Whatever Happened to Service?

Whatever happened to service? I mean, when did it become the practice of companies, churches and individuals to let customers (current or potential) and/or visitors fend for themselves while deciding whether or not to join something, buy something, or just enjoy simple courtesy?

I was shocked a few years ago when a young mall cologne sales person began to argue with me about my choice of scent; she thought my choice was subpar and didn’t fall for the rubbish that “the customer is always right." I didn’t offer that statement up front, but as she brought it up, I began to ponder the validity of that old quote simultaneously as I fended off my anger, turned and walked out of the store.

Defining “Service”

I watched a movie last night where the plot line revolved around a grand hotel in Europe just before and during World War II. Though quirky and fatalistic in its depiction of life and humanity, there were moments of sensitivity and poignancy. One such was when the hotel’s concierge—an old-world perfectionist who ruled the hotel staff with an iron fist—began lecturing his new “lobby boy” as to the tricks of the trade and the mindset one must have to be a successful service person. The concierge said, “What is a lobby boy? A lobby boy is completely invisible, yet always in sight. A lobby boy remembers what people hate. A lobby boy anticipates the client’s needs before the needs are needed.” One could replace “lobby boy” in that quote with “service” and my point for this writing would be complete:

SERVICE is completely invisible, yet always in sight

SERVICE remembers what people hate

SERVICE anticipates the client’s needs before the needs are needed

Regarding Church

I think the hotel concierge’s wisdom from the movie can teach a few things to church leaders as well. First of all, we mustn’t make the mistake that our visitors and guests know anything about the church, its customs, physical layout, etc. Using a variation of what was quoted earlier, a connection team at a church must “anticipate the [visitor’s/guest’s] needs before the needs are needed.” All one has to do is put themselves in that vulnerable position of a first-time guest to make sure there are plenty of friendly connection staff ready and waiting to help with any need. Signage must be beyond adequate to direct guests to where they need to go. But just like any fine establishment, it’s best to break from your station to walk with the guests to their desired destination. Introduce yourself and make sure to remember their names so you can greet them afterward.

Also, a service mentality must persist beyond the “welcome” stage in a church. We must help guide frequent guests into the “next steps” of commitment, such as salvation, baptism, new members classes, small groups, etc. For example, when a traveler is driving through an unfamiliar town after a food, comfort and fuel stop, it’s important that there are visible directives to get back to the interstate, and that those directions are clearly displayed. It requires a redundancy of prompts to get us onto the main highway. The same redundant, painfully obvious prompts must be present to properly serve and guide our visitors, guests and regular attenders alike. Everyone is trying to find the onramp to the interstate, no matter how far along the road we are!

Service Wisdom

Here are some helpful service hints from experienced waiters—guidelines that translate easily into general everyday life:

-Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting

-When you ask, “How’s everything?” or “How was the meal?” listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right

-Never acknowledge any one guest over and above any other. All guests are equal

-Do not ignore a table because it is not your table. Stop, look, listen, lend a hand. (Whether tips are pooled or not.)

-Do not let a glass sit empty for too long

“And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:44-45 (NIV).

When Worship Wasn't Cool

I think of the days when hymn books lined the pews in our churches and were used in worship services every week. As a traditional '80s minister of music, I would stand at the pulpit and say, "Please take your hymn books and turn to page number (fill in the blank) and sing verses one, two and five." Remember?

I have always been a fan of guitar music, especially classic rock. I'd played my acoustic guitar in worship once in a while back in the day, but in church I was mostly accompanied by organ and piano. I dreamed of the day when my kind of music—rock and roll— would be accepted in the churches I served.

Since the days of Promise Keepers, and through the great worship experiences offered during those events, pastors began to desire "more of that" in their own churches, and slowly opened the flood gates for full bands to take their church stages. I saw this development before my own eyes.

In the days preceding all of this, worship wasn't cool. I mean, for most churches, worship looked for the longest time like it had for two hundred years. This wasn't a bad thing, since classical music had dominated church and sacred music literature, and people were reading music and passing on the wonderful, Bible-rich songs that were pervasive up to that point. Music literacy is a good thing and I hope over time we don't lose it.

The Transition

I was raised in southern California in the '60s and '70s, and the influences of Maranatha! Music and Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa were present when I received Christ at the age of 14. The pop music of my early Christian formation became the soundtrack to my spiritual walk. But as I moved away from California to the southern part of the United States, I noticed that this pop-styled worship music was scarce in churches there, and the worship music wave that started on the west coast had not yet arrived on the shores of the east coast.

I remember back in the early ‘90s, during the days when I was an exclusive writer with Integrity Music, founder and then-owner and President Mike Coleman invited all of the writers and creatives to a company retreat. At dinner one night that weekend, Coleman lamented that the Christian music industry didn’t “get” worship and many companies resisted partnering with Integrity in producing this kind of music for the church.

