Growth Plan

You have talent, gifts, and the desire to improve. But you may not know what to work on or how to work on it (call it a lack of systematic intentionality). I believe having a growth plan will help you get where you want to be.

Why should I plan for my growth? Why should I plan for my team’s growth? I believe I’m not the owner of my gifts; I’m a steward of them. What does the Owner expect me to do with them? Manage them? Yes, but not just that. Manage them for an increase.

The story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 reminds me I have received something of weight (talent) that I am given according to my “dynamis,” my ability. (Interestingly, this is the same word used for the power (“dynamis”) of the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8.) It isn’t a question about how much I’ve received or (even what effort I put forth), but what I do with it and Whose power brings it to life!

How do I know if the talent I’ve been given is increasing and not just leveled off? There’s no way to tell unless I know where I am today, and then compare “today me” to “future me.” (comparing myself to anyone else almost always being pretty unhelpful, if not destructive...and certainly joy-sapping!)

 

Five areas for a well-rounded Growth Plan for Worship Ministry

Musical Artistry, Spiritual Formation, Relational Integrity, Technical Excellence, and Leadership Ability. Take each area individually and think about where you are now and where you’d like to be by the end of the year. As dearly loved sons and daughters, we look to honor and glorify God as we serve. Bearing much fruit is one way to glorify Him (John 15:8). Our mission includes creating spaces where people can meet with God, so what we do should serve that end.

(the level of detail below isn’t meant to overwhelm you, but rather to inspire your thinking)

 

Musical Artistry

Step one: learn to play your instrument. Step two: learn to play the song. Step three: learn to play with a band. Step four: genuinely make music!

What are the musical skills I want to work on?
Dynamics, tastefulness, styles, rhythm, timing, tempo, creating a groove, memorizing music, listening, preparing before rehearsal, improvising, vocal harmony, vocal blend, vocal health, songwriting, strumming patterns, picking patterns, sticking patterns, use of capos, keyboard textures, electric guitar tones and effects, instruments playing their musical roles, arranging, musical transitions, prophesying with your instrument, learning a new instrument, tuning, key selection, sight-reading, musical notation, ear training, theory, personal practice time...

 

Spiritual Formation

I like calling our journey toward spiritual maturity “spiritual formation” because of the great blueprint we have in Galatians 4:19: “until Christ is formed in you” (NIV) or “until Christ’s life becomes visible in your lives” (MSG).

How do I desire to mature spiritually?
Abiding in the Vine, personal devotions, spiritual sensitivity, prayer life, worship life, character, meditation, fasting, bible study, service, spontaneous worship, generosity, being the last one in the room to get angry, teachability...

 

Relational Integrity

Relational health is apparent – you can tell when there is tension, and you can tell when people genuinely love being together. How do I want my relationships to improve?
Attitude, working out conflicts, anger, laziness, punctuality, openness, depth, listening, blessing, encouragement, follow-through, honor...

 

Technical Excellence

Remaining unnoticed during a service requires tremendous focus and broad knowledge. How do I want to grow in my technical understanding and ability?
Acoustics, EQ, gain structures, mixing, troubleshooting, using compressors, gates, and effects, miking, lighting, environmental projection, recording, visual worship leading, sound checks...

 

Leadership Ability

John Maxwell’s Law of the Lid states, “Leadership ability determines the level of effectiveness.” My influence caps (or puts a lid on) my ability to lead. How do I want to grow as a leader?
Influence, foresight, trust, respect, intuition, heart connection, empowerment, reproduction, vision, momentum, priorities, timing, authority, humility, song selection, increasing the number of musicians, rehearsal leadership, worship leadership, segues/setups, connection to the service theme, generational inclusiveness, understanding worship history, worship values, worship theology, modeling growth, followership, activating others, stage presence...

 

How do I decide what to focus on?

Sure, the exhaustive list of things you could work on is long and daunting! First off, you can’t work on everything this year. Can’t! You must settle into the reality that there are things you can’t work on this year. Clear them off of your mental to-do list, your emotional should-do list. Phew.

Now, pick about five of the ones you most want to work on. Use the following grid to decide: which ones will give me the most significant long-term benefit (like learning theory or taking lessons) and which ones will give me the most short-term WINS! (like figuring a way to get to rehearsal on time, or buying a tuner) Select a combination of those two categories.

 

Questions

Take time to think, to listen to the LORD, as you reflect on your own needs, your team’s needs as a whole, and the needs of the individual people on your team. The LORD may pop a thought into your mind as you think. For yourself, your team, and each member, ask:

1.     What are the top three skills you want to develop?

2.     What is one strategy you may want to try to use to get there for each of the skills?

3.     What are some indicators you can look for to know you’re on the right track?

4.     What obstacles will keep you from growing in these skills?

5.     A year from now, what will be different because of your investment?

-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)

Growth Plan (Nº 29)