Practical Tips For Worship Leaders Video - Jim Altizer

A worship leader friend of mine posted this video about what makes a great worship leader.  There is so much simple, yet widely untold, truth in this video. The practical elements that are shared should be learned by worship leaders allowing them to lead their congregations in more meaningful ways.

Here you go!



You can find some more videos from Dr. Jim Altizer here. Or visit: http://roadmapsforworship.com/

*If you can't see the video go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzHLeExWE0k&list=PLC7E71DF46BADEE3C&index=2&feature=plpp_video

"Sunday Morning Checklist" by Paul Baloche

Paul Baloche gives a great rundown of things to think about when you are planning/leading worship. I've seen lists similar to this before, but what I love about Paul's list is that it is geared toward being spirit led through planning and intentionally minimizing distraction. There is a ton of practical in this post, but you can't help but see the pastoral aspect of Paul's heart and leading. Great blog.  Take notes & enjoy.

 _________

Sunday Morning Checklist

by Paul Baloche

I recently missed three Sundays in a row at my local church because of back-to-back conferences and a ten-day tour through Canada. This is pretty rare but since we were going to have three different people leading worship over that time period, I wrote out some reminders to try and keep things consistent while I was gone. Maybe you have wondered how other leaders think about conducting their services. Obviously there is no formula when it comes to leading worship, but feel free to look over my shoulder and see the guidelines that I asked my substitutes to keep in mind.

Preparation:

• Prayerfully plan your set list, considering the spiritual and musical flow.
• Try to do mostly familiar songs with a maximum of one new song.
• Email set list and lyrics to any new songs ahead of time to Roland, the Tech Guy.

Service:

• Begin with a greeting of some kind. Think “conversational”.
• “Good morning. I’m………..” (Let them know who you are)
• Maybe read a scripture or have the band begin the intro of the first song as you say something like, “Let’s all stand together and turn our hearts to the Lord….”
• Go through the set, being led by the Spirit. Keep talking in between songs to a minimum. Talk as much as you need to in order to keep things flowing but not so much that it distracts or hinders momentum.
• Let people know if you’re going to teach a new song. “I’d like to teach a new song this morning.” (Maybe give a brief “context”, ie.) “This is a song that focuses on the mercy of God” or “This is a song inspired by Psalm 96….”. “Let me sing/teach you the chorus.” Go through the chorus once or twice, and then start the song from the top.
• As you are winding down your last song, be sensitive to what the Spirit is saying or doing. Try to discern the mood or atmosphere and allow the music to support that.
• When it seems appropriate, and while the music is playing lightly, say something like “as a part of our worship this morning lets prepare our tithes and offerings”. At that point, continue the song that you just sang, repeating the chorus a little more softly or instrumentally. Or sing a familiar chorus that is in the same key to keep things flowing.
• When they are finished praying over the offering, cue the band to end on the final chord.
• Please don’t walk immediately into the back room, which is visible to the congregation. That always feels a little “elite” somehow. I would prefer that you sit down in the congregation or walk along the edge of the sanctuary towards the back. Feel free to use the restroom or get a drink of water or whatever.
• Please be alert and prepared to come up at the end of the message. Remember that the pastor teaches maybe 25-30 minutes maximum. Try to be discreet and sensitive to “the moment” as you pick up your guitar, tune, etc. (TIP: I usually re-tune real quick at the end of the offering or at the beginning of the announcements when it’s less distracting. I typically duck down to one knee to take the focus off of me as I tune.) As people are being prayed for, be careful that the dynamics and volume of the back do not get too loud in order to allow for prayers and conversation to happen without distraction. We are there to support the moment, NOT to get people focused on us.
• Thank you for serving the Lord by loving His people and helping them to worship Him.

Well there you have it. My list of essentials may be longer or shorter then yours but it’s important for us to define what kind of experience we hope will occur on any given Sunday. My goal is always to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible, and through the vehicle of music, create an environment that makes it easy for the congregation to connect with God.