By the time worship music took to the radio in the 2000s, it was an indication that the genre had "arrived." Once Michael W. Smith’s Worship hit stores on (ironically) September 11, 2001, worship music's importance began to rise in the eyes of the music industry.

Dream Come True

What has resulted over the years is a greater presence of guitar-driven rock in worship services, smaller vocal groups and an unprecedented use of staging and technology in churches. I am excited, to say the least—my dream is coming true!

However, as leaders we must make sure that the music doesn’t become an idol, that it doesn't take the place of the One we worship. We must be careful to raise up worship musicians and leaders with the proper perspective of music in the church: a vehicle to help the congregation sing together and connect with God. We must keep our music approachable, with singable keys and with words that are Biblically sound, lyrics that don’t rely on sensual imagery to describe intimacy with God.

I am hopeful for worship music and its acceptance as a sacred form of church music, and never want to see our music ministries become a surrogate means for our own musical ambitions. Thank God our kids don't have to play in clubs and bars like many of us had to do to hone our musical skills; they can learn and mature right in the church!

Oh yes, I remember when worship wasn’t cool, so let’s be thankful and wise stewards of this great privilege we now have.

Sweet Home Alabama

In January 1983 I rolled into downtown Mobile, Alabama after traveling all night, crumpled up in a tiny seat on a packed Greyhound bus.

Over the three proceeding years I worked with the Columbus, Ohio-based company, American Entertainment Productions (AEP). Through this first-time-away-from-home opportunity with AEP, I became fully immersed in the world of performing; I became a professional musician, whose skills as a guitarist and singer were finely honed in the crucible called “The Road.” As a bonus I learned to be a road manager and a front man for a world-traveling rock group. My three years with AEP took me all over North America, the Mediterranean and Europe. I was grateful for the opportunity, but longed for a chance to serve Christ and His Church through music.

Through the suggestion of some musician friends, I auditioned for the Christian group Truth. I made the cut as guitar player and, along with with all that I owned in the world, was picked up at the Mobile Greyhound station and brought to the Truth office in an oak-shaded house on Old Shell Rd.

Later that day I met Roger Breland and my life would never be the same.

During my 2 1/2-year tenure with Truth I learned about ministry and performing in various churches. I gained an understanding of different denominations—what to say and not to say in certain places—and learned how to conduct myself in host homes.

In September of 1983 Truth was invited to play for the chapel service at a local Christian school called Mobile College. In the auditorium that morning was a beautiful angel—an eighteen-year-old, first-semester freshman—worshipping the Lord during the congregational singing part of the presentation; I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. I looked forward to hopefully seeing and meeting her at the school cafeteria directly after the service. Sure enough, she was there. I had to get a friend from the group to meet her first, then introduce me, because I was too shy to do it myself! Thankfully Brenda didn’t fall for the guy who introduced us, and I shook the hand of the lady that would one day become my wife.

A few years later in 1985, when it was time to leave the group and complete my education, Roger Breland helped me get into Mobile College. I married Brenda that Christmas and, fast-forward to the spring of 1989, we were photographed together at graduation with our two children, Josh and Betsy.

My brother Jon recently said that Mobile has always been a place of blessing for me: I wrote some of my biggest songs and signed an exclusive songwriter’s contract with Integrity Music in Mobile; I was ordained at a Mobile church; Brenda was born and raised in Mobile; we were married there—our kids were born there—all in Mobile!

When my mother passed away in 1997, we moved away for four years to be with my dad in North Carolina. For the past thirteen years we have called Spring Hill, Tennessee home.

And now after 17-years away, Brenda and I return to the place where we first met back in ’83, though these days it’s called the University of Mobile. Roger Breland—now Dr. Breland—having since left Truth after 31 years, has been the Vice President of Project Development and Director of the Center for Performing Arts at the university for over a decade. Once again I am serving under my old mentor, boss and friend, Dr. B, and wear the title of “Artist-In-Residence," which gives me the honor of working with students as a mentor and teacher and director of some of the performance groups on campus. I will also be working closely with the other guitar instructors, focusing on commercial guitar from a real-world, gigging-musician perspective. To top it off, my new book, Worship Foundry, fits perfectly as a text book for my classes. I am humbled with the opportunity to apply my years of experience in worship leadership, songwriting, arranging and producing at this wonderful institution, and am truly thankful for Mobile and its importance to my family and career.

So, I am looking forward to the new school year starting in mid-August. Many thanks to all who have supported us over the years, and especially to those who recognize that this new phase of our lives is a perfect fit and an answer to much prayer. I believe that this opportunity given me has been on God’s workbench since before the beginning of time. For this I am a grateful man.