How To Unstick Your Lowest Fader: SHEPHERD

Unlike personality profiles that box you in, the Five Faders teach you how to become the healthiest version of that Fader and how to raise your other Faders when love requires it.

There are no boxes in the Faders! We all have every Fader. But it could be stuck at the bottom.

I want you to have the necessary tools to move your Faders. Sliding Faders that haven’t moved in years can feel unnatural, difficult, or uncomfortable. So this is a series of how to unstick your lowest Faders.

Today you’ll learn how to free your inner Shepherd Fader.

The Shepherd is a Pastor who develops community and belonging. They consider the individual, making choices aware of how they will impact each person.

Like each Fader, the Shepherd Fader is crucial to have on your team. We must value this Fader!

There are probably some myths you believe about this Fader. Maybe you’ve experienced the unhealthy expression of the Shepherd, which we call the oversensitive and mistrusting Gatekeepers. You know, the kind that limits your team to one-of-each-kind of player?

But replace that image with a healthy Shepherd. We call it the Pastor - someone who nurtures a true community of friends where each person feels like they truly belong. This is our aim.

Next, look inside your heart and notice what’s coming up. “Look, our rehearsals aren’t small groups.” “I don’t really like people.” “Have you seen the characters I have to work with?” 

How will you deal with this self-talk? You must confess and replace it. “It’s my role to care for the individuals that serve with me.” “God, help me experience Your love so I can love others like I’ve received love.” “As I read scripture, I see how you’ve used misfits all along… help me to follow your pattern, Lord Jesus.”

Lastly, here are some practical strategies to grow as a Shepherd from Linden Sommers, the prototype that became the Shepherd Fader.

Learning to Listen

As an Artist listens to the tracks, a Shepherd needs to listen to the individuals on their team. How do the team members complement each other - who are the Artists, and who are the Priests? The track might have an electric guitar lead on the intro, but if your team’s electric player is new and your piano player is the pro, maybe throw the lead to the piano instead. Changing things up to your team’s strengths is a good idea.

To do this, you must first know where those strengths are. Get to know your team personally and musically. Casual conversations work wonders. Take mental notes of a highlight or two from your conversations. And next time you see them, ask them if they bought that guitar they had their eye on or if that business trip they were planning went well. 

But what do I listen for?

1. What’s going on in the individual’s personal life that might impact how they work with the team or enter into worship?

If they’ve got something going on that is challenging them personally, their countenance could negatively impact the team, and their lack of engagement could suppress the energy you are trying to convey to the congregation. Hear them out. Give them a voice. Pray over them and reinforce the biblical truth that engaging in worship is an opportunity for them to engage in the battle spiritually. Corporate worship is just as much for the team members as it is for the congregation.

That said, No Counseling Sessions! Stay in your lane. Don’t try to give advice or solve problems. You are a worship leader, so that is your focus. Use the team members’ experiences and challenges to unify the group around the common cause of bringing glory to God and seeing the Holy Spirit move powerfully for the congregation and the team.

2. What’s going on with the individual in their preparedness and capability regarding the music?

If you have team members that bleed excellence and professionalism in their skillset, throw them some challenging stuff to keep them interested and engaged. (ie. Highly skilled drummer = more rhythmically challenging songs in the set) . If you have team members that perhaps feel inadequate about their talent compared to others on the team keep your expectations reasonable and modify your arrangements accordingly (i.e., Beginner piano player = few songs with piano-led intros). 

Challenging them is okay, but highlighting their weaknesses in front of the team will demoralize them and bring the team’s morale down. Communicate with weaker team members early and give them the material in advance so they have lots of prep time. When they are prepared, their confidence will grow, and you’ll have yourself a loyal, strong team member in no time.

Bring in Help

Someone on your team has a higher Shepherd Fader than you do. Ask them to show you how to listen, prepare, rehearse, think, and play…as a Shepherd.

Lastly, try one of these “How to get along with me” for Shepherds:

• Open up to me; let me care for you

• Care for the folks on our team

• Look to me for spiritual guidance

• Let’s hang out. Really!

You can also find resources on the Shepherd Fader in past Fertilizers by searching by that topic: [https://www.adlibmusic.com/worship-fertilizer/category/Shepherd+%28Faders%29]

Next week, we’ll get your Priest Fader unstuck.

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

How To Unstick Your Lowest Fader: SHEPHERD (Nº 368)