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5) Develop relationships with people who are not in your church. These relationships help to keep you balanced.

6) Be honest about motivations. Ministers should continually evaluate their motivations for ministry.

7) Stop thinking about a better place for ministry. Avoid the temptation to think that the grass is always greener somewhere else. Spend your energies doing your best in your present position, and wait for God's guidance. Other options may eventually come your way.

8) Continue after failures. According to Robert Adams, "Emotionally healthy ministers are not those who have lived perfectly but those who have learned how to recover. The key to recovery is forgiveness. "3

9) Develop a growing devotional life.

10) Laugh often. A healthy sense of humor can add perspective to the unfair side of life.

11) Recognize your true worth. "Your true worth is firmly established in the fact that God made and loves you."4

12) Maintain your gratitude level. Learn to be thankful in life circumstances. One's happiness is often in direct proportion to one's ability to practice the art of gratitude.

13) Understand your emotions. Learn to read your emotions and recognize them accurately. Listen to your body's signals.

14) Look for ways that stretch your ability to think and to process information. Seek opportunities for continuing education, to work on complex problems, and to learn new skills.

Spiritual Development

The minister of music's spiritual development is critical to longterm effectiveness in ministry. Since ministry through music is our goal, the ability to be alive spiritually and have freshness to offer others is vital. Spiritual development is not a one-time process; it is a dynamic process rooted in relationship with God. Relationships take time and are never complete; therefore, spiritual development must have life-long attention. Spiritual development occurs in many ways and is varied according to each individual.

Public Worship

Christians should be involved in regular public worship since worship is a prime source of spiritual nourishment. Some music ministers maintain that they must find venues for worship apart from their church's worship because when they lead worship they are more concerned with details and logistics and are distracted from God as the object of worship. While this perspective is true for some music ministers, it is not true for all. Personally, I have found that I worship most effectively when I have been a part of the planning process and am a worship leader. For me, worship takes on deeper meaning when I am involved at different levels, such as planning, leading, and participating.

3 Ibid., 8.

4 Louis McBurney , "Emotional Well-Being," Church Administration, no. 1, (October 1996): 39, 8.

However, our worship preparation and leadership can become pedantic and can lose its power in our lives. Martha Postlethwaite states, " . . . worship can move from being that which feeds to the meal one is expected to prepare, serve and clean up after, on a weekly basis!"1

In order to fulfill your need for public worship, you may want to consider participating in the worship of a congregation that meets at a time different from your own congregation. Perhaps you could attend a Saturday evening service or a service at some other alternative time. Regular participation in worship with a body of believers is important for your spiritual development.

Private Worship

Also important for the music minister are regular times of private worship — times where your heart and mind are centered on God. Prayer and meditation on scripture should provide the core of private worship. Times and locations depend on individual preferences, and different people need different levels of structure and spontaneity. Ultimately, most people will need a regular plan. Often this includes a written prayer list containing specific names and needs as well as areas of one's life that need specific attention. Prayer takes on different forms for individuals as well. Some people prefer praying silently while others prefer praying aloud, some prefer spontaneous prayer, and still others prefer written liturgies and praying scripture and hymns. Some people use music, sung or recorded, while others prefer solitude. Some prefer to pray with a group while others prefer praying alone. The options and preferences are limitless. Find a model that is effective for you, and remain open to new ways of having private worship. Resist finding out what works for someone else and copying their model. Their model may not work for you. The focus of private worship should be communication with God in which God has ample time to speak to you and you have opportunity to speak to God.

1 Martha Postlethwaite, "You Must Breathe First", The Clergy Journal, no. 8 (July 2000): 76, 4.

Reading

Reading can provide spiritual nourishment. While devotional books may be most obvious, other books can also offer spiritual development. When you are intentionally seeking relationship with God, God begins to speak in very unlikely places. Many wonderful books address spiritual development including devotional classics, poetry, and novels.

Retreat

When so little of our time is spent in silence and listening, regular times of retreat are important. A friend of mine observes quarterly daylong retreats where he goes away and listens for God's voice and speaks to God in intimate personal language. Some spiritual communities offer the opportunity for a spiritual guide during a longer retreat format.

