Peace on Earth

Now that we’re just days away from Christmas (and our 4 Christmas Eve services) I’m realizing more than ever how much I NEED to just slow down and reflect. To “be still and know” (Ps. 46:10). But the idea of slowing down just doesn’t come naturally for me – if anything I find myself looking for the next task or project to be done. I can begin to feel anxious when I haven’t crossed something off my Outlook tasks list. I know, I need help.

For some of us the Christmas season can feel like one big “to-do” list – get the right gifts, decorate the house just so, write a meaningful Christmas letter, stock the fridge, prepare for family gatherings. The mere rattling off of that list may have raised your blood pressure. For those of us involved in music ministry there’s the added dimension of perfecting our seasonal arrangements, worship sets and specials. We begin to suffer Christmas Carol Fatigue Syndrome (CCFS) way before December the 25th. I find that as I strive to arrange and orchestrate everything so that things are “just right” I experience less and less peace.

So it is in the slowing down that I encounter the Prince of Peace. The One who not only brings peace, makes peace, but is Peace himself.

• Jesus makes peace with God possible.
  Our greatest need for peace is with God. The clearest statement on this is found in Romans 5, where Paul says “since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v.1). Each of us were, by nature, enemies of God – “deserving of wrath” as Paul says in Eph. 2:3 – corrupted by sin and living as rebels. We were under God’s righteous judgment, alienated because of sin. But through Jesus we can be reconciled. His atoning sacrifice made it possible for God to be both just and merciful. ‘The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).


• Jesus makes peace with each other possible.
  Think of the Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells” and some of the lyrics – “In despair I bowed my head/There is no peace on earth I said/For hate is strong and mocks the song/Of peace on earth goodwill to me”. There is conflict all around us – both locally and globally. But Jesus came to undo the cycle of violence and hatred; he inaugurated a new kingdom of peace, and created a "new humanity" (see Ephesians 2:14-17) where Jews and Gentiles (in other words, every tribe, tongue) live together as brothers and sisters. We no longer think of ourselves first as this nationality, or ethnicity, or members of a particular socio-political class. We are Christ-followers. And because this is our PRIMARY identity we are ourselves reconcilers, bringing his shalom (reign of peace) into our communities.
  
• Jesus makes peace within possible
  Because he has taken care of our greatest need - reconciliation with the Father by making payment for our sins - Jesus makes peace within our souls a new reality. Listen to these promises from Jesus to us:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

As I think about the ways in which Jesus truly is my Prince of Peace my soul finds rest. My prayer is that each of us experience the peace of Christ in this Christmas season. It's never too late to take time to reflect - and even in the midst of the busy-ness, to remember the promise and reality of peace.

Take a few minutes to listen to the song "Peace on Earth" by Chris Rice. He beautifully captures the three ways Jesus makes "peace on earth" possible.

Peace on Earth

Peace on earth
Peace on earth
Did the angels waste their words?
Everywhere, raise this prayer
Let there be peace on earth
Let there be peace on earth

Peace with God
Peace with God
Offered through one holy child
Even when this life is hard
There can be peace with God
There can be peace with God

Peace on earth
Peace on earth
Did the angels waste their words
Everywhere, raise this prayer
Let there be peace on earth
Let there be peace on earth

Peace within
Peace within
Where true peace on earth begins
Every heart finding Him
Has perfect peace within
Finds perfect peace within

Peace on earth
Peace on earth
Did the angels waste their words?
Everywhere,
raise this prayer
Let there be peace on earth
Let there be peace on earth

This One is for the Drummers...

Since I posted a link to an article for bass players a few days ago I felt it was only right to give something to the other half of the band's foundation, the drummers.

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2010/05/21/three-keys-to-becoming-a-better-studio-or-any-kind-of-drummer/

It goes without saying that the bass and drums go together like peanut butter and jelly - they are the glue that holds the band together and keeps the groove tight.

Helpful Post for Bass Players

If you know me you know I'm a big fan of Sovereign Grace Ministries and their worship director Bob Kauflin. The latest post on his blog (worshipmatters.com - link on the right) is titled "Becoming a Better Bass Player". If you are a bass player you should check out this post:

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2010/12/03/becoming-a-better-bass-player/

Good thoughts on continuing to develop your skills as a bass player. I feel blessed to work with such skilled players (that goes for the whole team too).

