November 25, 2014
By Phil Maynard
Chvches (pronounced “churches”) isn’t a religious group at all. They’re a Scottish ‘electronic’ band that is currently touring the U.S. behind its 2013 album release, The Bones of What You Believe. In an interview this past summer with Chicago Tribune writer Luis Gomez, the band mates related what they termed the “unofficial rules” that help them survive life together as a touring band. They caught my eye because, while the rules didn’t have anything to do with ministry per se, they were pretty good guidelines for staying healthy as disciples who are traveling the road of ministry together (a calling which has lots of similarities to being part of the chaos, exhilaration, and challenges of a traveling road show, doesn’t it?). Rule #1 – No Complaining on Tour. While you could just conclude that phrase after “no complaining” and have a instructive rule for life, the Chvches version tips its hat to the inevitable drama of being in close proximity to excitable people working long hours towards a common goal. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of bickering, criticism, and grousing that steals our focus from the holy work at hand. A worship ministry friend and I developed ‘The Sunday Rule’ after realizing that we lost all sense of actually worshiping on Sunday mornings because we were so caught up in critiquing the worship services as they were happening. Here’s that rule: Unless it is an issue that has to be (and can be) fixed in the moment, no critiquing the worship service till Monday. Period.
Rule #2 – The Writing Process is a Democracy.
For Chvrches it’s composing songs, but we all kn