts for a Starbucks. Eggs over-easy, sausage patties, pancakes or biscuits: heaven on a plate!

There you have it--my flaws bared for all to see! I bet some of you are as passionate about some of these things as I am. Let me know...

Creating Great Moments In Worship, Part 3: Flow

Back in 1997, while on an American Airlines flight high above the central U.S., I ran across an article in Wired Magazine by John Geirland entitled, Go With the Flow. It illustrated how an audience can be engaged and effectively drawn into the experience of surfing the web. The person Geirland interviewed for the article was renown psychologist and educator Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced: me-HIGH chick-sent-me-HIGH-ee). He created the Theory of Flow in the 1970s while attempting to develop a better understanding of human behavior as it relates to happiness and contentment. In the Wired interview, Csikszentmihalyi described the state of flow as when: "The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved..." I was intrigued with how this theory might apply to worship and the Church.

Many regard "entertainment" as somewhat of a secular activity. I want to dispel that notion by focusing on the original definition of the word. In Middle English, "entertinen" is to maintain. Another definition of entertain is to undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind. So, entertainment, outside of a host of modern connotations of the word, can simply be to: maintain an emotional sensation or a particular state of mind. Amusement can certainly play a very important part of the experience we are maintaining. When we apply the theory of flow to our worship services, we are using successful techniques that skilled communicators have used for hundreds of years. We can learn to hold the attention of our congregations by actively designing our presentations to flow; to help draw the congregation into the musical worship experience, preaching, drama, video, etc., and maintain their full and active attention while communicating the message of the Gospel.

My scriptural basis for flow in worship is found in Isaiah's call to the exiles in Babylon to go forth and return to their own land:

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. Isa. 62:10

Isaiah asserts that the gates be thrown open; to eliminate obstacles that get in the way of the destination. As facilitators of worship, we are encouraged to clear modern-day distractions. I want to offer some simple, inexpensive suggestions to improve any worship environment:

1) Maintain a pleasing stage area (hide wires, remove trash, remove stage clutter, etc.)
2) Maintain a comfortable room temperature
3) Maintain clean, modest, attractive and professional attire on stage (I think it's important that those leading the service be, at least, one step above the attire of the audience!)
4) Encourage use of the nursery--nothing like a screaming baby to interrupt flow
5) Make use of greeters, ushers and other "people-flow" volunteers to insure that each "people-moving" process is streamlined and pleasant
6) Maintain clean and well-composed restroom facilities, classrooms and hallways
7) Provide clean, safe and secure nursery and childcare facilities (nothing ruins a service for parents more than feeling unsure of their child's welfare)

In time, a congregation must invest in a suitable sound, video and lighting system commensurate with the size of the worship space, audience and delivery style of the message. Here are some basic suggestions for creating a seamless flow on stage:

1) In advance, plan and rehearse the stage moves involved in each service (how and when each person or item comes on and off stage). Avoid "dead space" by making sure each participant on stage knows how and to whom they will hand off their segment. A full run-through of stage moves before the service is always helpful.
2) When changing segments, try to match the emotion from the preceding to create an appropriate, seamless transition into the following one (i.e.: worship into announcements; prayer into closing, etc.). Decide what you are going to say in advance. Knee-jerk transitions are flow-killers.
3) Check that each microphone, video player, music track player and lighting instrument to be used in the segments are working before the service starts; don't assume!
4) The pulpit is a sacred place. Make sure and coach whoever takes the stage to speak clearly; to know what they are going to say, and to save spontaneity for those with more experience. Avoid the temptation to open up the pulpit indiscriminately to anyone. Unfortunate results cause an audience to feel "held captive," and can destroy an otherwise pleasant experience as well as any trust in the future.

