Deconstructing and “Re-Organicing” Our Vocal System
Thursday, June 28th, 2007We are attempting an experiment. For years we have run our structure of vocal team/bridge team (worship choir) one way, now we are going to try something new to make it more Organic:
How we did it in the past.
Every prospective vocalist came through a Get to Know You audition. If they “qualified,” they began singing on our Bridge Team singing every other weekend for six months. If they proved faithful, were interested, and had completed a six month tour of duty, the bridge team member could complete a more formal audition for our vocal team. They would sing a solo on stage (full lights, etc.) while Missy our Vocal Coach and I watched vocal presentation, stage presence, and then interviewed them on how their personal worship time looked.
The Problem.
- If someone joined bridge a month after the last vocal team audition, it would be almost a year before an audition was calendered in which they could participate because of the six month requirement.
- It is a very “nervy” situation since it is an all or nothing proposition on the audition.
- It doesn’t seem to fit the way the rest of our ministry feels. We have an anti-performance vibe and the audition seems very performance oriented.
The Solution.
We are going to stop the formal audition process for vocal teams and approach things more organically. We will still continue the Get to Know You initial audition for Bridge Team (worship choir) and that will be our point of entry. If we think we have someone on Bridge Team who can sing well, has been faithful for a season, and has a worshiper’s heart, we’ll start asking them to come a little early on some Wednesday nights and sing some solos working alongside Missy our vocal coach. If someone approaches us about interest for vocal teams, we’ll begin to do the same. When they are ready, comfortable on stage visually and vocally, and through organic relationships we figure out where they are in their personal worship, we’ll ask them to sub in on a Vocal Team. After watching that process a couple of times, we’ll do our twice a year reassign. If they are ready we’ll let them join a team for a six month or year tour while someone on an existing vocal team takes a six month rotation on bridge team only (something we already do to beat the “spotlight syndrome” out of people).
This feels more “NorthWood” than the rigidity of the past structure. Funny, usually as organizations get bigger they get more bureaucratic. We are going the opposite way. We will be way more organic with our 80 something vox roster than we were when we had 40. We’ll report back on if this works or if it is a colossal failure.



