One size doesn’t fit all - Greg Bowlus

At first hearing, blended worship sounds like an ideal solution for meeting the needs of a diverse congregation. There is something for everyone in the blended worship model. But is that enough?

Does blending two or more music and worship styles in one service work? Maybe so. Just nowhere that I have been.

Based on my experience serving in Baptist, Presbyterian, non-denominational, small, medium and large churches, I believe blended worship is an ineffective compromise for meeting the needs of most churches. A large segment of the congregation stays frustrated and agitated much of the time. The theme of too many Monday morning phone calls, comment cards and e-mails is: “Too many choruses, not enough hymns.” Or vice versa.

I don’t believe that we can approach worship with a “one size fits all” attitude. Of course, the Holy Spirit can work with -- and sometimes despite -- our human limitations. But I believe that to help our congregation worship in spirit and truth, we must offer multiple worship services of differing styles and formats.

Dissatisfaction
I have heard the arguments for blended worship. Many church leaders think that blending worship styles will lessen the impact or appearance of change. But a slow transition from traditional worship to a blending of contemporary and traditional elements is aggravating especially to traditional worshipers. It creates uncertainty and fear, as if their red carpet is being slowly pulled out from under them, with the sense that it will never be over.

I have found that any major change will be less disruptive and disconcerting when the issue has been studied over time, the congregation’s input has been sought, and the move is implemented all at once, or in as few moves as possible.

Other leaders who are concerned about losing congregational unity feel that one blended service is better than multiple services of varying styles. But I have not found one blended service to be any guarantee of unity, since no one will be completely satisfied with the result.

My suggestion to maintain church unity is to offer at least two different worship services and find other opportunities for cross-generational, cross-congregational worship and fellowship. Coffee and pastries between services, family-night suppers, small groups, mission opportunities, and fifth-Sunday-night joint services of arts and celebration are a few possibilities.

True worship
Still I know many churches will opt for blended worship. But before blended worship has a chance to work, several realities must be addressed.

First, church leaders must realize most congregations, if not all, are actually multiple congregations. By this I mean that every congregation is demographically diverse, representing different generations, socioeconomic levels, denominational backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds, tastes in music, etc. Like it or not, we have multiple congregations under the same church roof, sharing a staff and budget. Each week as we gather for worship, a portion of every congregation is worshiping in a style that is not its preference.

Secondly, most of the people sitting in our pews each weekend have little or no clue what true worship of God is. According to a recent poll on worship by George Barna, two out of three church attenders say they have no idea what worship means. Thirty-two percent say they have never experienced God’s presence! We as worship leaders die on the inside when we hear this.

We must educate our congregations in the worship of God and we must do everything possible to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives during worship. We must also encourage them to study and practice personal worship all week long. This will make corporate worship even more meaningful.

Then, when congregants grow from being weekend attenders to true worshipers, there will be more openness and understanding of individual worship tastes. This can produce a healthy tolerance of other forms of worship, from traditional to contemporary, with an understanding that it takes diversity to reach diversity.

In summary, if we understand who makes up the various congregations within our larger congregations, if we teach our congregants what true worship is, and if we encourage them to worship in “spirit and truth,” then we will understand that we all come to God differently.

Worship is about God, not us and our needs. Yet how can we worship a God we do not understand, in a language we do not comprehend, or in a setting in which we are not inspired or engaged?

As I tell my congregation, we are all wired differently, with different gifts, abilities and tastes. And yet we are one body. We all sing one song, proclaiming one message of one Lord, but in different voices.

Greg Bowlus is minister of music for St. Johns Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Fla., where he plans and leads two worship services, one traditional and one contemporary. (gbowlus@aol.com)

Blending worship

Does mixing worship traditions offer a little something for everyone? Or is it the way to make everyone mad about something?

And the worship wars keep raging. Who will win? Does anyone win? Is there a way out?
Worship style, and particularly worship music, is the most divisive issue on the church front today. What if there were a way to make everyone happy -- or almost everyone -- without choosing sides?

Many people think “blended worship” is the way for churches to avoid perpetual conflict over worship. Rather than choosing one style of worship to the exclusion of others, blended worship incorporates elements from a number of styles and traditions. Rather than segmenting a congregation into separate worship services of different styles, blended worship keeps everyone worshiping together.

Author Robert Webber, a longtime advocate of blended worship, says it matches the trend toward “convergence” in worship. As the world shrinks and more people are exposed to different cultures, people are more open to worship practices of other traditions. Traditional churches are incorporating the arts, liturgical churches are becoming more open and participatory, contemporary churches are drawing more from ancient practices.

By blending the best of the ancient traditions with modern innovations, blended worship honors our Christian heritage while allowing for renewal of those traditions, advocates say.

Does blended worship offer a little something for everyone? Or is it the way to make everyone mad about something?

The following dialogue is from two blended advocates -- one a traditionalist who has come to appreciate new worship styles, the other a contemporary musician who has come to respect the historical traditions. They are also father and son. They meet in the middle, both advocating blended worship but for different reasons.

Many worship leaders (and worshipers) will disagree. So we also offer a counterpoint from a worship leader who says blended worship is a recipe for disaster because people come to God differently. If that’s not enough, we will hear from a number of other voices on the subject. And since you will make up your own mind, we will suggest some resources for further study.

1. Blended worship resolves the destructive debate about which worship style is best.

Bob Burroughs: There is no 'best' worship style. Yet each church probably thinks its style is the best.
Blended worship simply means that the worship leader chooses to combine a variety of music styles -- hymns, choruses and gospel songs -- put them in the proverbial “blender,” mix them up and serve them to the people in the worship experience. Many times, this is done without asking for advice or counsel from others in the church fellowship.
In a blended service, the worshipers can sing familiar hymns, gospel songs, and familiar and not-so-familiar choruses, perhaps in a variety of ways, including the use of different accompaniments and tempos.

Is it working? It is in some places.

David Burroughs: I'm not sure the destructive debate about worship will ever go away. But the only debaters seem to be church staff members. The worshipers just know they want things a certain way, and they squirm or complain when things change. But I say change is good. And so is squirming! Don't tell me the Israelites didn't squirm when Jeremiah delivered a harsh message designed to move the people to action.

I've spent the last 15 years of my life involved with summer Christian youth camping. Worship at youth camp is contemporary, without question. It always surprises me when adults from traditional churches write on their evaluation forms how "refreshing" camp worship was for them. The things we try at camp would never fly at most of those houses of worship, but at camp it soars. Is regular Sunday worship too tightly controlled by environment and tradition?

2. Blended Worship builds unity where culture divides.

Bob: Unity is something that is missing these days ... in church, our jobs and often in our generation. The membership in many churches is out of harmony with each other because of finances, staff, worship style or differences in theology. Culture also is a major factor in the unity crisis because the older folks were very comfortable with their hymns and an order of worship that never or rarely changed and it "felt good" to come to worship. Now younger people, including staff, have taken the church to new and sometimes uncomfortable heights for these older folk, and they aren't happy about it.
Blended worship may indeed begin to build unity, if the musicians begin very slowly and they gradually work up to a blended service and not just jump off and do it with little or no preparation.

David: Everyone has heard the forecast: “Churches that don't change are dead or dying.” I've come to understand that too much change can break a fellowship in two, like a tree split by a strong wind. I see blended worship as a way to introduce change slowly and carefully, without causing too much harm.

Blended worship is designed to have elements that are attractive to multiple generations who like different kinds of music. Blended worship helps us say, "I like this song. It makes me feel comfortable." Then later in the service, "Ok, this is not my favorite style, but I can participate here."

I'm not sure unity happens naturally in a blended worship style. I think the worship leader has to work to build unity. How? I suggest mixing the styles. Take a traditional hymn and have a guitar or the praise band accompany it. Slow down the praise chorus and play it with piano and organ to feel the relevance of the words.

Culture does divide. TV commercials seem to point one of two ways -- to the young, hip and fresh faces, or to the older people trying to have a good retirement. If we relegate our Sundays to two services, one for the young and one for older folks, where is the unity? You end up with two separate church families using the same building at different times!


3. Blended worship gives proper place to our worship heritage.
Bob: Worship heritage means a great deal to me! I grew up with the hymnal, helped edit a new hymnal, and made my decision for full-time Christian service based on the hymn "Wherever He Leads, I'll Go." I am very comfortable with hymns.
I also love some of the contemporary choruses and other music being sung in worship today. But to be perfectly honest, I'm still uncomfortable with much of it because I haven't grown up with this as a vital part of my life like younger people have. This type of worship will probably never be my cup of tea. But I can still have a great appreciation for the "worship heritage" that is being developed in the life of my children and grandchildren. I want them to know the grand hymns of our faith that teach solid theology and also to learn the praise choruses that have substance and active verbs that speak words like “go,” “commit,” “obey,” “send” and “abide.” Too many or our praise choruses only have nouns!

