Churches in the business of music? Hillsong, WillowCreek, Saddleback, Northpoint and Gateway have all faced this question and embraced it with different perspectives, strategies and models. I’ve worked with most of these churches over the past 20 years, but Randy Elrod’s recent blog article on “How to Build an Effective Creative Team” has provoked me to dig a little deeper on the topic.
Many believe the music and entertainment industry (including the Christian realm) is hanging off a cliff, on the edge of extinction…at least the entertainment landscape as we have known and traversed it. There appears to be a chasm between the business model of the 90′s and early millennium vs. the horizon that’s blurry but just coming into focus.
Christian music publishers and record labels are struggling to curb piracy and find a viable model that will lift them out of the valley of digital download despair. Songwriters and artists are discovering new channels of distribution and social network promotion and unless you’re a “Star” writer or artist, there can be many pitfalls in signing with a big company. At the same time, many “creatists” (songwriters, recording artists, authors, visual artists) are no longer looking to large publishing, recording and media companies for financial support and a place to call home.
Is there a more flourishing environment for creativity…a safe and nurturing community emerging once again? I recently spent a day consulting with a church that is launching a music publishing company and record label. I must admit that I lean towards skepticism when it comes to churches getting into the business of creativity. The reason? One of the biggest hurdles they face is recognizing that it is, in fact, a business, and a very complex one at that.
I was pleasantly surprised, however, when I discovered how much research and study they had invested in developing their songwriter/publishing model. They obtained solid legal counsel, talked with successful church publishers, including Hillsong, analyzed various agreements and licenses, and read several books on publishing. As I listened, I was pretty impressed and encouraged with the model they’re developing.
Here are seven important points to develop (pound, argue, debate, and hammer out) if your church is looking at diving into the business of creativity:
1. Careful and prayerful consideration.
2. Employees – who will own the creative work? Understand the concept and intricacies of definition of works-made-for-hire.
3. What models do we have and what do we want ours to look like?
4. Is it a matter of calling & vision for our church or ministry, or are we stepping outside our core mission?
5. Counting the cost – it’s a business. Do we have the dedicated resources to do it with excellence?
6. Develop a solid business plan.
7. What policies and guidelines do we need in order to protect, build and strengthen relationships within our creative team?
In working with creatives for more than 25 years, I’ve observed they need at least three conditions to thrive:
1) Someone they trust on their team who provides structure, organization and sound business management
2) An environment that cultivates and promotes creativity (Randy’s article really addresses how to do this).
3) A place called home—a safe harbor that offers nurture, accountability, care, encouragement and a sense of belonging.
The third one is often times the toughest, and this is what a church or ministry can provide if they do it right. It’s really the differentiator. I have seen many artists seek a creative home in their business relationship with a Christian music company, only to be bruised with disappointment. Often their disenchantment was due to unrealistic expectations, rather than broken promises by the company, but it reveals a vital requirement for creatists if they are to flourish.
What do you think about churches being in the business of creativity? What elements or principles have you seen that can make it successful? Comment below.
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Susan Fontaine Godwin is the Founder and CVO of Christian Copyright Solutions (CCS) and has more than 25 years of professional copyright experience and leadership. CCS’s mission is to make copyrights simple for Christian community. The CCS staff is comprised of copyright administration and music publishing veterans. Our headquarters are located in Fairhope, AL, with offices in Nashville, TN, Atlanta, GA, and Orange County, CA. For more information, go to copyrightcommunity.com
