The Producer vs. The Artist

When I think about my 10 years of pastoring, I don't remember hearing the kinds of "stories" about me that should be told of a gifted pastor. This is really hard for me to admit because I poured so much of my life into it.

But when I started creating platforms for other people, it was surprising how differently people responded. The craft was easier and more fruitful for me. I started hearing stories.

For years, I had been working hard to become the artist when I should have been the producer.

When I say “artist” I don’t mean someone who paints or sketches. I’m talking about the craftsman – the person who delivers the offering. It could be writing, acting, speaking, performing or even leading. But the producer is the one who hires them to do it. The producer orchestrates the project.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself:

Just because you have the vision, does it necessarily mean that you are supposed to be the artist? What if someone else could do it better? Are you committed to the success of your vision enough to produce someone else's gift for a greater result?

Commence weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Comments

[Jonathan Napier]

Ben,

Great post. I've pretty much come to the same conclusion. It's as freeing to realize what your gifts are not, as much as what they are.

[Milan Ford]

great post Ben. now more than ever before, i have grown to find comfort in going second.

leading from behind is a lost art.

[Todd Wilson]

shift the thinking from production vs. artist to accumulation vs. deployment and you are onto a really big idea that is starting to take root all around us!

[Jason Roberts]

Great questions -- very helpful and challenging to think through.

[Jamie Limato]

Things that make you go hmmm. Fantastic questions.

[Shanti]

You might've been the first person to plant this into my brain through past blog posts. The other day I was thinking about a certain God given dream of mine and wished it were simpler, as in something that comes naturally to me that I could do on my own and have done in like 3 months. Then I started to wonder if God gives us certain crazy, beyond ourselves dreams to 1.obviously remind us who that dream belongs to and who ultimately makes it come to pass 2. assure that it is something that i, as a single person, cannot do on my own and therefore pushes me into community, with the many "artists" who are naturally a million times better than i could ever be in certain areas, and humility.
"Are you committed to the success of your vision enough to produce someone else's gift for a greater result?" writing it down on and putting it next to my computer.
Thanks, Ben.

[Kyle Reed]

so what if you are the producer instead of the artist? Can you make a "living" doing that without being an artist first?

[alece]

you know, i thought about this a bit during STORY (though not in as formulated and as eloquent words). and my conclusion was this: you did that brilliantly at STORY. it was undeniably evident.

[Thinkstrategy]

Great question. I'm in the process of planting a church now and I thought I was going to be the artist, maybe the main artist, but now God is moving me into the producer role and a minor artist role. It's exciting and completely unexpected. I really have no idea how it's going to work out, but it's also a relief too. Others are buying into, contributing to, and leading in pushing the vision forward.

[Terrace Crawford]

Definitely weeping and gnashing of teeth! This means we have to let some dreams die for others to be born.

I spent YEARS dreaming of being a lead announcer in radio. I felt the dream was coming to a reality when I spent over 6 years working in radio, the last 3 of which were at a large market, award-winning station.

I'll never forget the two particular days that I experienced though... the first when the producer said that I wasn't good enough... and another when I felt God say to me that He was calling me into something else-- that would ultimately fulfill me & serve the Kingdom too.

Hard post to read... but a good one.

//TC//

[Daniel Decker]

I'm naturally a producer. Have know it for a long time... However I am also an artist but I'm letting my craft develop for a future showing. : )

[Ben Arment]

karaoke? =)

[Daniel Decker]

That or a mean banjo pickin'

[DuAnne Seeley]

I love this. Sometime ago realized I am a produce...it turns my crank to empower others or give them a platform.