David: I learned my theology from the hymnal. Long before I was in seminary with Frank Tupper, Molly Marshall, Glenn Hinson, and Bill Leonard, I was taking theology from B.B. McKinney, Fanny Crosby, Martin Luther and Walker's “Southern Harmony.”

What has caused me, a contemporary worship leader, to head back into the waters of tradition and heritage? The shallowness of the vast majority of praise choruses currently available. My twins will soon start coming to “big church,” and I want to make sure they are nurtured in their faith development and not just made to feel good and happy. I think that is the secret success of the blended style. There will be music that sounds familiar and upbeat and hip to them, but there will also be the great teaching hymns of faith for them to chew on as they grow.

Am I suggesting that no contemporary songs have meat on the theological bone? No. In fact, I hope that more and more of us will begin to write contemporary songs and choruses with text deeper than, "Lord, we praise you." I'll do my part. What about you, Dad?

4. Blended worship makes effective use of all the arts and senses.
Bob: How I wish our churches would indeed make good use of all the arts and especially the senses! I have learned in my ministry of 45-plus years that churches have many Boomers, Busters and Bridgers involved in the fellowship who are willing, able and knowledgeable in the use of the arts and the senses. But the churches are still being controlled by those 55 and up who hold the purse strings and have a major influence on the staff, committees and congregation. Their words ring heavy when they say, "We don’t want to change anything in our worship services!” Therefore, technology, arts and multiple senses in worship are not happening in the vast majority of churches of any denomination.

Blended worship could make use of such features if allowed to do so. And if the leadership would gradually and gently introduce these things into worship, things might change smoother with less irritation and stress on both the seniors and the staff.

David: Good blended worship is not easy. Then again, is any worship easy? But perhaps blended worship takes more work than traditional or contemporary alone. Why? Because one is not focusing on one type of music but two, three or more. We are able to use the praise band and have piano, organ, brass, handbells, orchestra -- the works! -- for our use. We have to have multiple projects happening on multiple levels to make each week's worship a blended and high-quality experience.

Yes, good blended worship makes effective use of many arts and senses. A blended service can have candles and banners, but it also can get away with some things you might not be able to do in a traditional service, such as passing out crayons or giving the congregation a visual symbol they can hold in their hands (a nail or smooth stone).

Further you can show movie clips or present visual art as a part of the service. I think that contemporary has the edge over traditional on using the arts and senses. The great thing about blended worship is that these elements are easier to incorporate into worship than a set of drums.

Good blended worship should involve the audience as participants and not spectators. Using the arts and affecting the senses are a big part of participation. But again, this is not easy. And that is good. Coming from the contemporary background, I am quick to admit that much of contemporary worship is too easy.


5. Blended worship incorporates today's technology into yesterday's liturgy.
Bob: Gradually technology is beginning to work its way into our worship experiences and is changing forever the face of traditional worship. It comes with the times. It has to happen or we will forever be in the pit of yesterday and have no hope of ever getting our people into the contemporary society in which they live daily.

I feel I must speak for those 50 and up. The last stronghold of tradition for many of these people is the morning worship service. The comfortable “old shoe" feeling is what many expect every Sunday, because almost everything else in their world has drastically changed.
The problem surfaces when young pastors and staff members with little life experience come barging into a traditional church and decide that the worship services will now be blended. Soon "praise and worship" music is introduced, and finally full-blown contemporary worship -- without ever asking anyone's opinion, advice or counsel.
In my opinion, that is not the right way to go about making such a major change. These changes should be more gradual. All it takes is sitting down with the key seniors in the church and selling them on the ideas that are to come. The transition would be so much smoother.

David: I don't support flooding our churches with the latest techno-gadgets. I can just see the pastor stepping up to the pulpit, asking the members to pull out their Palm Pilots and beaming the sermon to the congregation, then allowing 15 minutes of silence while we all read his or her sermon! You can blend worship without Powerpoint, a big screen and a video projector. In fact, I don't think today's technology is or should be associated with blended worship. That is more for seeker or contemporary services.

The problem with using lots of technology in a service is that it becomes very tempting to make the worship a performance. When bringing new technology into a service I would ask some basic questions like: Will this aid our worship or hinder it? Can we do just as well without it? What are the benefits of this technology? I do agree that any technology needs to be introduced slowly and deliberately. I also feel that if we begin writing new songs, hymns and choruses, we will need some new ways to introduce these to the congregation. Just try to do it with as few bells and whistles as possible.


6. Blended worship trains us to truly worship.
Bob: Being 63 years of age, and considered by many to be a "semi-traditionalist," I find myself looking forward to the day, if it comes in my lifetime, when we as God's people just worship -- without all the strings attached to terms like “blended,” “traditional” and "contemporary.”

I love worship, but in my opinion, there is a chink in the worship armor. Most of our Sunday morning worshipers don't have a clue how to worship. If they did, our world would be different. Our churches would be different. Our society would be different. Some worship leaders think that handing out crayons, small rocks, nails, bread or wine, or showing videos, using Powerpoint or dimming the lights, will allow people to worship. But it has little to no meaning to most of the people in the service.

When we in professional ministry begin to teach our people how better to worship the true and living God, then worship will take on a new dimension, regardless of what we use to make it more meaningful and personal. We will learn to truly worship when we have been taught what worship is and how we can prepare for and accomplish it every time the opportunity comes.

David: I think I agree with you, Dad! Blended worship does not have the corner on the market for being or training for true worship. True worship can happen in any style of service, at any time, and for a multitude of reasons. I'm not sure one can be trained to worship. As a worship leader, I can try my best to allow or plan or create worshipful moments throughout a service. But for individual or corporate worship to happen - that is up to the group or individual and God. In a traditional worship, it seems to me that worship happens in two places: (a) Worship happens in the routine. We are used to this prayer, this silence, this liturgy and in these familiar, repetitious moments, one can relax and center, and come into God's presence. (b) Worship happens when the routine is upset just a bit -- a surprise moment. In our routine that we are half participating in, suddenly God slips in through a moment that is new to the routine. Blended worship can 'plan' some of these 'spontaneous’ moments. If the people begin to pay closer attention to see where the routine will be interrupted, then that is all the better!


Bob Burroughs, 63, is a nationally known composer, arranger, clinician and conference leader and director of the church music department of the Florida Baptist Convention in Jacksonville. Born in Virginia, Burroughs has taught on the music faculties of Samford University, Mercer University and Palm Beach Atlantic College. He has been married to Esther Burroughs, an internationally known speaker to women's groups. They have two adult children and five “delightful” grandchildren.

David Burroughs of Louisville, Ky., is president of Passport, a Christian summer camping program for teenagers. The 35-year-old worship leader and composer holds degrees in music composition and theology, and is a self-described "student of worship." He and his wife, Colleen, have produced two CDs and two children, twins Walker and Milligan.

A Thankless Job Disappears When You Say Thank You! - Jason Lehman

Worship pastors and worship leaders have a unique role. Not only are they responsible

Worship pastors and worship leaders have a unique role. Not only are they responsible for leading worship, but they are also accountable for the health of the teams they lead. One of these teams is the technical ministry team. The group of individuals solely responsible for whether or not the congregation can hear, see or experience the presentation prepared by the musicians, vocalists, dancers, actors, or the preacher. In spite of all the responsibility, working as a church sound or tech person can be a thankless job; particularly, if a ministry is a church plant without a permanent facility. The details involved and time required setting up and tearing down a sound system, staging, lights, and other technical equipment can be overwhelming. In addition to work involved, technical ministries have to deal with the stress of something not going quite right during a service and the reaction of insensitive people in the congregation. All of these factors can create a rather stressful environment for anyone serving in a technical ministry.

It is easy for people serving in technical types of ministries to get burned out quickly. It is important for worship leaders to both be aware of these stressors and to know how to respond and encourage technical team members. There are several things you can do that will help minimize burnout and keep the team working together.

1. Show appreciation: One of the most important things you can do is let them know you appreciate them. You may be the only person who acknowledges that they made a difference by serving. Send an e-card to each member of the team once in a while. A simple thank you can go a long way.

2: Teach your worship teams to value all the work that goes into making things run smoothly. Remind musicians, vocalists, other teams members, and even your church staff that technical ministries rarely get credit for all the hard work they do. It is easy for a congregation to respond to people that serve on stage. Encourage your non technical teams to go out of their way to help wind cords, move equipment or ask how they could help out.

3. BE POSITIVE! If you can stay positive in the midst of chaos, your team will be more apt to keep a good attitude as well.
Having the opportunity to serve the Lord by helping in a technical ministry can be exciting and very rewarding; however, it is inevitable that people will get discouraged, tired, frustrated, or burned out. Take the time to encourage your technical teams. Remind worship teams in your church that they are a success because of the hard work of those in the technical teams. Remember to be positive so that your team can stay positive.