Something to Ponder

“Music is the river on which the Church’s worship is carried. It offers us not only the God-glorifying experience of ear-pleasure; but more importantly, singing unites our minds and bodies and spirits in a way that enables us to bring our whole selves into worship, both individually and corporately, communicating at the deepest levels with our Creator. Those who lead the Church in song are called to this fulfilling work: to invite God’s people to use the breath of our bodies to commune with the One who gives us breath” – Calvin College Pamphlet

Give Thanks

"When we learn to read the story of Jesus and see it as the story of the love of God, doing for us what we could not do for ourselves--that insight produces, again and again, a sense of astonished gratitude which is very near the heart of authentic Christian experience."
— N.T. Wright

"I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving."

Psalm 69:30

Video from this past Sunday's Cardboard Testimonies:



Let us give thanks to Him who has so richly blessed us in Christ Jesus!

Top 10 Do's and Dont's for Worship Drummers

For my drumming brethern...this article is both insightful and funny...worth a look

http://www.musicademy.com/2010/10/top-ten-do%e2%80%99s-and-don%e2%80%99ts-%e2%80%93-drummers/

Psalm 27:4

"One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple." (Psalm 24:7, NIV)

This is one of those verses with which most of us are familiar; Matt Redman's musical adaption of this verse in "Better is One Day" brings me back to my college days. I am struck by the Psalmist's singular request - to dwell in God's house. In the Old Testament the people of Israel understood that God was especially present in the tabernacle or temple. David, being a man after God's own heart, longs to be with His Maker.

I am reminded of the newer song we are singing "Just to Be With You" - "All I want, All I need/Is just to be with You, just to be with You". I can hear David singing words like this. He needed to experience God's presence firsthand. There was a sense of desperation.

How desperate are we to be in God's presence? Is there a sense of urgency in our hearts to meet with Him? What does seeing Him, sensing Him, enjoying Him mean in our everyday lives?

How thankful am I that I can be in a personal relationship with my Maker through Jesus' sacrifice and continued intercession? Whereas those in the Old Covenant went to a place to experience God, I am able to to experience His presence anywhere because His Spirit lives in me - wow.

LORD, give me a heart like David's, a heart that longs to be with you. Not just to know things about You, or to sing pretty words about You, but to really see and savor You in creation, in my children, in the Word - in all things. Amen.

Vocal Blend - The Spice Analogy

You may recall that I took a few moments at our Sept. worship team meeting to talk about the "continuum of style", illustrated by a diagram I drew on a whiteboard (actually, it's still up there, and believe me, that says a lot more about how often we use the whiteboard than the profundity of my diagram). When I say "style" I mean a genre of music, like pop, jazz, gospel, etc.


When it come to "style" each of us have different backgrounds and influences. Some of us lean more towards jazz or R&B; others more rock and independent. Clint loves drip-hop (inside joke). So the reality of being a part of a larger team is that there are any number of various styles of singing & playing "in the mix" when we come together to lead others in worship.

Why is this important to understand? Because, by definition, singing & playing as a "team" assumes that we are striving to create a unified sound on any given song/set. Not uniform (meaning no room for interpretation, personal touches, etc.) but unified. So, with the awareness that we all fall somewhere on the style continuum, you can see that achieving a unified sound doesn't just happen. It requires awareness, intentionality, and humility.

Acknowledging that we all have different influences, instincts and sensibilities, how do we come together as singers and players? At some point all of our various instincts must boil down to a blend that's appealing - much like all of the spices that go into a soup have to blend together well enough to be appetizing. Too much of any one spice will overpower the soup. Likewise, put in the wrong spices for a certain recipe and you may have a culinary disaster on your hands!

Some thoughts on achieving the unified sound:

1. Awareness - being aware of our musical influences and sensibilities is so important. Maybe you've never thought much about your own - but you have them. Having an awareness of these will allow us to appreciate what we bring vs. what someone else might be bringing. We can't assume that the other person will interpret something the same way.
   
   
2. Intentionality - with an awareness of our style, we become that much more intentional on what we will be contributing to the "mix". As the band leader communicates what he/she is looking for - something close to the original recording, or something altogether different - I need to (as a singer and player) consider how I can support that vision. For instance, I like to add the spice of a triplet piano feel (a style made popular by bands like Coldplay) - but this probably won't work on "Only a God Like You"! So, I switch to more B3 sounds to support the style that the leader is shooting for. Or, if you're a drummer, you may love tom rolls, but unless we're doing a cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" it may not be appropriate. I'm having fun here :)
   
   Each band/team gravitates towards a musical center...you can see a hypothetical illustration in the above diagram. Being aware of our team's musical center - at this time and place, pop/contemporary/rock - we thus tailor our contributions to support the musical center. Does what I'm singing/playing compliment the center?
   
