Posted on November 30, 2010 at sometime around 12:52 pm
Here is a link to the top 100 Christian blogs. I find a whole lot of value in what many of these people say and think. It takes a lot of work to try and write – and it can be very vulnerable as well. No matter what your faith orientation, you can find something of interest.
Our church also really likes to sing a different arrangement by Steve Fee, which combines the best part of the song (the chorus) with a chorus he wrote called “No One Higher”. Check it:
Posted on November 2, 2010 at sometime around 1:12 pm
I read the following piece over at Ad Lib Music (forwarded to me from my Dad). There’s a lot of great articles on worship ministry worth checking out. I noticed some holes in my own thinking on the issue after reading this and hope it can help give you a few ideas.
The question that Dave asks is, “How do you figure out how to add more musicians to your team?” The usual problem is that “we just don’t have any musicians in our church”, but there may be a deeper reason for the shortage of that talent. Here are his ideas of why:
10 causes for a lack of musicians:
1.Musicians attract musicians [perhaps there’s just not critical mass – not a talent issue, just a sheer lack of numbers]
2.A bad sound mix [when certain musicians aren’t heard in the mix, this causes potential musicians to say “Why would I want to play or sing if I might not even be heard?”] Read More »
Posted on September 30, 2010 at sometime around 3:35 pm
One of the myths in church today is the idea that “If I worshipped longer, I’d worship deeper.” I hear this mantra from people sometimes. ”You cannot put a time limit on God” or “I was at this one church where they worshipped for 2 hours and it was incredible.”
I believe both of these observations. Sometimes as a worship leader, I (personally) can become too predictable or structured, which can in turn prohibit the openness to the Spirit’s promptings. However, I do try very hard to be prepared (1 Peter 3:15) ahead of a corporate gathering and to also allow for “flex” in what I originally feel God leading our congregation to do.
I also believe that you cannot put a time limit on God, but I believe that you can put a time limit on a church service. One is dishonoring to the power of God, another is being respectful of your neighbor’s time.
Most times when I hear people talk about time constraints on worship, they want it to go longer. If it isn’t long enough, accusations of “quenching the Spirit” start flying. For many people, it takes a few primer songs before they can really get into it and begin to “feel God”. However, what if instead of waiting to experience God, we used the entire half hour of worshipping through song to really connect with our Creator?
Would that be long enough?
My answer would be, “Of course not!” To be able to experience all that God has for you would be to be experiencing God all the time! At the same time, some people do not want to sing for two hours. Some people just don’t enjoy praising God through the medium of music (especially for a long time!). I definitely do, but that doesn’t mean it is for everyone.
It’s usually at this point in this conversation where the problem is labeled as “the American church and Christians” and wanting everything done “really fast”. I’m sure this plays into it, but most people don’t like to sit and listen for more than 30 minutes to someone talking - even if it is all really, really good. And most people don’t want to stand and sing for an hour - even if the music and experience are really, really good.In our culture, it’s just hard to stay focused for that long. That’s why students in schools move classrooms – we need a change of pace or we disengage.
So maybe the problem isn’t so much the American church, but our own selfish desires to make church services go exactly how we envision them. And maybe worship is more than singing songs for a half an hour on Sunday morning.
TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A FREE COPY OF GUNGOR’S NEW ALBUM, SIMPLY WRITE YOUR FAVORITE WORSHIP ARTIST/GROUP AND A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF WHY IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. FOR A SECOND CHANCE TO WIN, RT ON TWITTER OR RE-POST WITH A LINK TO JONATHAN SIGMON ON FACEBOOK. WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM. CONTEST ENDS THURSDAY, MAY 20TH AT MIDNIGHT.
Maybe you have never heard of Gungor, but my advice to you is to take a listen! I got the privilege of doing a phone interview with Michael Gungor, the lead singer of the band, and got to ask him a bunch of questions. Some of them were serious and some were just for fun. I hope you will enjoy this podcast-style interview, which I’ve posted below (no visuals, really). I’ve also posted the questions and a few highlights of Michael’s answers below.
Tell us a little bit about your faith journey and your music.
I’ve grown up in the church and following Christ, but what that means has definitely changed…
What is your favorite t-shirt?
V-necks.
What’s it like to work with your wife? Is it hard to transition between work and fun?
“We both have the musician temperament and so sometimes the ordinary life skills come more difficult.” Yep.
Your album is called Beautiful things. What would you plant in your garden if you were growing something?
“I would plant peace in my garden.”
What’s the goal of your music?
The content and the message are important, but the artwork was just as important as that artwork.
Interesting quote: “If music is just about the lyrics, then the music is basically just propoganda.”
What would you say is the purpose of a corporate worship gathering? (9 minute mark)
To gather to remind ourselves what we are supposed to be doing.
“WWJD?”
How do you respond to criticism, whether it be to your music, what you stand for, etc. What do you do with that?
“We should be willing to say ‘I disagree with you.’ It’s sad to see people who argue for a God that doesn’t love everyone.
Sometimes worship music is criticized for being overly simplistic. On a whole, do you think it should be more musical or more simple? (14:30 mark)
“Be diligent with your craft and be who you are and called to be. Don’t try to fit some other sort of mold.”
What if God was one of us? Just a stranger on a bus? Trying to make his way home?
What advice would you give to local worship leaders?
I would encourage local worship leaders to remind yourself of the heart of what you are trying to do. Remember the big story we are a part of.
Describe your concerts that you do outside of the church. (18:30 mark)
The “Beautiful Things Events” have a different kind of worship…
What’s the most challenging thing about leading worship on a regular basis?
The most challenging thing is that you are constantly pouring out. Worship leaders need to have times where they are filled up too, to avoid becoming jaded, dry, or cynical.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Michael better. Pick up Gungor’s music from iTunes here. You’ll be happy with your decision.
WANT A CHANCE AT WINNING GUNGOR’S NEW ALBUM FOR FREE? COMMENT WITH YOUR FAVORITE WORSHIP ARTIST AND WHY BELOW. IF YOU HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO WORSHIP MUSIC, JUST WRITE YOUR FAVORITE BAND. OR…JUST SAY “GIMME A CD FO’ FREE! AND SOME WAFFLE FRIES!”
