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All attempts at managing worship conflicts should be handled pastorally, meaning they should be handled with love. Even though congregants sometimes don't express themselves in respectful ways, they should be treated with respect. It is critical for the minister of music not to treat their suggestions as personal attacks but as ministry concerns. People are usually concerned about their own personal growth through the worship experience. Handling issues related to worship pastorally could solve many current worship conflicts before they escalate.

Avoid Elitism – Traditionalists may refer to contemporary materials as trite, watered down, and poorly crafted, while proponents of contemporary elements may refer to traditional material as stuffy, outdated, dead, and boring. While there may be some truth in all of this, it is mostly overstated. In reality, some music in every genre could be aptly described by the adjectives above; however, there is also music in every genre that is fresh, inspiring, innovative, deep, and worshipful. Don't assume you have all the answers. This is a sure sign that you don't! A know-it-all attitude always exposes our ignorance. A discerning person will surely see the insecurity in our façade!

All discussions of music and worship should be respectful. We gain respect by treating others with respect. This should certainly be the case when discussing worship.

Recognize the Different Experiences of People – Every one has different experiences, and our experiences inform our judgments and preferences. Get to know people and attempt to understand them.

Be Honest About Your Own Background – When new students come to study church music at our university, I assure them that I don't intend to make them into copies of me. I encourage them to affirm what they are bringing to the study of church music and to see their time of formal study as broadening their scope. Sometimes our music study tends to turn us into music critics who think we have the final word on "good music." Most of us have been exposed to various kinds of music, and deep down we may have a much broader musical background than we're willing to admit. Enjoying and performing different styles of music does not make you a lesser musician.

People who have been in music ministry for a long time must recognize that some of what we were taught is not true! Many of the standards for judging music that I was taught have not proven true in the real world of music ministry. They have not held true to the changing field of church music and to my current understanding of music ministry. No doubt students will say this in the future about some of what we may teach as truth today. Admitting this can be a first step for many seasoned music ministers and teachers. Know Your Field(s) – Become a student of all types of music. Learn about new developments. Learn about church music history, worship, and theology. Be conversant in all aspects of worship. According to Stam and Witvliet, "Choral musicians have to be cultural analysts, theologians, liturgists, orchestrators, historians, arrangers, conductors, and program administrators."2 The importance of understanding worship from a cultural perspective and learning to talk about music from an ethnomusicological perspective cannot be over emphasized. Become a student of culture and of theology.

Make friends with people who are different from you. Learn from them. I have discovered that my students are some of the best sources for newer materials. In addition, I've begun to utilize, as resources, people in my congregation who listen to lots of music. Many people in your congregation will know more about some types of Christian music than you do. Ask these people to share new songs with you. Constantly explore new worship patterns and new materials.

Also, explore new sounds. Experiment with using different instruments in worship. Many new sounds (acoustic and electronic) can bring variety to worship. Vocal sounds are not limited to the choir or the choir loft. Experiment with various vocal ensembles, and utilize different spaces within the worship room. Become innovative in the resources that you have.

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