Tag Archives: Appreciate

Appreciating Your Worship Team- Ask for Feedback

November 03, 2009   Russell Martin   No comments

Each year I have an end of year evaluation with my pastor and other church leaders. This is a great time to look back on the previous year, talk about goals and identify areas in need of attention.

This year I decided to go a step further. I sent a short survey out to my worship team. After all, these are the guys who are in rehearsals and leading worship with me week in and week out, and I really wanted to know what they were thinking. I will admit I was apprehensive about doing so at first, however now that we have gone through the process it is one that I plan to do every year.

The set up was simple:

1. I used google to create a form

2. I emailed the link out to the team members

3. As they filled in the sheet the answers were collected for me

Here were my questions:

1. Rate the overall musical quality of the worship Team (1-5)

2.  How much do rehearsals prepare you for leading worship Sunday morning (1-5)

3. Rate the variety of music presented (1-5)

4. List up to three things you think the band has definately improved on in 2009

5. What are three things you would have liked us to have improved on but we did not?

6. If you were in charge, could do anything you want, what one major change would you make?

7. Give me your idea of something new we should try to do?

8. Can you commit to the worship team for 2010? Why or Why Not?

9. What else would you like to say?

Through providing this opportunity for feedback I was able to hear things that I might not otherwise and address them before problems arise. I am excited too about new suggestions that were given and am looking forward to implementing them in the new year.

I encourage you to find some way where you can receive honest feedback from those you work with on a weekly basis. Not only will it help you to stop possible problems, but it gives your team members ownership.

So.. how do you give opportunities for feedback?

Your comments are appreciated.



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My Mistake and Our Big News

October 15, 2009   Russell Martin   No comments

Yesterday I posted something on facebook that at the time was a huge mistake. I didn’t realize it of course, but as the day wore on, and comments started coming in I saw the error of my ways. What was it?

Big news for the Martin household. More details later.

I saw nothing wrong. We had big news happening with us. It made sense to me. What I failed to keep in mind is that out of my facebook friends and followers there are many women who were all of the sudden drawing their own conclusions and speculations as to what our big news was. You can guess what they were thinking. Sorry to disappointed but the letter “B” has nothing to do with this announcement.

The news is that we have found and begun the process to purchase a house. It’s a nice starting home here in Texarkana. I’ll post pictures once everything is final. This is a big step for us and a huge commitment. We would definitely appreciate and covet your prayers as we go forward.

I apologize again for being so open ended and allowing for so much speculation my status update. I will try not to do that again.

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Instrumental Reflection #9- It Is Well With My Soul

October 07, 2009   Russell Martin   3 Comments
Sometimes these reflections are hard to come up with. Unfortunately this weeks came too easy, but for a difficult reason .
My sister’s best friend was supposed to be married in a few weeks. A few days ago her fiancee went to sleep and never woke up. I cannot even begin to imagine what she and the family are going through. I cannot think of any words to say. When I found out the news this one song rushed into my head and has not gone away.
This reflection is not only for her, but for all who are going through tough times.

Click to listen. Right click and choose “Save as” or “save target as” to save to your computer.

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  1. It is Well With My Soul
    by Horatio G Spafford
  2. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
    When sorrows like sea billows roll;
    Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
    It is well, it is well, with my soul.

    • Refrain:
      It is well, with my soul,
      It is well, it is well, with my soul.
  3. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
    Let this blest assurance control,
    That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
    And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
  4. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
    My sin, not in part but the whole,
    Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
    Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
  5. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
    If Jordan above me shall roll,
    No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
    Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
  6. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
    The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
    Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
    Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
  7. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
    The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
    The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
    Even so, it is well with my soul.

If you would be interested the family has set up a pay pal account  which will be used to defray funeral expenses and to pay bills, etc. that may need to be covered. Any gift would be appreciated.

Also I will pass on any comments or words of encouragement you leave in the comments.

1.  Go to paypal.com
2. Press Send (to send money)
3. Enter davidrosbrough@gmail.com in the to box and then enter your email address in the from box
4. Enter amount desired.
5. Scroll down and click on “personal” and “gift”
6. Press continue and follow instructions

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To listen click play!

 
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Unfailing Love CD Available

March 30, 2009   Russell Martin   3 Comments

Last summer I kept talking about this CD that I had recorded. The problem was that although it was recorded it was not available yet. Well now it is. At the beginning of fall I received 1000 copies of the 4 song EP “Unfailing Love” and it was posted up on Itunes and Amazon.com.

