Displaying Worship Team "credits"

[sbruce]

I'm not sure where to post this, so I chose here...If it needs to be moved, please let me know...

I just had a suggestion from a member to display the names of those serving onstage during our announcement loop. We are a growing church with multiple services and I'm always getting the "who was that playing guitar today?", etc. questions.

Has anyone else done anything similar to this? Any reason not to do this?

[[Director] Joseph B]

I haven't seen it done, but I do like the idea.

[[Admin] osborn4]

My initial reaction is that this would magnify the performance nature of the Worship team, rather than the worship nature.

But that's just an initial reaction.

[Arlin]

We don't put it on the screen, but we do put a list of the whole "Worship Team" in the weekly program bulletin. It lists out all worship team members from the instrumentalists, praise team singers, message orator (pastor), children's time leader, sound tech, projection operator et. al.

[prochlea]

My initial reaction is that this would magnify the performance nature of the Worship team, rather than the worship nature.

Yeah... I agree. I guess i wouldn't mind it being in the bulletin...

[Esoteric]

One church that I serve puts the Worship Leaders name up in the very first slide of the service when he is welcoming everyone.

Mike

[sbruce]

Thanks for the responses thus far. The bulletin is not a great place for that (for our congregation) due to how we print the bulletin and what it's content consist of. We simply don't have room for a long list of people serving. I appreciate the thoughts about it elevating performance, but with it running the middle of announcement slides (the loop that plays before/after services) I wouldn't think it would "showcase" the musicians (again, at least in our congregation). i'd like to here more feelings about this, as I guess I don't see the difference in having it on the screen in a loop or printed in the bulletin. Here's an example of that I'm thinking of having...


files.me.com/brucefamily/h3t9sa

I guess I can't post a URL yet...sorry

[mswebb]

My personal feelings...

The members for the worship team are no more important than the members of the congregation. Would you list the names of the congregration members? The worship team is sharing a gift, not performing and should not be elevated.

Might sound harsh but I'm down with a cold and not thinking kindly. I don't mean it in a harsh way though.

[sbruce]

Thanks mswebb...I don't take your comments as harsh...but I do think my purpose might not have been explained clearly. We have multiple services and have grown several hundred people in a short time (currently run around 600). As we grow and quickly it's near impossible for everyone to know who people are. So, for instance, I hear almost weekly the question, "who is that guy playing drums?" or "who is the women who sang the solo today?". She may or may not be new, but people want to know who the person serving is. We are in a small community (less than 8000) and people know "of" many people. I don't see this at all as elevating the worship team, but people want to know who the person is who just sang the song, or played the drums, etc. People can figure out who our Sr. Minister is if they come a few times and see he's always the guy who preaches, or that I must be the Worship Minister, etc.

"Would you list the names of the congregration members?"

I've actually also received this request...that if a member (non staff) gets up to share something, communion meditation, etc. that we put their name up so everyone can know who they are. So I guess, yes, I would (I totally realize that's not what you meant, just trying to be funny)

Any more thoughts? This may also be a cultural issue...who knows?

And I TOTALLY agree that those onstage are no more important than anyone not on stage.

[Esoteric]

Here is another question, does your church put the Pastor's name up? I know that the church I serve that puts up the name of the worship leader (and speakers, soloists, etc) does it because they also put up the name of the Pastor as he gives the message.

They also do it because they distribute the video, and it helps people to recognize who the people are if it is their first time seeing the video.

Mike

[tedanderson]

I like the idea simply because it makes the worship team more approachable. People who are new to the church usually refer to the people on stage as "that guy" or "the short lady who plays the organ" when it would be better to use their names when they are spoken of. One thing that I find to be very important when my pastor started mentioning my name on a regular basis across the pulpit (e.g. when I had to go on stage to fix his mic or change out a cable) is that it gave identity to the tech guy that everyone sees running around the room. Then when people see me in public and recognize me, they don't have to give me strange stares of recognition.. they see me in the mall and yell out, "HEY TED!" and I spend a few minutes greeting them even though I don't know them.. and it makes their day. Otherwise they would probably stand in the corner and point.. and say, "Hey.. it's the guy from church."

[Steven]

We try to limit the emphasis we place on people. The only places we list our staff are in the program (bulletin) so people know whom to contact about particular ministries, and on our website, buried a few links in. We also have the name of the pastor who is teaching that particular weekend on his "fill in the blank" sermon notes in the program.

We don't have our Senior Pastor's name on the outdoor sign, on the front of the program, on the slides, pictures in the hallways, nothing than what was mentioned above, and he gets the same space as everyone else. We try to keep the emphasis on God, His Word, serving, and worship as much as we can without mentioning particular people.