The broader the range, the better the team, given good blending.

Consider a choir, for example. What if it only had basses, or tenors, or altos, or sopranos, or something in the middle with only a one-octave range of voices? Boring, right? Now add those resonant low-bass sounds, lyric tenor tones, alto middle-bridging notes, and sweet (not shrill) sopranos soaring in the “sky”. Blend them so no one dominates or sticks out, no one’s voice gets buried, and enjoy the music that comes forth.

Better yet, recruit participants of all ages—seasoned “seniors”, middle-aged adults, young adults, teenagers, (even mature-enough children when possible). Now we have long-term experience, wisdom, strength and stability, vibrancy, youthful energy, and a bit of sweetness added in. Then, to make it best, get people in there from different cultural backgrounds and personalities—that will add the range of liveliness, depth, and variety of style and appearance needed, according to what each member brings in. This produces the most compelling and effective message with the most enjoyable sound.

Just one condition—make sure everyone appreciates each other for who they are and the style they bring. Because if they don’t, people will either try to drown others out or be afraid to sing out, for fear of condemnation. But when everyone encourages each other, a harmonious taste of heaven ensues.

What a director’s delight! What a positive vibe for those in the choir! What a blessing for those within hearing range, and even more so for those who get to see the joyful expressions of that wide-ranged choir.

I speak from recent experience, having directed such a choir in our church, performing in a senior citizens’ living center, and again on Christmas Eve. We had a 10-year-old boy soprano by his mom on one side, a 90-year-old alto on the other, and everyone in between. We also had Chinese, African, and Euro-American, directed by a Messianic Jew (me). At the Center, they asked for an encore. Why? Everyone loves what such a wide and broad range choir has to offer.

“What about unity?”, one may ask. How can any choir achieve that with so much range and variety? Again, the secret is blend. Christmas Eve, I reminded our choir about blend— “If you can’t hear the people around you, sing softer. If you can’t hear your own voice amid them, sing louder. Let’s make our many voices sound like one voice.” It worked! Later, a voice teacher came up to me and said how the choir piece had blessed her, and commented, “You all sounded like one voice.” Praise the Lord for that!

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Rom. 12:4-8a

Now, apply this to other groups in life, such as families, churches, teams, and clubs? Apply these wide-range principles directly and see what we get—the variety of gifts, skills, personalities, experience, and perspectives to produce the best outcome. Blend well, so every voice is heard and mutually supported, and watch the “magic” happen in the “music”.

Place the visionary, the maintainer, the organizer, the cheerleader, the big-picture person, the detail-oriented, the introvert, the extrovert, the young, the older, the rookie, the veteran, etc. on the team. Those with the proven track record, wisdom, and experience, and those with fresh energy and new ideas (could be the young rookies but doesn’t have to be).

Appreciate and encourage each other, because each one serves to broaden the team’s capabilities and balance each other out. Leader—that’s your job—to make sure this happens.

“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Eph. 4:16

One caution—while a wide variety of gifts, backgrounds, and personalities bring potential for greatness, when it comes to character, certain standards apply to every member. Teachability, humility, positive and encouraging, not being divisive or competitive—in sum, that which build up, vs. tears down, the team.

Let’s widen and broaden our range and sing it loud– in unity, in diversity, and celebrating our wide range of personhood wherever we go!