Worship Musician JulAug16 | Page 54

AFEWMOMENTSWITH THE PROPER CARE AND HANDLING OF A WORSHIP TEAM UTILITY PLAYER CONTENTS: equipped with the spiritual gift of helps. This gift ability. For example, some utility players can One (1) Utility Player makes them almost incapable of saying NO. drum in a pinch and keep a reasonably steady So remember, available shouldn’t always equal beat. But ask those same players to hold their scheduled. own on a tom-heavy, driving anthem (while PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The Utility Player is a worship team member staying steady with a click track), and you’ll find who can fulfill multiple roles on the worship Here are some other things you’ll need to know they just can’t hang. So encourage your utility team, which likely includes a number of about your U.P.: player to grow in his primary instrument as your instrumental roles and, quite possibly, sound team develops. THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENT: tech and/or vocalist. Regardless of what he says, he does have a FINAL INSTRUCTIONS: INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: primary and favorite instrument to play. Find Here are the final two things you need to know Congratulations! You are the fortunate recipient out what that is and intentionally schedule him about utility players. of a worship team utility player (or U.P.). there as often as possible. He’ll appreciate it. Lost your bass player this week? Even with the utmost scheduling restraint on First, despite the moniker, he's not a tool to be He can cover it. your part, your U.P. will find himself scheduled used. Schedule him with restraint to ensure a Got a drummer shortage? more often than the average worship team long and happy life on your team. And second: You’re in luck! He used to play in college. member. While burnout is a potential risk, there No. Human cloning is not a viable option, no Need a warm pad underscoring “Good is another danger lurking for this musical Swiss matter how much you’d like have three of him. Army knife. Good Father”? He’s on that like a rat on a Cheeto. AS YOUR TEAM GROWS: SCHEDULING: As your team grows and you have fewer holes Now that you're full of giddy delight, it’s time to to plug, your utility player will begin to play less schedule him. often. He may take this scheduling downturn as personal and feel unwanted. You’ll want to PROCEED WITH CAUTION. make sure he understands why and reaffirm his Your natural inclination will be to schedule him value to the team. JON NICOL 35 year veteran of the worship technology arena with a passion for excellence balanced by the knowledge digital is a temporary state. WorshipTeamCoach.com for every open spot on every Sunday between now and Christmas 2019. If you do this, the Finally, the jack-of-all/master-of-none role can endless stream of Sundays will suck his soul dry be exactly what you need for a certain season rendering him useless (except for the occasional of your worship team’s development. But living room performance of “Rosanna”). It’s also eventually, your minimum standard for some important to note that many U.P.s also come instruments may surpass this generalist’s WORDS FROM THE EDITOR and support for this magazine and the Christian Howard Rachinski, founder of CCLI. I part of. Your leadership and company culture first heard about Howard when I dropped have done so much to bless the international off some magazines at a youth retreat in worship community. continued from page 8 Musician Summit conferences that we are Portland, many years ago. Howard had just left and everyone spoke so highly of him. So my friends, grab your smartphone or iPad, Nearly two decades later, we are thrilled to download the free Layar app, turn the page honor his induction into the Gospel Music and jump right in to see what this issue has in Association’s Hall of Fame. God’s favor on store for you… his life is as much about who he is as it is photo: Diana Rush 54 for what he has accomplished. Thank you Lord Bless Ya! Howard and CCLI for your partnering spirit Bruce & Judy Jul  Aug 2016 WorshipMusician.com