You're Right and So Am I...

   In 2011, I was invited to fly out to Winston-Salem, NC to listen to the Martin MLA speaker system with Special Event Services(SES). While out there I had dinner with Jim Brammer (SES), Greg Slape (SES), Scott Ragsdale (Willow Creek), and Ron Cook (Willow Creek). It was a fascinating and flowing conversation about all things production, common trends in the industry and church today, as well as personal histories in music, concerts, and production. Outside of all of the laughing there were several moments that left me to think and reflect on the conversation.
   Scott Ragsdale pointed out that the majority of posts and articles he had been reading claimed how right they were and how detrimental to our field that can be. I'm sorry to say, but what works for you may not work for me. What you find awesome, I may have found awesome ten years ago. In everything I write and say, I hope that I can portray what we've done, how it worked for us, and how I don't have all the answers. It's great to research and see what other people do, but the day you think you've arrived and that there is no better way is the day you have officially said you no longer want to investigate and learn, which means you have flat lined in your forward momentum and creativity.
   Working where I do, I receive a lot of calls from sales reps for every product you can fathom or imagine. The typical response for someone trying to sell something in this industry is to tell me how it's better than everything else and they have the best price. In my opinion, nothing out there is the best. All there is is what works for an application. 
   With art being as subjective as it is, what you like I may hate and what you hate I may like. Neither is right, it's preference. There are speakers that I love that I would never use in certain situations. There are speakers I don't like that are perfect for other applications. Instead of thinking in terms of best product, we should shift to thinking of best in terms of situation. Every sales rep has a certain company they will or can work with, so with that in mind, they will find that to be the best product out there. Sadly, in a lot of situations, sales is about the units sold, not the best for you.
   Another thing that makes the law of I'm right and you're wrong a terrible outlook is the context of the situation. What one place might do as trendy and hip, another place may have done five years ago. Style and fashion is a cyclical industry. What was worn in one decade, made fun of in another decade, is now hip, trendy, and chic in this decade.
   So my resolve is this, please don't tell me you have "the" answer or "best" product. We are all right in most degrees as it depends on context and preference. Don't be discouraged, continue to change, shape, and make better whatever you resolve your vision and direction to be. Continue to strive for excellence and research new and better ways to do what you are doing. Humility will bring you much further than pride. Know who you are, what you are to accomplish, and work to the best of your ability.


May you be encouraged in blessed in all that you do. Would love your thoughts or comments below. Feel free to tweet, post, or send along.


Cheers!

Production is Art

     I once heard that 86% of the touring production folks were, at one time or still were, in bands themselves. I will post, for the benefit of people like Ed Stetzer, that I don’t know if that is accurate or not as I haven’t read the study that was conducted to get that number. I can understand that statement, as I was one of the people that were more heavily involved in music than in production.

     In audio you are conducting the dynamics of the mix as a conductor would a symphony, which I did take conducting class in college (part of the double major in music and communication) and know what the tempos and hand motions look like. If you aren’t actively mixing it would be good to remember what Jason Farah once told me, ‘mixing’ is a verb.

     In lighting, you are creating ambience and feel. You are drawing people in as the impulse of lights flow by. Redirecting attention as well as keeping people engaged.

     Video draws in the concentration and attention to the details of what’s being shared or played. It connects you to what may be far away. In film they say the eyes tell the story. I’ve heard it said that the eyes are the pathways to the soul.

     All areas of production shape and shift the atmosphere and feel. The worst thing you can do in the production world, or any job for that manner, is to think that you are just making something happen. Be engaged, full on, and make things better than when you found them. What you do could be the difference between life or death, between life changing and just another moment.

     Art is subjective, it won’t always be accepted, and it is all in the eye of the beholder. But do remember one thing, Production is a team role. It’s not just you; it’s a team (band/speaker and the conglomerate of production roles) that is making art together. So, to think you are painting this masterpiece alone is a fatal error to your goal. That will mean people want to speak into your art, guess what, you’re not Picasso. Think of the team it takes to make a movie. That’s how Production is as well. 

     It’s not about you. Remind yourself that. It’s not about you, but the end goal and the team you’re going to make that trip with.

     May your art be beautiful and life changing in whatever picture you are painting. Figuratively speaking of course.

Feel free to comment below, to tweet it, to post it, to send it.

Cheers!

The Substance of Things Hoped For...

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

I’ve always loved this paradigm in Hebrews portrayed in how hope and faith are intertwined. The world is continually searching for hope. It’s something I have, it’s something the church has, it’s something the government promises, it’s what people desire. They want hope and it’s readily available to them.

Sitting in a meeting we were celebrating the hope and excitement that we carry through life and my mind wandered (this should never shock you, my mind moves a thousand miles a minute and always processes) to this thought. The hope we have in Christ is in direct contrast to what our politicians and government try to pull from. Hope draws people. Listen to every political speech, it’s that time of year again, and you’ll continually hear about the hope they will and can provide. I even read an article that said the President’s book The Audacity of Hope, which was titled off one of his minister’s sermons The Audacity to Hope, was partly credited to his being elected.

In my life, I have not found a truer hope and joy than what I have in Christ. I live my life excited every day knowing that I live fulfilled in Christ and in Christ alone.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26

May you be encouraged and blessed. Feel free to comment below, to tweet it, to post it, to send it.

Cheers!

A Different Look at Church

     A friend said he was going to Chicago with his family. I jokingly said to enjoy my fourth love. God, wife, daughter, Chicago. He sent me a message that asked where the church was located in that list. I replied that the church is not a building but people, and if Chicago were made of people then the church would be fourth as well. We both laughed, but it did concern me.

There is a disconnect in our culture with the church and I wonder if it is because we have changed our definition from people to a building. In the dictionary the first two definitions are the building and the next three are the people. It should be reversed. You may congregate in a designated building, but the church is people.

When people tell me they love their church I’m curious, do they mean they love the people or the programs that have been put forth by the leadership of that people? There is nothing wrong if you love the programs of your church, but it alarms me when people say they don’t like their church because then I have the same wonder. Do they not like the people or the programs?

     I was having coffee with a Washington DC up and comer in DC and I asked the question, if the conservative party is the “Christian party” then why don’t they help the poor and needy? I find it ironic that the “Christian party” would bash the liberal party for helping those in need. Do we realize that if we did our part as the church (people) we wouldn’t need the government to do anything? I also realize that the church (building/organization) is doing a lot, but we (people) must not be doing enough if there is still the need. I wonder if as a people we are programmed to expect an organization (church, government) to solve the problem instead of ourselves. The Lord’s request of Peter was if you love me then feed my lambs. Even Jesus portrayed that it took a personal touch.

I remember visiting a church that has dozens of satellite campuses. They all took place in homes. One of the people with me said that that would never fly in my denomination because we are church building oriented group. My response was simple. Why would we not be okay with it? It is biblical?

     People can’t be discipled by a building; people must disciple them. They can’t be invited by a building; people must invite them. The church can do everything in the world possible, but it takes people to make it stick, connect, and last. An institution cannot accomplish what a personal relationship can. It’s always a personal touch that counts. The church should not be thought of as a building, but foremost as a people. We are a body, a team, and a unit of people in this journey together.