A thankless job disappears when you say thank you!

Jason W. Lehman is a worship consultant and former worship pastor. He is also the publisher of http://www.leadingworship.com; a worship resource provider that specializes in providing tools for preparing creative worship services.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Lehman

The Songwriter's Toolbox - Tommy Walker

Tommy Walker offers handy advice for writing worship songs.

Here are some suggested tools that can help you as you make songwriting a lifestyle.

Portable Recorder
I already mentioned the role my portable, digital recorder plays in my songwriting process. Ideas can materialize at any time so I urge you to use a similar device.
I keep mine with me at all times. I can talk, sing or play into it. When a song gets close to being done I can record the whole form, plug my recorder into the larger speakers in my studio [the studio is not a necessity] and play it all back.

Computers & Software
A computer is a tremendously powerful tool for any songwriter. Only a few years ago you would have to go to a professional recording studio and pay a hefty hourly rate to get a high quality recording. Today, digital audio and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface-an internationally accepted protocol that allows musical-related data to be conveyed from one device to another) recording software has made it possible to produce professional quality recordings from your living room. Of course, you can use recording software for more than just creating a polished CD. I use my software simply to try out different ideas. For instance, I might want to see how a drum groove sounds on a particular chorus. It might influence how I end up writing a melody line or a lyrical phrase. I might want to drop in a string part to see if it changes the emotional impact of the song. The experimental possibilities are virtually endless.

Computers have also given the songwriter notation software. Allegro®, Finale®, and Overture® are just a few popular applications. I use one called Encore®. I always make lead sheets (a notated melody line, chord symbols and lyrics) of my finished songs. Lead sheets are extremely helpful for teaching new songs to my worship team. I have also found that it helps to chart out the notes to the melody because it forces me to be more rhythmically consistent. Rhythmical consistency is very helpful when leading a congregation in singing. It also enables the worship team to be more precise when we're teaching it to each other as well as to the congregation.
My computer also houses lengthy files of lyric ideas. I divide them into different categories: Scripture songs, missions, discipleship, revival, repentance, etc. If I begin working on an idea but for some reason can't finish it, I file it. Later, when I have a new melody but no lyrics I'll refer to my files. Quite often I'll also get a new lyric idea, then take ideas from one of those filed, unfinished lyrics. The combination gets me to a new, completed song.

Recording Hardware
Today's technology makes it possible to buy a four-track cassette recorder for about $150.00, and you don't have to be a trained engineer to operate it. If you feel more comfortable working with an actual piece of hardware, as opposed to computer software, this can be a good, economical way to record your songs.

Another helpful piece of gear is the drum machine. Drum machines can help you discover new rhythms and inspire you to try new approaches to your songs. They are also a necessity when it comes to producing demo recordings.

Reference Books
Reference books are a great way to trigger new ideas or inspire alternate approaches to a song you're working on. Here are just a few I use and recommend:
• Bible (take the time to reference different versions)
• Bible Commentaries
• Concordances and other Bible study materials
• Thesaurus
• Dictionary
• Rhyming Dictionary

You can find all of this reference material in any well-stocked bookstore or library. Of course, if you want a better selection of Bibles or Bible commentaries, a Christian bookstore is the place to go.


Tommy Walker has written over forty worship songs that are currently being tracked by CCLI. These include: Mourning Into Dancing, He Knows My Name, That's Why We Praise Him and No Greater Love. Tommy has been the worship Leader at Christian Assembly Church in Los Angeles since 1990. He has produced worship recordings for Integrity Music, Maranatha Music as well as for his church label, Get Down Ministries.

Fresh Touch - Don Moen

There is an old hymn that says, "God is moving by His Spirit; moving through all the earth. Signs and wonders when God moves; move, oh Lord, in me." It is true. God is moving by His Spirit throughout all the earth. There is a lot of talk today about receiving a "fresh touch" from God. It is clear that God is moving throughout all the earth, through every people group, through every culture. I want to be a part of this incredible move of God! What about you?

What is a fresh touch? I think King David had a desire for this when he prayed in Psalm 51:10-12, "Restore unto me the joy of my salvation and renew a right spirit within me" and in Psalm 42:1-2 when he said, "As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you." I believe David realized that he could not live on past experiences with God. He said, "Your mercies are new every morning."

However, we are inhibited from seeking this fresh touch, too often, by a feeling of unworthiness. Praise God! We are unworthy! Which makes his love for us and desire for fellowship with us so much more unfathomable to human minds. I love the way my friend Pastor Steve Gray from Smithton Community Church puts it. (If you have not listened to the recent Hosanna! Music recording entitled, "The Smithton Outpouring", I encourage you to do so.) I don't say it as well as he does, but he paints a picture of the Father reaching out His arms to His prodigal sons and daughters, inviting them to come home where He has prepared a ring for our finger, a new set of clothes and a feast. He is inviting us to come and sit at the table with Him where He can, once again, fellowship with us and restore us to our place in His family as His sons and daughters. I love this picture. In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the son didn't deserve anything from the Father. Yet, as unworthy as he was, the Father reached out to him. What a beautiful illustration! God is still doing that today to each one of us. He wants to restore us to our rightful place in His family. He is reaching out to us right now.

An hour's drive from my house is Brownsville Assembly of God Church where thousands of people have visited over the past few years to experience a fresh touch from God. I have visited there several times myself, and we even recorded one of our Hosanna! Music projects there, entitled, "Revival at Brownsville." It has also been a very popular recording and I encourage you to listen to this as well. Why are people coming to Brownsville Assembly? Many come out of curiosity and leave totally changed as a result of encountering God in a fresh, new way. Others (thousands) have come in off the street and, after hearing Steve Hill preach God's Word, they find themselves at an altar accepting Jesus as their Lord!

People are traveling thousands of miles to experience a fresh touch from God. There is a renewed desire to be in His presence. It is my desire too. I want to be a part of what He is doing throughout the earth today. I want to be in His presence and receive all that He has for me. David loved to be in the presence of God. He said in Psalm 26:8, "Oh Lord, I love the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells." Psalm 27:4, my favorite scripture verse, says, "One thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will seek after. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." David loved to be where God was. He loved to "soak" in God's presence and His glory. But God also loves to be where we are, and He will go to great lengths to place us in a situation where we are confronted with His presence and glory.

Jesus said in Luke 6:21, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." We need to be hungry and thirsty for more of God's presence. When we are, we are filled. This is true. Revival comes to those who are seeking it. But Jesus comes many times to those who are NOT seeking Him. Think about it. Most of us had nothing at all to do with our salvation. God came to us. We did nothing to deserve it. I believe that same thing can happen for those who are seeking a fresh touch from God today. Jesus comes to those who are seeking Him and He also comes to those who are NOT seeking Him. Remember the story of Acts 9? Was Saul seeking Jesus? I don't think so! He was seeking to kill those who were seeking Jesus!!! Did God avoid Saul because He was not hungry and thirsty enough? No! He confronted him. He overwhelmed him with His presence! God came to Saul and changed him forever and He wants to do the same for you and me today.

God loves us so much that He will go to great lengths to overwhelm us with His love and power. Maybe you have looked at the different revivals and said in your heart, "That's not for me, I don't understand it. I'm happy right where I am." You may be content to stay where you are and continue having the same "experience" you have had for years with God but He is not contented to leave you there. He is moving today among His people and He wants you to be a part of what He is doing. He is going to come to you even though you may not be looking for Him. He will come. He will inhabit the praises of His people and He will change us forever!

Revelation 22:17, 20b says, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." We need a fresh touch from You today.

Our God Saves

Following up his multiple award-winning album A Greater Song, Paul Baloche offers more incredible new songs that cut to the heart of worship. Includes "The Kingdom of God"; "I Cling to the Cross" (duet with Matt Redman); "The Way"; "Hallelujah to My King" (duet with Brenton Brown); "You Gave Your Life Away"; "God Most High"; the title track; and more.

Track Listing

01. Our God Saves
02. The Kingdom Of God
03. Rock Of Ages (You Will Stand)
04. Beyond Us (Only True God)
05. Prayer
06. Hallelujah To My King
07. I Cling To The Cross
08. You Gave Your Life Away
09. Praise
10. The Way
11. God Most High
12. How Great Thou Art
13. Great Redeemer
14. Your Love Came Down



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The Story Behind the Song Indescribable

Like the twists and turns of a mountain road, Laura Story’s life has held its share of unexpected moments - some exhilarating, some terrifying, and some simply beautiful to behold. Leaning solely on her faith in the sovereignty of God, Story has learned that no matter what comes around the next bend, it’s going to be an incredible view.

