One word can change the atmosphere...whether it's spoken, written, or communicated through movement. This is a blog about Worship Arts,and especially for learning about how we can make more powerful statements through what we present to others through our writing, choreography, theatre or visual art... or a collaboration of two or more. Anything is possible. It's the Poetry of Motion!
If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Then we won’t need to look for honors and popularity, which lead to jealousy and hard feelings.~ Gal. 5:25-26 (TLB)
So much of our time can be spent focusing on others that we no longer appreciate what God has given us, which causes us become envious, and in our enviousness we go to great lengths trying to form relationships with people who will help us become great..."liking" their every comment, video and picture on social media, (whether we really like it or not) running to every event they host, and becoming nothing more than groupies. If they have a new dance ministry garment, we want one just like it, forgetting that garments are not fashion statements but the signature on a piece that God inspired and must be directed by Him. If they do a poetry feature, we scramble to perform on that same stage, without knowing what it took for them to get there...but of course if we get close to them, we can too. Do you see where this is going? Ponder this for a moment:
Why not just work on offering the best of your best, and keep improving on that... instead of working so hard at trying to be accepted by people who you feel will validate you? They may or may not and if they do it may only be until someone else comes along who is more acceptable than you... and at the end of the day you will still be stuck with You.... which the only thing you are really in control of.
Everyone has been given a gift, purpose, and place from God. It's up to us to find out where our place is, and pray for guidance and favor to be in His will. While we are moving towards that place, we will meet the people we need to meet at the right time, without chasing them down. Whatever it takes to get us there will come, if we have faith and trust to move when God says "Move". We don't have to play games, or try to make connections with people who have no concern for us other than to add us to their list of supporters. Behind the scenes, you would be surprised to see what some of the ones you are running behind are really like. So,put your faith and trust in God, and whatever he tells you to do...do it quickly!
Then the Lord answered me, “Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly. The vision will still happen at the appointed time. It hurries toward its goal. It won’t be a lie. If it’s delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won’t be late."
~Hab. 2:2-4 (GWT)
Someone asked a question about how to name their ministry and was asking on a public forum for advice on how to choose an appropriate one. First, let's go back and look at what the word ministry actually means:
The act of serving; ministration.
One that serves as a means; an instrumentality.
The profession, duties, and services of a minister
The Christian clergy.
The period of service of a minister.
Now that we know what a ministry is and does, we also have to remember that a ministry can serve anywhere, at any time because it's a service inspired by God to serve people. A ministry is not just a good idea, a project, an recreation, or a showcase for talent, although these things can take place under a ministry, but are not the purpose of it. And. . . just because you call something a ministry does not mean that it is one!
When you are searching for a ministry name, think about the original concept that God gave you when you were first inspired to start. Can you find more than one scripture to support what you are doing? What is it that you want people to know, see, or learn through your ministry, in other words, what do you have to offer people with what you have to give? Ministry exists to point others to Christ, and to uplift them, help them to become better, to give them hope, and to be encouraged. Write those things down on paper, and take some time for your answers. If you come up short in any area, wait. . . pray. . .and go back to make sure that you are really hearing from God before you proceed.
Too many people are starting ministries with all kinds of ungodly motivations, to become famous, to become rich, because others are starting them, because they disagree with what others are doing.
But -- ministry involves lives, and life is the most important thing to God. When you present a ministry to people, they are expecting to receive something that they never had before. The name of a ministry represents whatever you are carrying, and that is what people deserve to take with them when they come to your church, hear your music or singing, see your dancing, and read your books blogs or poems.
A name means everything . . . so before you ask others what your ministry's name should be, get wisdom from the One who gave you the ministry!
With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.
Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding.
~Prov. 4:7 (NCV)
Social networking has become one of the easiest ways of communicating with large numbers of people inexpensively and quickly, in real time. I can't think of a better way of reaching people from all corners of the world than by using one of the online networks. You can text, chat, e-mail and instant message several people and have multiple conversations at once...just don't get your devices mixed up!
Global communications also make it very easy to share encouragement and the Good News of Christ with others, even if we don't directly witness to them one-on-one. With the many quotes and the ability to cut and paste from Bible pages, we have a lot of opportunities to send positive messages through various social networking sites such as Facebook(TM)* Twitter (TM)*, Tumblr (TM)* blogs, and newsfeeds. Networks such as LinkedIn(TM)* are another way of doing professional networking with people with whom we have similar interests.
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There are probably still many of you who don't feel comfortable on social networks because of privacy concerns, or because of some of the unsavory behavior that goes on a lot of the time, but a lot of that happens due to people not knowing how they work, or not taking the time to adjust their settings for the most security.
