ˈPərpəs, ˈPaSHən, Pərˈspektiv, ˌPərsəˈnalədē
(Purpose, Passion, Perspective, Personality)
This is the Music 101 session. In this first session we are going to be talking about our direction as a
music director. Then, in the second session we are going to be talking about different ways of
ministering in music in a kid environment. Also, in the second session we will be handing out a DVD
that contains a ton (4+ Gigs) of lesson plans and ideas, royalty free music, media pictures and videos,
clip art and graphics, guitar tutorials from artists like Big Daddy Weave, as well as an audio training
series on how to operate a soundboard and sound equipment properly.
We also will be giving you a lot of ideas on where to obtain a wealth of musical resources for FREE!!
As well as opportunities and directions to obtain paid musical resources.
►Pərpəs
(Purpose)
ˈNOUN: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
 ►You were created by God with a purpose in this life…for more than just
surviving!
o You were created by God with a…Motive
 Motivation, Grounds, A Cause, An Occasion, A Reason, A Point, A Basis…
o You were created by God with a justification in this life…for more than just heaven!
►VERB (action): to have as one's intention or objective
 "God has allowed suffering, even purposed it" His purpose was to make us stronger, better…
 You were created by God with HIS intention…HIS objective for your life.
o He intended for you to be successful!
o When troubles arise He meant for you (His purpose for you was) to overcome!
o He gave you an intended direction to aim your future.
o ►HE HAS A PLAN, A DESIGN, AN INTENTIONAL FUTURE JUST FOR YOU!!!!
So…if God has a PURPOSE just for you…what is your PURPOSE?
Why do you do what you do? Are you driven to do it or do you have to be driven to do it?
Some ministers/ministries write out a Purpose Statement. (How many of you have a purpose statement?)
► “Our ministry exists to bring children into age appropriate WORSHIP where they can BELONG to
the family of God, GROW in their relationship with Christ, learn to SERVE and then go SHARE Christ
in the world!” -Saddleback Kids, Lake Forest, California
What is the purpose of an age appropriate music ministry?
 Can kids really be ministered to through music?
 Can kids be ministers of music…already?
If music ministry is the vehicle to usher in the presence of God in the “BIG CHURCH” then shouldn’t
we expect the same in the “little church?”
 ►THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “LITTLE CHURCH” in God’s Kingdom!
o ►David’s beat Goliaths.
o Samuels hear the voice of God
o A child’s lunch feeds thousands.
o ►The savior of the world comes to us in a baby’s body!
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It’s MORE than just fun songs…AND…fun songs are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!!!!!!!!
o Father Abraham had many sons…
o I’m gonna snap, snap, snap…I’m gonna zoom, zoom, zoom around the room, room…
It’s more than just filling time and space with a CD or DVD song while we finish putting
together our last minute lesson!
o Kids are as sensitive, if not more sensitive, to the moving of the Spirit as the adults are.
 Kids are often tuned in when we are tuned out.
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o ►Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is
the kingdom of heaven.”
Helping to save the citizens of God’s kingdom (great and small) is all of our PURPOSE.
►ˈPaSHən (Passion)…►Passion is the fuel that powers our Purpose!
►NOUN: 1. a strong and barely controllable emotion. "a person of impetuous passion"
 If my passion is for Elevator Music…my purpose is going to be reflected in slow, sleepy, sweet,
solitude
 If my passion is for Rock & Roll…my purpose is going to be reflected in a wild, crazy, LOUD,
P.A.R.T..Y? Because I’ve gotta!!
►NOUN: 2. the suffering and death of Jesus
 Synonyms: crucifixion, agony, martyrdom
 If your PASSION is JESUS CHRIST…
 If your strong and barely controllable emotion is JESUS CHRIST…
o THEN…your PURPOSE is going to be reflected in whatever it takes to lead your kids to
the CROSS OF CHRIST!!!
►We must become passionate about the things that God is passionate about!
We live in a very digital age.
 ►Most kids don’t have a clue what an LP or an EP is…or what 33 RPM or 45 RPM stands for.
 Does anybody here remember what a cassette looks like? How about an 8-track? Reel-to-reel?