Two roles are at play here. One is our priestly role, where we are simply lifting our own hearts to God in worship. The other is our pastoral role, where we invite others to join us in this experience by expressing our praise and thanks to the Lord. We lead primarily by example. To borrow the familiar phrase, “Lead worship at all times and if necessary, use words.”

*To see original post visit: http://www.praisecharts.com/sunday-morning-checklist/ 

Worship - sermon series from Trent Vineyard

I came across these videos on worship from Trent Vineyard Church based in Nottingham, UK. Not only is John Wright's accent addictive to us American folk, but the content that we see in these videos is great.  I recommend sitting down and watching these to gain a new/refreshed perspective on worship.

Worship: PART 1

Worship: Part 1 from Trent Vineyard on Vimeo.
In the first talk of this series John Wright looks at God’s creation of the Universe and man’s creation of the temple, and unpacks the incredible access and invitation we now have into God’s presence as we come to worship.

Worship: PART 2

Worship: Part 2 - Reverent Worship from Trent Vineyard on Vimeo.
In the second talk of this series John looks at the ark of the covenant, our attitude as we come to worship, and what the bible has to say about reverent worship.

Worship: PART 3

Worship: Part 3 - Extravagant Worship from Trent Vineyard on Vimeo.
In the concluding part of this series, John Wright explores freedom in Worship, looking at the example of David in 2 Samuel as the Ark returns to Jerusalem.

For more info about this church visit: http://www.trentvineyard.org/

Tech Team Tribute Video

Super funny video tribute to all the behind the scenes guys at churches and worship services.
A little something the Church Tech Talk boys cooked up for the opening session of Gurus 2011! http://vimeo.com/30082983

Hope you enjoyed this.

luke

"How to Make an Appropriately Loud, Joyful Noise" by Mike Cosper

I just read this great article about the volume of music in our church worship services. This article is super informative and shows that the author is tastefully experienced. It was written by Mike Cosper and orginiated as a blog for The Gospel Coalition. Click here to read it in it's original location. Enjoy.

How to Make an Appropriately Loud, Joyful Noise
 by Mike Cosper

It was nearly time to begin the service. The congregation was gathering in the building, some clustering in the aisles and halls, others dutifully making their way to the space inside the large auditorium. At five minutes 'til, the musicians took their places, running through an instrumental version of one of the tunes we'd all be singing later in the meeting, and I winced in pain. A sinking feeling ran from head to toe: this was going to be a LOUD service.

As a musician who spends a lot of time recording, I'm nervous around loud sounds. I cover my ears when sirens pass. I rarely sit in the front rows of concerts. I don't like playing with loud drummers. So as the volume swelled, I reached for my trusty iPhone, opening up the Sound-Pressure-Level meter app. The peaks were around 110 or 112 decibels, which is loud---near the damage threshold, in fact. I put the phone away, determined to do my best in participating without wincing, praying that they would turn it down.
The irony of this story is that the music was as traditional as it gets. The only instrument playing as I took SPL readings was a pipe organ.
Volume is a source of regular frustration and conflict around worship services. I was only about 10 years old when I witnessed one of my first church wars. Our music minister had just resigned, and a church musician was asked to coordinate the worship services until a new minister was hired. On about his third Sunday, he rolled out "The Great Adventure" by Steven Curtis Chapman, a move that thrilled half the audience and offended the rest. While portions of the room clapped along, others literally stood covering their ears. (As I recall, electronic drums were purchased days later.)
I've been playing electric guitar in worship bands since I was 15, and the battle over volume has been part of that journey since day one. By no stretch of the imagination do I claim to have perfected this, nor do I claim innocence in all the volume wars I've been a part of. But over the years I have learned some valuable lessons, and I offer a few of them here.