Before opening a social networking account, decide on your reasons for having one. Are you going to use it to keep in touch with family members and friends? Would you like to network with people who share common interests or to meet new business contacts, or maybe a combination of all of the above? If you have an account, and privacy is a concern, are you familiar with how to adjust your settings to allow limited access to your information? For example, on Facebook (TM), you can make your posts public, limited to friends, friends except acquaintances, restricted from certain people, or to yourself only... and can change the audience for each post according to groups of people that you want to reach. Also, you can use a nickname or pseudonym that you post under, as long as you are not impersonating anyone else. You can also choose to leave personal information off of your page such as your location, birthday, hometown or any other facts that you want to keep private, but also remember to respect other people's right to privacy.
A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
~Prov. 18:24 (NKJV)
When sending out friend requests, what motivates you to connect with people? Are you reaching out because you find certain people interesting, for marketing purposes or to increase your data base? If you aren't sincere, people will eventually drop you if they feel that you are only contacting them to enlarge your list of friends and have no real interest in them. At the same time, use discretion when accepting friend requests, because everyone who sends a request doesn't necessarily have a good reason for sending one.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting information on how to have to best experiences with social networking, what I've learned, and what has worked for me. In the meantime, are you in?
Blessings...
If you would like to learn more about how to secure your Facebook account, here's a link to Facecrooks.com:
*Facebook, Facecrooks.com, Twitter, Tumblr and LinkedIn are registered trademarks...and the use of these examples is not an endorsement of any of the above...use them responsibly, and at your own risk.
Open mic venues can be very exciting to attend, and even more exciting when you are slated to perform. There are many different places where open mics are held, and as with the online shows, it's always best to do your research to find out exactly what type of event you will be attending. Each show has a different following and will draw certain types of performers and audiences. Venues range from family-friendly to adults-only themes, with everything in between. Many shows are for general audiences before a certain time, with no restrictions afterwards. If you have never attended an open mic before, it's best to go and watch the show, to find out if you would like to participate. You can always bring a poem or two with you even if you didn't sign up on the list, just in case you are invited to share something with the audience, which often happens in smaller venues.
When going to perform at an open mic, find out what time the list is posted, so you can be sure to sign up early. The number of spots on the list can vary from 10 to 30, and many times those numbers can change at the discretion of the hosts. Performances may include music, rap, dance, and comedy, as well as poetry, and performers may be called onstage in the order that they sign up on the list, or randomly...so be ready! Please be aware that occasionally at some of the more popular venues, performers who are signed up may not be called on, either because the list was cut off after a certain number, or in some instances, performers who are unknown are "bumped" from the list in favor of others who are known to the hosts. Sometimes what is advertised as an "open mic" is actually closed prior to the start of the show. It's an unfair reality in the poetry community, but it happens. If you ever encounter this, you can choose to sign up again if it's at a venue where you really would like to perform, or to choose another venue altogether.
Please observe and respect all restrictions of the house, such as time limits and content. To allow everyone on the list the opportunity to perform, most venues limit performers to 3 - 5 minutes unless they are a featured guest. If anyone exceeds their time limit, it can be very embarrassing! Hosts will always announce the rules of the venue when the show starts. If you have a piece that is longer that you want to present, be sure to cut it to fit the time frame. There can be some very embarrassing consequences for performers who exceed their time limits! If the host specifically states that only family friendly material is allowed, please take it seriously. Some venues post their restrictions, such as: No profanity, no explicit material, no depictions of violence. Again, observe their rules, because it's their show.
During the show, the host will usually perform some of his or her own material to set the tone for the evening, but feel free to share whatever you do best. Performers are called onstage individually or at larger venues in "sets" of three at a time, to move the show along quickly. In this case, you must be ready to go up right after the preceding performer. Sometimes the host will use the term "on deck", which is a stage cue to let you know that it's getting close to your time to go up. As soon as the person ahead of you leaves the stage, go up right away. Never leave an empty stage, because it slows down the pace of the show and causes the audience to lose interest in the performers. It's extremely difficult to regain the interest of a lost audience, and you want their full attention!
When you reach the stage, you can adjust the mic to suit your needs, or someone will assist you. Take a few seconds to center yourself. Relax...breathe...and share your piece. People want to hear what you have to say, so don't give them an excuse not to listen to you by saying any of the following:
I'm nervous...(most people are)
I wasn't expecting to perform...(then why go onstage?)
Bear with me...(why should they?)