So I would appreciate it if you would give it a listen and download a copy. It only costs $4.

If you’d like to get a full copy it can be purchased from CD Baby.  For more those links visit my website at russellmartinmusic.com

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Appreciating Your Worship Team: Social Media

March 15, 2009   Russell Martin   2 Comments

There are many ways to let your worship team know you appreciate them. Some of these include sharing a meal together, or even giving a CD as a gift. One more I way I thought of today is to use social media.

The beauty, and sometimes curse, of social media is that whatever you put up, most anyone can see. Services like twitter and facebook are a great way to get a message out to alot of people at one time. Why not use this means to show your appreciation to your worship team. This morning our youth band led worship and did a great job. As I was getting in my car I just posted a short twitter that said “Couldn’t be more proud of the youth band, they did a great job.” My goal was that when this posted to my facebook account that some of the youth band members would see it. What happened was that other church members who were there also chimed in and left comments like “Yeah they were great.” So my simple twitter/facebook update actually prompted others to show their appreciation too.

Is this the only way to show appreciation… no. But here are some of the benifits I have seen:

1. It is immediate- A handwritten card may be more personal, but by the time you write it, mail it, and they receive it, 3 days could pass by. I was able to send out this message immediately.

2. It is global- Write a note to one person showing your appreciation and that one person will see it. Write it on something public like twitter or facebook and many people can see it, and chime in too.

3. It encourages others- When you share your appreciation on a public site like facebook then it prompts others to share their appreciation too.

4. It’s easy- No pens, envelopes, stationary, or desk was involved.

5. It gets to the point- When I write a letter alot of times I end up rambling not knowing what to say. Using a text or twitter makes me say what I want to quickly and concisely.

If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch. Follow me on twitter.

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Appreciating Your Band- Today is the Day

March 04, 2009   Russell Martin   2 Comments

Today I passed out a rehearsal CD to our band. I spent some money and purchased everyone in the band a copy of Lincoln Brewster’s Cd “Today is the Day”. The songs are great, different from what we have traditionally done, and the style fits our group. Plus I have a sophomore kid playing guitar who can pretty much nail all the guitar parts.  It was something simple that cost a little bit of money but that i hope goes a long way. Since we recently stopped making “reheasal cds” for our team, buying them a copy of a worship CD helps them to continue to learn songs, plus increases their worship music collection. 

I am not sure if we will continue to buy CDs for the team but it seems like a great way to show a little appreciation and to stay within copyright regulations as well.

If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.

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Appreciating Your Band-Take a Break and Break Some Bread

March 04, 2009   Russell Martin   3 Comments

I became the worship leader at my church over 2 years ago. After a while I felt like we were getting into a rut and stale in our music and our rehearsals.  What I began to realize is that all we did was practice and lead. I decided that what we needed was a chance to spend time, not playing our instruments. So for one rehearsal I ordered fajitas from a local restaurant and treated them to a meal. It was nothing fancy, just some chicken, cheese and tortillas. We sat and ate, talked about stuff, learned about each other and we even ended up playing through some new songs, but that wasn’t the focus. The whole meal cost me around $100. The money spent is nothing compared to what has happened since. 

Over the past years we have continued this tradition. Not on a regular basis but randomly. We meet together, share a meal and just chill out. Turns out I think it has been some of the most productive rehearsal times that we have had.

How often do you just take a break and do something different with your team?

If you like this article then consider subscribing to Fork In the Road music by email or using your rss reader. Visit my contact page for more ways to stay in touch.

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Guest Post- Logan Armatys- How to Survive Summer with a Band

August 23, 2008   Russell Martin   No comments

With an amazing summer coming to an end, I feel the need to write about the most important thing we, as a band, have learned from the experience of traveling together weeks and months at a time. It is our greatest adversary…patience.

So how do you hit the road with your best friends …the amazing musicians with diverse personalities that we as worship leaders can relate to, without wanting to kill them in their sleep? (Metaphorically speaking of course) Well here are some “guidelines” to help you on your quest to lead others to the cross without being hindered by complications/feelings within the band, as well as help make your experience on the road a little bit easier.
_____________

10.Never eat at Whataburger more than five days at a time, as it will cause upset stomachs and crankiness with other band mates (not to mention the likelihood of unsanitary living conditions later on)

9. Try and laugh at each other’s jokes even when they’re not funny. This will create a confidence boost for the “unfunny” one in the group, and show that a good sense of humor is encouraged.

