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You are here: Home / Mike Harland / Roll the Credits – by Mike Harland

Roll the Credits – by Mike Harland

June 22, 2020 7 Comments

I don’t usually watch the final credits of a movie. The exception is when a performance has been so amazing, I want to learn the performers’ names so I can truly appreciate the excellence of their performances.

This is my last blog as Director of Lifeway Worship. I want to submit to you that the Leadership Team at Lifeway Worship (myself excluded) delivered an amazing performance over the time I’ve been here. If I deserve any credit, it’s for putting this team together and staying out of their way. I have said for years that I was the most expendable member of this team. Now I get to prove that to be true. You wouldn’t have even noticed my exit if I hadn’t announced it.

Roll the credits.

Brian Brown, now Acting Director, has been Senior Manager of Operations. He is one of the sharpest people I know, was promoted three times during my watch, and is ready to lead during this time. He’s a great singer, pastor’s kid, and my erstwhile co-host of our podcast.

Craig Adams, Creative Director. He has more talent in his pinky than I do in my body. He is the secret sauce behind every great piece of music we have produced. Even better music resources are ahead for Lifeway Worship because of him.

Ricky King, Director of Church Supplies. He is one of the brightest business minds at Lifeway and has built the supplies area of our work into a juggernaut that serves churches. I have learned so much from him.

Chasity Phillips, Marketing Manager. She tells the Lifeway Worship story as well as anyone ever has. She is a baseball mom, our head cheerleader, and is the best at writing on a white board.

Vicki Dvoracek, Product Development Specialist. The best way to describe her role is as “Air Traffic Controller.” She follows the process of creating each product from beginning to end. Imagine a busy airport without a tower – that’s what Lifeway Worship would be without her.

Annaclaire Tadlock, Administrative Assistant. I have known AC for most of her life and years ago could have never imagined her as my assistant. Simply put, she made my life make sense. By protecting my commitments, communicating on my behalf, listening to my rants, and praying for my sanity, she kept everything moving and nothing had to stop when I was unavailable. She is a new mom and will be out maternity leave for the next several weeks. I am so proud of her.

I should mention others but won’t for fear I’ll leave out a very deserving person or two. Listen to our podcast this week and I will try to mention even more. The rest of Lifeway Worship should be listed here too. I am so proud of this team.

There is one person that gets a special mention here – Renee Hardwick. Only she knows all the reasons she will always be one of my best friends. We have been foxhole buddies for 15 years. We have stories that neither of us will ever tell. We won’t even tell them to each other. We’ll just sit and grin. We always said we would go out together. She beat me by two months.

I’m a big believer in collaborative leadership and teamwork. I never wanted this work to be the size of my brain because I knew if everyone brought their best, it would be much better than if it was just me. The best part about this style is that nothing ever rests totally on one person and the work goes right on when one leaves. That is what will happen at Lifeway Worship now.

The downside is you develop such strong bonds with your team that saying goodbye is almost like cutting off your limbs. My heart is trying to jump out of my chest as I write this now. It hurts so much to leave, but it is worth every bit of this hurt to have the friendships we’ve built and see the results from our work together.

If something we did hurt your church over the last 15 years, it was probably my idea that I wouldn’t budge on. But if something helped, it was because of this team, their predecessors and teammates, and God’s favor. I love them all so much.  

Give God the glory.

It’s time to go.

Cue the lights and head for the exit.


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Filed Under: Mike Harland, Words Tagged With: christian blog, christian blogger, LifeWay, LifeWay Worship, Mike Harland, WorshipLife, WorshipLife Blog, WorshipLife with Mike Harland

Comments

  1. Betty Odom says

    June 22, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    Thanks for the leadership over the years. We will miss you tremendously but wish you well! WorshipLife will not be the same! Blessings to you and your family.

    Reply
  2. Andy Fowler says

    June 22, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    You will be missed. God bless you and your future.

    Reply
  3. Clytee Ramsey says

    June 22, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    I want to say Thank You for all you’ve given/shared that has added to my life as the worship director of a small EV Free Church in Cayucos, California. I’ve been privatized to attend Music in the Mountains in Gatlinburg twice and I’ve been blessed by your email posting. I’ve used your thoughts, suggestions and experiences to enhance my own leading of my team and have seen our congregation grow in passionate worship. Thank you!
    As the creator of a performing arts high school in a large city, I know the pain you feel when it’s time to leave the team you’ve created to move on to the next assignment God has for you. I’m so thankful that the friendship s I’ve fostered and the love we’ve shared, with administrators, teachers and kids will last a lifetime. As I see my kids on Broadway, teaching the arts in schools and universities or having all kinds of other careers, I’m grateful that I was chosen to lead.
    So….leaving is tough, but the rewards remain. God is good…all the time!

    Reply
  4. Phyllis Dodson says

    June 22, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    I am very sad to hear that you are leaving LifeWay Worship; I have told our Worship Choir many times how blessed we are to have you as our leader! So much has been accomplished by you and your amazing team. God bless you in all you do.

    Reply
  5. Larry Collins says

    June 22, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    To think of Lifeway Music is to immediately think
    Mike Harland. The two have been intertwined for so
    long it feels like trying to separate two metals in an alloy. Your leadership, musicianship, and friendship to so many Ministers of Music has made Lifeway what it is today. Thanks for all you have done and Godspeed.

    Reply
  6. Chason Farris says

    June 22, 2020 at 2:33 pm

    Thank you Mike for your hard work, commitment, faithfulness, flexibility and humility. You have been a blessing to me and to our churches!

    Reply
  7. Randy Rives says

    July 26, 2020 at 6:57 am

    Thanks Mike. You’ve been such a blessing. May God use you greatly in building His kingdom as you serve in your next place of leadership!!

    Reply

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