Yes, I know...heavy (and holy ;) title.

But this really isn't meant to be that preachy, just real.

I saw a indie film that, while a comedy, made me really think about
what we were doing with all this music business.

It depicted "music producers" who had pretty much been hired off the
street, to go to cities across the US and hold "auditions" for music
talent. Now these folks that came and auditioned were very much
amateurs mostly, and if I understand the film right, they were not
actors. But the premise was that these "producers", were just salesmen
directed to get a "deposit" on the artist's dreams from that first
meeting.

Truly, as a person who artists come to for guidance about and through
a music production, it was a bit sobering.

After it finished, I found myself asking, how is what they are doing
that much different than some of what we do here in Nashville, trying
to work with Christian artists, and help them make a record. Money is
definitely involved, as in this new world of music today, most artists
ARE paying all the costs and being their own record label (can you say
Switchfoot?)

My friend Keith, who turned me on to the movie, jokingly said, "Hey
these guys are us!" I laughed, and did laugh a bit during the movie.
But as someone who feels more led all the time to counsel artists as
much as work for them, I felt a little sad for what this movie portrayed.

Like the artists who came to these "producers" hotel rooms, with spray
painted gold records on the wall, the folks who come to Nashville to
meet with us, or consult with us in some other way, are authentic.
They truly believe they have talent, and are being led by God to do
something with it.

Of course, thankfully, the answer is simple.

Unlike the folks in this movie looking for "fame", as well as American
Idol and the umpteen other "wanna be a star" shows, our focus should
and mostly is on something other than the limelight.

Our focus is Jesus.

And strangely, just like with everything else in our life, this is
where we can find solace in the times we doubt what we are doing. This
is where we differ from the world.

This is where our motivation removes us from the paths of the average
"wannabe".

I always feel sorry for some of the folks I see on Idol or secular
artists who come to me wanting to "get a deal" or "have a number one
hit". I wonder, what keeps them motivated? Money? Fame? Attention? And
that's enough for them?

It actually makes my job easier to say "we pretty much stick to
working with ministry-based artists."

As a matter of fact, the first thing I talk about in any consulting
session is that we are a ministry-based company. If you are looking to
do anything but have a strong ministry where you get out and interact
with folks to change their lives and glorify Christ, you are in the
wrong place at Creative Soul.

To be honest, that turns some folks off, especially the parents who
come in with their young talented teen looking for the quick way to a
deal. They just aren't interested in our product. And vice-versa thank
you very much!

As many of you know, my artist textbook is always "The Heart of the
Artist" by Rory Nolan, and he speaks directly to this.

"If we're truly ministering in the name of Jesus, our motivation-what
we are seeking-should be Christ Jesus and His glory, not our own.
Jesus told us to see first the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of self
or the kingdom of art (Matt. 6:33). Remember what John the Baptist
said? "He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30). That's
the kind of attitude we need to have onstage at all times. It's not
about us and how we sound or look. We can't be in ministry to glorify
ourselves...True ministry is about Jesus and whether His message is
getting across."

At the same time, that doesn't mean we can't be confident in our
abilities. Just because we are humble doesn't mean we have to be weak.
Nolan goes on to remind us "that God has not given us a "spirit of
timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and of self-discipline" (2 Tim.
1:7)

Hey, our faith in Jesus is what was supposed to make us victorious
right?? So let's lean on Him when times get hard, when ministry opps
get scarce, or when the world tries to tell us that we are never going
to "make it"!

We must do this in Jesus name. Not in our name. Not in our producer's
or label's name. Not to sell CDs or market effectively. But in the
name of the One who saved us.

And just like after we felt washed by His saving grace, by doing this
in Jesus name, we can feel FREE of the chains that the "industry", or
our peers, or even our own expectations can put on us. Free to pursue
our creative passions for the pure JOY of it.

Try it. This week, turn the email off for a while. Just approach your
music or art as if you were doing it strictly for fun, and to serve
Jesus with it. See if it doesn't just take you back to why you wanted
to do this in the first place...and enjoy your great world of sound...

Have a great week!

EC
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Eric Copeland is a consultant for Christian artists trying desperately
to be different and follow God's call on their life. He even took his
own advice and turned his email off all weekend. His wife was so glad.
He actually got work done around the house! For more on how Eric works
with Christian Creatives, check out www.CreativeSoulOnline.com