To realize an effective worship service that flows, amuses, enlightens, inspires and changes people, we must spend time in advance to make sure that each segment is meeting the goal of our intended purpose. God is in control. Even so, we as leaders are facilitators in the process. We can use the aforementioned techniques to maintain an audiences' attention to our great benefit. Once we have removed the stones from the people's way, they have a better chance of seeing Christ high and lifted up. Our ultimate aim in our services must be to help facilitate a one-on-one encounter between the participant and God.

Look for Creating Great Moments in Worship, Part 4, in the coming weeks. Any comments, questions or suggestions can be directed to: jamie@jamieharvill.com. Also, ask how Jamie can help your church realize a more effective worship experience.

Re-Post

I guess if one can re-tweet, one can also re-post! The following entry is from my son Josh's blog. I am proud of him in so many ways. I am thankful that he is off to a great start with 6 months of marriage. Blessings to both Josh and Amber!

Half A Year Of Marriage

This morning, Amber and I looked out the window and saw a white winter wonderland. She had the day off so we took our time waking up. After a Bible study time together (which isn't easy for us to schedule on weekday mornings) we bundled up and played in the snow for a while. At one point, my wife looked at me with her pretty smile and said "Happy 6-month anniversary!"

Amber and I got married on July 10 and we were the first (and currently the only) couple to be wed in a newly-constructed area of our church called Fellowship Square. The whole thing went by so fast...literally. It was a Saturday and our church had to prepare for its regularly scheduled evening services so we were given a total of about 4 hours for the ceremony, reception and clean-up! After Amber and I drove away in my '95 Ford Taurus getaway car, we went to Taco Bell. (We hadn't had much time to stop and enjoy the food at our own reception.) The reaction from the lady at the drive-thru window was priceless. "Ahhhh, congratulations!" Smiling, we said thanks and I secretly hoped the woman would give us the food for free. No señor. Our first purchase as man and wife was a bean burrito and a large drink.

That was a great day. Today was also a great day and we spent every moment together. I believe God made us for each other and He's greatly blessed us. After half a year of marriage, I'm glad I married Amber.

Quality, Time and Money

I love working in my studio producing music--taking a song from conception to completion. I also enjoy it when my songs make their way onto other people's recordings. I equally love to produce my own projects every couple of years. Gary Sadler and I are getting real close to completing a project that we have been working on for some time. People often call on me to produce their projects for them. When in the negotiation stage of a project, I try to communicate to the client a very simple concept. It is applicable in a host of other industries and helps to illustrate three aspects of the production process.

I use a triangle to show the distinctions between quality, time and money. Most clients have a limited budget to put toward the end result they desire. Some have a very short turnaround time for which they need it done. Everyone, of course, wants quality. My theory is you can have only two sides of that triangle, not all three. You can have quality with little money and the turnaround time will suffer. You can get it cheap and fast but the quality will suffer. And the point I end up making to most clients: you can have quality in a quick manner, but its gonna cost you!

Quality is always a premium in any economy. Excellent work is my best calling card. This quote says it all in a nutshell:

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence. ~Author Unknown

Creating Great Moments In Worship, Part 2: The Team

The ability to create a purpose-filled worship experience on a weekly basis is a skill that is lacking in many church leadership teams. Just because one has an excellent preacher, a great band, a talented group of singers, an able technical crew, an expensive sound and video system, and a beautiful, spacious facility, doesn't guarantee that the ultimate goal of the service will be fully accomplished. The way by which we facilitate worship each week might vary with musical style, liturgy or ability, but it is probably agreed that the goal is not simply to wow people with a great production. Rather, our aim should be to help facilitate a one-on-one encounter between the participant and God; what happens on campus between the participant's arrival and departure must be scrutinized and adjusted for maximum impact to allow a seamless, uninterrupted flow in the worship experience.

Whichever team or person that has the responsibility of designing the worship journey each week should ask these simple questions: 1) Who is my audience? 2) When does the participant's journey begin and end? 3) What is the big idea? 4)How much time do I have to accomplish the big idea? 4) How do I flow between each piece seamlessly? 5) Do I have the infrastructure, the teams, the resources, the preparation time, etc., to accomplish this initiative? 6) Does each team leader have clear instructions and deadlines to adequately bring quality results in a timely fashion?

