Re: [music] Mission Statement (was - just shoot me!)

#1 · November 23, 2003, 12:42 am

Quote from Forum Archives on November 23, 2003, 12:42 am
Posted by: bandaddie <bandaddie@...>

>Chetin, what is your band's mission/vision? Are you associated with any
>particular church/organization, or "just a bunch of guys"? How do you
>describe your theology to people you might be talking to to book you? (not
>"what is it" but "how do you convey it"?)
>
>How do you get bookings? Do you charge a fee? (It sounds like no) How do
>you cover expenses?
>
>Who is your target "audience"? Are you doing "concerts" or "worship
>services"?
>
>I'm intrigued by your project, but would like to understand more about it.

Very long winded answer to so many questions.....

please keep in mind, we have only just come together. I have been leaning
heavily on advice sent me by CBers, mostly unsolicited but highly prized and
valuable.

These are very valid questions. We have asked them all, and many more to
each other in fellowship and to ourselves in private. There are, as yet, no
quick answers. We are more than just "a bunch of guys" since we each have
outreach reach/mission experience and we have some focus on special
projects. The problem; our experiences are so differant, making our
individual visions, world views, tastes in music, personal spiritual witness
and even vocabulary differant. I have no idea why we have been brought
together. It makes no sence what so ever.

For instance;
My time as a musician and a believer is considerably shorter than the
others, yet I have more large audiance experience, and the only one with
experience in acting, and other forms of non-music based arts-ministry. I
don't have the vocabulary to effectively speak on the business of church
with long term professions, such as pastors and mission people, but the
others tell me i am the better of the team at improv witness and other forms
of speaking to audiances. I think i am the most shy, tongue tied, and scared
when I do this, so i don't understand their opinion. I am formerly Muslim.

The drummer is easy going, and willing to follow any one else. He is just
happy to be part of anything. He is active with support and ministry to
"damaged" war veterns, which is how he and I came together. He has no song
writing skill, and the least understanding of music theory. He just has a
good beat, a good heart and that beat and that heart belong only to Jesus,
and that is good enough.

One guitarist has far more experience in song writing, and is without a
doubt, our best singer. His skill at rhythm guitar is great, but is limited
in scope. He seems lost with blues progrssions. He is formally practicing
Jew.

The other guitarist is the best founded in advanced formal Christian
training and education. He also seems to have the best gift for leadership
style communication and direction. He is the only person on the team to have
been trained as a child in a Christian home, and with clergy, so he is our
church business mouth piece

Two people are ordained ministers and have established a home/cell church.
The band is made up of 2 of the cell groups, which, during music time,
becomes a single supercell. We choose to be non-denominational, which is, as
we all know, a denomination unto itself.

I prefer hard thrashing rock music, the sort which gives the others
headaches and fallen arches.
G1 seems to prefer slower, simple balads, and WOW cds
G2 seems to gravitate toward C/W, but loves the way I turn his folk/rock
into thrash.
Drummer is stuck in the 60's but is willing to learn.

None of us truely feel at home in the community where we live right now.
None of us understand why God put us here, but we know He did, and we did
not put ourselves here.

We are not yet completely certain of where this will lead, because this
community is more closed in world view than anything any of us have
experienced elsewhere.

So....

We are just starting out. We are drawing together that which we have in
common;

Love of God, and His love of us, through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Love of music
Song writing experience
Recording-commercial experience with a total of 8 albums between us
We've all been turned off to other outreach bands in which we have played
because they were too unbending and too entrenched in denominational issues.
We each, seperately, have seen a shortage of bands willing to commit to
things like prison ministry and youth outreach.
On the financial issue; We each have had to back away from other bands
because their goal has been oriented toward finacial gain and large
audiances.

On that issue; I played a concert in Turkey which did not get organized
well. There had been many legal problems and such. The audiance was small in
a town which was openly hostile. Only 3 people stayed to listen. We played
for God, and that was good enough for us, and we did not get down hearted.
We did have 3 people recieve! That is 100% of our audiance! Who else can
claim 100% success? GLORY! GLORY! GLORY! A previous band in which i played
had a simular situation. The leader called it a "failure" and stated we
would never again do an outreach show away from the confines of our church.
My understanding of God's holy word shows this to be blaspheming.

Target audiances;
Prisons (after developing musically)
Churches here tend to be independant, even the mainstream - -they are
looking for music ministry people to come in.
Vacation ministry. A number of people have looked into this, with the notion
that people on holiday should not take a holiday from God. There are so many
ways to do this.
In the past year I have been approached by 6 churches (6 differing
denominations) who have requested a band to do special witness shows in
their churches. This is my first band to have an interest in this. As I
stated, denomational issues have been in the way, but no longer. The first
church in which i ever played was Roman Catholic, and though I was not a
believer at the time (just 16 years old), I was truely blessed by the
experience. I have the opertunity to do it again.

There are other two projects, which are too far into the future to discuss
openly right now.

Financial; we all prefer being "tent makers" We all have skills which back
up this desire. hard times have befallen, but the skills which come to us by
way of gifts from God enable us to come through OK. For now, with the
equipment we have brought together and our "bodging" abilities, we can be
self supporting. With growth and travel, needs change. We will change with
the needs, and God will provide. After all, look how a group of high school
students have offered to pay us to play in their community center. There is
now another church which wants to do likewise, in a public, out of church
setting. This is a good start.