All Music Is (at Times) Loud . . . and Should Be
Many assume only contemporary music is loud. This is simply untrue. While a rock ensemble is capable of painfully loud volumes (and it's often easy to get to these levels), so is traditional or classical instrumentation. Symphonic music and pipe organs can peak at the same decibel levels as rock music, with the same potential for lasting damage. You encounter similar risks to your hearing at a performance of Handel's Messiah as you do at a Matt Redman concert.
Most hearing damage happens when someone has sustained exposure to loud volumes. Every church should buy a decent, inexpensive SPL meter and check levels periodically from different places in the room. You'll be surprised to see how much variation there is from spot to spot.
There should be no doubt that, in the gathering of God's people, there's an appropriate time for loud volume. Gather 500 souls in a room, get them all singing in harmony, and you'll see that they can get incredibly loud---and they should. The psalmist says, "Shout to God with loud songs of joy!" (Psalm 47:1) and, "Praise him with loud crashing cymbals!" (Psalm 150:5). Worship should invoke the kind of celebratory volume that flows naturally from a crowd. We cheer on athleticism at sporting events, we cheer on skill in the performing arts, we cheer on political speeches when they ring true to us. Likewise, we should respond to God's revelation of himself with culturally appropriate, loud celebrations. In North America, the language of celebration in music is often led by some sort of rock ensemble. You can even see it in national politics, when Bill Clinton pulls out his saxophone and Mike Huckabee pulls out his electric bass. It's not surprising, then, that this arrangement has become the standard for how many celebrate in our worship gatherings.

Discerning Volume

Music that's described as "too loud" is often more of an issue with harshness than volume. Imagine the sound of your worship band as though they're running through your car stereo. Turn the bass down. Turn the treble all the way up. Now listen at a normal volume level for four or five minutes. It's will make you feel like your ears are going to bleed. In reality, it's probably not dangerously loud. It's just dangerously bad. Music regarded as loud, especially in the church where musicians and techs work desperately to tame volume levels, is often simply harsh, imbalanced sound.
Unfortunately, the problems related to bad sound are often heaped at the feet of musical style. The problem, it's said, isn't a particular application of sound; it's the decision to play contemporary music. That's simply not the case. While the challenges abound, if we pay attention to the details, good sound is most certainly possible with a rock ensemble.
Bad sound can be sparked at any one of a hundred directions. Each step in the process of making music introduces opportunities to get something into the speakers that just sounds bad. Here's a simplified way of thinking about it. All music gets sent through your church's PA along these steps:

1. Musician
2. Instrument
3. Sound equipment
4. Sound engineer
5. Room

Let's examine each of these steps.

Musicians

No amount of money spent on gear can make a bad singer sound good, or a bad drummer play in time, or turn an unskilled guitarist into Stevie Ray Vaughn. Your sound is only going to be as good as your players. I've seen great players pick up nightmarishly bad gear and instantly sound amazing, because good players pay attention to their sound, pay attention to their room, and work really hard as a band at building a cohesive overall sound.
It's worth considering how you might develop your musicians. This might mean investing in master classes or private lessons. It might also mean narrowing the number of musicians who perform to feature only those with the ability to create cohesive and pleasant-sounding arrangements. That may sound like a harsh choice, but Sunday isn't about giving people an opportunity to play music together. It's about providing an opportunity for the congregation to gather and sing with one voice.

