Over the past twenty years, I’ve heard Pastor Wayne say many times, “if we’re going to reach the community with the Gospel, the Kingdom of God needs EVERY church doing well, partnering together for one cause.” With that heart, New Hope has always sought to be a resource to other churches in whatever way we can, both from the college side, as well as the church side of New Hope Church and College.

Here in Oregon, I have personally had the opportunity over the last eight years to teach and equip vocal teams and worship leaders from other churches by teaching breakout sessions at the annual Worship Northwest conference up in Keizer, Oregon.

This year we had the added opportunity to bring our outreach team of band, vocals, and tech team to lead worship for the entire conference. It was an awesome opportunity for our students to grow in their leadership, learning how to lead effectively in an environment different than our own.

At this year’s conference, I was asked to teach breakout sessions in the creative leadership track. Everything rises and falls on leadership, so my areas of focus this year were on leading people well—with topics like leading your vocal/worship teams to the next level, moving from song-leading to worship-leading, building and leading creative programming teams, and creating a culture of debrief as a leader.

Every time I teach at this conference, I am reminded that no matter the size or demographic of a church, there are principles that are applicable to all.  We may have different ways of doing things, but our decisions on HOW we do things should be based on solid, biblical principles. Small changes can make a HUGE impact in our churches and will help us be more effective in reaching the lost and loving and leading the people God brings to us. People are our most precious resource and deserve to be led well. And I believe that it all starts with knowing the WHYs behind what we do.

Whenever I have gone out of the realm of New Hope to minister, I have told Pastor Wayne that it’s like I’m wearing a tool belt that is filled with tools that God has deposited in me through this ministry. God allows me to then go out and share those tools with others and encourage them to take valuable principles and apply them to their particular setting.

We all are presented with divine opportunities to speak into the lives and ministries of others, simply by just sharing those things we have learned along the way.  May we take advantage of each opportunity and invest fully in those around us so that the Kingdom of God would be advanced here in Eugene, throughout Oregon, the Northwest, and the world.