Rejoicing with the Body at the Regional Ministry Festival

On February 19-20, we had the opportunity to co-host the San Francisco Regional Creative Ministry Festival with our friends at Central Assembly Church. We welcomed pastors, directors, worship leaders, youth and creative ministry enthusiasts from throughout California. What a wonderful time of teaching, learning, sharing and fellowship!

The conference theme, "the Family of Ministry" was first introduced at the 2015 International Festival of Creative Arts Ministry, with the theme verse of 1 Corinthians 12:25-26. 

"there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 

Friday

The conference kicked off with the opening theme presentation, the Family of Ministry. As the host team, we were able to assist with this presentation.

The story follows DJ, a kid who everyone expects to be a great praise band singer like his Grandpa was. However, singing isn't exactly DJ's talent so he feels that has nothing to contribute. He ends up experiencing a blast from the past as his Grandpa and other relatives show him that a wide variety of talents make up "The Family of Ministry."

Following this, we were off to our first set of workshops in topics ranging from Beginning Puppetry, Sign Language, and Gospel Illusion. We then proceeded to the next highlight of the evening, the Competitions!

5 teams from far and wide presented pieces including puppetry, human video and dowel rods. We presented a blacklight human video set to Casting Crowns' "Set Me Free." This was only our second performance of the piece. We were thrilled to bring this story and message to the conference.

Saturday

Saturday morning began with worship and a devotional led by our director, Gabriel Galdamez. Gabriel shared his testimony and the challenges he has faced in ministry while encouraging the attendees to be like the woman in Matthew 26:6-13. Offer whatever is in your alabaster jar, your best, to the Lord and pour it at Jesus' feet, regardless of what those around you may say.

We were then off to 2 more sets of workshops covering topics such as "Ventriloquism, "Developing a Successful Ministry," and "Children in Ministry," to name a few. 

We ended the morning with a performance by Tim Cowles of Skadoodles! Using illusions and ventriloquism, Tim encouraged us to reach up to God and reach out to our world.

Following the lunch break, it was time for the infamous "Lip Synch Challenge!" A 16-person tournament where puppeteers lip synch to randomly selected songs, which they likely have never heard.

It's always great fun to watch while giving an opportunity to appreciate the talent and bravery of the participants. After 3 rounds, the judges narrowed it down to the top 3. Phew!

We were now off to a fourth and final set of workshops, including "Developing Character Voices," "Drama," and "Creating a Program." Then..it was time for the Closing session!

For our human video "Set Me Free," we were awarded a Silver Award, the People's Choice Award and valuable feedback from the panel of judges. During the Ending Raffle, one of our team members was the lucky attendee to win the final prize, a new puppet!

As we shared in our article "Top 5 Reasons to Attend Trainings", conferences are such a wonderful opportunity for your you and your ministry to not only get ideas... but be equipped and encouraged to continue to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. The road isn't easy, but we are not alone. There are others going down the same path as us... and God is always by our side.

We closed the conference, and we will close this article, with the verse Stacy Divine of San Jose left with us and I leave with you as a challenge:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

Top 5 Reasons to Attend Trainings

Each year, one of my team's most anticipated traditions is attending the regional creative ministry festivals. For some, it motivates them to "step it up" as they prepare to compete. For others, it's the idea of spending the weekend with the team out of town. For maybe just one of them... they like the idea of getting out of school early.

What about for the leaders though? Sure, it's a lot of work to coordinate overnight travel, budget everything and rally the troops (and their parents) behind the idea of going. But (there's always a but) I strongly feel that it's a worthwhile investment. Here are my top 5 reasons for taking yourself and your team to a training conference this year and every year:

1. So many ideas to steal errr— use!

 The feature performances, competitions, workshops and resources can't help but leave your brain chock full of ideas and eager to take some home to use with your team or church. Some ideas you can put into practice as soon as you get back, some you can file away for future use. It's good to always have ideas handy to keep things fresh for your ministry.

2. Get (re-)equipped

Whether you're just starting out or have been at it for 20 years, the workshops, resources and workshop leaders at conferences provide many opportunities for you to continue to polish your technique, learn a new art form or just hear sage advice/confirmation from seasoned leaders. As leaders, we should be constantly learning and in the pursuit of excellence in ministry.