Instruments

In my parents' generation, churches spent massive sums of money on pipe organs and Steinway pianos. The investment was worth it on a number of levels. First, a quality instrument attracts quality musicians. Second, a quality instrument puts a tool in the hands of a musician that enables a wide range of dynamic expression. For instance, an inexpensive piano has a narrow difference between its quietest, darkest sounds and its loudest, brightest sounds. Fine pianos have a much wider range, enabling the player with more precision to dial in the emotional mood of the song.
This metaphor extends across the musical spectrum. We're often tempted to piece together equipment for the church band as cheaply as possible. Then we're surprised when the cymbals are unbearably harsh and the bass is never in tune.
The investment in quality is worth it. Good instruments make the musicians' job that much easier and more pleasurable.
In particular, let me advocate for two things: First, buy good cymbals. Cheap cymbals sound like trash-can lids, and they ring with harsh, high-pitched overtones that dominate the sound of an ensemble. If a band sounds harsh, often it's because of the cymbals.
Second, buy some decent, low-wattage tube guitar amplifiers. Look for stuff that's about 15 watts or less. Any guitarist who thinks he needs more is deluded, unless he's playing stadiums four nights a week. Put the amps on kickback stands pointed away from the audience (at the guitar player's head) and mic them. This will give guitarists a sound they'll enjoy, an amp they can hear, and an overall volume level that will be tolerable for the rest of the church.

Sound Equipment

I'll keep this simple, because there's a lot that could be said about sound equipment. If you make the investment in the first two items above (good players, good instruments) then the sound equipment becomes a much smaller issue. Your goal, at that point, is simply to support what the band is doing. So you need speakers with a good, full range of sound (lows, midrange, highs) and with enough power to run clean.
That second point is quite important. Churches often want to buy the fewest and smallest possible speakers for aesthetic reasons, but good, clear sound requires speakers running below their limitations. A rock ensemble usually requires subwoofers to balance out the low end. (Think of this like using the pedals on your pipe organ.) The more you push a sound system to its limit, the harsher everything becomes and the more distortion you introduce. Invest in a sound system that's bigger and louder than you need. You'll be able to get a full range of sound without pushing it to the limit and distorting. (But you'll need to train your sound engineers not to turn things all the way up.)

Sound Engineers

You can't say enough about the importance of good sound engineers. The person behind the board can make a good band sound bad, and a bad band sound worse. Invest in training your volunteer sound techs and consider stipending professionals who attend your church. A good engineer will prevent distractions like feedback and keep the overall levels under control.

Room

Every room has a sound. Cathedral spaces were designed to carry a few voices from front to back. Smack a snare drum in that room and it echoes for eternity. Music venues and movie theaters are heavily treated with sound absorption and dispersion materials, creating a space with just the right amount of resonance. Too much resonance and echo, and the sound becomes chaos. Too little and the sound becomes unnatural.
If you're going to use a rock ensemble in worship, it's wise to treat the room in such a way that it hinders reflections, absorbing sound in chairs, bodies, floors, and walls. Without giving attention to the room, you'll perpetually be fitting a round peg in a square hole.

The Goal

The goal of music in the gathering isn't great sound or even great music. It's a church gathered and united in song. Pastors, consider the dynamic range of your service. Churches often lock themselves into a particular stylistic vein and work it for an entire service. Years ago I served at a church where consistently, week in and week out, the worship leader would pick four songs for the opening of the service. All would be in the key of G. All would be about the same tempo. All would essentially have the same four-on-the-floor pop rhythm that plagues contemporary worship. The band was a wall of sound from the beginning of the music until its merciful end.
Worship should be much more diverse, and that includes creating dynamic diversity in the sound of the band. Many who lament the advent of the rock ensemble in the local church point to the loss of beautiful A cappella singing. We have replaced it with the pervasive, quasi-U2 sounds of contemporary praise. It's a good critique. Miles Davis is supposed to have said that the most important notes are the ones you don't play. The decision to minimize, to pull the band out of a song, for musicians to limit themselves and serve the song, is of utmost importance in a worship band. Playing tastefully and discerningly will go a long way to encouraging the congregation to participate. It will also make room for them to be heard.
Good pastoral decisions related to sound will include wise decisions about songs and dynamics, ensuring that services create space for the congregation to hear themselves, to hear one another, and to join their voices in song. The psalms manage to describe an enormous diversity in emotions and energy, and with appropriate planning and care, our gatherings should reflect that. Even if they're accompanied by a rock band.

