Is EXCELLENCE a dirty Word?

(Part 3)

Last week we talked about what NOT to do - but what should we be doing to be operating in excellence?

Creating Media that is part of the entire message of the service – it fits and is part of the whole.

Video that blends with the worship, not standing out from it. Graphics that reinforces the sermon, not confusing it or driving it.  Backgrounds that reinforces the song we are singing, not distract from the words of the song.  A good read on this topic can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/yvsqyj

Lighting that directs your attention where it needs to be, and helps hide things that might distract or hinder worshiping. Light that set and support the mood, not just become a show.

Audio that is  just the right level that help us sing out and feel the congregation singing.  A mix that conveys the worship from the platform to the pews.  A recording that becomes a witnessing tool for a church member.

We are here to worship and glorify God and help others to do the same.  So not only should we be actively getting rid of the bad things in the ministry, we also need to actively pursue doing more to enhance and reinforce the service.

Is Excellence a Dirty Word?

(Part 2)

So previously we discussed the need for Excellence, not perfection. So now what is Excellence?

Some might say that if we remain invisible to the congregation for the service we have achieved it. Not drawing attention to the media or the Media Ministry is a great start.

In the visual world this might include: Menus on the IMAG screen, Bad Camera Shots, Wrong Words, long pauses before the videos plays. We want the audience to see the screens but not think about what it took to get it there or what should be there.

In the audio world; no feedback, mics on in time, loud enough to hear, not too loud that it hurts the ears, decent mix.

So we know we are doing a good job when nobody notices. When we get no complaints we have done our job well.... But this is only half of doing media in excellence. This is basically a list of what not to do, what about what we DO? Remember, part of our purpose as a Media Ministry is to help create an environment that is conducive to worship, to help encourage and amplify worship.  We will look at this in part 3.

High Pointe Media Ministry

Ministry Purpose:

 To create an environment conducive to worship, to allow all to hear the Word as it is preached, to support other performance ministries, to support the programming needs of the pastoral staffand to record and distribute the messages.

Ministry Philosophy:

            We strive to offer resources that will inspire, sharpen and encourage you and resources that you can pass on to others to help them.  It is our desire to provide high quality resources in a timely manner and an affordable cost.

            We also provide those who are serving during our worship service a copy of the message so they too can be blessed, learn and grow.  Our desire is to provide these free of charge.

Pricing:

            All High Pointe Media Resources are available on a Love Gift basis.  We ask for a donation of $3 for CDs and $10 for DVDs, but this is just a suggested Love Gift, and you are welcome to donate more or less as you are lead to do so.

            We do not ever want the cost to keep someone from receiving the message from one of our services, so we make copies available free for the asking if money is an issue.

            It is our goal that this ministry will be 100% supported by those who receive the messages.  The suggested Love Gift donation help us meet these goals of providing free media to guest and those serving, purchase raw materials for making these resources, and equipment upkeep and maintenance.

Spreading the Word:

            Our goal is to ‘spread the Word’ to as many people as possible, and we are asking for your help.  How can you help?

1.      Please consider giving the CDs and DVDs you have already listened to away to others.  By passing on the message you help the church minister to others who may never step inside our building.

2.      Consider picking up an extra copy or two of messages you really enjoyed to pass along to others.

3.      Consider donating a few extra dollars when you pick up your resources to help cover the cost of all the free media we hand out every week.

4.      Consider volunteering in the Media Ministry.  Contact Jeff Jones ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 512-837-7725) for more information.

Thank You

            Finally, we would like to sincerely thank you for your prayers, financial support and efforts to ‘spread the Word’ with the Media Ministry.

Is EXCELLENCE a dirty word?

(part 1)

 Our media team does a great job, better than average as a matter of fact.  According to a recent poll on churchmedia.net, most media teams experience 5 or more “errors” per service related to projection, audio and video cues and content prepared for the services.  I would say our average is closer to 3.  Yet some members of the team get stresses out every time we talk about excellence, striving for excellence or praying for excellence.  Has “excellence” become a dirty word?