Find a Spiritual Mentor

Every minister should have a spiritual mentor. This person should be someone whose spiritual life you admire and respect. He/she may be either a minister or a layperson from whom you can learn deeper spiritual truths. This relationship may be formal, and the mentorship may be structured and intentional. However, it may involve a close friend with whom you regularly meet for lunch, and the other person is not actually aware of his/her role in your life. I regularly meet with people whom I sense are in contact with God in a deep and continuing manner. I find that by spending time in their presence, I'm drawn into God's presence as well.

Seek Ministry Involvement

As ministers we are always involved in ministry; however, this is not the same as being involved in a ministry that is outside your job description, sphere of influence, or level of control. Ministers should seek a balance of both contemplative and active spiritual development. While God can be found in the quiet of meditation, God can also be found in the chaos of action. To be sure, God is a part of all things in the life of a Christian. We are charged with the pleasurable task of seeing God and experiencing God's presence.

voiding Burnout

Burnout is far too common among ministers of music. Even those ministers of music who remain productive and appear to thrive for an entire career have periods where their spirits and energies are low and moving forward becomes difficult. Although burnout implies a complete lack of ability to function, most ministers of music experience burnout in lesser forms and for briefer periods of time. When you spend an extended time around a group of ministers of music, you will readily see and hear signs of burnout as you interact with them.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a condition in which a person's source(s) of energy is depleted. In other words, the flame that keeps our lives and work empowered is no longer burning. We often use the term "burnout" to mean that we are tired and stressed. Although a prolonged period of stress and fatigue could result in burnout, burnout is much more serious than these symptoms imply. Burnout will result in a number of the symptoms outlined below.

Each of us receives energy from a variety of sources. Foremost, as ministers we should receive energy and purpose from our relationship with God. However, some of us are extroverts and have a strong need to receive energy from others while others of us are introverts and receive much of our motivation from within ourselves. In addition, our desire to please others often drives us to greater activity and commitment. Musicians often have difficulty with setting priorities because we are accustomed to pleasing teachers, audiences, or congregation members, and we genuinely enjoy participating in many activities. In addition, our performances are public, and we are constantly aware of being evaluated. Most musicians have received music training from childhood. From our earliest musical experiences to the present, we performed in recitals, were critiqued by guilds and adjudicators, were given grades by juries, and were cheered to our next performance by the applause of an audience. Maintaining a healthy perspective in this externally motivated environment is one of the greatest challenges of church musicians. Learning to re-condition ourselves from the performance mentality of our training to the servant mentality of ministry can be a difficult pursuit. Part of the role of dealing with burnout is analyzing the sources of our energy and either rekindling them or learning to receive energy in new ways.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Burnout?

There are many signs and symptoms of burnout, and different people experience them in different combinations. Some of the most common are listed below:

Depression – Depression manifests itself in a variety of ways including many of the other symptoms below. Clinical depression is more serious than having a series of bad days or a period when you are feeling down. True depression is prolonged and becomes obvious in all areas of one's life.

Sexual Dysfunction – Lack of interest in sex and lack of ability to function normally.

Sleep Disorders – Failure to wake up in the morning and get out of bed, lack of excitement about the day's activities, failure to sleep at night, and habitual use of sleep aids.

Missed Deadlines – Repeatedly missing deadlines and failure to produce work in the amount of time allotted.

Fatigue – Being tired even when you are getting adequate sleep.

Lack of Ability to Get Excited About the Future – Failure to visualize the future positively.

Negativity – Failure to have a positive outlook.

Short-temper – Becoming easily irritated and short tempered.

Compulsive Behaviors – Exhibiting compulsive behaviors such as paranoia or constantly checking the status of projects.

Job Difficulties – Lack of fulfillment in one's job, changing jobs and still not being content, and failure to get along with colleagues.

Health Problems – Problems such as indigestion, hypertension, or headaches are often related to high stress and potential burnout.

Eating Disorders – Eating too much and gaining weight or loss of appetite and weight loss are potential symptoms.

Loss of Self-Confidence – Actually cannot function because of fear of failure.