Mike Cosper is pastor of worship and arts at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He writes on the gospel and the arts for The Gospel Coalition.

"How He Loves" Song Story - John Mark McMillan

Here is a song story video about the song "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan.

A short documentary on John Mark McMillan and the song How He Loves.

I also found this one that is not as good quality image and sound but fills in so many details for this story.

The story behind How He Loves by zacclay


This song is 100% in line with the painful worship that David offered in the Psalms. We see over and over again worship out of pain, anguish and trials.  Let's take a quick look at Psalms 6 for example: 
For the director of music (Meant to be sung for the people). With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.^[b] A psalm of David.
 ¹ LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
   or discipline me in your wrath.
² Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint;
   heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
³ My soul is in deep anguish.
   How long, LORD, how long?
 ⁴ Turn, LORD, and deliver me;
   save me because of your unfailing love.
⁵ Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
   Who praises you from the grave?
 ⁶ I am worn out from my groaning.
   All night long I flood my bed with weeping
   and drench my couch with tears.
⁷ My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
   they fail because of all my foes.
 ⁸ Away from me, all you who do evil,
   for the LORD has heard my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
   the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
   they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

I love how there is no resolve to this psalm. He is still in this. It is obvious that David trusts God in this, but it doesn't mean that the dissonance resolves or the pain is gone.  In the song "How He Loves" John Mark's pain is still there but there is hope, there is love.  God's love that, as John Mark would say, is sometimes messy and not clean/nice all the time. I hear people say all the time that this song should not be sung in church because of the 'descriptive' lyrics and the 'informality' and honesty that it uses.  As a worship leader, I have to find a balance between helping people discover worship anew with expressions of worship that they are not used to and distracting them so much that they lose focus and have a hard time worshiping.

Either way, this song is powerful and is being used by the Holy Spirit around the world to bring people in to an honest, raw, authentic, and sometimes painful worship while demonstrating that God's love is sometimes overwhelming and big.

"Lord, help me to trust You in pain. And keep Your love central to my understanding of how my trials play out. You love us so much that you allow us to learn and grow through trials. Yet, we trust You and Your love for us."

For a post from John Mark on this song visit: http://johnmarkmcmillan.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-he-loves-david-crowder-and-sloppy.html

A Definition of Worship

My pastor gave me a great definition of worship the other day. I thought I should pass it along. This definition comes from the famed archbishop William Temple:

“Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose--all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.” 

I feel like I could do a whole study based on that 'meaty' definition. I like how it is HIM focused. So, often definitions that I read are 'us' based and it changes the whole dynamic to reorient our thoughts to focus on God.

Anyone Can Make Fun of the Worship Leader - by Tyler Braun

Tyler Braun, from Portland, wrote a great article (http://manofdepravity.com/2011/07/14/anyone-can-make-fun-of-the-worship-leader/ ) about worship leader's reputations. Are the stereotypes valid?

Check it out for a quick read.

Enjoy.
-Luke

Back-up Vocals & Harmonies

It has been a while since my last post on vocals. So this is much overdue.  Anyway, these past few months have been busy and our church Bethany Bible Fellowship has been able to go to a few worship conferences in the area. One practical workshop that stood out to one of our vocalists was from the 2011 PURE Worship Conference by one of my worship leader friends, Gia Lucid.  She has been singing professionally and leading worship for over 10 years and has been privlidged enough to gain a ton of experience and insight along the way.

