Skribit Friday....

The last few Skribit suggestions have been rather weird. Sorry, all you anonymous submitters but they've kinda' freaked me out a bit. I'm afraid my answers won't quite live up to your expectations, but...here we go anyway!
#1. Virtual Rehearsal.

This is a great idea, but pretty hard to pull off. I'm still trying to figure out who submitted this one. I bet it's one of my Bethel team trying to get on YouTube. Glory-hounds.

If we ever did one, I probably wouldn't do it live, simply because a one-shot production probably wouldn't provide much in the way of resources. If I decided to do a virtual rehearsal, I'd probably shoot it with at least two cameras, then edit w/ some narration mixed in with the live stuff.

It's a cool idea...I'll do one someday, I promise!
#2. Russell Martin leading at FUMC Lufkin.

Wow, this one was strange. Not sure what the questioner was looking for, but my thoughts are:

Um, good for Russell?

I don't know Russell personally, but I did hear that his service in Lufkin went great. (Heard the worship team did a great job.)
#3. The YouTube video with the conservative black guy.

That guy's video got a lot of hits. I watched a couple of minutes of it, but to be honest, I didn't finish it. So I can't really offer anything.

I seem to remember that he was wearing a trendy hat. Most of you know that I have issues with men wearing trendy hats, so that could be part of the reason I turned it off.

#4. Less spike in hair.
Oh, that - I'd like to say that it has been unintentional, but that's not true.

You see, like Samson, I draw my worship leading/songwriting/blogging power from the length of my hair. Up until this point, I've kept my hair short so as to protect the people I love from my Awesomeness.

But since I'm in a new town, I've decided to grow my hair really long, unleashing the full weight and measure of my abilities on the unsuspecting people of Smith County. In the end, its might will kill us all...but it will an amazing sight to see.
Thanks for shooting stuff to Skribit, gang! I love to see this stuff...however, I'd love it if you SIGN IT! You don't have to sign up for a Skribit account or anything; just type your name at the end of your question. Try it...it'll make you feel good.

NO...

While I am appreciative of a certain anonymous (Lance) Skribit poster this week, I've decided to hold off on 'Skribit Friday' this go 'round.

I am going to wait until we have 7 (yes, 7) questions in the Skribit window before I answer them. Waiting on 7 suggestions will allow me to do a whole week of Skribit answers, which sounds like a ton of fun, right?

There's no big reason for doing this. Other than the fact that I really dig the sorts of suggestions that come through here on a regular basis.

I know it will take us awhile to hit 10. Especially considering that we've never had more than 4 at any given time. But that's okay. I can wait!

I encourage you to think up the weirdest, most complex, most thought-provoking questions you can come up with. Lately, there have been lots of moving/Tyler questions...I challenge you to think outside the box - come up with a question that makes me regret ever making this request of you all.

SKRIBIT!

Skribit Friday...

WHO IS MORE POPULAR? TODD OR HERBERT MIDGLEY?
Wow! That's an amazing thing to say. I'm going to go with Midgley. If YouTube views and blog readership and song/video/blog output are any indication, that guy is operating at a level of popularity that I will NEVER be able to touch.

If you'll allow me, I'd like to get serious for a minute about Herbert Midgley. No...seriously. I've had a lot of people ask me why I watch his videos or put his stuff on this blog or why I desperately want to be an 'extra' in one of his movies one day.

I'll admit...when I first came across his stuff, I thought it was silly. (And still do to an extent...) But after following him this long, I have to tell you that I have an amazing amount of respect for this man.

Here is a guy who a college educator with a significant load of classes and a film student in his own right. He's in his mid-to-late 30's and he's single. Every day, a guy like that could come from work, crash on the couch and live a solitary, dull life.

But he doesn't. This guy is constantly creating. And while some of it might seem sillly to you or me, I can respect a guy who is so very obviously living every moment for all it's worth. Midgley isn't just popular, he's inspiring.

Check him out: HerbertMidgley.com

DO YOU STILL MISS LUFKIN?
Twenty bucks says this question came from a family member!

Yeah, we miss Lufkin. The fact is that we're still 'settling' in Tyler. We've yet to start our church fellowship group, so we're still not really able to connect very much with other folks in a small group setting. I think that once we do that, we'll start feeling a bit more at home.

We find ourselves going "into town" a lot. The Wrights get bored very easily, so we're very prone to up and go for a drive. We're actually heading to Lufkin tomorrow, which will be fun. Kristen and the kids have been back once already, but this will be my first time to go home since we moved. I'm looking forward to it!

PLEASE DEFEND YOUR STANCE THAT MADtv IS BETTER THAN S.N.L:
Wow. I never thought my little MadTV video post would cause so much drama. But hey...this person had the courtesy to say "please," so I guess that's better than that bunch of other losers who tried to get all loud about how I'm not with-the-times. (Right, David, Kaity and Stephanie?)

First off, I didn't make a "stance" that MadTV is better than SNL. As a matter of fact, I didn't even say that it was better.

I simply said that I've always enjoyed it more than I enjoyed Saturday Night Live. I'm not sure there a lot of reasons...I just always find myself laughing more at MadTV.