What Causes Burnout?

Burnout can have many causes. Usually burnout has multiple causes rather than a single cause. Some of the possible causes are:

Hyper Expectations – When a minister of music has impossible expectations for him/herself or for the position or the church, then difficulties will follow. Sometimes we find that we are not qualified to do all aspects of our job equally well, and we may become disappointed and frustrated with ourselves. We may accept a new position and once we are on the job, we find out that there are deeply rooted problems of which we were unaware. When we are unable to reconcile situations such as those above and accept our limitations, we become candidates for burnout.

Can't Keep Up – When we feel for prolonged periods that we can't keep up with the pace of our job, we begin to become discouraged. This problem can be related to a heavy workload, or it can be skill related, i.e., we do not have the skills to do our job within the time allotted. While ministers of music anticipate unrealistic involvement during seasons such as Christmas and Easter, when this pressure doesn't let up the flame can begin to fade. Ministers of music depend on down times to compensate for the periods when they can hardly keep up. When these down times do not come, beware!

In addition, ministers of music can realize that they do not have the necessary skills to remain viable in their present position. This can be related to musical, administrative, or other skills. A minister of music who didn't grow up with the complex music of today can spend an inordinate amount of time each week working on music for rehearsal. Eventually, this can be discouraging. A minister of music can serve in a church that has transitioned to a contemporary style of worship and realize that she no longer has the needed skills to do her job effectively. Furthermore, a music minister who is in charge of a multi-person staff for the first time may lack administrative skills.

Inner Personal Conflicts – Various personal issues can be debilitating for ministers of music. Conflict with spouse or family, issues from the past, or conflicts with other colleagues or the pastor all have the potential to be debilitating. Burnout can result from longterm un-reconciled conflicts within ourselves or with others.

Perfectionism – Most ministers of music are perfectionists in some areas of their lives. If they weren't, making it through a music degree would probably be difficult. Music requires that we seek higher ideals and are never satisfied with the status quo. While this perspective may have a place in the art of music making, serious problems can result when this is transferred to other areas of life. Ministers of music depend on others for their work to be accomplished. Each Sunday, we depend on dozens of people for worship to transpire. Obviously, some people will not carry out their responsibilities as we envisioned. Successful ministers of music develop an attitude of acceptance of "good enough." "Good enough" is different for all of us; however, our level of "good enough" has to lie somewhere between the "good enough" of those we work with and ours. If not, the people we work with are frustrated, and so are we! "Good enough" does not imply lack of quality; but it does recognize that we cannot do everything perfectly.

It must be noted that perfectionism is often born out of insecurity. In order to deal appropriately with perfectionism, the insecurity must be dealt with first. Ask questions such as: "What will be the long-term effect if this is less than perfect?" "In six months will it really matter?" "Is the personal and collective cost of perfectionism worthwhile in this situation?" Also, the old adage, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right" is only partially true if we interpret "right" as perfect. Most of the work of our ministries will not be perfect; however, our work can be acceptable without being perfect.

Often, a tendency toward procrastination is a sign of perfectionism. Many of us postpone action because we're afraid that we can't perform tasks well enough. Eventually, when a deadline looms, we rush and accomplish the task with the excuse, "If I'd just had more time, I could have done it better." Therefore, procrastination becomes a sure habit of the perfectionist, for it gives us an immediate excuse! If you're a procrastinator, you may also be a perfectionist. Additionally, most perfectionists will deny their perfectionist tendencies because they are acutely aware of their failures. If others consider you a perfectionist, you probably are!

Ministers of music must be careful not to use people to fulfill their goals and aims. At a recent funeral I heard the following quote used to describe a well-known conductor and teacher, "He used music to make people, not people to make music." If more of us followed this simple yet difficult axiom, our ministries would be much more effective.

Too Much and/or Too Little Work – While most of us immediately assume that burnout is caused by a workload that is too heavy, this actually may not be true. Sometimes the workload is not too heavy, but the passion and fulfillment for the work are lacking. In contrast, some ministers of music become burned out because of lack of effective work. It is easy to escape in ministry and actually do very little work that really matters. Some ministers of music have learned to appear busy without doing substantive work. Over the years, this practice can result in burnout, for while you may have convinced others that you are effectively doing your job, you've not convinced yourself. This festering sore of dishonesty can become so painful that it is eventually debilitating.