The session outlined a few things that vocalists can do to help add dynamic harmonies to the worship service. Some of it is basic but the majority of this is gold if you can learn to implent it correctly. Here are some of the highlights from the sesssion: (this is not the full content or original order, but reorginized for flow)
1. Harmonies
    - Don't get freaked out by the word "harmony" think of it as "my melody" or an "alternate melody"
    - Be selective with your harmonies and parts. You don't have to sing the whole song and have the freedom to choose to highlight certain parts of the song using selective harmonies. Think about your how to feature sections, phrases, or even words of a song. In other words, you can fill backup vocals in for just a few words to emphasize more effectively.
    -Tight vs loose. Tight harmonies (notes closer together) are usualy better and are less distracting from the focal point or melody of the song. Loose harmonies can be good if they are done well but are more difficult.
    - Add dynamics with vocals which can help build certain parts of the songs more dramitically.
    - You can use harmonies to add choral oohs, ohhs, and aahs which will bring a very corperate/united feel to the song. When done well this can add a lot!
2. Unison/Prime Unison
    - Unison is when two people/instruments are singing/playing the same note on the same octave.
    - In worship this usually means the guys and girls sing melody together (with the same octave).
    - This can be helpful for altos who might be singing with a tenor and can not reach the higher/lower notes professionally.  It also might be preferred for some arrangements because of the 'oneness' that it creates in the song if done well.
    - You can read more about Unison here.
3. Echoes
    - Helps change things up
    - Use difference with the verses
    - Don't always do this the enire song because it can easily become overwhelming
4. New Songs
    - Establish a melody first with a solo or unison
    - Listen first, then sing (don't try to sing along before learning a line)
5. Vocal Health
    - Hydrate throughout the day. Drink a bottle of water first thing in the morning or try some herbal tea
    - Warm-up properly. Ease your voice out (try singing in the shower), massage your face, lip trills (see below), start in your lower register to warm-up before reaching for the high/power notes.
    - Try lip trills (humming with lips partly open, blowing air through them) which can help warm up your face muscles and teach you to sing with steady air.
    - Exercise voice before rehearsals and sound checks. As soon as you start rehearsal you should be professional and ready to give 100% to the sound crew can set accurate levels.
    - Use breath not throat for power
6. Notes/Tips for singing in worship
    - Bring a recording device to practice (many phones can do this)
    - MP3s can be emailed to others to share parts easily
    - Bring a pencil to practice and sound check, take notes, pay attention to the leader
    - Keep a folder of music with notes. Over time this will help you to stay consistant and grow vocally
    - Natural harmonizers should help others learn the harmonies to the songs (with a humble attitude)
    - Worship visibly with your face and body.  We comunicate a ton without knowing it. Don't just stand there when you are worshipping, think about the lyrics and what the Holy Spirit is doing and join in the worship! Even when it is 'not your turn to sing'. You can still sing along, but step back from the microphone so that you don't change the intended mix.
    - Blend with the worship leader. Follow thier words and melody, or the parts they gave you, follow thier tone, don't compete with some else's vibrato (work to flatten your's)


Also, here is a great video from Worship Team Training for back-up vocalists about Harmonies. Take a look and enjoy.

If you can't see the video click here.

Misquoting the Bible

Here is an interesting article that I found on misquoting the Bible.  My question to you is; how often do we as worship leaders embellish on the Bible with our songs/lyrics/prayers?  I think this is a conversation worth having. Here are a few streams of thought:
1. Artists can use imagery that can help us understand the Bible in a better way. We are not saying that these lyrics are from the Bible so we should not have to worry about what people will do with them.
2. Songs that are moving toward infamy can aid Christians in pulling their theology off of the Biblical texts and on to the song texts as "Biblical".  Ex. "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me" - How many times have you heard this quoted and used to back emotional/spiritual arguments.
3. Should worship leaders/musicians be held to the same theological standards as the teaching pastors? Are they in some way less responsible for the theology of the congregation or are they also responsible for the doctrine and theology that they communicate, or fail to communicate?

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/05/thats-not-in-the-bible/comment-page-55/

Worship Cental: CREATE Conference @ RockHarbor

There is a great Worship conference coming up later this month called CREATE. It is put on by Worship Central and RockHarbor Church. I know that this conference will be great. I've been to a few Worship Central conferences and they always have a unique and intimate style that sets them apart from many of the other conferences that are offered.

