Article by: Tom Lane

Had a conversation about what makes a band or artist original after listening to a CD which was very good but a bit more than a hat tip to about 3 different bands I grew up on. It went beyond being influenced by to copying. My thought was I'd rather listen to the originals. It's hard to be original but I believe we should be because I feel we should lead and not follow as Christians in all we do. Being authentic and the best you makes total sense to me. When you use the tools in your skill set and give your best to God-what comes out will surely reflect some of what you're influenced by but should above all be true to you.

As it relates to worship I think we rob God, ourselves, and others when we reduce it to only what we do in the assembly since all we create should reflect the heart of a worshipper. Throughout history artists from the church have impacted culture and the church. The key ingredient is God's presence in and on it- whatever IT is! When God chooses to anoint something it works in all spheres. Shouldn't the focus then be on finding and doing what God blesses? Thankfully it's not limited to some! Anyone who sets themselves apart unto the Lord can be used.

My hope is to inspire you as a band to aim high whether you serve by leading your congregation in worship or have a passion to just play what God has put within you. Do it with a glad heart and as excellently and uniquely as you can!

While at the NAMM show two weeks ago in Anaheim, CA it hit me how big a tribe we really are. It's one of the largest industry trade shows in the world. It helped to see again how vast creativity is. God is to say the least Creative! It's like being in the biggest paint store in the world for an artist. There were more colors than one could ever use and certainly a few to add to the palette. I had to focus on finding the ones that would just help me do what I do better or else I wandered around overwhelmed. The unbelievable number of incredibly talented people alone was overwhelming. Most artists short circuit a bit when they encounter others more talented than themselves, it does something to you. The desire to be noticed or deemed worthy is insatiable and all consuming. It leads to a dead end and makes for a life of total insecurity. We're not called to be famous but to serve which is a humble state to exist in and flies in the face of the self consumed nature and lifestyle of most artists. Doesn't mean that God won't make some famous-King David was pretty known!

Are you ever overwhelmed by all the stuff around you, who's being used more, noticed, rewarded etc.? Does it make you feel less significant or that you don't count as much? Your security in Christ ultimately determines how original you are! If who you are isn't good enough for you then you'll be miserable. We tend to judge ourselves based on accolades or others responses to us, especially our creative offerings. We do this even in worship! But who can really judge what God feels about the sacrifice of another? When you offer the best you that's all He's asked you to do. It's not received on the basis of your merit or good but Jesus sacrifice and His goodness.

This truth can liberate all you driven and passionate creative types like me if you let it. It really doesn't matter how hip, cool, or marketable you are! Be of substance more than style! Find the colors, sounds and textures that make you YOU-but originality is not as much about sound and look as being salt and light in a very dark world around us. It's caring more for the others wandering around overwhelmed and lost who haven't yet discovered the awesome truth that they're loved just as they are now by a merciful God in Heaven.

No matter how good the artists are that I appreciate and respect in the world, whose gifts and talents were given to them by the same God that gave me mine, what I aspire to be most is not as good as or better than them but who God made me to be - An Original!

Article Reprinted with Permission From: Worship Musician Magazine, Mar/Apr '05