Once an aspiring symphony conductor, Story didn’t even know she could sing - much less write songs - until she was in her early twenties. Today, Story is not only a gifted vocalist and worship leader but also the composer of one of the most beloved worship songs of our generation - “Indescribable.” The song has topped charts and been recorded by multiple artists, but most importantly, it has helped people all over the world experience our magnificent God. Story had no idea her life would be used for such a purpose. Set to release her label debut on INO Records (Sara Groves, MercyMe, Derek Webb) in January 2008, Story is still learning that God’s plan is far deeper and wider than she ever thought possible.

So how did a string bassist from South Carolina end up penning a worship anthem known and loved by millions? It all began with a providential moment in the class registration line her sophomore year at Columbia International University.

“I was a YoungLife leader, and I saw another guy in line wearing a YoungLife t-shirt,” Story recalls. “He said he was in a band and asked me if I wanted to come play with them. I had never played in a band – it had never even crossed my mind.” The band was Silers Bald, who would later become a popular indie pop-rock band in the Southeast. The young man she met was vocalist Shane Williams, and by the time they’d made it through the registration line, Story was their newest female member.

Story started out playing string bass, graduated to electric bass, and then took a stab at vocals when the original female vocalist left. Completely out of her comfort zone but willing to trust God with her newfound vocal ability, she even tried her hand at songwriting, and their fans desired more. “The Lord taught me that it’s not necessarily what I think my strengths are. That’s not how He determines what He’s going to use,” says Story.

Five years and many road miles later, Story found herself being led a different direction musically, just as Silers Bald was on the brink of signing a deal with Essential Records. “I knew the Lord was telling me it was time for something new, and I needed to be in or out,” says Story. They amicably parted ways and Story ended up touring with folk-rock artist Andrew Peterson that spring. When her manager suggested she record an independent album with the songs she had written while in Silers, Story was still unconvinced her vocals could stand on their own: “Why would I do that?” she answered. “That would mean I’d have to sing on it!” Besides, she was out of money and didn’t have enough songs for a full record.

But those challenges were overcome when God provided more money and more songs. In 2002, Story began recording her first independent album with producer Stephen Gause and trusted that the last song she needed to round out the album would be provided. Soon after, she was driving down a mountain road, eyes fixed on the majesty of her Creator, when she started worshiping and singing, “Indescribable…uncontainable…You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name…”. Story added verses on the piano and finished the song while reading God’s own description of His power and might in Job Chapter 38. Her first record was now complete. And considering the road Story had traveled to get to this place, “Indescribable” was the perfect title track.

What brought “Indescribable” into churches all across the U.S. and the world was when Chris Tomlin recorded it for his 2004 release, Arriving, produced by Ed Cash (Caedmon’s Call, Bebo Norman, Bethany Dillon). When Cash, a longtime friend of Story’s from YoungLife circles, suggested that Tomlin use “Indescribable” as his first single, Story was shocked. “I remember saying, ‘That song will never work for corporate worship. There’s no way congregations are going to sing that!’ But it’s humbling and amazing to see what the Lord has done. When I was looking for it, I couldn’t find it. When I just started worshiping, He blew me out of the water.”

“Indescribable” flew up the AC charts where it stayed 1 for 7 weeks and in the top 15 for 50 weeks. The song was also included on the Passion CD/DVD in 2005, Tomlin’s 2006 release, Live From Austin Music Hall, and performed by Avalon for WoW Worship 2006. The list of accolades goes on, but even with millions of people now familiar with her words, Story takes no more credit for writing them than she would for creating the Appalachian Mountains. “I always think the last song I wrote was my last song. Just when my mind is completely blank and I don’t know if I’ll write a song again, God surprises me. The songs are His - I’m just the first person who gets to hear them.”

In 2005, Story released her second independent album, There Is Nothing, produced by Ed Cash and Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay). That same year she married her high school sweetheart, Martin Elvington, and moved to Atlanta to become the worship leader and women’s pastor for the arts and music community at Perimeter Church.

Shortly after inking the deal with INO Records in 2006, a trial entered Story’s life that would not only provide her with a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty, but also serve as fodder for the songs on her new record. After one year of marriage, Story’s husband was hospitalized with a brain tumor.

“There was a time he was on a breathing machine and we weren’t sure he was going to make it. I spent my whole life singing, ‘’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,’ but until Jesus took me through something where my only option was to trust Him, I didn’t really know that sweetness,” reflects Story. While supporting her husband through surgery, radiation, complications, and intense physical therapy, Story has composed new songs with meaty, real substance that have ministered to her as much as they will minister to her listeners.

“It’s hard to understand why God would allow us to go through this, but I know He works all things together for good, and I feel my new album is reflecting that. Though He leads us through valleys, that’s when we get to trust Him and draw closer to Him all the more. Though I’ve doubted, His grasp has never released, never slipped. He’s remained completely faithful to me. He has proven that He really is my foundation and my hope.”

On a regular basis, Story gets to share this hope with the 100+ women she ministers to through her job at Perimeter Church; and it’s not a job she’s giving up anytime soon. After all, the opportunity to pour into others’ lives and treasure each moment reminds Story that she is just a passenger on this remarkable journey.

“Mine is not the perfect voice or the perfect life. My life is as messy as the next person’s, and God is using me to speak to the church. For this season of my life, God has really blessed me with some insight into who He is and what that has to do with me. For some reason He just gives it to me in song form.”

With the way inspiration comes to Laura Story, it’s exciting to wonder what will be around the next mountain bend…

(C) 2007 Laura Story


Article Source: http://blog.worship.com/worship/2007/09/laura-story-the.html

The Sacrifice of Praise - Darlene Zschech

I love to share on the subject of worship, for no other reason than because I LOVE TO WORSHIP GOD!!

When you worship, the Holy Spirit can speak and be heard. Worship enables your heart to be open and to receive.

Worship is a positive act. Its essence is something given, not given up, a free will offering which embodies and reflects the selfless generosity of God.
The worship songs and hymns we sing are not Christian jingles or "ditties". They are words of life, full of faith and hope. They reflect the heart of God for His children. They inspire us with statements like:

When mountains fall, I'll stand
By the power of Your hand
And in Your heart of hearts I'll dwell
And that my soul knows very well.

Melodies and music have a dynamic ability to involve your soul - to connect with your heart, emotion and mind. When they are saturated with the anointing of God, they become a powerful tool which, when used effectively and not manipulatively, become an incredible blessing.

When Paul and Silas were in jail, they worshipped God. They knew He would never fail them. Suddenly, while they were worshipping there came an incredible sound, breaking through all natural barriers and God delivered them from that prison.
True sacrifice is always an act of generosity - the giving of your self. Without it, worship can easily degenerate into emotional admiration.

Paul and Silas were definitely not just lost in the happiness of the moment - there was not too much to be happy about at the time, but they had faith in their God!
There have been many times in my life when, as I started singing and praising God in the midst of a hard time, the Holy Spirit has literally come and "lifted me up" above my circumstances.

All the troubles that can be thrown on you in life pale into insignificance when compared to the promises of God. It is powerful to actually vocalise these promises and let your spirit and soul rise to the level where the heart of God says: "It's OK - trust Me. Have faith in Me and My ability, not yourself and your ability."
When we start to sing and praise God, we are choosing to lay all things aside, to lift up our hands, to open our hearts and confess the life we have found in Christ.

When I am weak, You make me strong
When I'm poor, I know I'm rich
For in the power of Your Name
All things are possible

Praise releases faith. It's a fact. So praise Him! Sing with all your heart. Smile in the face of impossibility and \declare that through God All things are Possible!
We were created to rise up and worship, to spend time in the presence of God. It doesn't give us a quick fix, and a "feel good" session. Literally, the Spirit of God starts to change us from inside as we learn to open ourselves up to Him and what He is saying to us.

You can never underestimate God's holiness, power and divinity in your life, or on the ministry of worship. The more time we spend in God's presence worshipping Him, the more we begin to hear and know His voice. His power becomes real and evident in our lives and we become more like Jesus.

Learn How To Let God Bless You - Tommy Walker

The Westminster Confession says that the chief end of man is to worship God and enjoy Him forever. I love this old truth but I think John Piper says it in an even greater way. He says, "worship God by enjoying Him forever." Through many years of leading worship in nearly every kind of situation, I've discovered a secret that helps me every time I use it. It's learning how to let God bless me!

I know it sounds very simple and even selfish, but like Isaiah 64: 6 says, "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags and there is no good thing within us." We should know that we can only give what God has given to us first. It's only spiritual pride that says we can grit our teeth and produce some kind of eternal goodness of our own. I can't tell you how long it took me to figure out that I wasn't more spiritual if I dreaded doing a religious activity. Not only that, but I always thought that if I really had fun doing something at church, it couldn't have been worth much.

Some of you who grew up in church like I did, might know what I'm talking about. Well, here's what I'm trying to say. You can give God much more glory by being a person that has joy that is found in Him, than an unhappy person who only does everything correctly. That kind of a person is called a hypocrite. How awesome it is that we serve a God who wants us to delight in Him (Ps. 37: 4) and taste and see that He is good (Ps. 34: 8).