 CD’s are still alive (barely), DVD’s are almost gone, Blue-ray is quickly becoming old news
 ►Now everything is digital. MP3 players, smart phones, I-watches (Apple Watches), etc.
o Even our church soundboards are going digital.
o No more sliders to push…they’re motorized. They move on their own!
o OR…the entire process is operated with your iPad or tablet.
 So…if you aren’t very digitally inclined, do you throw in the towel and quit? ABSOLUTELY
NOT!
o Do we refuse to advance forward? Again…NO.
o How do we deal with a digital age if we are still analog?
 ►EASY…USE YOUR DIGITAL INPUTS…YOUR KIDS!
 Turn YOUR passion into THEIR passion!
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Utilize their ability to operate digitally to AMPLIFY your analog ideas!
 Today’s kids are tomorrow’s leaders!
 Today’s kids are tomorrow’s musicians!
 Today’s kids are tomorrow’s media ministers!
 Today’s kids are tomorrow’s pastors, missionaries, teachers, evangelists,
children ministers!!!
o YES…they will take our place…and they must!!!
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o ►Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will
not depart from it.
 We must see ourselves as more than just a VOLUNTEER BABYSITTER with a
degree in Music Theory!
 Proverbs 22:6 says we are called by GOD to lead the children into our ministry!
 It’s a mentorship…teacher and apprentice situation.
 Give them the tools and training to be better than us at our job!
 Too often we start our children on a journey without direction…because we don’t
have a specific direction ourselves.
 We expect them to arrive at Destination “AMAZING ANOINTING”…but
we equip them with NONE of the tools nor the vehicle to successfully
leave the garage…much less get to their destination!
o When we pastored in Jonesboro, Arkansas I made up my mind to build the most
wonderful children’s center that the church had ever known.
 ►The building had previously been a solid white daycare center.
 IT NEEDED KID COLORS!!!
 I put the reins in the hands of a college student studying Graphic Arts and
a paint crew and said, “Have fun!” THEY DID!
 15x►Black and white checkerboard with the Calvary’s Kids logo
 Crazy wavy designs down the halls with every kind of color
 An outer space room
 A cowboy room
 A mad scientist room
 A Charlie’s chocolate factory room
 I asked for a single classroom to build an indoor play center.
 Mind you, I had never built anything like this before…and I was on my
own!
 At first it got a LOT of raised eyebrows and strange looks, but when it was
finished it got raving reviews…from the KIDS and adults!!!
 It had two slides…a wavy slide and a curly tube slide!
 It had view out windows.
 It had 4 built-in video game stations with built-in benches to sit on.
o Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo, & Super Nintendo
 We built a large carpet ball table with Bocci balls that they would stand in
line to play both before and after class.
 We painted everything, everywhere with bright blue, green, yellow, red,
orange, purple and neon (with blacklights)!
o It has since been removed to make way for white walls and a
daycare again…
 Next, I asked the teachers for 2 large adjoining classrooms to build a small kid’s
chapel.
 ►It housed the front face of a barn painted red, complete with tin roof.
 There were 4 large windows with black curtains for puppets.
 One of the windows was the top of 2 large barn doors that opened to
reveal a 7’x7’ video screen.
 There were colored lights, black lights, party lights, strobe lights, smoke
machines, and an amazing sound system, with a subwoofer built into the
stadium seating at the back of the room.
 ►In the center at the back of the room we built a media booth.
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o 6 channel sound mixer
o Lighting controls
o Computer for projection, and
o A video camera
 ►SO…who ran all of the media part of the kid’s center??? THE KIDS!!!
 We taught them what to do and how to do it!!!
 The adults were in charge of what happened and the kids helped made it
happen!
 WE HAD A GREAT TIME HELPING THEM HAVE A GREAT
TIME!!!
o ►Except for the day our kid’s pastor wanted me to try out
VegiMite from Australia!!! LOL YUCK!!!!!
 THE KIDS WERE AS PASSIONATE ABOUT KIDS’ MINISTRY AS
THE KID’S MINISTERS WERE!!!!
o ►They did the outreach and visitation!
o They learned how to be incredible puppeteers!
o ►They learned how to pray in the altars!
o They brought in their instruments and played during the worship!
o ►OUR KIDS were ministering to OUR KIDS!
o IT WAS THEIR CHURCH!!!!
 The day I took the church there was 120 members total.
 The day I resigned there were 120 in the kid’s center alone!
 Any idea who I was using to operate my church media ministries 7.5 years after I
arrived…???