   ALSO - This has significant implications for those of us who are vocalists - see below.
   
3. Humility
   When we're trying to achieve a unified sound we will - if we're doing it right - be consistently asked to lay aside our own personal instincts, influences, styles for the sake of the common goal. Let me again be careful to say that it's not a matter of leaving all sense of your musical identity on the sidelines! We each have a unique musical story worth celebrating. But, if all of us think our own interpretation needs to be heard we are going to end with a sound that is, at best conflicted, at worst, schizophrenic. So we listen to what the leader is asking for. We listen to each other. Above all, we SERVE THE SONG!

VOCALS
This idea of being "unified" is especially important for vocalists. It's the difference between having 3 soloists or 1 unified voice. You can't have one person singing soulfully, the other person singing straight and the other with a folksy approach - well, you can, but it won't be a pleasant experience. We need to strive for a unified sound.

Came across a helpful video that goes into some detail on how vocalists can blend better - thinking about tone vs. breath, active listening. It's not just a matter of supporting vocalists making their voice jive with the worship leader, it's everybody being aware of their styles and adjusting to serve the song!

CCLI TV video clip

Something to Chew On

"The problem with the church today is not that there are too many people who are passionately in love with heaven. Name three! The problem is not that professing Christians are retreating from the world, spending half their days reading Scripture and the other half singing about their pleasures in God all the while indifferent to the needs of the world. The problem is that professing Christians are spending ten minutes reading Scripture and then half their day making money and the other half enjoying and repairing what they spend it on"

John Piper from message "The Fruit of Hope: Love"

Psalms Update, "How Great is the Love"

Hello friends...

I sent out an email yesterday in which I reminded some folks that we are just about 9 weeks away from Christmas. I'm already starting to listen to the "sounds of the season" and I'm worried I'll be sick of Christmas music by Dec. 24th! Actually, it's hard for me to be sick of good Christmas music (not the cheesy stuff they constantly play on the radio) as I love Christmas and the music that goes along with it.

But back to the present...this week we are reading through Psalms 21-25. I'll be posting a reflection on these in the next day or so. Please continue to share your thoughts, insights, interactions with the text as you spend some time reading and meditating.

Yesterday morning I attended Men's Fraternity here at Living Word. When we broke into small group time our leader Gary started it by having us listen to Paul Baloche's song "How Great is the Love". This song has ministered to my heart as a beautiful response to the gospel. We sang it as a special at last year's Thanksgiving service, and I've been meaning to introduce it as a worship song. But hearing it again, I sat in my chair, surrounded by several other men, and tears began to pour down my face. It was a great reminder of His love, His sacrifice.

I encourage you to take a few minutes to listen to this song - perhaps with the lights lower, or in a prayerful state - and let its message speak to your soul.

Sunday Setlist - Oct. 17th

Here was the setlist for Sunday, Oct. 17:

You are Good (with brass)
Yesterday, Today and Forever
Our God
Mighty to Save
King of the Broken-Humble King
To Be Like You

http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-117/

Bonfire TONIGHT!

A quick reminder that TONIGHT @ 7 pm is the Bonfire @ Brian & Bonnie Lauer's home. You should have received an email with all the details. It is windy today, so if it's too windy to have a bonfire we'll head inside and play games, chat, etc. Hope to see many of you there, bring the fam!

Here are directions from the church to the Lauer's home:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=2530+Cape+Horn+Road,+York,+PA&daddr=Gun+Club+Rd&geocode=Fah2YQIdoG5u-ynbCSOiOYbIiTHu-TI2-4Jfmw%3BFXe6YQId27pv-w&gl=us&hl=en&mra=ltm&sll=39.949975,-76.60632&sspn=0.040334,0.090551&ie=UTF8&z=14

Psalms 6-10, 11-15 Rewind; This week, Psalm 16-20

OK, so, a few observations from the past couple weeks:

1) Time flies. This is an especially busy season of ministry and life (for me).

2) Being a consistent "blogger" does not come naturally for me (my wife is much better)

3) It's been great to hear (and read) about your interactions with the Psalms!

So, this week we are technically on Psalms 16-20...what I think works best is for me to post a reflection on the previous week's Psalms the week after we read them. I need time to process and reflect - sometimes I'll read something and then only later realize how God was (is) speaking to me. Or I'll find myself praying the words of a Psalm that I recently read.

