Worship Musician August 2019 | Page 69

4. UNDER-PROMISE AND OVER-DELIVER. Be will require top-shelf leadership prowess from 4. HAVE AN HONEST AND HUMBLE CONVERSATION realistic in your ‘selling’ of the change. People you! While you may think this situation may WITH YOUR LEADER. Get it all out. Make sure deserve truth and need to know how difficult be avoidable, it’s not. The truth is, if you are to express your concerns, questions and this change may be and the sacrifices that may in ministry long enough, you will be asked to comments to your leader in private! This is a be required to achieve it. However, always try to do something you don’t want to. This isn’t a time for you to get vision, understanding and make it as easy and efficient as possible bad thing. In reality, often, other great leaders insight into the change. You may actually may know more than we do and have better experience some inspiration too. 5. DO YOUR PART. Lead by example. Nobody ideas than us on certain situations. They may wants to change unless the people they trust to even have a vision from the Lord that we need 5. HUMBLY SUBMIT. Even if you don’t think the lead them change as well. Be the first person to to help implement! If this is the case, here are idea is good, you have to choose to submit to model the change, make the sacrifices yourself some extremely important additional steps to the authority that God has placed you under. and let others be inspired to do the same. walk through to navigate this type of change Remember, it’s ok to lead a change that isn’t successfully: your idea even if you don’t think it is a good For the third category of change, ‘Changes that idea… as long as you can get on board and you control and very few people are excited 1. CHECK YOUR EGO. Remember, it’s not about humbly submit. You could be surprised out about’, you will likely get a lot more pushback. you. It’s about the Kingdom of God and the how great of an idea it really is once you get So, in addition to the previous tips, you will body of Christ. We must serve like Jesus and behind it! need to add the following layers as well to lay down our own ambitions for the good of His soften the blow. Especially, if you sense that glory. 6. OWN THE CHANGE. Once you have checked folks are more likely to push back or resist the off all the other concerns, you now have the change. choice to walk away or ‘own’ it. The worst thing 1. MAKE SURE THIS CHANGE IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Don’t make changes because you are simply bored, want to try something new or just get frisky! It isn’t worth it. All of those feelings will eventually pass. 2. COUNT YOUR COST. Understand that some folks may not respond well, and this could cost you relationships, culture or at least some serious headaches. Make sure the result will be worth it. 3. ALLOW VOICES TO BE HEARD. Make sure the Remember, it’s you can do is try to lead through a change with the attitude of ‘this is a terrible idea, but I have to do it anyway.’ That attitude will insure your not about you. failure as well as create disunity on your team. It’s about the your own and see what happens! Whether or Kingdom of God and the body of Christ. The best option is to ‘own’ the idea as if it were not the idea was a good one or not is no longer on you. Your responsibility is to simply lead people, love people and honor God through the process. No matter what happens, you will come out a victor on the other side. And best of all, you will gain trust, favor, and influence along the way. people that will be most affected by this change As you learn to lead through difficult changes, have a chance to voice their concerns and be keep in mind that God is the ultimate provider 2. SEEK WISE COUNSEL. Don’t make decisions on and He has promised to meet all of your needs! your own. The bigger the problem, the more Don’t be afraid to try something new. Change 4. PROCEED WITH GRACE AND MERCY AND BE trustworthy people we should consult with. is a sign of growth. And all things that are alive PATIENT. Understand that change is difficult for Let others speak into how you should handle are growing. Now, go and lead! some people. Give them time to process and a situation. heard. think without feeling bullied or manipulated. This will help you continue to build relational 3. VERIFY YOU ARE NOT SACRIFICING YOUR equity. INTEGRITY OR CONVICTIONS. Don’t do anything that causes you to go against what you truly For the final category of change, ‘Changes that believe about God, Jesus or the Bible. While someone else controls that you are not excited this is rare, it does occasionally rear its head. about’, this is the most difficult change and This is where wise counsel comes in! August 2019 Brian Michael Fuller Brian is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and worship musician who currently serves as the worship arts pastor at Newhope Church in Durham, North Carolina. You can hear some of his original production music at www.fullertime.com. The pad sets that he has designed are exclusively available at www.worshiptutorials.com and have sold over 50,000 copies. www.FullerTime.com Subscribe for Free... 69