One of the things about being in ministry at a local church is that you must be in community. And yet I've found that many church musicians and worship leaders (and pastors) are in the community but not of the community. So often, it seems, the idea is to "change" what is there, or "build up a resume" in order to move along.
And I've been there and done that too. But as I've gotten older, I've discovered that the community that you serve includes more than meets the eye...and often more than we give it credit for. This was brought home to me once by a particular "church lady" who said to me: "Don't forget that we've all been here long before you got here, and we'll be here after you're gone." She was speaking both individually and corporately, and she was right.
The community you serve will evolve -- hopefully for the better -- as a result of your being there. But, even in a community, life will go on without you sooner or later. I've learned to embrace the community I serve more deeply, and I encourage you to stop and smell the roses rather than obsessing about the thorns where you are planted.
© 2013, 2021 All Rights Reserved
A valuable piece of meta-cognition to be sure. I’m serving a church which I wasn’t looking for, and wasn’t looking for me– we were jusr in the right place at the right time. I’m relatively new to leading church song but not new to institutional work, so my approach has been very consciously one of nurturing old ways that work, and seeking new growth in non-disruptive ways.
Ah yes, Marcus…the time tested method of two steps forward and one step back. Blessings on your ministry.