This year there are sessions and worship services with artists John Mark McMillan, Evan Wickham, and Phil Wickham. There will also be seminars with some great, experienced worship artisans and pastors. Sign-up at: http://worshipcentral2011.eventbrite.com/

I highly recommend signing up for this conference! I hope to see you there.

- Luke

Here is a list of seminars that will be offered.

Educating The Imagination - Caleb Clements & Trever Hoehne

Do you ever feel stuck or uninspired?  Hear the journey of what it looked like for an analytical thinker to begin to to unlock the imagination.  This especially geared to songwriters and artists.

The Relationship of Worship Leader and Lead Pastor - Todd Proctor & Alan Frow

Many worship leaders and lead pastors have a tension in how they relate.  Too often they work against each other, rather than as a team.  Hear from two former worship pastors that are now both lead pastors as they share their thoughts and learnings.

Mixing live worship - Paul Dexter & Scott Clement

Learn how it is possible to achieve great, consistent sound while training and using volunteers.

Effective use of the Arts in Church - Nick Benoit

We've all seen cheesy and awkward use of arts in the church, but is there a better way?   Learn from what has worked at ROCKHARBOR from our fabulous Arts Director.

Developing the Next Generation of Worship Leaders - Keri Fox

Never before have there been so many young, eager worship leaders.  How can we best develop them while maintaining a strong culture of worship in our churches?

Worship in times of sorrow - By Paul Baloche

Some of the hardest yet most inspiring times of worship occur during funerals. The raw emotions of sadness and loss are mixed with a sense of hope and eternal perspective.

The book of Ecclesiastes says, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart” (7:2 NIV).

In our fast-paced culture, funerals give us the rare occasion to reflect on the brevity of life and how each of our days are numbered. There is a sense of “coming to terms” with reality that our life on this earth will end. As Christians we find assurance in the promise of God’s Word that Jesus Christ did indeed die for the remission of our sins and rose again with the invitation to live forever through Him and with Him.

Songs of worship can be the most encouraging aspect of a funeral service or a time of intense grief. Part of my role as a worship pastor is to show up and “pastor” those who are grieving. Several times last year I was called upon to lead worship during memorial or graveside services. Silence can be powerful. Stillness consoling. Yet when a simple chorus or hymn begins with a guitar or human voice, you can feel something change in the air. Timely words sung at the right moment can bring a wave of comfort and release His faithful presence.

“Blessed be Your name when the road’s marked with suffering, when there’s pain in the offering, blessed be Your name.” “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you.” “I can only imagine …..I will rise when He calls my name, no more sorrow, no more pain.” These are just a few of the songs that have served the moment and brought hope to those who have lost loved ones.

Sometimes we aren’t sure how to bring comfort in situations where someone is fighting an illness or recovering in some way. Often my wife and I have gone to someone’s bedside in the hospital or at their home and simply sang over them. With sensitivity to the moment, we pray for them and ask if they mind if we sing quietly and worship in their room. Some of my most profound moments with God have been during these times as tears flow and faith is released in prayer and song.

Scripture is filled with passages that exemplify praise in the midst of pain, promises of joy as we walk through profound sorrow.

“Why are you so downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God,” (Ps 42:5-6a).

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me … my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Ps 23).

Shortly before a crazed gunman murdered her, Virginia Tech student Lauren McCain wrote in her diary, “Show me Your purpose for me at Tech, and on this earth. But, if You choose not to, I will still praise you and walk where You lead, not because I am selfless, or holy, or determined to sacrifice myself for what is right but because You are the delight of my heart; and I cannot live without You.”

Lord, give us all that same heart as we seek to console others in their time of mourning. For one day we will wish for someone to sing over us and help us to worship in the midst of our sorrow.

This article appeared in Worship Leader Magazine. 

What is Easter

Here is a great video that speaks for itself...

http://vimeo.com/8560816


What is Easter? (Man on the Street) from joe perez on Vimeo.