I think Christian worshipers should be the happiest, most fulfilled, and most joyful people on Earth. The reason we religious folk get nervous when anyone starts talking about enjoying anything, is because we've been taught how to enjoy everyone and everything but God. That's the key. Our focus and delight should be in Him. The Psalm says that at His right hand are pleasures forevermore! Is God's Word egging me on to be a pleasure seeker? You bet - as long as that pleasure is found in Him. Those who have truly had a glimpse of His beauty and tasted of His goodness, know that there really is joy unspeakable and full of glory. We can agree passionately with the Psalmist and say, "better is one day in His courts then a thousand anywhere else!"

Have you ever seen a worship leader or any kind of Christian for that matter, who is nervous about doing everything right compared to one who has tears of joy because of living in Gods presence? When we ask for Gods blessings, we are fixing our eyes on Him and away from ourselves and the job at hand.

Receiving Gods goodness, mercy, and joy by letting Him bless us, is the only way we can lead other people there. What a wonder and indescribable blessing it is to serve a God who tells us to delight in Him, for He delights in us (Ps. 194: 2, 4)!

I would like to close this article with part of a poem from John Piper's book, "Desiring God." It goes like this:

His goodness shines with brightest rays
When we delight in all His ways.
His Glory overflows it's rim
When we are satisfied in Him
His radiance will fill the earth
When people revel in His worth.
The beauty of Gods holy fire
Burns brightest in the hearts desire.

New Year, Same Old Problem - John J. DiModica

Dealing with inappropriate attitudes on your worship team.

Someone I admire wrote, "If you want something you've never had, you must do something you've never done." Another person whom I admire, my pastor, is fond of saying you must do something to "knock yourself out of your orbit" if you want change to occur. While nothing magical happens when we flip the calendar from December to January, this change does offer an opportunity to address old problems in a new way.

One question I hear repeatedly at seminars I teach or via email involves the person on the worship team with incredible talent but a remarkably poor attitude. Typically, this person is the only person that plays a particular instrument or is the best singer on the platform. Sound familiar? This scenario presents a dilemma, doesn't it? You want to be excellent in what you do for Christ in worship, but you're not comfortable putting non-compliant, undependable and arrogant people on stage. What would Jesus do, indeed?

The Bible is incredibly plain. Proverbs 16:18 says "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." James 3:16: "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." And 1 Samuel 15:23 says, "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry." Proverbs 10: 26: "As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him."

Do these scriptures define anyone on your worship team? We have too many worship divas and not enough worship servants. Pride, strife, envy, stubbornness, unfaithfulness are attributes of the flesh. What lasting ministry can come of a person possessing these qualities? What good can be done for the Kingdom, no matter how talented?

Talent has never outweighed character in God's estimation. David was an excellent musician, but he had a heart after God. Daniel, Joseph and Esther were excellent at what they did, but their character was greater than their gift. Solomon, Saul and Sampson had great abilities, but what fruit did they produce when they went their own way? What, then, should be done with the talented yet immature worshiper?

Three things need to happen. First, we have to make the painful and unpleasant decision to sit down the person needing attention. I realize this creates a hole in the worship team. I realize this, at least initially, diminishes your ability as a worship ministry. But the alternative of allowing the problem person to continue is not a godly alternative. A person with such attitude problems will only hurt your ministry in the end. And if they are allowed to continue, without being held accountable, it will be more hurtful in the end. So, with love and gentleness let the person who needs discipline know they will not be participating for the immediate future.

However, don't leave it at that. This person needs attention. They need nurturing, accountability and discipline. If you are going to begin to address this type of problem, be prepared to offer help and solutions. If there is pride, strife, envy, stubbornness or unfaithfulness present, the person needs to know and begin a systematic approach to rooting it out of their lives. Obviously prayer and Bible study is the cornerstone to attitude rehabilitation. Also fasting. A key component is a peer group of accountability. In this group, a person's change can be measured. Do they show up on time? Do they attend regularly? Do they complete any assignments given? DO THEY SERVE? We don't merely discard problem folks — we seek to help them mature. Remember, God excels at using "damaged goods."

If not, we all would be useless to him.

If you begin to deal with attitude issues as outlined in this article, you will find that a different spirit will emerge in your worship team. Everyone will be on the same page. Your energy and focus will be on worship not putting fires out among the worship team. Maybe you will see happen what happened in II Chronicles 5:13-14: "The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord....Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God."


John J. DiModica served as Worship Leader and Assistant Pastor at a thriving church in Miami, Florida for nine years. Now living in Tennessee, he has been touring and teaching with Integrity Music since 1995 including performing with Don Moen, Paul Wilbur, Lenny leBlanc, Ron Kenoly and Alvin Slaughter. John has a music degree from the University of Miami (FL), and additional studies at the Eastman School of Music (NY) and Berklee College of Music (MA). Currently, his activities include composing, music production, session musician and private bass instructor.


For help in producing a recording or to schedule John to spend a weekend with your worship group, visit his website: www.InFocusMusic.com

What Worship Leaders Need to Know - Robb Redman

Learning Strategies for the Long Haul

Not long ago I attended a workshop taught by a veteran contemporary worship leader, in his current position for twelve years. At one point he mentioned that several other worship leaders began their ministries at about the same time as he did. Painfully he recounted how one after another dropped out of ministry due to extra-marital affairs, divorces, burnout, or an inability to lead and manage effectively. Of the several he began with, only two were still in their positions.

Few worship leaders think their current job will be a short-term ministry or that their careers will be a series of brief stints marked by crisis, conflict and burnout. Yet this pattern is increasingly common. Why is this happening?

The chief reason for the alarming burnout rate among worship leaders has to do with the lack of adequate training. They are simply not prepared to lead effectively in the complex and demanding environment of the evolving 21st century church. The lack of training, support and networking among worship leaders is taking its toll. For every successful worship leader there are several others with stories of pain, heartache and disappointment. Many of the best and most talented are collapsing under the load of unfulfilled expectations from their churches, pastors, teams, families, and most of all, from themselves. The sad truth is that many worship leaders are having to learn on the job, and the lessons aren't being learned fast enough. As a result the average tenure of contemporary worship leaders is alarmingly brief.

In the space available here we can only hope to scratch the surface of how worship leaders can be better equipped for effective ministry for the long haul. I believe they will need to become intentional life-long learners, that is, men and women who seek actively to grow in four main areas: spiritual formation, musicianship, theological depth and ministry leadership.

1. Spiritual Formation
"The secret of being an effective worship leader," says veteran worship leader Monty Kelso, "begins with having the heart of a worshiper." Worship leaders are "lead worshipers," as pastor and author John Piper calls them, who lead while worshiping, not instead of worshiping. Yet the difficulties and demands of ministry often leave worship leaders with little or no extra time for personal worship and the care of their own souls. Are worship leaders too busy to worship? Eugene Peterson observes that the term "busy pastor" is an oxymoron. Busyness is not an indication of effectiveness, but rather a product of our own vanity and laziness (The Contemplative Pastor). On the one hand,we keep ourselves busy because we want to believe we are important. "The incredible hours, the crowded schedule, and the heavy demands on my time are proof to myself - and to all who will notice - that I am important."

On the other hand, our busyness is often the result of allowing others to dictate our agendas. "It was a favorite theme of C.S. Lewis that only lazy people work hard," continues Peterson. "By lazily abdicating the essential work of deciding and directing, establishing values and setting goals, other people do it for us; then we find ourselves frantically, at the last minute, trying to satisfy a half dozen different demands on our time, none of which is essential to our vocation, to stave off the disaster of disappointing someone."

Bruce Larson (qualify him as source) calls worship "wasting time in God's presence." From a human point of view worship doesn't accomplish anything. A cartoon I saw recently in Leadership sums it up nicely. The church secretary motions for a parishioner to enter the pastor's office saying, "Pastor isn't doing anything, he's just praying." From God's perspective, however, worship is the highest form of ministry. Worship and prayer are the work of ministry, not distractions from it. It is true that ministry activities can be worship, but they are not automatically so any more than sitting around doing nothing is meditation.

So how can we prepare for the long haul of ministry? Here are some basic steps to learning the care of your soul:

* Set aside a regular time for personal worship. Find a place where you can be alone without distractions or interruptions. Listen to worship music and sing along. Or take a walk and be silent. Meditate on scripture, such as the Psalms, and let the words and images of the Bible become the content of your praise and prayer. Many evangelicals are discovering the richness of the "liturgical" traditions, such as the Episcopalian Book of Common Prayer, which is agold mine for personal worship.