I can hear a collective laugh and then hear many say, "What kind of fantasy land are you describing? My church could never accomplish this structure, planning, or delivery!" The point in this installment of Creating Great Moments In Worship is that an effective team, along with the empowering of the Holy Spirit, is the source from which an effective weekly worship journey is accomplished; it cannot happen all by itself or through just one person--it MUST be realized through a team effort.

Here are some tips for choosing team members that will help accomplish your goals:

First, don't look for the perfect person--they don't exist! Rather search for promising team members--they may be musical, technical, or administrative--but their basic ability, willingness to learn and serve in a volunteer capacity are the primary requirements. (In the case of volunteers who will be working with children from newborn to college, it is imperative to acquire a background check; a church or organization at any stage of growth must prioritize the safety of children).

Second, know your limitations and look for people who will compliment your team with skills you may not possess.

Third, have a weekly production meeting with all of the leaders, sitting at one table, going over the necessary production details. The agenda each week may consist of a critique of last week's service (celebrate, too!), discussing this week's service, and future services that may need early attention like Easter, Christmas, special services, etc. It is important that each aspect of the service be discussed with the group, and that there be consensus, since unnecessary surprises should be avoided. The pastor, administrative leader, or the worship leader may oversee this weekly production meeting...just make it a priority to have one!

Even a small church of 100 members or less can implement structure and a leadership team that will enhance the simplest production. I can almost guarantee that, if some of these suggestions are heeded, your people will have a greater experience in worship, and you will probably begin to see an increase in attendance as well.

Look for Creating Great Moments in Leadership, Part 3, in the coming weeks. For questions, comments, suggestions or for information on how Jamie can assist you and your church, please send an email to: jamie@jamieharvill.com

Big Shoes to Fill

Brenda and I came out of hibernation New Years Day to do some shopping; the Christmas cash and gift cards were burning a hole in our pockets. So, as I have been looking for a vintage pair of boots, we made our way into a local shoe repair to see if they had any unclaimed items for sale. In broken English, the man asked for my shoe size. He thought for a moment, turned and disappeared into the back room. Surprisingly, he returned with two pairs of black, well-worn, re-soled western boots and plopped them down on the counter. He mumbled more indiscernible English words mingled with Chinese and handed me the first pair. The size said 9 1/2 on the inside but, forcing my foot into the top, I knew it would end up being a losing battle. So I traded those for the second pair. The tops were like glove leather, crumpled over after years of use, and the full quill ostrich uppers were pristine. I knew this pair would be a steal--probably retailing for around $400, new--and the beautiful thing was...they fit! The shop owner slurred, "Sevendee dolla!"

I wasn't going to fall for the first offer (he needed to recover his costs but I know that the labor was negotiable), so I offered forty bucks. Acting insulted, he clear the boots from the counter and waved us away saying, "You waste my time--I not work, when talk to you!" We were just about to walk out empty-handed when he motioned us back to the counter (my newly acquired bargaining skills from watching American Pickers had prevailed!). Sarcastically, I shot back with, "I thought I was wasting your time..." Eying a worthy opponent he returned, "Fifty dolla?" I told him he had a deal and I handed over my debit card. Brenda reached to take the boots from the counter and out from the pull-straps fell a folded claim ticket with the name of the original owner. When she saw who it was, she elbowed me. I looked down, and it was one of my favorite guitar players of all time. I was just listening to his music the day before, and today I have his boots!

I walked out of there with a pair of killer, vintage Tony Lamas and a promise for a great 2011. I knew it was a nod from God as if He said, "I've got some great things in store for you this year, Jamie." I take it as a blessing and a challenge. I certainly have some big shoes to fill!