 THOSE KIDS that were now junior high and high school students, even
some college aged students!
 They were amazing at operating robotic video controllers for cameras!!!
 They understood the workings of it all! NINTENDO, XBOX…
 Any idea who was taking over the music ministry in my church?
 THOSE KIDS!!!
 THEY WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT CHURCH BECAUSE IT WAS
THEIR CHURCH!!!
When we resigned and went to Claremore, Oklahoma my boys excitedly asked me, “Dad, can we
work in the church with you?”
o A few Sundays ago I finished preaching, turned around to look at the musicians, and
there was my oldest son on the organ.
 He plays drums, organ, piano, guitar…
 I put it in his hands early on…
 I made it available to him early on…
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My youngest son takes the Sunday School attendance count, helps get all
the kids to their class, dresses up in costumes to help the other teachers,
and even started teaching his own Sunday School Class!
 ►MY PASSION BECAME THEIR PASSION!!!
►Pərsəˈnalədē (Personality)
 Is it absolutely necessary to build an elaborate kid’s center? NO, but it’s nice if you can.
 Is it absolutely necessary to have a professional stage show every service? NO, but it’s nice if
you can.
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Is it absolutely necessary to have the most detailed costumes and puppets? NO, but it’s nice if
you can.
Is it absolutely necessary to learn motions and actions to every song? NO, but…
SO…what IS absolutely necessary for a great children’s ministry?
 Your purpose, your passion, and your personality!
o YOU ARE THE ONE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR PROGRAM!
o YOU WILL DECIDE HOW EVERY SERVICE GOES BY INFLUENCING IT WITH
YOUR PERSONALITY!
►Personality: is the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an
individual's distinctive character.
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When I conduct a music practice session now…it’s a lot different from what it was when I first
started out as a beginning music minister! A lot has changed…I have changed.
o I started playing the drums full-time in church at age 11, the piano at age 13, the trumpet
at age 14, the bass guitar at age 21 (I didn’t have one available to me until then)
o I started traveling playing piano professionally when I was 17.
o Directed my first full Christmas drama as a sophomore in college.
o Taught 21 vocal and piano students in college.
o Graduated and immediately became a full-time music director with a 75 voice choir and a
19 piece orchestra…►2 hour 15 minute Easter drama!!
 I was in WAY OVER MY HEAD!!! But I thought I had arrived!!!
 My personality was to please the boss!
 I wasn’t GREAT as a music director…although they were patient with me.
 I would lose my patience and get aggravated A LOT!
 FAST FORWARD 22 years…3 pastorates…a church split…2 years
evangelizing…2 home mission type church starts…2 kids turned teenagers…
o NOW…I’m pretty low keyed in my practice sessions,
 We laugh a lot,
 We get a LOT more done in a LOT less time…
 It’s a lot more spiritually pleasing to all involved…
 The singers and musicians want to come back to the next session!!!
My personal and musical personality has developed from a combination of trials and efforts, ups and
downs, highs and lows, fails and triumphs!
 I’ve learned that I’m not perfect.
 I’ve learned that you’re not perfect.
 And I’ve learned that together we cannot produce perfection.
o But if we submit ourselves to God and give it our all we can get REALLY CLOSE!!!
o Someone once said, “Practice makes perfect.” HUH? NO!
 Practice has the ability to make you better over time…
 BUT practicing something the wrong way will not make it perfect.
o ►Practice makes permanent!
 Whatever you practice will become permanent in your skill set.
 Practice bad things and you will become permanently bad at it.
 ►Practice good things and they will become a permanent part of
you.
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If you make a mistake…that’s alright, as long as you don’t continue to
practice the mistake!
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If you are leading a worship service and it bombs…don’t quit!
Figure out what went wrong and try again…and again…and again…
Practice the right way until you are good at it!
►Practice your personality!
Check it out in the MIRROR before you show it in the WINDOW!
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Don’t expect the ceiling to blow off the room if you hate explosions!
Don’t expect the kids to sing well if you hate listening to the radio (music)!
Don’t expect the choir to sing like heavenly angels when you’re tuned into hell’s demons.
o Your personality can turn a choir inside out and upside down.
 I’ve watched both good directing and bad directing.
 There have been times when I’ve seen good directors flop.
