One of the buttons under this box as I type reads SAVE NOW. Hey, that would be a great name for a song about Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, (since Hosanna means "Save now"). In fact, that song has already been written, and first appeared on The Mercy Seat Sessions, the sophomore album (that sounds so music biz) of The Singing Company, the Territorial Worship Team of the Central Territory. More recently, that song has been covered by Families, another band of gifted musicians, and it now serves as track #2 on Holy Week, (pictured on the left) a joint effort from the two bands to be released in time to help us observe Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday with a Passion.
If this were a record review, I would tell you about how musically interesting Holy Week is, and how engaging it is from the first note to the last. I would make sure to include that the lyrics are at once Biblical and poetic, deep and accessible, heavy and whimsical. I would go on and on in my praise for the sensibility of the entire project, including the fact that companion on-line Holy Week resources such as devotionals, chord charts, lyrics (Spanish & English), accompaniment tracks and sheet music will be made available. I would definitely include the fact that as I have lived with Holy Week for a while (due to friends in Central places) I have been moved to the point of being speechless and tearful on more than one occasion. I might even get too clever for my own good, and try a line like; "I've always been a fan of Holy Week, but The Singing Company & Families have just given me 12 new reasons." (See what I did there? There are 12 tracks on the CD).
But this isn't a record review, so I won't go there. This is a blog about Authentic Innovative Missional leadership, and that's why I wanted to bring Holy Week to your attention. In the 6th shot of A.I.M., "Leaders are Readers", I gave a shout out to a Max DePREE book called; Leadership is an Art. The artists of Holy Week are leaders. As far as I know, The Singing Company & Families didn't wait around for someone to ask them to write and record a concept album based on the last days of Jesus on earth. As far as I know, these two groups weren't "sittin' 'round the table" (that reference will make sense after you've experienced Holy Week) hoping that someone would ask them to add devotionals and other resources to the project, to enhance personal and corporate times of worship. That's not how leaders or artists work. Artists (I'm told, not being one myself) not only don't wait around for someone to tell them what to do, they don't do their best work under those circumstances. Stacy and I were getting coffee recently (doing research for this blog - work, work, work!), and the barista was wearing a pin that read; "Artists make terrible slaves". That made good sense to me. I might add that leaders make terrible slaves as well, (they sometimes don't make very good followers either, but I'll tuck that thought away for another shot of A.I.M.). My point is that these two groups of artists are leading the way by creating this beautiful work of art that is both Heavenly minded and Earthly good. We need more of this kind of leadership. We need more of the created creating. Leadership isn't always about some woman or man standing in front of an audience or a congregation or a small group. Sometimes leadership looks like a group (or two groups) of friends with a wild idea, and the guts to make it happen. Enter Holy Week. Enter whatever wild, Kingdom idea you may have.
One more thing, and this won't surprise you. Sometimes (read: too often) in our movement, a wild idea and some guts to make it happen are enough only to get you laughed out of a room. In many cases, and certainly in the case of Holy Week, several other people who are responsible for budgets, etc. need to have the vision to support the wild idea and add guts to guts. In other words, leaders have the opportunity to either champion or cut down the Authentic Innovative Missional ideas of other leaders.
When leaders lead leaders well, we tip our caps to them (if we can find caps to tip). Thank you, Commissioners Paul & Carol Seiler for allowing Holy Week to be approved & produced in time for Holy Week. You've given me 12 more reasons to like you and respect your leadership, you've shown support to other leaders and you've given a beautiful gift to those who have ears to hear.
Together with The Singing Company and Families you've proven that Leadership is, in fact, an Art.
The Holy Week CD will be available for purchase and multiple replays on April 1st (no foolin'). For a video promo, click here;
If you'll excuse me, I have to SAVE NOW. Have a Holy Week & a Holy Week (or 2 or 3 or 10).
-rob
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