If I had to try to analyze it, I'd put it this way. Personally, I think the smartest thing that SNL has done in the last 2-3 years has been the "Digital Short" idea. While it's a departure from the live-nature of the show, I think they've been really creative. I think it's shown that the SNL writers can go way off center (their center being more cultural/political/celebrity themed humor.) The digital short projects have a decidedly underground feel to them and to me, therein lies their strength.

Now, having said that, let me say this...that's the unknown factor for MadTV for me. To me, I've always loved that many of their sketches had this same sort of underground/left-of-center approach. Sure, they do celebrity stuff, too, but I think the MadTV writers are trying to create more whole mythologies rather than just making parodies of ones we already know. They excel at that 'thing' that SNL only does now and again.

It's not a 'stance.' I just like it better and that's the best reason I can come up with.

Skribit Friday...

Hey, look at that! The Skribit suggestion box is active again.

Well, let's take a look and see what we think...
WHAT ARE YOU FIND MOST AWKWARD ABOUT YOUR NEW SURROUNDINGS?

Great question. The most awkward thing usually happens when leave our house and hit this little four-way stop to head into town. Almost every day, we've looked at each other and said...

"We live in Tyler!"

It's been weird...to wake up every morning and realize that almost everything you're going to experience that day is going to be brand new.

Secondly, it's strange to not know where stuff is. We're constantly asking for directions. That's something we're not used to.

Lastly, getting to know a whole new group of people is interesting. Some folks you have an instant connection with...others require a more time to get to know.

WHAT TO DO WHEN BAND MEMBERS DON'T DIG THE WORSHIP LEADER'S STYLE?

Man, I hope one of my team didn't send this one in.

This is a great question, but it is a bit extreme (The original question said when "none" of the band members liked the worship leader's approach.) I would think it highly irregular for an entire team of musicians, singers, tech staff, etc. to dislike what the worship leader is doing. I guess it's a possibility, but I would think rare to be that intense.

But it does happen in smaller doses, I think. I can only speak from experience, and gladly, I don't have much in this area. Regarding my time at First Methodist and even my first few weeks with Bethel, I've had team members who have exemplified a Christ-like attitude. I've heard countless times "I'll do whatever you need" or "I'll serve as little or as much as you prefer" and I've seen enough to believe it!

I think a dislike of methodology or style is really an issue of trust. A team member doesn't like the way a leader is doing things because, for whatever reason, that team member doesn't trust that worship leader's going to maintain the integrity of what's been accomplished. (Sometimes, there are valid reasons to fear this!)

In what little experience I have in ministry, I have found that most team members don't voice this. Most of the times, this bitterness or resentment stays dormant, which is never good.

When I do have team members who come to me with dislikes of this nature, I try to do a few things:
1. Listen honestly to what they're saying. God speaks to us in many ways. Wisdom in a multitude of counselors, right?
2. Investigate the complaint. Rather than be dismissive, I try to make sure I've got the information, then I spent some time thinking and praying about what's been said. I never want it to be said that I didn't take correction.
3. Give feedback. When it's all said and done and I think there's a valid and healthy reason for the way I do my job, I try to communicate that. It's okay to say, "You know, I think this approach is beneficial and healthy and I'm not going to change it." Other times you say, "Gosh! You're right. I can do that better."

Musicians in general tend to dislike confrontation or criticism, so I usually do ask those with concerns to be patient with me. I really am a nice guy. And I want to do what's right.
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Okay...that's it for Skribit Friday. Remember...if you've got a question or topic you'd like us to hit on the blog, share it! It keeps me from running out of ideas!

Skribit Friday....

"How are you and the family feeling about leaving Lufkin?"
Well...it's weird. While we're very excited about this new phase of our lives, we're also dreading leaving family and friends. As many of you know, both my parents and Kristen's family live in Lufkin. All this back and forth to Tyler has shown us truly "easy" the Tyler drive is, but it's still a big step for us. Our families are excited for us...of course, they tend to hear all about our church work (good and bad!) and they're excited at the new opportunities that Bethel will give us.

"Who will you root for - John Tyler or Tyler Lee?"
It's obvious that this question came from somebody who doesn't know me all too well. (Or maybe they do and they're trying to get me ranting. That would be clever...)

Let me say this - I hail from Lufkin, Texas, okay? A place that is NUTS about high school sports. (And primarily, high school football.) And I'm not joking when I say that I think the community of Lufkin sometimes borders on idolatry regarding the Panthers. I'm serious...I realize I might get slammed for this, but I always get worried when a town starts to worship at the altar of high school sports. It bugs me, okay? So, I'm inclined to devote my energies elsewhere.

In addition to that, I don't like football or baseball or soccer. So, if JT or TL have some rocking basketball or tennis teams, I'm all in. If not...I'll be at home on the weekends, watching Battlestar Galactica. Or blogging.

Probably blogging.

I don't imagine I'll root for anybody. (Hope that's okay, Tyler folks!)

"Living in Tyler..."
We've found a house in Flint, about six or seven minutes from the church. We weren't necessarily looking for something out-of-town, but we like the area and we dig the house. We'll be moving on Monday, September 1!