Unless you are a great cold-reader, you should always practice your piece at home before reading it in public. It's great to have your poetry memorized, but if there is the slightest chance of you going blank onstage, there is nothing wrong with having your book, paper, or phone with you. Yes...some poets read from their phones. If you do read your piece, make sure to connect with your audience by making eye contact with them from time to time. Don't get locked in to your paper. When you really know your material, it won't be hard to do. Stay focused on the message you want to convey, so you won't get distracted by things that go on in the audience such as people talking, moving around and ambient or background noises. If you make a mistake, keep going! Don't stop, or apologize in the middle of your piece for any reason. Remember that other than yourself, no one knows what you have written. Make sure that you really believe in your work, and command the attention of the audience. It's your message that you're choosing to share with the world, and someone needs to hear it, so pay attention to all of the dynamics of what you have written. Reach your audience with all of the emotion that you have put into your piece so that they can feel it also, because one of the quickest ways to lose the attention of an audience is to read a poem like you are reading the newspaper. A great Christian spoken word artist, Janett...icz says it best: "Don't be the poet that people leave to go to the bathroom on".
These are a few pointers to help you get started in poetry and spoken word. If you really want to grow in the art of poetry and spoken word presentation, it takes practice, patience, and time...just like any other genre of performance. It's impossible to put everything in just a few paragraphs of a blog. Start where you are, and keep going. Watch videos of other artists, go to workshops, and do everything that you can to become the best that you can be!
Have you ever watched dance or mime ministry videos, or attended a dance ministry concert and seen the same songs done over and over again? It seems that the most popular songs are the ones that are chosen to minister, most of the time. One potential problem with doing this is that the congregation or audience will not even see the message of the dance, but will respond to the familiar song because they know it so well. As humans, we want to "fit in" and do what is popular or acceptable to the public, but what is God really leading us to do? There are songs by some of the same artists that are not as well known, that would be very effective as a visual message. Even older songs, songs that are of a completely different style that what we are familiar with, or traditional hymns in a contemporary version are other choices. How about even dancing to scripture, poetry, or spoken word?
Don't get stuck in a box! Take the time to listen to different styles of worship music in different genres and broaden your horizons. Ministries that are most effective are the ones who do their homework It's always easy to do what is common, but do you really want to be like everyone else? God has given everyone a unique assignment, and it doesn't look like anyone else's. Read what Jocelyn Richard of Visual Praise Ministries in Augusta, GA says about musical choices:
"...The point is, as far as music is concerned, be open. Of itself, music is not good or bad. God created music before the world changed it in directions contrary to His intentions. Therefore, in listening to music, be attentive to be sure the lyrics point to Jesus. The music can be, Christian contemporary, worship and praise, traditional hymns or jazz"*
When we change the way we think about music, it will change the way we minister in movement. If you don't know where to start your search for new music, www.Pandora.com is an internet radio station that allows listeners to create their own radio stations based on their musical tastes. You can use the service for 40 hours a month free of charge, or have unlimited use for a reasonable price. Let's make it our goal in 2011 to enlarge our territories and our musical inventories!
Enjoy this video of SMBC's God's Anointed Vessels Dancing to Be Open by Richard Smallwood...
positive expressions unique communications words out of context, redefined to fit a new dimension with the uninhibited totality of prose, given over to inspiration, the impossible suddenly becomes plausible and instead of asking "Why?" we begin to ask: "Why not".
(c) 2008 Poetry of Motion!
How often have we condensed our speech to fit into another's way of thinking, putting ourselves into a box and afterwards finding ourselves unable to get out? And if we manage to find our way out, how quickly do we get into a similar situation where we end up in the box again?
To live well, we must learn how to live dangerously, by any means necessary. Keeping ourselves out of the box may mean that we are alone much of the time, but sometimes it is the only way to stay alive.
Look closely around you and you will see, that there are people in your life who carry boxes, ready for you to occupy. It will be your decision to get into the box to keep the people in your life or to refuse to occupy the box they have prepared for you, and risk losing them forever.
Hi! I'm Wynne! Thanks for visiting my pages today. Please click on the links under "My Blogs" for Poetry of Motion!, a Worship Arts Blog where we'll learn how to communicate more fully through the arts; MindScape Poetry, my poetry blog; and UrbanArtsLive!(TM), my Children's Creative Arts website featuring a slideshow of creative projects I have worked on with public school students on the East and West Coasts.(If you're on UrbanArtsLive, please scroll to the bottom of the page to view the slide show). You can e-mail me at: Urbanartz212@gmail.com. Tel: 347.841.6790. I hope to meet you soon!