Çetin Basaran
**** **** **** ****
"vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit"

_________________________________________________________________
>From the hottest toys to tips on keeping fit this winter, youll find a
range of helpful holiday info here.
special.msn.com/network/happyholidays.armx

Posted by: bandaddie <bandaddie@...>

>Chetin, what is your band's mission/vision? Are you associated with any
>particular church/organization, or "just a bunch of guys"? How do you
>describe your theology to people you might be talking to to book you? (not
>"what is it" but "how do you convey it"?)
>
>How do you get bookings? Do you charge a fee? (It sounds like no) How do
>you cover expenses?
>
>Who is your target "audience"? Are you doing "concerts" or "worship
>services"?
>
>I'm intrigued by your project, but would like to understand more about it.

Very long winded answer to so many questions.....

please keep in mind, we have only just come together. I have been leaning
heavily on advice sent me by CBers, mostly unsolicited but highly prized and
valuable.

These are very valid questions. We have asked them all, and many more to
each other in fellowship and to ourselves in private. There are, as yet, no
quick answers. We are more than just "a bunch of guys" since we each have
outreach reach/mission experience and we have some focus on special
projects. The problem; our experiences are so differant, making our
individual visions, world views, tastes in music, personal spiritual witness
and even vocabulary differant. I have no idea why we have been brought
together. It makes no sence what so ever.

For instance;
My time as a musician and a believer is considerably shorter than the
others, yet I have more large audiance experience, and the only one with
experience in acting, and other forms of non-music based arts-ministry. I
don't have the vocabulary to effectively speak on the business of church
with long term professions, such as pastors and mission people, but the
others tell me i am the better of the team at improv witness and other forms
of speaking to audiances. I think i am the most shy, tongue tied, and scared
when I do this, so i don't understand their opinion. I am formerly Muslim.

The drummer is easy going, and willing to follow any one else. He is just
happy to be part of anything. He is active with support and ministry to
"damaged" war veterns, which is how he and I came together. He has no song
writing skill, and the least understanding of music theory. He just has a
good beat, a good heart and that beat and that heart belong only to Jesus,
and that is good enough.

One guitarist has far more experience in song writing, and is without a
doubt, our best singer. His skill at rhythm guitar is great, but is limited
in scope. He seems lost with blues progrssions. He is formally practicing
Jew.

The other guitarist is the best founded in advanced formal Christian
training and education. He also seems to have the best gift for leadership
style communication and direction. He is the only person on the team to have
been trained as a child in a Christian home, and with clergy, so he is our
church business mouth piece

Two people are ordained ministers and have established a home/cell church.
The band is made up of 2 of the cell groups, which, during music time,
becomes a single supercell. We choose to be non-denominational, which is, as
we all know, a denomination unto itself.

I prefer hard thrashing rock music, the sort which gives the others
headaches and fallen arches.
G1 seems to prefer slower, simple balads, and WOW cds
G2 seems to gravitate toward C/W, but loves the way I turn his folk/rock
into thrash.
Drummer is stuck in the 60's but is willing to learn.

None of us truely feel at home in the community where we live right now.
None of us understand why God put us here, but we know He did, and we did
not put ourselves here.

We are not yet completely certain of where this will lead, because this
community is more closed in world view than anything any of us have
experienced elsewhere.

So....

We are just starting out. We are drawing together that which we have in
common;

Love of God, and His love of us, through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Love of music
Song writing experience
Recording-commercial experience with a total of 8 albums between us
We've all been turned off to other outreach bands in which we have played
because they were too unbending and too entrenched in denominational issues.
We each, seperately, have seen a shortage of bands willing to commit to
things like prison ministry and youth outreach.
On the financial issue; We each have had to back away from other bands
because their goal has been oriented toward finacial gain and large
audiances.

On that issue; I played a concert in Turkey which did not get organized
well. There had been many legal problems and such. The audiance was small in
a town which was openly hostile. Only 3 people stayed to listen. We played
for God, and that was good enough for us, and we did not get down hearted.
We did have 3 people recieve! That is 100% of our audiance! Who else can
claim 100% success? GLORY! GLORY! GLORY! A previous band in which i played
had a simular situation. The leader called it a "failure" and stated we
would never again do an outreach show away from the confines of our church.
My understanding of God's holy word shows this to be blaspheming.

Target audiances;
Prisons (after developing musically)
Churches here tend to be independant, even the mainstream - -they are
looking for music ministry people to come in.
Vacation ministry. A number of people have looked into this, with the notion
that people on holiday should not take a holiday from God. There are so many
ways to do this.
In the past year I have been approached by 6 churches (6 differing
denominations) who have requested a band to do special witness shows in
their churches. This is my first band to have an interest in this. As I
stated, denomational issues have been in the way, but no longer. The first
church in which i ever played was Roman Catholic, and though I was not a
believer at the time (just 16 years old), I was truely blessed by the
experience. I have the opertunity to do it again.

There are other two projects, which are too far into the future to discuss
openly right now.

Financial; we all prefer being "tent makers" We all have skills which back
up this desire. hard times have befallen, but the skills which come to us by
way of gifts from God enable us to come through OK. For now, with the
equipment we have brought together and our "bodging" abilities, we can be
self supporting. With growth and travel, needs change. We will change with
the needs, and God will provide. After all, look how a group of high school
students have offered to pay us to play in their community center. There is
now another church which wants to do likewise, in a public, out of church
setting. This is a good start.

Çetin Basaran
**** **** **** ****
"vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit"

_________________________________________________________________
>From the hottest toys to tips on keeping fit this winter, youll find a
range of helpful holiday info here.
special.msn.com/network/happyholidays.armx