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It may not be "the most excellent" way, but for many it's safer. But if I may qualify, there are musicians who's full-time job is to play and worship. For these, I feel the music stand should be left at home or in the office where they practice.
It not only looks cleaner, but (and I'm speaking as one who used to be on the stage, but now am in the congregation) it also causes the team to display a better example. For us to be on the stage and simply worship and play without any of the "crutches" we use displays that we are truly "full-time" worshippers and obviously worship and practice while we are away from the church.
If I may digress . . . . it always makes me more attentive and receptive when a preacher gets rid of his/her "crutch" (the infamous notes) and simply ministers in a flow from his/her heart.
For that matter, what about the "crutches" we have in our own lives that hinder our walks??
I'll shut up about that lest I start meddling . . .
1. Leading people before the throne of the most high God?
2. Memorizing a catalog of songs.
If I'm challenging my team to take time to learn, practice and memorize songs. Then I'm creating work to do that gives them less time to perform the great commandment and commission. I would rather have them doing that.
I agree whole-heartedly and for all the same reasons you stated, especially regarding eye-contact and liberty in expression.
Music is a powerful vehicle to communicate a message, but the power is definitely diminished when we are all "locked on" to a lead sheet sitting in a stand in front of us.
I am guilty, as charged. But for most of us, the real rub comes when you are leading in small congregations. Resources are scarce. (Especially up here in the frozen Northeast.) None of the musicians are in full-time ministry, come from all walks of life, and have trouble finding the time to just get to rehearsals. The stands may seem like a "crutch" to some, but they become a necessary tool to others.
Just my $.02.
Be blessed...
Reg
Scott - I don't think you can make that an "either/or" .... I would venture to say that by encouraging them to "2" memorize the catalog of songs, that is making them more ABLE to do "1" leading people before the throne of God ... more efficiently and with greater zeal and enthusiasm.
Right now, the thing I keep thinking is this ... and although Reg did touch on limited resources and personnel, I don't believe that it requires near the "hard, tedious study and work" we'd lead people to believe. I mean, if you are a musician with a half-decent skill set, and you listen to songs frequently, and you can remember that key they are in .... most musicians can listen along and feel/hear what those chord changes are.
I think part of the problem is that in many, many churches ... because we're strapped for volunteers ... we have musicians and singers who SELDOM EVER LISTEN to the songs we're using except at rehearsal and on Sundays.
I did a "pop quiz" once with the worship team and a former ministry - asking them "how many of you have these songs on your iPod, on a CD in your car, or playing at your home". I was shocked how many willingly admitted that they never listen to those songs at home or in their car. One member of the team was so *offended* that I suggested that they make this a habit, she walked out and quit the team.
Maybe we, as Worship Directors, .... somewhat in the OT biblical role as a "Levite" ... should be more proactive in teaching/training our musicians/singers?
This is not what the Lord has called us to do. If we are going to "stand before God's people", we need to see that it is a ministry TO God's people. If we can't see it as a ministry, then we're short-changing God, the body of Christ and ourselves.
God called "skilled" singers and musicians to "minister before the Lord". I'm sorry, but there's (scripturally) no other way that I've found to justify anything else. If I'm wrong I'd like to see it, though.
Actually, I'm kidding. I have to admit (begrudingly, albeit) that I'm prone to brain farts ESPECIALLY on songs that I know where my mind will go blank and I'll forget the lyrics. (Not unlike David Archuletta's butchering [sorry, David, I'm still a fan] of "We Can Work it Out" Tuesday night on American Idol.
I like having lyrics accessable in case of emergencies. Sometimes, I'll cheat and look at the projections screens, but some vizteks (the new word I invented to use in reference to the "powerpoint guy" or "propresenter girl" or "easy-worship person") are skittish and won't throw up a verse unless they hear you sing it, which kinda defeats the purpose.
Anywho...
NEXT!
My two cents.
Also, from a group dynamic standpoint, it is a known fact that if you are trying to establish openness and unity, you should remove physical blocks from in front of you. Simply because it helps people subconsciously feel more open and connected.