3. Give them some motivation!

Nothing like some good ole "competition" to kick your team's energy and drive into high-gear. The competitions at these festivals aren't pitting teams against each other but challenging each ministry to continue improving. I know my team is most driven with polishing a piece when they know people are going to be critiquing their performance.

Also, the feedback you get from competing is so much more valuable than any award. The comments the judges provide, mostly pointers for improvement and reinforcement of things well done, can help push your ministry and team closer to excellence.

4. Get connected!

Perhaps one of the things I treasure most about festivals is to find myself surrounded with people who "get it." They've been in my shoes, are wearing those same shoes or chucked them out and took it to the next level. 

Many times though, as we rally the team to go to lunch, or are nervously preparing for the next competition, we are missing our opportunity to connect with the leaders surrounding you that could be your next best friend. Even for your team, seeing other people their age also engaged in ministry can be so encouraging. I can't tell you how valuable it is to make and maintain

5. Be Challenged, Be Inspired! 

As directors or members of a ministry team, it can be easy to lose sight of the "ministry" part of "creative ministry" when we're so immersed in rehearsals, making props, or keeping our cool.

Conferences are a wonderful retreat from the "norm" and this, along with the devotionals and spiritual challenge, provide you an opportunity to reflect on your ministry and remind you of who you're serving and why. I am always most refreshed, energized and eager to serve when I return from these conferences because of the spiritual battery charge I get. Don't let yourself miss out on this opportunity to be refreshed in your ministry!

So there you have it!

I could keep going on and on but those are my top 5 reasons for hoping to challenge you to either continue or begin to participate in training conferences. If you participate in conferences, what are your reasons? Feel free to share in the comments section!

For more information on creative ministry conferences in your area, I recommend checking out www.creativemin.com

End of Season Reflections: 5 tips for the director

The 2015-2016 season was one of the shortest I've directed in the last 4 years with my ministry team. Despite that, it has been a wonderfully productive season with it's own set of challenges and blessings.

Looking back on this season, I've come to realize that I've remembered some old lessons and learned new ones as a director...

Learn to work with what you have

Last season, we staged an adaptation of "Heavenly Street" by Carrie Murphy. We survived our first completely live production complete with microphones, large set pieces and a huge variety of props and creative arts. The message was beautiful and we rehearsed long and hard... yet by the end of each performance and the season the team was exhausted. Why? The production was originally done with 16 people... our team had 9 including myself and our tech girl.

This year, I opted for a more simple production, "the Original Love Story," which cleverly (if I do say so myself) wove in video segments and illusions with the songs into one sweeping narrative. The transitions advanced the story but also freed the team up to prepare for the next song. Really, it was a production better suited to a team of our size and capability.

Yet again, the message was beautiful... but we didn't have to work nearly as hard before/during/after. The team enjoyed the production much more.

It's easy, and in fact I encourage you, to dream BIG. Yet, learn to be realistic and see how you can accomplish your vision with your current resources.

Don't be afraid to recycle

Sadly, we were only able to present "Heavenly Street" twice last season and, as much as I loved the production, I was hesitant to stage it again with only a team of 8 this time. I'm also known for not wanting to "do the same thing twice." Still, we dedicated so much time to learning the songs and painting sets that I didn't want it to go to waste...

So I re-used some of the songs in a new context for "the Original Love Story." I didn't do "exactly" what we did last time and this kept the material fresh for our church and my team. 

Have fun

We work hard and, though I didn't always make as much time as I should have, we made time to just have fun as a team. We play Charades together and get pretty competitive. We take the scenic route home and stop to take pictures on long drives back from a performance. We even had a "pizza party" where I bought pizza dough and everyone brought toppings so we could make and eat our own custom pizzas.

Having fun with your team is a way to build your team and share some fun moments together. Let them know it's not all business, it's also friendship and fellowship.

Motivate your team

It's one thing to direct your team. It's an entirely different thing to believe in your team. 

I am my team's #1 encourager. I am always cheering them on, constructively giving feedback to encourage excellence and challenging them to try something new and step out of their comfort zone. 

Do your best and let God take care of the rest!

I often remind my team of this, especially before a performance. It's so easy to get caught up in being "perfect." I want them to remember that their honest best is matters but what God does matters most.

