This morning, worship for the most part was good. We performed well, and just like the message that Pastor Jim gave today, we performed as a team to hep bring thers to Christ through music.
The thing is, though, that it takes so much complaining, yakking, and high emotions to get just one worship service off the ground. Obviously when the congregation sees us they don't know that, but it's true. Week in and week out, I have found so many faults in how the band is run. The number is mounting and it really has to stop.
Last Saturday, we had our practice, and this is where Jason showcases his foolishness. You have a group of 6 people. Two singers, one singer/guitarist (Jason), one electric guitarist (Me), a bassist, and a drummer. Understandable that he has a lot of work to go through to get all these members caught up on how the songs are played, yet he never even tries to help the others and assumes that everyone knows the song and everything is gonna go off without a hitch. One person in particular that always needs assisance is our bassist. After working with the original leader for the past 7-8 years, he needs help in getting used to Jason's "method" of worship leading, but the leader isn't helping him get used to it. Instead, he decides to give a rather boring speech on preparing for worship. You don't have to tell us how to prepare for worship, and that one method cannot be the one way that we prepare. Some of us meditate, some read the Bible, some practice the songs for the week any chance they get leading up to practice and service. His delivery also is terrible, but most importantly, we all lose precious practice time because of his yakking. Preferably, I would rather have his little speech after worhsip practice, so we know everything is done.
Another problem that was pointed out last Saturday besides lack of communication was delivery of communication from one party to another. For example, Jason asked me about my week and said I'm getting ready for a big paycheck in two weeks and I explained that I'm gonna buy the pedals I need to finish up my set. He then said in a rather harsh tone that I should buy a new amp. First off, I don't know why I should. I haven't had that amp for even three years and it hasn't died on me yet, nor it produces bad sound. I treat my equipment with loads of respect and I can get around 7 years out of that Crate before it starts dying on me. Second off, and much more importantly, I did not like his tone. This is something that I've had a problem about with his entire family because they do talk very harshly, but Jason and his brother are the major ones I have a beef with, mostly cause they're the ones I talk with the most. The delivery in this specific sentence was very sharp and had a very diminuitive tone (sorry if I spelled that wrong). What I mean is that when he said that he made me feel like I'm some nobody to him. Definitely not true. I am a quite experienced worship leader even with only 4 years under my belt. I learned from an actual worship leader for two of those years and just recently I'm starting again to get a new crash course in how to run a band. I've led two youth worship bands, one in Shoreline and one in Everett, the latter of which is a very well known church in this state. I've led his own worship team for a time. Jason should not be talking to me like I'm nobody. I tell him every week of my accomplishments in some way because I'm proud of them. And IMHO, I probably could run the worship team better that he can simply from formal knowledge alone.
Yeah, I said it.
And then this morning, he almost messed it up again and it was up to me and the drummer to save the day. First off, there came a time when the drummer was late and we wanted to sing a song just to get the rest of the band started. After that song, the drummer happened to show up and we practiced the rest of the songs. But when one of the singers asked to do the first song again because the drummer needs to get ready as well, he was reluctant. The truth is, no matter how many times you've covered the song, it is never a bad thing to go over it again. That's how you would know whether a performance is gonna go well or not. Not only that the bassist still wasn't ready to go, so the drummer and I ended up doing the leader's job while he left for Sunday School and we helped the bassist get used to the song. We shouldn't be doing that. That's his job. But people like me can never proceed until every puzzle piece fits, so I'm obligated to help with whatever. Even during this practice I was helping provide harmonics for the other singers in case the song got too high for them. It's not my job, but I'm obliged to fix it.
Jason, you are a leader of probably one of the most important branches of worship. I think it's time that you started being one.
Psalm 98:4,
Billy
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