So there you go..my perspective! :)
Love to see worship leaders and performers work without lead sheets. However, it puts them in a bind. I think it's unfair to volunteers to ask them to always learn the music by heart. Encourage it. Worship music may not be their preferred style. I like worship music live, but it's different when I'm romping in the car. Nothing wrong with it, but it's NOT all I listen to. Don't try to impress your personal style preferences on a band member. Maybe they like bluegrass....
If I were in your band, I would appreciate it if you were able to lead by example. I'll be honest, seeing you use a stand and sheets on your video "Under the Stars" took away some of my awe of what you accomplished. It APPEARED - either by teleprompter or whatever - that Mandy and the other female vocalist actually learned the song, but you DID take away something by not knowing the entire setlist by heart. No insult intended, please don't misunderstand, just reinforcing your original post. In a situation that is a SPECIAL event, I think it's VERY powerful for everyone to memorize, but EVERY Sunday morning service can be asking a lot.
Hope that makes sense...
Blessings to you all!
Vicki Roberts
My views: However, the success of it depends on the one hand, on the ability of the musicians to memorize lyrics and chords/music. It seems to me that this is more possible to be accomplished by people who are full time musicians –the ones who are pretty much paid to do music. Unfortunately, in many congregations most of the members of the band are good musicians but only in their spare time (i.e. me). I can play many songs by heart, spontaneously, but, some others, I need to KNOW that I can look down and find my way back track. If I am told I cant use the sheets, I’m afraid that it would hinder me from freely worshiping and leading people into worship, I don’t have that much time through the week to prepare a set to the point of not needing sheets at all.
Now, in the other hand, from my own experience, sometimes even when I play those songs that I know by heart, I have found myself in a blank. Nervousness? The fear of the crowd, the move of the Spirit?, for whatever reason, I’ve been in that place where I just don’t remember the next step. It is there when the sheets are valuable so that I don’t serve as an interruption to the group and the congregation.
My conclusion: We should all strive to be skillful musicians and excellent worship leaders. We should all strive to memorize everything so hat we don’t need to look at the notes. In that way we can concentrate in the ministry we are doing, look at the crowd etc, BUT, having the sheets down, can save us from causing great confusion and distraction in a greater way than the distraction that the stand itself could cause. After all, many in the “audience†are used to them anyway.
Question to ponder: What distracts more, a stand on the stage or a leader who forgot the lyrics or the wrong chord in a moment of sublime ecstasy?
My humble 2 cents…
Luis
I'm devastated. :-) ... nah, just kidding, bro .. I completely agree. I was disappointed in MYSELF for having that stand on "Worship Under the Stars" ... and labored over the decision very hard. We were making a CD/DVD ... and I think I was so paranoid I'd make a mistake that would be too hard to "overdub" or fix in the studio. As for Mandy and the other vocalists - yes, there were 3 big confidence monitors in the front row ... which I also used. Truth be known, I probably didn't use that stand much, but it looks awful on the video. Rats.
Vicki - thanks for you input too ... was *I* the Worship Leader who snagged your music?
Luis - great insights. Your final question is a great one to ponder. I'm 100% sure that this can't always be an "all or none" and it will be different for whatever church you are in.
I don't think I would be so bold and arrogant (or would i?) ... or worse ... or did i? ... to say this is the law for everyone. I'm just curious as to what people's thoughts are.
I still believe that *IF* we could learn our music so that we're comfortable with it ... we'd be more free without having it there. Because in most cases - having there "for emergency purposes only" usually means we wind up looking at it anyway ... if you had it "only to look if you got lost" ... well, it's too late - by the time you get lost, then you've gotta look down, and try to figure out where you are ... the mistake has been made, and it was obvious. The only thing the music stand would do there is help you get back on your feet - which, if you couldn't do that otherwise, it would be a GOOD THING to have.
I'm not opposed to having them ... I'm just saying let's discuss. It's different for everyone.
My GOAL is to develop OUR TEAM so that we can be confident in using them without. However, as Bernard pointed out .. that takes me doing it myself - and teaching by example. I'm also keenly aware of the fact that I'm full-time, and others don't have the time to devote.