* Be accountable to someone else for your spiritual growth. We need to be in a small group or have a spiritual director. This may rub many of us Protestants the wrong way, but I believe we have misunderstood Luther's insight about the priesthood of all believers. He did not mean that there are no longer any priests, he meant we are all priests to one another. We do not need the mediation of any priest other than the High Priest Jesus Christ in order to have an authentic encounter with God, but our brothers and sisters may minister to us powerfully by keeping us accountable and focused as we grow deeper in our life with God.


* Keep your marriage and family ahead of ministry. Fuller professor Ray Anderson likes to point out that the simplest test of spiritual growth is to ask your spouse if there is more or less love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) than last year. Sadly many worship leaders have their success in ministry undercut by failures with their families. God never asks his servants to sacrifice their marriages and families for ministry. Worship ministries are time intensive and put unexpected pressures on the home. Sooner or later you will need to make tough decisions and say no to ministry for the sake of your family. Maintaining proper balances between family and ministry commitments requires hard work and clear thinking. It also requires open, honest communication with your spouse and those to whom you are accountable in ministry. And when crises arise, don't be afraid to get outside help such as marital and family counseling to help you set reasonable boundaries.

2. Musicianship
A worship leader I know told me recently that he has all but given up playing his instrument. He is so busy managing his ministry that he has little time to practice, and he frequently bumps himself out of the lineup on Sundays to make room for other players. I couldn't help but note the wistfulness in his voice, so I asked him if he missed playing. "Yeah," he said, "I really do." As musicians, worship leaders lead other musicians by example. How can team members be expected to practice if the leader doesn't? How can we expect musicians to improve if we're not improving, but getting rustier instead?

* Rekindle your love for your instrument. Worship Leaders' Workshop clinician Scott Andrews likes to point out that if you knew that the finest musician in the world planned to attend your church next Sunday, you might just practice a little more this week. When in fact, we play for the Creator of music every week, and we honor Him when we play skillfully. Don't be afraid to take lessons if they are needed. Many of the best vocalists and instrumentalists still do. It pays to study your instrument, and to learn (or re-learn) the theory. There are plenty of resources for self-directed learning, including books, instructional videos, and websites. Above all, learn to read music if you don't already. It may be hard, but you'll be glad you made the effort. No matter how well you play by ear you will increase your effectiveness significantly as a leader and a musician if you can prepare and follow charts.


* Become a more versatile musician. If you are a keyboard player, for example, you can learn modulation and improvisation to improve "flow" between songs. Learning underscoring will help you add musical dimensions to other elements of your service. Mastering MIDI technology will further expand your versatility. Acoustic guitar players should move on to electric guitar or bass.

Learning new musical styles on your instrument increases your versatility. A musically mature worship ministry will have a "signature sound," a style that is most comfortable for the congregation, but it is important not to let the sound become totally identified with one style. Worship leaders can create an atmosphere of experimentation and exploration of new musical styles by modeling maturity with their own growth as musicians.


* Rekindle your love for music. Spend time simply listening to music. Many worship leaders complain that the only music they have time to listen to are the worship CDs they scour in search of new songs for their congregations. Become what Wheaton professor Harold Best calls "a musical pluralist," by expanding your horizons by listening to unfamiliar musical styles. Go to concerts and watch videos; study the masters and learn from their art. By learning music at a deeper level and continuing to improve on your instrument, you will communicate to your worship team, and to the congregation, a high value for the role of music and the importance of musical excellence. Your enthusiasm will rub off on others, and your passion for ministry will return.

God created us to be learners and gave us the ability to acquire knowledge and skills. While formal education for most people ends with graduation from high school or college, learning continues throughout the whole of our lives. Recently ministry leaders have become aware of the need for programs that continue learning.

Formal study at the undergraduate or graduate level is a common form of continued learning. Degree completion programs are booming as many colleges and universities respond to the desire of men and women who, at mid-life, want to finish their bachelor's degrees. Graduate schools are responding by making masters and even doctoral degree programs more flexible and accessible.

Non-formal learning through seminars, workshops and conferences is another growing avenue of learning. Many employers and professions now require workers to attend continuing education events. A number of churches and parachurch organizations also offer training. These events tend to focus on practical concepts and skills related to the workplace or ministry. Self-study or small group study is becoming more and more popular. Many learners have personal study plans that include non-formal learning and reading. Reading books and discussing issues in study groups has become more popular in the past 20 years.

In the last article, we discussed strategies for life-long learning for personal spiritual formation and musicianship. In this issue we conclude by exploring strategies for deepening theological understanding and developing ministry leadership abilities.

3. Theological
Depth Perhaps the best defense against ministry burnout is continuous learning and growth at the theological level. It is commonplace for ministry professionals, especially music ministers, to play down the importance of theology. Many worship leaders tell me, "theology is irrelevant to me. I need practical stuff." But how irrelevant is theological understanding, really? Several years ago, Ray Anderson of Fuller Seminary wrote that "clergy burnout is a symptom of theological amnesia. Many pastors and ministry professionals discover only too late that deeper theological roots might have prevented pain and frustration.

"A pastor and former student of mine, I'll call him Jeff, began his studies at Fuller ready to quit the ministry. His ministry was a shambles - tragedy of errors, poor leadership, conflict, miscommunication and wounded pride. His church was clamoring for his resignation, and his wife had delivered an ultimatum: "quit now or I'm leaving you." As Jeff sat in my office, tears streamed down his face. "I want you to know, Dr. Redman, that this is my last shot," referring to his program of study. "If this doesn't work, I'm outta here."

My response to his dilemma astonished him. While I did recommend the expected practical solutions like marriage counseling for him and his wife and some intervention from his denomination to sort out problems in his ministry, the most significant assistance I could give him was theological. More than anything, he needed to find his theological bearings again. So together we designed a program that included some heavy-duty biblical and theological studies. By the time Jeff graduated in the spring of 1997, he was a new man. Although he was eventually removed from his church, Jeff has since started at a new church where he leads effectively with a new sense of purpose and commitment.

To avoid potential burnout you need to grow deep roots. Here's some ways you can begin to deepen your theological foundations, whether you've never read a single theological book or you've got a Ph.D. in theology.

* Develop your own theology of worship. Start by studying the key biblical passages that relate to worship. Read books and articles that present a theological slant on worship, as well as literature with a practical leadership approach. Sign up for worship workshops or conferences in your area. Take classes on worship at a college or seminary. Finally, writing your perspective out in the form of a 20-25 page essay will help you crystallize your thinking. As Samuel Johnson said, "reading maketh a man broad; speaking maketh a man ready; but writing maketh a man exact."

* Get to know your pastor at a theological level. Find out his or her theological perspectives and passions, and start a dialogue. Most pastors have strong theological interests they developed in seminary, but few have regular opportunities for theological conversation. Chances are they'll welcome the opportunity to mentor your theological growth. Have him or her suggest some books or articles to read. Try reading a book together, then meeting once a week to discuss a chapter or two. Good books to start with might be Themes and Variations for a Christian Doxology by Hughes Old, Worship Evangelism by Sally Morgenthaler or The New Worship by Barry Liesch. If you're new to worship ministry, sermon tapes, particularly those on worship, are a great starting point.

* Be part of a learning community with your ministry peers. Get connected to other worship leaders and learn from them. Worship workshops and seminars are great places to network with colleagues in your area. Developing one-on-one relationships with ministers at other churches will educate and inspire. These relationships can expand into groups that can provide encouragement and accountability for growth.

* Develop a strategy to deepen the theological awareness of your team. Prepare and lead Bible studies for your team on key worship passages in the Old and New Testaments. Get them subscriptions to Worship Leader and other publications, and have regular times to discuss articles and features that impact your team.

4. Ministry Leadership
The inability to lead and manage the worship ministry is a chief weakness of worship leaders today. Good ideas and intentions are often undermined by a lack of personal organization and poorly handled relationships. Worship leaders don't have to be management geniuses to lead their teams well. But neither they can neglect the fundamentals of building an effective ministry. You do not need an MBA to lead worship, but ministry leadership will take you out of your comfort zone. Max de Pree, the long-time chairman and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc., wrote, "the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader must become a servant and a debtor" (from Leadership is an Art).

For the in-between years, there are a few key areas of leadership focus that require purpose, direction and focus.

* Take charge of your schedule and get organized. Begin by reserving time each week for personal worship, practicing your instrument, and study and reflection. Watch out for unnecessary meetings. Management expert Peter Drucker believes that an organization that spends more than a third of its time (12 hours a week) in meetings is bankrupt. Learn to use your computer for organization and communication. Utilize volunteers to help you with routine tasks. An office manager or administrative assistant attending your church can show you how to set up filing systems and how to keep the inevitable paperwork flowing across your desk.

* Make time for key relationships in your ministry. Keep plenty of time available to spend with your pastor and other leaders in your ministry, time not just spent on pressing ministry issues. Leadership is about trust. Trust can only be earned in relationships, and relationships take time.

