Of course if the group is not working, it makes sense to open it up for some new creative energy, but be aware that the one or two people coming in have to form new relationships with every other person on the team. Teams in the process of adding new members should be aware that the dynamics will change once the new person or people enter the room.

4. No bad ideas

It is an oft-stated maxim of group brainstorming that no idea is a bad idea. This nugget of truth applies particularly to the early development stages of a brainstorming session. Although this rule often plays out better in theory than in an actual creative meeting, it is important to allow for “popcorn” creativity. As kernels of ideas pop in the mind of team members, they are thrown out without concern for their legitimacy. Like with popcorn, sometimes no kernels pop and other times multiple kernels pop simultaneously. This free-flowing portion of the creative process can germinate some great ideas.

It is key, however, that team members should not fear their popcorn ideas will be ridiculed. Good brainstorming allows the conversation to flow, even if it seems radically unfocused. A group freedom of thought is essential to new idea formation. (Having said that, it may be beneficial to have someone on the team who is good at keeping all the popcorn in the pan.)

Many teams, especially long established teams, find it difficult to resist the urge to pass immediate judgment. This can be both good and bad in that it can make the process light and fun, but it can also potentially kill what might be a good kernel idea.

Although we recommend letting all ideas live for at least a brief moment without being shot down, it is a good idea for team members to develop “thick skins.” Remember that bad ideas lead to great ideas when it comes to brainstorming.

5. Write everything down

With creative ideas flying around left and right it can be easy to get lost in the creative chaos. Brainstorming requires only a few tools, and chief among them is a white board, or flipchart, and a marker (Internet access comes in a close second).

Initially, it’s a good idea to write everything down. Assign the role of “scribe” to someone in the meeting. This person’s job is dictate all creative thoughts, hopefully in some ordered fashion, so that everyone can keep track of what has been offered. For example, the whiteboard may have columns for movies, music suggestions, worship order suggestions, other creative elements, and more. Later in the meeting, as the team narrows its focus, some ideas will get crossed off while others may be added.

An important note about the scribe: The person holding the marker is not the gatekeeper of ideas (writing down the ones he or she likes and omitting the rest). Nothing can be more frustrating than throwing out creative ideas only to have them ignored by this marker-keeper.

When the meeting is complete the flipchart/whiteboard becomes the roadmap for the structure of the service.

6. Limit brainstorming time

When a group of creative types get together to brainstorm, there may be a tendency to lose track of time. Although brainstorming can be a lot of fun, and the desire to keep going can be strong, it is best when the clock is limited. Limiting time effectively creates a funnel through which all ideas pass, leaving the team with the best stuff in the end. Having no limits make it hard to know what the overall creative direction should be. It’s important to assign someone on the team the task of being the timekeeper.

The correct amount of time may differ from team to team. Some teams find their ideal brainstorming window to be 30 minutes, while others it can be two or more hours. The best indicator of when to limit the time is often when a series of good ideas, and much creative energy, begins to be followed by a series of bad ideas, and little creative energy.

On the other hand, some teams, out of a desire to get things done, may want to jump on the first good idea that comes along and declare the brainstorming time accomplished. Just as there needs to be a clear maximum to the process, there also needs to be a minimum. Don’t be afraid to sit together in the same room for at least 15 minutes randomly responding to an idea.

7. Brainstorm together

One of the best ways to kill the brainstorming process, and the success of the team, is to encourage pre- and post- brainstorming.

Pre-brainstorming occurs when the pastor or other members of the team brainstorm on their own about the upcoming topic days or weeks ahead of time, either through informal meetings or group email exchanges. One might suspect that this would give the team a jumpstart in the meeting, but the exact opposite often occurs.

Given days or weeks to reflect on a topic, individuals tend to build up and fall in love with their own concepts. When the meeting begins each individual eagerly anticipates the moment when they can unveil their groundbreaking, awe-inspiring idea. In mean time, they ignore and fail to give due attention to others sharing their equally groundbreaking, awe-inspiring ideas. The result is that rather than several individuals working towards the same goal, each individual works to get his / her idea to the top of the list.

Further, there is something about fresh exposure to an idea that can generate creative feedback. Contrary to perception, good ideas can come from initial reaction to concepts rather than to measured responses formulated over days.

Post-brainstorming may be even worse, especially for the morale of the team. This happens when a team member (most commonly the pastor) or members, after the meeting is finished and the creative direction is set by the team, brainstorms alone or with another group of people within the church. In this circumstance a different and sometimes entirely new creative direction for the service or series is set without the team’s involvement. This essentially erases and invalidates the work that the creative team did in the meeting. It devalues the team and basically makes the earlier meeting a waste of time. Not surprisingly, team members become disillusioned and often leave feeling that their efforts to create inspiring worship aren’t used or appreciated.

8. Make it fun

Brainstorming novices may initially find the process of creative worship design intimidating, but will soon learn that there is much fun to be had. New teams discover over time that this level of fun will grow. On the other hand, veteran teams may become tired of the process.

Whether building a new team or responding to potential creative burnout on a veteran team, be intentional about finding ways to inspire. Here are a few suggestions:

?Ä¢ Play games with a creative bent such as Balderdash, Cranium, Pictionary, etc. This will exercise team creative muscles in a fun and semi-work related way.

?Ä¢ Fellowship together in a way the team hasn’t before. Eat dinner/lunch together. Go to the movies. Visit a theme park as a group. Go on a retreat.

?Ä¢ Change up the brainstorming process by throwing an object (such as a ball) around the room. When the ball is caught, the catcher has to shout out an idea immediately, and then toss the ball to someone else.

?Ä¢ Spice up your environment. Conference/classrooms aren’t the most inspiring places to meet, even though they are commonly used for brainstorming meetings. Use color on the walls, hang posters, and maybe even add a ping-pong or foosball table to the room. Ditch the uncomfortable chairs for sofas, recliners, and beanbags.

The success of any team can ultimately be measured by how well they can brainstorm together. It is from that process that everything else comes. Even the most creative individuals on the planet will not succeed within a creative design team if they don’t first learn the process. There are countless books, games and websites devoted to creative brainstorming. Check out your local library or search the web for more on techniques and tips.

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