Great conversation - keep it going!
Fred
I think what Fred is after is simply a more professional stage appearance. I think it's a step in the process of taking it up a notch. I find it worthy of a smile that this happens simultaneously with a new building and a new In Ear Monitor system. Fred, your team must be really overwhelmed, seriously. I've read Chris Moncus' blogs about having to push that "overwhelmed" mentality away and just do his job. You guys are changing a lot of things, really quickly. Make sure you give these folks something to be stable about. Don't let the new technology - which in theory was supposed to make their job "easier" (especially the IEMs) - lead to a bunch of changes in your mentality and expectations that make their job harder.
In other words, always encourage. Never demand. Give them tools, not just job descriptions. If you want them to memorize music, teach them how. Hold a workshop on it.
I, personally, would love to be better at it, but I've really struggled with my memory since my heart surgery a year ago. Never forget that medical conditions, stress, genetics, natural intelligence, and all those things really play a part. The solution for ME - or for YOU - may not work at all for somebody else.
How does everyone else memorize music? Just repetition?
One of the most important things I've found is to PRACTICE without lead sheets. If we can't accomplish that, we most likely cannot perform without them.
Great ideas ... I think better ways to memorize is a great upcoming Q&A; post.
Actually - although stage appearance is one of the areas of concern, it's not the greatest ... I truly believe, IN OUR CASE, that *IF/WHEN* we can get a core group of songs under our belts ... "in our spirits" to to say ... that it will make us much better as worship leaders. Like Heather said above ... in most counseling/communication type settings, people are taught to remove physical barriers between whenever possible.
From our opening weekend, where we successfully ditched our music stands - we could see first hand how many of our singers were MUCH more engaged - both physically, and also vocally ... they seemed to hold the mic better, and be more focused on the congregation, and less focused on their leadsheet.
I agree w/ the last statement too ... in most cases, we go at it backwards .. practicing w/ leadsheets, only to remove them for performance ... the performance (I hate to use that word, but I think you know what I mean) is the LAST place you want to learn that you're not prepared to go "music-less". :-)
Fred
In regards to performance, I think the heart of a worship leader will always shine through, no matter if there's a dreaded music stand up there or not, no matter if he / she has to constantly look down at the words or not, or whether the instrumentalists need music or not. I don't care what a stage looks like as long as the worship team is "in the spirit" and flowing.
In retrospect, it is ALWAYS preferred NOT to have to rely on the music or lyrics. We should always, if possible, know the songs which we are sharing. That's kind of a "no-brainer" for a serious musician / song-leader / vocalist. Why? Because we will be free of having to look at music, and we will be more in-touch with the crowd and each other by the fact we are in a position to interact more closely and freely with others around us - instead of the music.
No it was not you who took my music stand away, but you did tell me once or twice to not put curls on the end of my words. Ha..Thanks for that advice. I am not doing that any more...I have learned even if I am singing or playing the guitar that I should be studying and preparing myself and not take the gift and position so lightly just because I have been doing it for so long. I have almost lost positions because of not taking it serious enough by just making sure that I knew the song before the next rehearsal. ...VALUABLE Lesson!
Yeah, I hate stands (all reasons already listed) but I still use one until I can figure out how to get a monitor system for our stage.
Every worship space that has a screen should also have some type of monitor for the people on stage.
Not only for the Worship Team but also for the pastor. How many times have we seen a sermon where the screen was more of a distraction than a help becuase the pastor was oblivious to what was or wasn't up behind him?
We rotate leaders in our relatively small church, and each leader has his/her unique style and preference in songs. So, except for the old "standards," the music varies week to week.
In response to Bernard, to help the musicians that are scheduled to be on the team with me any given week, I try to get a set list and a CD of the songs we are covering at least two weeks out so they can spend time with the music and the message that the artist is trying to convey, as well as the technical aspects of each song. That has helped, but not enough to ditch the stands...especially when songs require transitioning to different keys. (Without the sheet music it can really lead to a train wreck on the platform.)
Thanks to all for your insights.
another $.02 from me...no charge!