Yesterday, along with 28 members of our Arts team (mostly volunteers), I attended The Green Room – a gathering for artists that serve in the local church. Presented by The Willow Creek Association, this regional one-day Arts event was an incredible asset to me and our team. We learned much, and I know all of us came away with at least one learning (though it’d be hard to find anyone who only had one – there were many learnings). Nancy Beach, VP of the Arts for the WCA, led the event and did an excellent job in casting vision about what the core values of an arts ministry should be. (If you’re interested in the use of arts in the local church, check out An Hour on Sunday.)
Here’s a two of my thoughts following the event:
1. We need more in our “toolbox.” Our weekend services can’t just rely on music and teaching. We need to broaden our use of the arts. (Which has led me to question how to spark movements in areas like dance and drama within our church.)
2. Evaluation, evaluation, evaluation. We need to grow in this area. We need to raise our level of thoughtful discussion following the execution of our weekend services.
On the drive home, two of our volunteers rode with me. Our discussion centered around learnings and thoughts of the event. It was a great discussion. They shared with me what they learned and also what they thought I and those who lead alongside me could do to better utilize their gifts and service. It was an invaluable conversation. My major take-away from the drive was this: I never want to become a leader who stops listening. I want those who serve under me to always feel as though they have someone who is for them, someone who is accessible and wants to see them become better at what they do. Because, when volunteers in the local church get better, the church gets better. And better churches are a big win – a big one.