On the other hand, many ministers of music are workaholics, i.e., people who are addicted to work. These people involve their whole life with church and have little or no time for family, hobbies, recreation, or relationships. Workaholics are often people who have developed an unhealthy need to prove themselves and to receive praise for their efforts. Work addiction is a formula for burnout.

Family Problems – Problems at home can take the most devastating toll on our productivity. Arguments with your spouse, problems with children, and unresolved parental issues can halt effective ministry. Such problems must be reconciled early in one's ministry with appropriate time, energy, and counseling (when needed). In my years of ministry, teaching, and encouraging ministers of music, I've observed too many ministers who denied the reality of family problems until the problems couldn't be solved. When faced with problems, many ministers absorb themselves in greater amounts of work to mask the pain they are experiencing. When problems are not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, ministers should seek outside help.

Lack of Time Off – Music ministers often fail to take their day off. While there are times when the day off must be given up for the short term, this must not become a habit. All of us could use an extra day per week in the office. This extra day could allow us to be better organized, to work ahead, to catch up on reading, or to do a myriad of other things. Frequently, when a task is near completion, I think, "If I'd just had one more day!" Over time, I've learned that this is a part of who I am. I simply have to tell myself, "You don't have another day!" "Now is the time to complete the task." "You've done the best you could given your limitations."

The long-term toll of failing to take time away from the office is not worth the extra organization that you'll gain. While it may seem so in the beginning, in the long run it isn't beneficial. Also, working on your day off becomes a habit that is difficult to break. Eventually, you'll not be able to get your work completed in the time allotted because you've become dependent on the extra day of work, or you've accepted additional responsibilities that require an extra day per week.

Lack of Continued Education – All of us must take time for the re-tooling that continued education affords. Though sometimes we don't feel that we have the time or money to be away from the office, we must be continual learners if our ministries are to remain viable. Times of continued education should be included to assist us in building skills that will enhance our ministries. In addition, these times should allow us to reconnect with others in our field and receive the encouragement they offer. In order to avoid burnout, continued education should be used to enhance skills that are weak. Unfortunately, many ministers of music spend continuing education money and time building up areas that are already strong while having to spend great amounts of energy each year masking weaknesses. Covering up weaknesses is a stressful and time-consuming task. For the long haul, work to build skills and habits that enhance your weaknesses rather than spending energy trying to keep others from seeing them.

Spiritual Issues – Spiritual issues can plague the music minister and can severely limit effective ministry. Spiritual issues can range from un-reconciled issues in one's past to issues regarding one's call to ministry. Since our primary role in ministry is to be spiritual leaders, we must carefully protect our spiritual lives.

What Can Be Done?

Take Time to Retreat – Often ministers of music do not spend enough time alone. We are constantly surrounded by people and fail to plan a time of retreat for spiritual and professional reflection. Retreat time can easily be perceived as wasted time — at least in comparison to the mountain of items on our "to do" list; but we must re-train ourselves to view time alone with God and self as integral to maintaining vibrant ministries.

Check Your Balance – In order to remain effective, we must balance work and play. The nursery rhyme line, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," can easily be applied to our lives. We must consciously balance work, family, professional activities, and recreation. When one aspect of our life begins to consume our energy and passion, we must revisit our priorities. As a small boy, my Dad would sometimes come in from work and find me working on homework or practicing piano. He would often say to me, "It's time to go play. You've worked enough for now." Now I realize how fortunate I was to have a father who recognized my tendency to work too hard. As an adult, I try to play the role of my father and give myself permission to go out and play!

