Is It Mandatory?

I remember asking my Dad, “Do I have to?” when asked to clean my room or do my homework. His classic answer was, “Not if you want to.”

His genius taught me that if I had the desire to do something, it wouldn’t feel like a chore… because I wanted to do it. He also taught me that I had agency to tell my “wanter” to do something so it wouldn’t feel so distasteful.

I am sharing a picture of me with one of my first drum sets: two car cases, a bible, and a powder bottle. Evidently, belly shirts were a thing in 1981 too, as were posters of the Millennium Falcon escaping from an Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer.

As you can tell from my floor, I must have just finished cleaning up my room. Because you can actually see it.

We all have moments where our wanter gets tested.

Our coaching staff discussed what to do with one of the churches we’re coaching. They have worship services every Saturday and Sunday and are adding a Thursday rehearsal.

Should the techs be required to attend the rehearsals in addition to the two weekend services? Should it be mandatory?

I will give you a list of thoughts that our team discussed. It might expand your thinking and help you lead your team to do things they don’t yet want to do.

It’s an opportunity to take a son or daughter along to serve as you spend time together. Coach Tony told us the story of setting up chairs with his Dad. They had to crawl into a small space, hand each chair through a window, and do it in reverse afterward. His Dad was busy, but he knew that he’d get to be with him every Sunday.

Find a “person of peace” who is not put off by three days and has the heart and space to serve this way. Not everyone can do this, but some are willing and available. Look for those people.

Paint a bigger vision. Rather than a long list of requirements, communicate the long list of goals. Why are we doing this? How will this prepare us to be more confident and comfortable as a team? Until we know the why, the what is always too big.

Cross-train - build a team of techs that knows how to do everything. Ask the lyrics operator what they hear from the band. Give them a reason to be there other than pushing buttons.

Communicate that it’s not mandatory, it’s voluntary... but we’ll be weaker if you don’t show up. We are a team and will rise and fall on each other.

Well... the band will be there all three days. This is simply what it takes to serve on the team.

Break down the role into two smaller parts: Have one person at rehearsal to set things up and a second person at the services running things.

Make it worth their while - fun, well-prepared rehearsals where each person is full of responsibility and understands how their part contributes to the whole.

Honor what they CAN give. In the building phase (and we’re ALWAYS in a building phase), take what you can get, what they can give. Start from where you are and build from there, honoring what each person is willing and able to do today.

How would you have answered that question? Or what is a requirement that you are having trouble with being mandatory? Share your ideas in the comments.

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

ps. My son still sleeps on that animal blanket!!

Is It Mandatory? (Nº 363)