Christmas Musicals (cont.)
So is there a solution to the dilemma of tryouts? I think so.
3 Solutions for Christmas Musicals
1. Do away with tryouts.
First of all, ask whether a tryout is necessary. What may seem cute and important to adults is a battle for children. You can perform most Christmas programs and dramas without a single tryout. A sign-up sheet for parts or positions is a better choice.
Divide lead roles and solos among competent children. You can creatively multiply some tasks for more participation. It’s better to have 24 dancers with three troupes of eight than eight select dancers perform three dances. Sure, it’s more work. But the effort is worth the payoff for kids!
2. Make the goal learning, not winning.
As a kid, I played for an undefeated baseball team stacked with good athletes. Each week our boasts grew louder and our play more selfish. Our coach even encouraged the braggadocio. He played only the best athletes and even ran up scores.
But I learned more about baseball from another team, during a 1-10 season when some of my friends left our squad. (They said they didn’t like to play with losers.) I learned about commitment and belief in myself. I learned that failure isn’t final. Although the talent pool was slim, by season’s end our losses were close contests.
The coach was kind and believed every player who practiced should play. We won our season finale to wild applause and standing ovations. And despite our dismal record, we still chanted “We’re #1!” during our ride for ice cream.
3. Choose children as Jesus chose disciples.
Finally… The world may still find tryouts and contests helpful, but the church shouldn’t use that methodology. Jesus Christ never held tryouts for his disciples. Yes, he maintained reasonable standards. But Jesus didn’t hold public competitions to determine disciples.
Some followers he merely approached and said, “Come,” while others followed naturally. Jesus didn’t even pick the best. Nicodemus was a more religious choice. The rich young ruler was more influential and popular. Neither made Jesus’ cut.
Jesus changed the world with fishermen who were uneducated and tax collectors who were despised. His tryouts were limited to simple obedience and self-sacrifice. Jesus had roles for John and Judas, for Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot.
Perhaps instead of having public tryouts, children’s ministers might do well to follow Christ’s example and pray all night before passing out parts. No one should lose at church.