Spoken Word G.O.S.P.E.L

A friend of mine shared this video with me and I was reminded of the powerful message that we can communicate through creative spoken word.  I would love to see more of this form of worship in our churches and communities.


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gb7n9B_8m8

It is a great reminder for worship leaders to see that worship is not music. It is the glorification of God. It is when we give Jesus glory and not only when we sing. I love that this video uses spoken word/video/music/storytelling and graphic designing all to communicate one truth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Lord, help us to use the creativity that You have given us to glorify You"
-Luke

Soul Surfer coming soon!

Ok, so I'm pretty excited about Soul Surfer and it's theatrical debut on April 8th around the nation and the world. This is a true story about Bethany Hamilton and how she held on to God's love and strength to make it through such an amazingly dificult time after losing her arm to a shark.

Check out the trailer.


This movie is an awesome represntation of the life that Christians should lead and points to Jesus as the way that Bethany made it through. You can read more at http://t.co/EvIG7kG and share the news about this movie. Let the name of the Lord be praised through this movie!

Luke

Worship and Mission

Wow. Sometimes I realize the 'meat' and truth in a song. Today is one of those days.

My wife and I have been taking this course once a week called "Perspectives." It is about learning to see 'the world Christian movement' through God's perspective. Or at least through a perspective that is focused on God and the revelation He brings of Himself to the nations.  It has been sweet to engage in this class and embark on a journey that will only lead to being impassioned and empowered to be Global Christians.

Anyway, on my bike ride to work this morning (yeah I know...) I had this song floating around in my head. I've always loved the song because of it's thickness and passion for being sent out. But, I was struck once again with the realization of the reason we go.

The song is "Mission's Flame" by Matt Redman.

It's very premise holds to the answer for the age old question "Why are we here? or Why do we exist?" The answer is found in Genesis 12:1-3 in the call to Abram:

The Call of Abram

 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, 

    your people and your father’s household 

    to the land I will show you.

 2 “I will make you into a great nation,

   and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

   and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

   and whoever curses you I will curse;

   and all peoples on earth

   will be blessed through you.” (emphasis mine)

Answer: Abram was called to be a blessing to 'all peoples.' His blessing came only that the nations would be blessed through him. God chose to bless Abram so that His name, not Abram's, would be spread through the nations.  Short answer --> We are here to bless the nations through bringing them into a knowledge of God and, with the New Testament in mind, a relationship with God so that they will bring God more glory.

John Piper says, "Worship is ultimate, not Missions" and that the heart of missions is found in one thing. Worship.  In his book, Let the Nations Be Glad, he summarizes, "Mission begins and ends in Worship." He argues that the reason we go is because we have been changed and therefore are moved to take action and GO! And, the end result of going on mission (telling every nation, tribe, and tongue) about God and His Son Jesus is, you guessed it, MORE WORSHIP! 

So, Matt Redman writes,

Mission's Flame

Let worship be the fuel for mission's flame

We're going with a passion for Your name

We're going for we care about Your praise

Send us out

Let worship be the heart of mission's aim

To see the nations recognize Your fame

'Til every tribe and tongue voices Your praise

Send us out

Chorus

You should be the praise of every tongue, Jesus

You should be the joy of every heart

But until the fullness of Your kingdom comes

Until the final revelation dawns

Send us out

Bridge

Every tribe, every tongue

Every creature in the heavens and the earth

Every heart, every soul

Will sing Your praise, will sing Your praise

Every note, every strain

Every melody will be for You alone

Every harmony that flows from every tongue

We'll sing Your praise, we'll sing Your praise

Check out the song now and worship with all the world as we sing it. Don't let your heart be unmoved. Don't let yourself forget our purpose. Let this song be a continual reminder of this story and move you once again to action.

"Lord, help us to realize Your desire to bring worship to the nations."
-Luke