What One Thing Can I Do to Improve My Music?

When artists ask me what they can do to improve their chances of getting played on the radio, I typically tell them that good production and good singing are a great place to start.

To get those, and artist or group ususally has to spend big bucks in a recording studio. It's clearly one of those "you get what you pay for" deals.

But, simply saying good production or good singing isn't much of a measuring stick. But, there is one thing an artist can do to measure the "good" of their music.

Lead Like the World Depends on It

I admit guilt to today's post. I've done it before. And, I'm embarrassed to admit it. I've led small groups...I've taught...I've preached based on the size of the group.

What does that mean? Well, simply put, it's easier to lead or teach a large group of people when you can be the rock star they're all looking to. It's a lot more difficult when you're hoping for a great turnout, but only get a handful.

You might even prepare for a dozen, but when you get only two, the wind goes out of your sails, and you give a two-effort. On the flip side, if you prepped for two, but got the dozen, you would be thrilled.

The Myth of More than You Can Handle

I'm not a fan of bumper sticker theology. That's a term that easily describes quick, feel-good comments that are passed off as biblical theology.

Some carry absolute truth, such as "God loves you," or "Jesus is Lord of all." True, yes. But, they don't tell the whole story. For that matter, they don't even come close.

But, bumper sticker theology is best known for taking a biblical truth (or a part of it) and twisting it into something designed to give us warm fuzzies. One of the worst offenders is the notion that God will not give you more than you can handle.

Continuing Education for Business

One of the challenges that leaders face on a regular basis is ensuring that their people have what they need to do their job.

All too often in organizations, leadership will train a new hire how to do the job they were hired for and that is where the training stops.

But, the people under you need more than a one and done training session. They need a continual education to keep their mind sharp and their ability honed.

By continually training your staff, you can keep them updated on any of the changing forces within your industry. This keeps you ahead of the game, and puts you at the front of your competition.

An educated employee is a challenged employee is a happy, productive employee.

How to Make Southern Gospel Radio Better

I've been on the air for 19 years, most of it spent spinning southern gospel music. I've seen a lot over the years -- some good, some bad.

One of the things I have figured out is that there is a great misconception about what southern gospel is, and what it is not. Many people outside the genre think it to be a poor quality style of music. They may cite poor vocals, poor arrangements, poor concerts, aging audience, etc.

Discipling the Next Generation of Believers

Yesterday, I wrote about mentoring from a leadership angle. But, in Christianity, there's another term for mentoring -- discipleship.

In Matthew 28, Jesus tells his followers to go into the world and make disciples. That passage even defines what it means to become a disciple. It says that the disciple would do all the things that Jesus commanded.

Leadership Mentoring

I was a senior in high school when I got my first taste of leadership. Granted, it was both as president of my church youth group, and as a member of Missouri Boys State. But, that is where it started.

To be honest, I was too young to fully comprehend the opportunities that lay ahead. It wasn't until someone took the time to invest in my leadership growth that I started to realize the possibilities.

I was 20 when I met the man who would become my first leadership mentor. For the next nine years, his insight and advice would guide me up the leadership trail. And, it was through my interaction with him and others on our team that I learned the importance (and the joy) of being a mentor.