* Make time for long range planning and strategizing. Balance the immediate with a view of the bigger picture. "The problem with planning services," observes veteran worship leader Monty Kelso, "is that Sunday comes around every week." Many worship leaders find themselves caught in the trap of weekly planning and have little opportunity to step back for a look at the bigger picture. Establish annual goals and objectives, such as special events or trips, that reach beyond the weekly service.

* Learn how to deal with conflict in a godly way. Many musicians are conflict avoiders who hope that conflict will go away if they don't pay attention to it. But as Joseph Garlington has said, "what is buried alive stays alive." Many worship teams are poisoned by conflict that started over surprisingly trivial things that fester and infect the whole ministry. As leaders we need to lead by example and model godly conflict resolution following Matthew 18.

* Develop a feedback system that allows for honest evaluation. Musicians are notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to criticism. One negative comment can put someone into a funk that lasts for days. Yet without feedback it is impossible to know how you're doing. At some point successful worship leaders learn not to take feedback too personally, whether negative or positive. Instead they sift it for what can be learned and disregard the rest. I am aware of one particular church where the worship team, including the pastor, meets directly after each service. Each person in the circle contributes one thing he or she thought went well and one thing that needs to be fixed. The critique includes the message. Everyone takes notes, and action plans are developed and approved to correct the problems at hand. Each service and the ministry as a whole needs to be carefully evaluated by getting honest feedback.


Robb Redman is Editorial Consultant for Worship Leader Magazine.

Article Source: http://www.ccli.com/WorshipResources/Articles.cfm?itemID=19

The Power and Pitfalls of Success - Darlene Zschech

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
- Joshua 1:8

Everyone has the desire to be successful, to achieve God's purposes for their life. But many people have tasted success, and yet remained unfulfilled. Why is that? The pursuit of success, just for the sake of being successful, is an empty well. You will never be satisfied. The world's picture of success is so seductive ... money, fame, glory. Yet God's picture of success is that of a servant, dead to self and alive to Christ. Here are four attributes of success, which have both a positive and a negative side. It's up to you to choose which success 'road' you walk.

Success generates MOMENTUM

Momentum can be your best friend - it's like the breath of God, causing one day to be more valuable and worthwhile than a thousand. With momentum on your side the future looks bright, obstacles look small, and troubles seem transitory. Momentum actually makes you look better than you are.

But, you can abuse momentum if you stop digging for the gold that gave you that momentum in the first place. The very basics, the core values. Momentum can give you a false sense of security. "I'm awesome, we're awesome, we can do it!" But at what cost? Before we know it, we've abused the privilege and lost sight of the higher call.

Success brings FOCUS

When a person is focused, they develop a sense of destiny and purpose, and start to believe in themselves. Suddenly, destiny is attainable, focus is sharpened and you develop that "iron" or determination in your soul. Awesome!

If we don't focus on the right thing we are in trouble. There's a temptation to focus on the gift, and not the gift giver. This leads to striving and comparing, discontentment, greed and jealousy. Yuk! Don't even go there! If we get our eyes off the prize, we focus our efforts inward rather than outward ... and that, my friend, is dangerous ground. Focus on the Lord, and not just all His benefits.

With success comes INFLUENCE

What an awesome honor it is to have influence! God, through His incredible grace, has given us favor to influence and bring change into the lives of people. To be a part of building God's kingdom is just so exciting!

Influence can easily be abused when it is self-seeking and self-serving. Do you realize how many people have been a part of great teams, and suddenly thought that it was all about them and that the team was holding them back?


This thinking causes people to walk away from the very thing that gave them the influence in the first place. Many people crave influence and fame, but they are unprepared to pay the cost, or take on the responsibility that goes hand in hand with that influence.

Success is ATTRACTIVE

Like attracts like, and when you walk the path of success well, like-hearted people are attracted to you, which forms powerful partnerships. To be part of a team that is working together in unity is a great thing, and something I cherish, and never take for granted.

A worshiping church attracts worshiping people.

However, if there is a need in you to be successful so that you can "be seen", then this will also attract like-hearted people. What a tiring way to live, when your self-worth is constantly relying on the affirmation and approval of others, and your success journey is reduced to self-gratification.

You can walk the success road well

Understand that success in the kingdom is all about building the lives of others. Understand your life purpose. Our focus is found in Joshua 1:8 "You shall meditate in it (the Word of God) day and night...". Faithful, faithful, faithful. Faithful in the small things. Faithful in the unseen. Above all, have a heart that is desperate to see God's purposes established, and that lives to glorify Him.

Choose To Bless - Don Moen

Proverbs 4:22 tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. Have you ever analyzed the things you say about yourself or about others? James 3:5 tells us that the tongue is a small member of our body, yet it is so powerful that it is difficult to tame. Think about it. Your tongue is a rudder that can steer your life and the lives of your children and loved ones! Many of the things we say are said without thinking of the negativity those words carry.

Since our children have been babies, and even when Laura was carrying them, we have spoken a blessing over them almost every night of their lives. It's one that contains many scriptures and some of our positive thoughts as well. Before I bless them, I usually tell them that the words I am about to speak over them contain life and health. I also tell them that God's word contains the power to fulfill just what it says. It will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11). This is what I say to them every night:

"You're blessed when you come in, you're blessed when you go out.
You're the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.
You are the righteousness of God in Christ and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
You're winners and not losers!
You're more than conquerors.
You're walking in favor with God and man and in every good thing from God.
Your bodies operate in perfection, just the way God ordained them to and you're walking in divine health.
Our God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose.
Lord, You will show us the path of life.
In Your presence is fullness of joy and at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore, for Melissa, Michael, Rachel, John, James, Mom and Dad."

It's amazing how all of the children, even now, look forward to (and wait for) that blessing. This was a lot easier when the children were small and could crowd into one room for our prayers and the "blessing". Now that they are older and go to bed at different times I sometimes end up pronouncing this blessing five times in one night!

I encourage you to try this with your children or loved ones. Write your own blessing that contains some of your favorite scriptures. You're also welcome to use ours if you want; just to get you started! Choose to speak life over your loved ones! It will make an incredible difference in their lives and yours.


©2000 by Don Moen

Called to Serve - Darlene Zschech

Many are CALLED but few are CHOSEN John 15:16

Lately God has been speaking to me about being a musician and singer in the King’s house. We’ve been called to serve in the King’s house, and it’s the biggest honor you could possibly have in this lifetime.

The day came when I was faced with a choice to serve the Lord, and for me, from that time there was no going back. I wanted to give Him 100%, and I didn’t care if it meant stacking chairs. Better one day in His house than a thousand days anywhere else.

The privilege and honor of serving God is awesome. There is a continual feast in the King’s house, and I see it like the parable Jesus told in Matthew 22.


He described the Kingdom of heaven like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. Then he sent his servants to the invited guests to tell them it was ready, but they refused to come. The king sent servants once again, but the guests paid no attention and made excuses why they couldn’t attend.

There is such a feast all the time in the King’s house, and God is always saying “Come”. The invitation is open to us, and all we have to do is RSVP.

There is always a little bit of fear in us to step into what God has for us, (even though we really want to be there). But He has prepared the way and the banquet table is ready for you.

We have all the reasons and excuses why we can’t, but don’t let things like negative mindsets or lack of confidence hold you back from running into the King’s house and serving Him.

God is a builder, not a magician, and the most worthwhile things in life are built over time. There is no quick instant way to all God has for you but all He needs to know is that you will be willing and obedient to His call on your life.

When my husband, Mark, chose me as his bride, I didn’t have all the skills I needed, but I knew that I was chosen and that I was dearly loved. When we were married I was very young and lived in a world of insecurity, but I desperately wanted to have a great marriage. Because I believed in the future that was before us, and God was the centre of our lives, I knew it would work. It would have been very easy for me to choose to stay in my insecure world and believe lies instead of truth, but in doing that I would have forfeited our incredible future together. This same principle applies to you.

The wedding feast is ready, all you have to do is RSVP to Jesus Christ and His call on your life. You don’t have to know it all, but you do have to accept the invitation.

The one who calls you is faithful and He will DO it. 1 Thess 5:24

I thank God for that scripture. You need to know that with Christ you CAN, and with Christ, you WILL!

You have to ask yourself the question: “Am I really doing all that I can to serve in the King’s house? As a worshipper of Christ, am I walking away from my fears and putting my trust in His ability and not my lack?”

Worship is the very first commandment: To love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all of your strength. Worship should be a priority in your life – to love Jesus, to put Him first in your life and to serve Him, whatever He calls you to do. Live to delight the heart of God!

The Pre- in Pre-production - Lou Carlozo

Eight essentials for recording a great worship album

Recording an album can be an exciting process, especially for the worship band with enough of a following to finance its ministry through CD sales. Theories on how to record are as plentiful as the so-called "experts." But generally speaking, certain principles work for everyone. I could've made this list twice as long (Tuners, anyone? New guitar strings? Everything working?). Let's just call these the highlights of making a great first record.