8. Go to bed before 3:00 am so you’re not showing up to morning devotional in your pajamas with your eyes half open. This is also very dangerous as it may also cause quick irritability toward others in the band later in the day.

7. Don’t be a backseat driver for the one in control of the vehicle. This can have a reverse effect which causes the driver to have a strong desire to intentionally lose control and make you cry “mama.” (A Garmin GPS system can be a lifesaver, and is strongly recommended)

6. Don’t forget your instrument.

5. Never steal the bass players bedding, or he is likely to construct a fort with everyone’s mattress.

4. Don’t stay up attempting to have pillow talk. You will be ignored and interrupted by other pointless conversations that wade throughout the night.

3. Show everyone in the band that you truly appreciate their gifts and talents as musicians. More importantly, that you appreciate and value their friendship, love, and support. ENCOURAGEMENT IS KEY!

2. Lay down any ego and pride you may have and know that without the person next to you, the purpose of the band as a whole can not be accomplished.

1. Pray as a band each time before taking the stage, and keep in mind the fact that this could be the day a student acknowledges Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior for the very first time.

Now of course, small internal conflicts are inevitable. But I hope that by following these guidelines you can learn to be a little more patient with one another, and always remember that God has given YOU the gifts, talents, and capability to further His kingdom through the wonderful creation of music, which has been given to us to bless His heart and make His name known.
Logan Armatys is part of the band “So Be It”. Listen to their music and find out more about their ministry by visiting their myspace page. Www.myspace.com/sobeitiscool

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Youth Worship: Worshipping Without a Band

August 11, 2008   Russell Martin   7 Comments
youthband11

Recently my friend Tim Schmoyer who blogs at Life in Student Ministry received the following email from a youth leader looking for some help. He asks:

“Do you know of any GOOD cd’s or dvd’s for sing-a-long praise and worship music for teens.  We are a small group in rural Missouri.  No praise band but we want to praise God during our meetings.  I’d appreciate any help you have to offer. Thanks a million and God bless.”

Worship music is a very important aspect of any youth ministry I have been involved in. Sometimes we had groups that sang a few songs at the beginning or end of a youth group time, sometimes we had a band that played for a youth worship service or maybe just some guitars around the campfire singing favorite songs. But the question is what do you do when you do not have anyone who can play guitar, or who can lead songs? There are a few options.

Option #1CD/DVD resources- Many different companies now offer worship music on CD and DVD. Two of the main ones I have used before are Iworship and SPIN or Student Praise Interactive Network.

The Iworship DVDs included the songs being performed and video backgrounds with the words displayed.  They even have a new cool product called IWORSHIP Flexx which allows you to easily move between verses, bridges etc. They also include split tracks so you can either worship and sing along with the vocals, or just have the background music play.

Student Praise Interactive Network is another great resource and the one I am more familiar with. SPIN sends you a package of resources in one disc. These include the split tracks for each song, lyrics formatted for Media Shout and Powerpoint, Chord Sheets, Lyric Sheets, and Piano Music. I really like this resource because it provides a great transition if you do find an guitar player, piano player or vocalist who can slowly work into leading worship for you. Since the piano and chord sheets go along with the CD, they can play along, and sing along while they learn and become more comfortable and confident.

Option #2 Find a Service Nearby- Although it does not meet a need for worship every week, on an occasional basis you may be able to take your group to a worship service somewhere else. Maybe there is a church or youth group in your area that does a weekly contemporary worship service. What a great way not only to worship as your own group but to join others in worship, maybe even from a different denomination. Also keep your eyes and ears open for concerts that may be coming to your area. Worship groups like Hillsongs, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin not to mention many others, all tour and offer great worship opportunities for your group to attend.

Option #3 Bring Someone In- Maybe there is someone in your area who leads worship who would be willing to come lead worship for you on a one time or regular basis. There are many beginning worship leaders who are just looking for opportunities to lead and would love to have the opportunity to share in worship with your group. Check with other churches in your area, or your denominational head office to find some names. There are also sites like indie heaven which have a collection of christian artists, and a way for you to search for some in your area.

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