Seek Out a Confidante – Every one needs someone with whom his/her feelings are safe; however, as ministers, we must choose this person carefully. Knowledge is power, and others can use that knowledge against us. You may choose to have a confidante outside your church family – perhaps a minister from another congregation, a seminary friend, or a colleague from a previous church. While a confidante should be someone who encourages and listens, he/she should also be a person who gives honest advice and evaluation. I have learned to value friends who are honest with me in a kind and gentle manner. It takes time to build lasting relationships, and sometimes we think we have developed long-term friendships when we haven't. A day spent driving to visit with a trusted colleague in another city, or money spent talking with someone long distance is often time/money well spent. Always build relationships slowly and allow ample time to observe life patterns. Ministerial confidantes usually have a lot to risk; therefore, they are aware of the importance of confidentiality.

Be Aware of Those with Whom You Spend Time – Frank Lloyd Wright believed that we shape our environment, then our environment shapes us. I believe the same is true of the people with whom we choose to spend our time – we have a strong tendency to become like those with whom we associate. Choose to spend time with people who are positive. When I've become negative and disliked my job, I've sometimes discovered that I was spending too much time with people who were cynical and negative. Cynical people are always around, but it is better to avoid them.

Resolve Family Issues – If family issues are problematic, they must be resolved. Don't be afraid to get help. We can become so intimately involved in these situations, that our perspective is inaccurate. We must depend on others to help us.

Seek Opportunities for Inspiration – Opportunities for inspiration may include spiritual retreats, motivational conferences, spending time with people who enjoy their work and ministry, and reading or listening to inspirational materials. Sometimes we have the mistaken perception that we've outgrown the inspirational stories and people that helped to shape our ministries. To remain an inspiration for others, we must continue to let others inspire us.

Pay Careful Attention to Spiritual Issues – In the business of our career, we sometimes neglect regular prayer, Bible reading, and devotional times. Analyze your life carefully to see where you are out of step with God's intentions. Give these areas special attention.

Discover Energy Sources and Energy Depleters – Some activities and people give us energy while others drain our energy. To stay balanced, recognize what gives you energy and what depletes your energy. You must have a reservoir of energy if you are to continue to minister effectively. When this reservoir becomes too low, you will begin to experience burn out. Avoid people and situations that drain your energy. When possible, schedule your week so that you do not have a series of energy-depleting activities in one day. Spend additional time in activities that restore your energy.

Say "NO" to Something – After careful assessment, say "no" to some things that are not within your mission and are not energygiving. Saying "no" and getting control of your schedule can provide renewed energy. However, it is important to note that saying "no" is not always an appropriate response. We accept some responsibilities from a sense of duty rather than delight. While these tasks may not be energy giving or delightful, they may be necessary.

Address Physical Needs – Addressing physical needs can help to build a new vision, for sometimes physical problems disguise themselves as emotional problems. Dealing with obesity, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, or other health problems can give us renewed energy. When we're feeling overwhelmed and are afraid that burn out is approaching, a physical examination should be a first step in assessing our situation. Physical problems can occur so gradually that we're not aware that we've become ill.

Evaluate Time Management – Evaluating time management strategies can be an excellent way to renew ministry. We may have become too accessible and have too little time to get our work done. Perhaps we're spending time on tasks that others should be doing, or we're taking lunch breaks that are too long. Maybe we've gotten into a habit of coming to work late, not making decisions quickly, or not dealing with clutter. The list is endless. If time management is a problem, develop new work strategies.

Conclusion

The goal of all ministers is to remain effective in ministry throughout one's career. If we use all of our life's energy in one big burst, and nothing is left to sustain us for the long haul, then we have not reached our maximum potential. By remaining steady over many years, we are able to work better and longer.

eveloping As a Leader

What makes a great leader? The answer to this question has often been debated, and the study of leadership continues to be one that receives much interest and consumes many printed pages, web sites, and seminar hours. Can leadership be learned, or is it a trait that is present at birth? Most authorities believe that effective leadership is a combination of innate ability and learned behavior. Most of us have leadership potential, although for many of us this potential may be latent and untapped. We all know persons who seem to have few of the qualities we normally associate with leadership; but in the right context they excel as leaders, and we all know those who have natural leadership gifts who never actualize their potential. The title of this section implies that music ministers will be leaders. Because of your position, you have taken on the responsibility for leadership of your church's music. It is your responsibility to develop your leadership to its fullest potential so that you may lead effectively in the context in which you serve.