I like to think I've always done this for my team but sometimes believing in your team means accepting that this is their best, and it may not be the way you wanted it. Or they are so terrified of a particular part that you need to stop everything and just pray for them. 

Remember the big picture

My leaders and I are always reminding our team the why of our ministry. We do stage these productions because they are fun but, ultimately, we're hoping to present the life-changing message of God's love through Christ. 

Make time for devotionals, share testimonies with each other and prayer with and for your team. Ask them what is their takeaway from a song or what impacts them most about the program.

My biggest highlight this year was when I sent a group text to my team thanking them for their hard work and reminding them that they never know the impact they might have on someone's life.

One of my students, who doesn't always appear to be "on" during rehearsals, replied: "No need to thank me! I've come to realize that I'm doing this for God and to try and change someone's life. Thank you, good night, and God bless you."

In summary...

What a blessing the 2015-2016 season was! Although ministry is tiring... it is also encouraging and a privilege to serve. I hope to apply these lessons as I move forward and begin to plan a new year. Let's pray that my team enjoys their sabbatical and returns refreshed and eager to serve. 

Did you try something new this year? What have you learned in your recent experiences? 

Pushing Creative Ministry to the MAX at Ministry Arts Xtra

I just returned from another week of incredible blessings, inspiration and fellowship at Ministry Arts Xtra (MAX), an international festival sponsored by Creative Ministry Solutions at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio. Again, all I can say is “Wow! Thank you God!”

If you aren’t familiar with Ministry Arts Xtra, it’s an amazing 4-day conference that dives into a variety of creative ministry topics through workshops, performances and competitions. The Creative Ministry Dream Team is a select group of 15 attendees that audition to be part of the team and come together for the 4 days to put together a program to present as the finale of the conference.

This year I had the blessing of being able to fill a support role for the Dream Team’s directors, Christy Watkins and Carrie Murphy, as well as the Dream Team as they worked to bring together an ambitious program set in “Heavenly Street."

The program followed this year’s festival theme “Whatever,” inspired by Philippians 4:8. “Whatever” tells the story of Max, a pack rat that fills his trash can with the junk of this world, while his friend Sally shows him there’s much more to life than just trash when we set our sights on God and “whatever” he has in store for us.

 

The script and songs were woven together beautifully and the program featured puppetry, ventriloquism, sign language, dowel rods, dance and much more. The story drew delightful references to Sesame Street, such as Yip Yip Martians discovering the audience and “which of these is not like the other?” Everything came together to create a charming, humorous and meaningful program that was a joy to be a part of.

 

Songs included:

·         “Heavenly Street” (Sesame Street Parody) by Mark Bradford – featured out-front puppetry

·         “Where I Belong” by Building 429 – featured chair choreography, sign language and dowel rods

·         “Hold Me” by Jamie Grace – featured live actors, puppet choreography and umbrellas

·         “There Is A Way” by NewWorldSon – featured blacklight Stringbean puppets

·         “When He Saved The World” by Mark Bradford – featured hand mime

·         “I Surrender All” by Crystal Lewis – featured flags

·         “Feelin’ So Fly” by tobyMac – featured dance choreography

·         “Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory” by Gordon Mote – featured dowel rods, sign language and banners

Rehearsals were long, lasting up to 12 hours a day, to polish the hour-long program in time for the end of the week. The hard work paid off though as the Dream Team presented a beautiful, diverse program that not only made the audience laugh and smile but also applaud the glory of God.
 

The opportunity to work with the Dream Team again but on the directorial side was also an amazing opportunity to learn from the example of the two very seasoned directors. Their servant leadership, creativity and humility was a wonder to watch in action!

All in all, I’m grateful for the wonderful opportunity I had to jump back into creative ministries after 10 months of sabbatical. We are going to start gearing up the ministry team soon for the 2013-2014 year and I have come back not only eager to serve but also inspired and blessed!

 

 

For more information about Ministry Arts Xtra and the Dream Team, please visit http://www.creativemin.com/category/max

Taking it to the MAX!

I had the incredible priviledge of being selected to participate in the Creative Ministry Dream Team at Ministry Arts Xtra (MAX) in Ohio. The Dream Team was charged with one task: learn a program in 3.5 days to serve as the finale performance for the conference. No worries... right?

