.Real.Greg.Lee.

Bobby Jackson gives incredible leadership to a lot of areas around our church.  Last night, he was at my house having dinner with all of our elders and a few things hit me all over again.  I could write lots of things about him that have my deep respect, but let me focus on one.

He leads artists as well as anyone I have ever  — ever — seen.  Artists (whether musicians, vocalists, graphics people, folks that create experiences with video and sound and more) are a unique breed…and a great gift to us.  Our church is so much healthier because God is using their gifts here.

They create.  They weave linear thoughts into powerful stories. They bring passion, emotion, and authenticity to truth.  They open our minds to great questions.

And, by reputation, they are hard to lead.  Artists feel things more deeply.  They take critique more personally.  Logic is not the highest value.  Their penchant for creating something unique sometimes wars with serving a unified team or mission.  A left-brained person might read these as critiques, but they are not.  They are the same qualities that make artists such a powerful force.

Every time I give Bobby credit in any setting, he passes it down to those serving with him (note: Another great leadership lesson).  So, I wasn’t surprised when I read something he wrote to all the Suncrest artists this morning.  He believes that God has blessed us with a unique breed of artists at Suncrest where we experience the blessings without the drama that entangles so many other communities of artists.

Here is part of what Bobby wrote to our teams:

SOME PEOPLE JUST GET IT: What do you get that other teams/artists wrestle with?
-You get that it is not about us.
-You get that we’re servants first and musicians second.
-You get that every member of our team is a worship leader whether in the booth or on stage, you are leading someone someplace.
-You get that excellence matters.
-You get that “good enough for church” doesn’t apply to us.
-You get that giving your best to God means you bring your best gift and attitude to this ministry (I’m so grateful for this!)
-You get that any given Sunday people’s lives could be and are changed.
I’m so thankful to be with a team that gets it.

I’m thankful too!  Suncrest artists rock.

~ by Greg Lee on September 22, 2011.

Posted in Suncrest