 And…I’ve watched bad directors tear the house down.
o Your skills and talents, or lack thereof, don’t always make things what
they are!
o Our personality has a unique ability to overcome our skill sets!!!
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Ever watched a choir struggle until the “spark plug sister” finally began to spark?
Ever been in a service that was difficult until the brother started allowing God to
minister to him…and the tears began to flow…and the Spirit broke through?
Make sure your personality says, “Lord, we may be struggling, but I’m going to practice what’s
right…I’m going to just be myself for You, Lord.” Something good is about to happen!
►Personality
often determines Perspective!
►Pərˈspektiv (Perspective)
NOUN: 1. the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right
impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a
particular point.
►NOUN: 2. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
 Your personality has the ability to change your perspective…
 Your personality has the ability to change the perspective of others…
o When I get a right attitude it changes the way I see things!
o When I get a right attitude it changes the way you see me!
 In an art drawing PERSPECTIVE has a fixed focal point!
 PERSPECTIVE gives height, width, depth, and position to everything in the
picture.
 When I get my distinctive character, my personality, my attitude in
order…it not only changes my viewpoint, my perspective…it also changes
yours at the same time.
Our personality has a way of introducing us to our own personal perspective of everything.
 ►Do I see the glass as…½ full (optimistic) VS. ½ empty (pessimistic)
o VS…“WHO’S GOING TO WASH THE GLASS??!!” (realistic)
 Is KID ministry important? VS. Is ADULT ministry important?
o VS... AM I A MINISTER?
►Our perspective of things, issues, situations, etc. can either make or break our ministry!
The way I see myself can determine whether I will be a failure or a success!
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 There are lots of PROPHETS in this room right now!
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Turn to your neighbor and tell them, “You’re a prophet!”
o Most people do not claim to be a prophet yet we often quote the verse, “Speaking those
things which are not as though they already are.” That’s the prophet’s language!
We prophesy most every morning!
o We often prophecy the ugly without even thinking about it!
 Dear Lord, I don’t know how in the world I’m going to make it through today!!!
 OH!!! That makes me sick!!!
 These kids are going to drive me crazy!!!
o Why not change our prophecy into a blessing instead of a curse? The power of life and
death is in our tongue!
 It’s a beautiful day even when it’s raining!
 This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!
 God’s got this! Something good is on its way!!!
Often, our perspective in the morning determines our outcome in the evening!!!
Our perspective in the beginning determines our outcome in the end!!!
o ►Remember the little engine that could?”
o “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…I thought I could, I thought I could!!!”
o I KNEW I COULD, I KNEW I COULD, I KNEW I COULD!!!!!!!
 Even the title of the book was a prophetic word of what was to come!
 “The Little Engine That COULD”
How often have we decided what a child is like (our Perspective) by simply observing
their Personality?
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►We have just judged a book by its cover!
We have already determined their end from the very beginning!
o ILLUSTRATION: A Holy Ghost filled friend of mine that I taught Bible study to,
baptized him, and prayed him through, was approached by one of his coworkers on the
job, a very tall, large young man with a big beard and mustache. He was “pumped up.”
Huge biceps! He looked like one giant muscle on steroids! He told me how angry and
intimidating this young man looked. Previously, he had steered clear of him so there
would be no trouble. One day the young black guy walked up to him and said, “I hear
you teach Bible studies.” My friend replied, “I do. Why?” Expecting to be cussed or beat
down…he was shocked at what happened next. This huge, intimidating fellow looked at
my friend and said, “I’ve got some questions about the Bible. Can you answer them?”
My friend said, “I’d love to teach you a Bible study!” The young man looked at him and
asked, “Is it necessary to be baptized to get to heaven?” My friend said, “I’ve got a Bible
study for that!” And then the Coup’ de Grace…the intimidating guy looked at my friend
and said, “My momma used to talk in tongues. Do you have a Bible study for that?”
Change My Heart Oh God, Make it ever true, Change my heart oh God, May I be like You
I will see with SPIRIT EYES!
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart…
o I will look through God’s perspective!
o Open the eyes of my heart so that I may have the right perspective that affects me and
others at the same time.
►Thank you for being a part of this class. We pray you leave here encouraged to do
greater things for the Lord. May you be blessed while you are being a blessing to God’s
Kingdom! ~ John and Bonnie Chance
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