Being on the Dream Team was inspirational. The high caliber of talent was apparent as soon as we began rehearsing. What was most amazing and impressive though was the passion burning inside these servant leaders, especially our directors, Christy Watkins and Amanda Cowles.

Despite running on little sleep, a problem I credit to the time change and a little thing called work, I survived the 6+ hours of rehearsal a day. Better yet, I had an amazing time!

Working with the Dream Team was a breath of fresh air. Imagine getting to spend all day with a group of 18 passionate and talented people that "God brought together for a moment in time to shine for Him."

Speaking of which, the program was titled "Shine." Don't let the simple name fool you, the depth of the script is awe inspiring.

The story centers around a hilariously adorable 3-year old turtle named Gigi (voiced by Amanda Cowles) who sits in her bedroom and talks to God. About what? About her day, about being his child and about what it means to shine for Him.

The program featured a variety of creative arts, including live puppetry, outfront puppetry, blacklight, drama, sign language, reverse blacklight, dance and dowel rods. The settings explored were just as diverse, ranging from a corn field to a jungle to the life of Jesus to the depths of history itself.

The week was filled with several God moments but perhaps the one that struck me the most was before I even met the Dream Team and became a theme throughout the week. It was the last line of the letter from the directors:
"We are looking forward to creating a program together with you and then laying it at His feet."

Wow, that hit me. I really don't how to explain why but it did. I've always loved the arts. It's something I am passionate about. I know I'm not the best preacher, singer, evangelist or writer and often we are made to feel these are the ways to share Christ.

But when I arrange a program and get to present the message of salvation,  I feel as if I'm finally doing something right. Yes, I am aware that I am using my gifts for God, but something about the visual of laying your passion, effort and work at His feet just floored me. What a beautiful way to look at the meaning behind our work!

MAX and the Dream Team definitely challenged my ideas of what it means to be a Christian artist. Our goal became not to have audiences saying "Wow what a performance" rather "WOW, what an amazing God!"

It's not about us. It's about him. We are not the light. He is.

So I leave you with this challenge: "Dare we hope to be mirrors in the hands of God? To behold God so intently that we can't help but reflect the light of God? To live a life that really 'shines' for him?"

How to Start a Creative / Puppet Ministry Team

I’ve often gotten the question: “just how do you start a creative/puppet ministry team?” There’s no single way really. I will try to share though what I have learned from many seasoned directors and my 10 years of ministry team experience.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but simply points to consider. I hope you find this helpful!

1. Purpose (Habakuk 2:2)
Before you do anything, determine why you are doing it. God has a plan and purpose for you and he has plan and a purpose for your team. Pray about it. Determine why you are going to do this and make sure those you work with know it too. Here is an example of CMT’s purpose:

“CMT Ministries stands for Create, Minister and Teach. We are a ministry dedicated to communicating God’s love through Jesus Christ through the creative arts and personal testimony. Our programs combine puppetry, music, drama, blacklight, sign language, illusions and special surprises that appeal to all ages.”

In sum, our team’s purpose is to create programs that will minister the love of God to our audiences and we teach others how to do this. Still, do not get caught up on just this.

The team’s purpose is ministry to others. The director’s purpose is ministry to the team.

Remember, you will be a positive influence and role model for those you work with. You are training people to use their gifts for God. Your team should always be your priority, not the presentation.

2. Leaders (Proverbs 11:14)
Behind every team, there should be a fearless leader. Better yet, there should be fearless leaders. The best creative works were not created by a single person, rather by a team. Think about it.

Disney had the “nine old men.” Pixar has their “brain trust.” While one person may have the spark, it is refined and strengthened when others build on it. Do this for your team.

Plus, there are too many things to get done. Don’t be the lone ranger. Woe to him that is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. (Ecc. 4:10) Don’t burn yourself out (been there, done that)!

Your leadership could include parents, responsible team members or members from your church. Meet regularly to pray for the team, plan for the month and evaluate program material and key issues.

There are many opportunities to involve other members and ministries in your church, outside of rehearsals and presentations! Some ideas are: prop-making, costuming and scenery, devotionals, scriptwriting, drivers, technicians and fundraising.

Do this and you will see that the more people you partner in ministry with, the more rewarding and beautiful your ministry will become.

