WORSHIP LEADERS
WHAT AUSTIN DID (A CASE FOR MUSICAL MENTORS) | Jon Nicol
It was the 80’s. My church’s music was still organ- YouTube can teach someone how to play guitar responsibility is to empty ours." That removes
accompanied hymns. But occasionally, this quiet, (or keys or drums or bass, etc.). But who's the pressure to be everything the other person
slender guy named Austin would get up with going to teach them how to play tastefully in a needs. Just show them what you know.
his knock-off Les Paul and accompany his wife band with other musicians? And who will teach singing a special music number. I don't think I ever them what their role is as a 'platform musician' CREATE A PLAN. Between you, the mentor, and
heard her voice. All I could do was stare at his accompanying and helping lead the gathered the mentee, that plan should include:
fingers contorting into weird shapes while zeroing worship of the church?
CLOSED-ENDED
in on the jangle coming out of that little amp.
COMMITMENTS.
Neither
the
Mentoring is part of building a healthy worship mentor or the mentee wants an endless
When I was in the seventh grade, my pastor ministry. Not only does it build up new team obligation. Create a firm begin and end date for
cleaned out his attic and found an old classical members, but it also grows and matures the mentoring. If it's working, it can be extended.
guitar with strings a foot off the fretboard. mentor and you - the now ‘leader of leaders’.
CONSISTENT MEETING TIMES. Nothing derails
"Want this?" he asked me. "Heck yeah!" I said.
(Actually, I wouldn't have said "heck" since my When you develop musical mentors in your a
structured
mentor
plan
quicker
than
mom warned me it was a placeholder of a real worship ministry, you are practicing the too-often- inconsistency and long gaps between meetings.
cuss word.) ignored mandate of Ephesians 4:11-12—that leaders are to build up the body of Christ to do CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. People are busy. So look
"Maybe Austin can give you lessons," my pastor the work of ministry—and Paul's charge to his for solutions that make the most of everyone’s
said as he handed it to me. By the end of that protege in 2 Timothy 2:2—intentional mentoring. time. For example, create a mentoring group
where the mentor's time is multiplied. Or utilize
school year, Austin taught me Wipeout, House
of the Rising Sun, and every Christian camp With the space I have left, let me give you a a video meeting technology like Zoom. It allows
song… Ever. Eventually, I played guitar for my few practical tips to build mentorship into your people to connect without the travel time.
church and youth ministry, lead worship at worship ministry.
The bottom line is this. Mentoring builds your
camps, then college, and eventually became a
CAST THE NET. Start small and identify the ministry by growing new musicians and techs,
low-hanging fruit—those who have the most deepening
Over the years, I had many teachers and musical potential with the right mix of skill, willingness, leaders. And not only will your church and
mentors, so it's easy to forget the impact of and availability. ministry benefit, but you are starting a movement
worship pastor.
relationships,
and
developing
outward that will affect the Kingdom of Heaven
those formative years. But it's not an over-
exaggeration to speculate that I might not be CAST THE VISION. Paint a picture for the potential where I'm at had not Austin mentored me. In my mentor to see the benefits to the ministry, to the small hometown in Iowa, there were no music student, and even to the mentor him/herself. AUTHOR’S NOTE: A few years ago, Austin Rogers
stores and no guitar teachers that we knew of, Start with this phrase: "Imagine what it would went home to be with Jesus after a brutal battle
except Austin. look like if…" with cancer. I can only guess at the number of
1 Chronicles 25 tells us that the temple CONVINCE THE MENTOR. Experienced musicians you his mentoring and influence expanded out
musicians "were appointed... without regard have the curse of knowledge. They don't realize globally from that small town and is continuing to
to whether they were young or old, teacher or what seems basic and commonplace to them are affect the Kingdom today. Thank you, Austin. My
student." (1 Chronicles 25:8 NLT) things others want to learn and need to know. debt to you is one I can’t pay back, only forward.
Young and old. Teacher and student. Think CALM THEIR FEARS. Potential mentors often don't about the Austin’s you might have in your think they have what it takes to mentor someone worship ministry—even if yours is a small team. else. But encouraged them with something Imagine what could happen if a few of them took Andy Stanley says: "As leaders, we are never on the mantle of teacher and mentor. responsible for filling anyone else's cup. Our
for years.
students he taught over the years. But I can tell
82
February 2020
Jon Nicol
Jon’s the founder of WorshipWorkshop.com and
WorshipTeamCoach.com, two sites that help worship
leaders build strong teams and lead engaging
worship. He lives and serves in Lexington, Ohio with
his wife Shannon and their four kids.
WorshipWorkshop.com
WorshipTeamCoach.com
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