I've played a lot of video games in my day.

There are quite a few games out there that split players up into different "classes" with different skills.  There are big, strong tank classes that usually shield the rest of the team from bad guys, the warriors, riflemen, and footsoldiers that get a lot of the points...and then there's the medic.

For some reason or another, it's like no one wants to be the medic.

When I was playing a game recently I noticed that nobody was running medic, because let's face it, everybody just wants to get points so they can sit high on the scoreboard.  But I realized that that scoreboard was the precise reason our team was losing.  Every individual was so preoccupied with their own personal standing that the team could barely win a game.

So I switched over to the support class, picked another player, and just followed him around, keeping his health gauge full.  And that helped us do better.  In the lobby after the game, he expressed that he had appreciated me following him around.  I told him that I was just trying to help the team win.

People avoid the support class all the time because of that scoreboard.  They let the whole team suffer because keeping your team in top shape apparently isn't that glamorous.

But it's needed.  And it's awesome.

So what am I getting at here?

Have you ever heard the term, "too many cooks in the kitchen?"

I personally have an inclination to lead.  But I've learned that despite that, when I get in the room with someone else who is in charge, it's my turn to be the support class.

As a musician, I've done many different jobs.  From writing arrangements and being the front man, all the way to cleaning up stages, rolling dirty cables, lugging gear around, and being hidden in an orchestra pit.  Top to "bottom".  There was a time when I used to load and unload gear, set up the stage, direct the sound check by running back and forth, and then by downbeat I was already so tired I could barely perform.  I once did a short tour as a dedicated sound man for a jazz band.  I also spent one summer job cleaning a fair number of toilets.

And you know what I've learned?  It's that whether you are cleaning a toilet, editing video, loading vehicles, or running to get the speaker/musician food, your job is important.  Because without you, whoever is the "main attraction" is going to have a harder time doing THEIR job.

But from businesses to bands to churches to the humble video game, teams have time and time again suffered from "scoreboard syndrome".  People have questioned the validity of both leadership AND team dynamic, and endeavor after endeavor has fallen apart.  "Why should we listen to him?  Why's he so special?"  "I just don't see what she did to be in charge."  "Why can't we all just do our own thing?  It'll work itself out."  Haven't you watched enough war movies to know that this is usually the type of talk that ends up getting your favorite character killed?

I'm willing to lead, and I'm willing to be a cog in a machine if it's a machine I can be proud of.  If it's not something I can get behind, then forget it.  But if it is....well, that's beautiful.

If you're a gopher (as in "go for coffee"), a driver, a cleaning crew member, a cable roller, a sound-checker, a shoe-shiner, a moral-supporter, a street-team member....realize that's very important.  I try to tell the people on my stage crew and even those who just volunteer their time to come and help that I appreciate them.  Because I've done their jobs before, and I'd rather not have a list of jobs that keeps getting bigger.

And that goes for anything you're doing.  If you're a supporter, take joy in that.  One person's human bandwidth is ultimately limited, but the amount that bandwidth multiplies in a well-running team is phenomenal.  

-Sam
www.SamuelDayOfficial.com

You can see in my last blog how I pondered the merits of each side of the "Christian Artist" debate.  I'm the kind of artist that doesn't want to be put in a box.  When I see a faith-based band like Skillet touring with other bands like Seether, I tend to think that's really cool.  We were, in fact, meant to go to the world.

However, today as I read, prayed, and spent some time with God, I think I got something worth sharing.

Look, disclaimer here: religiousness creeps me out too.  Ok?  I don't want to get spooky on you.  Normally when I see someone start a blog the way I just did, red flags start going up, and I usually don't want to read anymore or brace myself to cringe.

But here it is:  a lot of people have been saying lately that music can't be "Christian", because Jesus didn't die for our music.  He died for us.  And a piece of art doesn't have a religious affiliation.  And so on.  And you know what?  I totally get that.

However, I think for far too long we've been looking at this philosophically and religiously instead of spiritually.

Why do people pray over their food?  Taking a look at the different scriptures referring to praying over food (an inanimate object), especially Matthew 14, you can basically surmise that you are supposed to be thankful, and to bless the food.  What does that mean?  That's means to call it blessed, to call it prosperous and good and make it clean through thanking God.  That means to call it into the ministry.

Couldn't the same be said about a piece of music?  That you could pray The Blessing over it and send it out, even if it doesn't necessarily sound like a stereotypically "Christian" song, or even if it's instrumental?  When did the church world as a whole forget about the whole Biblical concept of Anointing?

I don't mean to get esoteric or nitpicky here.  But shouldn't there be something different about the things the people of God create, even if it's "intangible"?  Shouldn't we be praying that what we create goes out as a Blessed thing and has an effect on people's lives, even if it's just a song about a sunrise?  

My personal opinion is that we don't always need to have an altar call in the middle of a set or to preach in the middle of a set.  I find it ironic when some musicians (who aren't a worship band) choose to put the concert on hold for 15 minutes to suddenly preach a 5 point sermon when the lyrics to their music is all negative and downtrodden anyway.  It's a spiritual AND an artistic contradiction, and I think it sometimes puts off the very people you're trying to reach.  Now, if you know that the Lord told you to put an altar call in the middle of you set, then don't let me stop you.  That's between you and God.  And I'm not saying that I've never done that in the past, or that I'm not willing to do it.  I just think we need to have good discretion between what is following God and what is ambushing people in a way that's really just a turn-off.  And I'm well aware that could literally change from one concert to the next.  I'm not about to sit here and presume to dictate to the Holy Spirit.

But back to the music thing.  Look, all I'm saying is that a lot of people have forgotten that The Blessing can attach itself to things.  Music is a thing.  And just like food, I realized today that it can be spiritually sanctified, even if it's not sold or marketed that way.  And if you don't believe that, you're probably being more philosophical than spiritual.  

I'm still learning about this.  I'm not saying I've got it all figured out.  But maybe a song is like a person.  We don't go around yelling in everyone's faces, "HEY!  HEY!  I'M A CHRISTIAN!"  Ok, but if you are one, does not doing that make you any less of a Christian, even if the people that happen to be at Burger King at the same time don't know it?  Of course not.  So why should a song that's come from a blessed person be any less blessed just because it's not screaming religion at you?

Something to think about.