3. A Team (1 Peter 4:10)
Go back to your team’s purpose and think about the audiences you want to reach. Is it children? Is it teens? Is it families? This impacts the age of people you will want to work with. Also, consider the age group that is available for rehearsals and presentations.

The size of your team should be determined based on your ability to effectively: (1) use them all and (2) handle them all.

If you are not keeping everyone busy, there is a greater likelihood of them getting either bored, frustrated or into mischief. Plus, can you handle 15 teens alone? Maybe… but not sanely (been there, done that too)!

Lastly, consider the kind of people you want to work with. You want people who are dependable, enthusiastic, willing to learn, ready to work hard and ministry-minded.

The last two are key. People think its super fun… but then realize it’s a lot of work too. More importantly, make sure they are joining because they want to minister.

4. Resources (Deuteronomy 30:9-10)
Depending on the art forms you wish to use, you need puppets, props, blacklights, costumes, music, a stage and the list goes on. Creative ministries, especially puppet ministry, can get expensive.

Try to start with versatile materials that you can use time and time again. White gloves can be used for signing and hand mime. People puppets can be costumed creatively for different programs. I mean, how often do you really think you will use that cute monster puppet?

You will also want to consider how your ministry will be funded. Talk to your church board and see if you can make a budgetary request. Or start your own budget by fundraising. Love offerings or honorariums for programs are an excellent source of funds too.

If you back the ministry with your own credit card, be clear with which resources belong to whom. Are you donating these to the ministry, or are you loaning them for ministry’s use?

All in all, be sure you have enough to meet the present and future needs of the ministry. And when I mean the needs of the ministry, I am not limiting it to the materials themselves. Don’t forget the human capital.

Have funds that can help with festival scholarships, transportation expenses, marketing, team outings and so on. Don’t be selfish. Invest in your team.

5. Commitment to Excellence (Colossians 3:23-24)
For me, this is most important and what I stress the most with my team. The secular world works very hard for the world to enjoy their creations. Should we not work just as hard, if not harder, when we are offering our works to God?

How do you commit to excellence? Educate yourself. Train yourself. Share.

Educate yourself in the art forms you wish to pursue. You can’t expect to teach something you know nothing about. The internet literally has billions of ideas and resources at your fingertips.

Better yet, go to a conference such as those held by Creative Ministry Solutions, the Fellowship of Christian Puppeteers or Puppeteers of America. I guarantee you will always learn MANY new things.

Next, commit yourself and your team to pursuing excellence in rehearsal. Don’t let your team demonstrate poor technique. Realize that it’s a distraction and takes away from the power of the program. Create a rehearsal space where the focus is to hone oneself for true ministry.

This does not solely mean mastery of craft, but a commitment to pursuing Christ. Do not forget to include time for spirituality. If you plan on calling yourself a ministry, that is.

Lastly, the oft neglected point: share. You will learn so much from God, yourself, your team and your experiences.

Don’t be selfish. Share it.

Connect with other directors. Compete in festivals. Contribute to forums. Post pictures on Facebook. Upload videos on YouTube. Inspire us!

In short, remember: “We are God’s masterpiece, created through Jesus Christ, to in turn create masterpieces for Him”. — Michael Card

Recommended Resources:
Puppet Director’s Notebook
Puppet Ministry: Basics and Beyond DVD
I-Fest Workshop CDs and DVDs
The Human Video Handbook

Go CMT!

June 10, 2012

The arts captured my interests at an early age and puppetry is probably my favorite medium. I remember being hooked when I was maybe 4 years old and I saw my mother and the children's ministries workers cutting, sewing and creating something that just caught my attention for some reason.

Once I joined my church's puppet team at 11 though, I truly immersed myself into puppetry and the creative arts. While I have learned much through personal experience, I have learned the most from others: those who I had the pleasure to watch perform, listen to lecture or even just interact with online.

This blog will focus on my thought processes, activities and experiences related to the creative arts group I direct, CMT Ministries. CMT stands for Create, Minister and Teach and I plan to include content relevant to equipping you in these areas so YOU can GO Create, Minister and Teach.

I can only hope that my work will help even just one person grow: be it in the creative ministries, their art form or as a creative thinker. It is a small token in comparison to the enormous wealth of knowledge others have so selflessly shared... still a drop of water raises the ocean. So, without further delay, let's go CMT!

- Gabriel
CMT Ministries Director