 I was first introduced to the term excellence as part of a TQM (Total Quality Management) movement at my former workplace.  With all the business and production management tools that came thru, excellence was often the word used instead of perfection.  The goal of course was to make a perfect product, minimize labor (to zero), minimize cost (to zero) and maximize profits for “the company” – of course if we had been successful, we would have been out of a job!

 When I first heard talk about excellence in ministry, my mind immediately thought about that worldly term.  Unfortunately, many in ministry also think that we need to execute our ministry duties perfectly (with the implication that it doesn’t please God if it is not.)   When we look at the use of excellence in the Bible,  2 Peter 1:3 best sums up the use of excellence: “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.“ NAS  See, the bible talks about the Lord be complete in excellence, or perfect, lifted up, greater than all else, but it never commands us to do our service with excellence.  One of the few other places excellence is mentioned is latter in 2^nd Peter (1:5) talks about striving for MORAL EXCELLENCE, which is only possible thru Christ Jesus.  This whole talk of excellence in serving leans dangerously close to a “works” based salvation.

 Somewhere along the way I heard a definition of excellence in service that I have adopted.  Excellence is doing the best you can with what the Lord has given you to service with right now.  I believe this lines up with scripture also.  The key is to acknowledge that the strength and talent comes from the Lord, and to accept and do what we can with what he has given us now (Read the parable about the talents – Mathew 25:14-30).  Does “excellence” have to be perfect then?  NO!  We are not perfect nor are our works perfect (precisely why we needed a PERFECT SAVIOR!).

 So then, what shall we do?  What shall our attitude be? First of all, I believe the Lord deserves our best in whatever we do.  I also believe he has put certain talents, abilities and desires in us that He wants to use for His purpose. Phil 3:7-11

 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. NIV

(to be continued….)

What’s it about?

There are a couple of important issues floating around here, mostly in the background, but I feel we need to remind ourselves of them every now and again.  Please take the time to read this in full and pass it on to those who don’t have email access.  I hope to help the newer members as well as the old timers regain some perspective that seems to get lost over time.

For starters, it’s not about the equipment.  We touch all those things and they are important in achieving the end goal, but that is not what we are about.  This ministry is known by many different names and touches many different areas, but it still boils down to a ministry.  Ministry involves being God’s hand, His messenger and touching people’s lives.  He has given us a unique way to participate in what He has asked us to do. Our goal is to equip and train each of you to do that ministry effectively, with the correct heart, and with excellence.

It’s not about the gear, it’s about God.  Even though choosing the right gear and operating the gear is critical to the level of success we achieve each worship service, and that is why we invest so much time and effort into installing the gear, maintenance and each person.  We want to make sure we are on the right track from a technical standpoint, but the number one reason this group exist is the ministry.  It’s about doing our best, giving God our best, and then watching Him bless our service to Him.  Every time you read the weekly update, show up to serve or meet with each other for fellowship, you should be thinking about the ministry, about who you can bless today, who you can lift up in prayer, and not about who has said something you disagree with, or who is right about some standing issue and so on.  Are you in the wrong place?  Only you can make that decision.

When we step up to the equipment, we need to have our minds set on doing our best to serve others in His name.  The reason we run sound, tape the service, show pretty pictures on those huge screens is to serve those who came to worship, to minister to those who have not heard the truth, to build up those who need help, to increase the effectiveness of those speaking or singing the message.  That is why we do it.  We are a part of the body.  We are here to help.  Make sure your heart and your mindset are correct every time you serve.

The beautiful thing is, that if we do these things for God, with the correct heart, THIS IS OUR SERVICE OF WORSHIP!  Let’s go forward and serve with excellence, whether it is Sunday Morning or Wednesday night.  Remember to lift up you fellow teammates in pray daily, and pass on encouragement to others.  Spend time in the Word and prayer before you come to serve, preparing your heart for worship.  While you are here, keep focused on what you have been called to do, and do it with Joy, giving back what you have been given.

Hopefully this has been encouraging and helpful.  It certainly was meant to be.  If you have lost sight of the goal along the way and need to talk to someone, please do.  We are in this together, and to God alone be the Glory!

In His Grace,

Jeff Jones

Director of Media Ministries

High Pointe Baptist Church.