Get a good producer.
Many groups think the person operating the studio tape machine and/or the mixboard is the producer. WRONG. The producer is more like a film director, the person who stands back while the camera is rolling and keeps focused on the big picture. That's not to say engineers don't make good producers. But your producer should be someone familiar with your music, or is willing to study it-someone who has hopefully seen the band live and is trying to understand the artistic and spiritual mission behind the project.

"But where do I find a good producer?" you ask. Talk to other groups. Look on the back of records you love and, if the budget permits, contact that person through the record company (some producers will drastically lower their fees if a project really grabs them).

A "good producer" is someone who:
• contributes ideas rather than imposes them.
• is a team player, not a dictator.
• brings out the best in his/her performers rather than intimidates them.
• is full of clever, creative ideas (and in many cases, a stockpile of funky instruments to make them come to life).
• is positive in nature and a possibility thinker, saying "Why not?" far more often than "Why?"
• knows the difference between following a creative bent and going off on a time-wasting tangent.

The ultimate role model is George Martin, a talented musician in his own right. Think about what The Beatles would've been without him. He scored the strings for "Yesterday," recruited every classical musician who ever played on a Fab Four disc, and figured out how to piece all those separate takes of "Strawberry Fields Forever" (in different keys and speeds, mind you) into one stunning end result.

Create a mission statement for your project.
Load it with evocative verbs, adjectives and a "begin with the end in mind" statement. I require every band that works with me to do this. A good way to start is to imagine you are listening to final result on headphones. What should it sound like? Witty? Pretty? Heavy? Does it inspire? Provoke? Encourage? What is the ultimate goal: To win souls to Christ? To provide a musical shoulder to lean on? To transcend the standard in praise and worship?

I once worked with an artist who, in response to the mission statement assignment, blew me off. "I'll know what I'm after when I hear it," she said. Never again. The recording was a disorganized, chaotic, hit-and-miss affair, like driving on a road trip without a map. Don't make that same mistake on your project. WRITE A MISSION STATEMENT!

Prepare more tunes than you will record, then weed out.
It's a simple law of averages: a) no band cranks out a winner every time and b) the more songs you prepare, the better your chances of getting winners. This applies just as much if you are an all-cover worship band; some songs will sound and sparkle better than others.

Block out the songs in your rehearsal space with a four-track recorder.
For a typical rock band, the configuration is simple: drums (track 1), bass (track 2), guitars/keys (track 3), vocals (track 4). What an education this will be! This is often the first time that bands hear their parts in fine detail-including all the wrong notes they play and the incorrect harmonies they sing. But fear not; you're taping not to beat up on yourself but correct those flaws. If time allows, tape again a few weeks later (remember, it's free in the basement).

Audition the material for a live audience.
For most worship artists, this is a piece of cake. But you may want to go a step further by polling audience members with ballots (once done by Christian rockers This Train) or taking note of a sequence of songs that has a particularly moving result.

Investigate studios carefully.
Just because a certain studio is cheaper, used by a local hotshot band or full of great gear doesn't mean it's better. Here is where a producer can come in handy by helping you find a great place to record. It should:
• fit your budget (don't forget to save money to press CDs).
• fit your personal vibe (you'll want engineers and staff who are drug free).
• fit your musical style (unless you want to try your heavy metal chops in a funk palace).

If you want to go the home studio route, that's a great idea, too. But be advised: Very few artists make good records at home the first time out, unless they have help. And if the tape machine or computer breaks down, what will you do?


Leave all egos at the door.
I worked with one band of brothers in Christ that practically came to blows picking songs for their record! Creativity can be a touchy subject. The only cure is communication and a clear sense, before the project starts, as to who calls the shots. Some groups are total democracies, while others are happy dictatorships. Sometimes, the producer steps in. Which scenario fits you? Now's the time to find out.

Don't forget the energy.
Worship artists-so used to feeding off a church crowd-can find the studio an intimidating place. Consider innovative approaches like decorating the studio and/or inviting a close circle of friends to watch you record. "In the studio, it's sometimes hard to generate the energy, especially if the recording is stretched out over many sessions," says Tim Vear, a senior applications engineer at Shure, Inc. If a take is slightly imperfect but conveys the passion you're after, let it stay, Vear advises. "Think about the old Chuck Berry records with all that distortion," he says. "Guys who go back and record those tunes 20 years later can never get the same result; it may be cleaner but the energy is gone."

Pray and practice.
Practice will save time and money in the studio and keep you at ease when the clock is running. Prayer will keep you centered. "First, make sure you're doing it for the right reason: for God's glory," says Bill Kirkwood, pastor of music and worship at Riverwood Community Chapel in Kent, Ohio. "Continue to keep your focus on Him during all preparation. Then, make sure the music sounds how you want it to sound. In a studio, you can be creative between takes. You can also fix mistakes easier. But you have to imagine the people you want to lead into worship. Although it can be intimate for the people recording, it presents a barrier to free worship. You're almost singing to the mic rather than to the Lord."

Post-script: Get a head start on the artwork and packaging.
Many artists wait until after recording before they start on art, press kits, photos, etc. But this part of the CD-making process can take just as long (or longer) than the actual recording. So get the ball rolling as soon as possible. While you're at it, now's a good time to get a ministry Web site up, since CD artwork can double as Web page wallpaper. As with a producer search, ask around to find great shutterbugs, Web designers and graphic artists (Hot tip: Newspaper photographers often love to moonlight shooting band album covers).


An acclaimed Chicago record producer with more than two dozen releases to his credit, Lou Carlozo is currently finishing work on new albums by Blue Lit Souls and indie artist Robyn Folsom. If you have questions about your studio project, he'd love to answer them. Email him at feedbacker@aol.com.

Gentle As A Dove - Don Moen

All of us have been in services where we've known beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has arrived. But what about those times when nothing but silence surrounds us?

Once I had the privilege of leading worship for Mahesh Chavda at one of his healing crusades in Mobile, Alabama. Mahesh has a unique healing ministry and is very sensitive to the Holy Spirit. One evening he made a statement that was simple, yet profound: "Sometimes I see the Holy Spirit as a dove sitting on the platform next to me." Mahesh went on to say that any sudden movements or gestures would scare the dove away.

None of us want to quench the Holy Spirit during a worship service. There are decided steps we can take to avoid a flurry of feathers during the quiet times:

1.Wait. There is nothing wrong with waiting for a few moments. If the congregation knows that's your intent, you may even avoid ill-timed announcements to "keep things moving." A word to the congregation such as, "Let's just wait for a moment in God's presence and allow Him to minister to us," will help the congregation follow along.

In my early years as a worship leader, I was asked to lead worship during a tour of Canada. Should I go? I was fledgling. How would I know when the Holy Spirit was moving? I just wasn't sure I could hear His voice like other "men of God." But God spoke clearly to my heart: "Why are you toiling about My anointing? It is like a river that flows. Your job as a worship leader is to sit in the raft and go with the flow."" I was instantly released from my self-imposed pressures.

2.If nothing happens, move ahead with what is planned. Sometimes I find myself feeling on trial. The truth is, God is responsible for how fast or slow the stream's current flows. The temptation is to move into an area of "flash" - and promptly out of the Spirit. And despite the fact that Zechariah 4:6 tells us, " Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," we still try sometimes to make things happen in our own power and strength.

As worship leaders, we must be prepared to exit the platform at the conclusion of a worship time, even if there was no "supernatural excitement."

3.Be courageous enough to follow His lead. It's one thing to have courage to wait for the Holy Spirit to give direction in a service. It's another thing entirely to be willing to obey! This may include something as simple as singing the last chorus one more time without music, or something as bold as asking people who need special prayer to come forward. (Please have the consent of your pastor before doing this.)

These things may terrify all of us at times, but as we become more familiar with the Holy Spirit's dove-like ways, we will become more sensitive worship leaders - and worshipers.

4.Be prepared to let the Holy Spirit lead each person at his/her own level. There is a great prophesy in Ezekiel 47:1-12 that illustrates the different levels of praise and worship. An angel showed Ezekiel a vision of water flowing from the altar of the temple. First, it trickled. Then it flowed until ankle deep, and eventually became a river. Many people have their toes dangling in the "waters" of praise and worship, very comfortable to sit on the water's edge. It is not our job as worship leaders to push them off the "deep end" before they are ready. Some just jump in and swim. For the less daring, however, it is a process: first the toes, then ankle deep, then eventually wading in and swimming. I believe that if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us at our own level to a deeper experience in praise and worship, eventually our church will become like this river, bringing healing and life to everything it touches.

I'm convinced that in times of worship the Holy Spirit longs to heal the sick, deliver the oppressed and save the lost. Let's not be so locked into our order of worship that we miss the very thing we came to do: to sit in the presence of Almighty God.

©2000 by Don Moen