So, since I haven't reflected on Psalms 6-15, here are a couple things that stood out to me...and PLEASE, feel free to share your own thoughts, observations, etc., by posting a comment below this blog entry (you need to click on the "comments" link).

• God's justice. The psalmist declares in multiple psalms that the "Lord judges" (7:8; 9:8). And not only does He judge, but He judges with uprightness and perfect understanding. If you look at the context, it's clear that the psalmist takes refuge in this fact. The question is, why would David (or you and I) take heart in knowing that our God is a righteous Judge? I think there's at least a few reasons why this attribute of God is reassuring.
  
  One, David believed that God would ultimately vindicate those who trusted and obeyed in Him. The prayer of the psalmist is that God would judge those who oppressed the poor, the righteous - that he would "right the wrongs" done against them. But judging is also used in the sense of testing "minds and hearts" (7:9), and rewarding those who are upright, who fear the Lord. Thus, David puts his confidence in the fact that the Lord will judge - both the righteous and unrighteous - and intervene on behalf of the righteous.
  
  Another reason to take heart in God's judgments is that God can be our justifier. Looking back to the time before Christ, the Apostle Paul explains that God had, in divine forbearance, "passed over former sins" (Rom. 3:25). But now, we know that through Christ's "atoning sacrifice" God is shown to be both just and merciful. Jesus experienced God's righteous wrath so that you and I did not have to. God cannot ignore sin ("sweep it under the rug"), for that would make Him unjust (and unworthy of our worship). But at the cross justice and mercy kiss.
  
  
• There is room for lament in the vocabulary of worship. Psalm 13 is a well-known lament. We can express our heartaches, our disappointments, our anger to God, all the time knowing He cares for us and wants to hear our heart's cries. I can recall some specific seasons of my life (loss of a family member, sickness, waiting for the house) where the laments became the language of my prayers. I would love to see us make more room for "laments" in our worship services, knowing that so many who come to our services are experiencing various trials and sorrows.

If you have been reading Psalms 16-20, you've discovered that Psalms 17, 18, 19 are lengthier. Spend some time reflecting on these psalms, they cover different themes.

This Week - Psalm 6 thru 10

We are in the 2nd week of our journey through the Psalms. Last week we were to read Psalms 1 through 5. This week we are reading Psalms 6 through 10.

Last night at rehearsal I shared that as we read through the Psalms (really any Scripture passage) the Holy Spirit can often direct our attention to a particular word or phrase. That's not to invalidate the need to read Scripture in context (both the immediate and overall) or to ignore what the text meant in its original setting. But it is to say that when we ask the Spirit to illuminate God's Word (shed light, bring understanding, make alive) we often find a certain word or phrase will capture our hearts and minds.

This was the case for me last week as I was reading Psalms 4 & 5. In Psalm 4:7 David says, "You have given me greater joy/than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine" (NLT). When I read that I thought, wow, Lord...is this true of me? Are You what brings me the most joy and satisfaction? I remembered Pastor Aaron's message on idolatry and the question he posed to us: "What - at this moment - are you trusting in?" I believe the Spirit brought my attention to that verse so as to provoke me to examine my own heart.

In Psalm 5: 7 David says, "Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house" (NLT). When I read the word "house" I thought of God's house - the tabernacle/temple in the OT, the church in the NT. As lead worshippers we "enter" God's house every Sunday (think of the Psalms that say "I will enter His gates with thanksgiving...his courts with praise"). But if we think that we can come into God's presence based on our own merits, talents, righteousness - we are sadly mistaken. If I'm honest, I know in my own heart I've been guilty of this faulty thinking.

For me, the thinking goes like this - if I've fulfilled my spiritual "do's" and avoided the spiritual "dont's" I'm worthy to come before Him. But David says it right - it is only because of God's unfailing love that we can enter into His house and experience His presence. A thousand or so years after David wrote this psalm the true heir to His throne - Jesus - would become the fullest expression of God's unfailing love towards us. 1 Timothy 2:5 -"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus" (NLT). There's nothing I can do to make myself presentable before God - it's only through Jesus that I (we) can come.

As you read in the Psalms take note of those words, phrases, or verses that grab a hold of you. Spend some time reflecting on why those words are sticking out to you - perhaps a situation you are in, or a prayer request, or a sin you are struggling with - a place where God wants to meet with you. Also, I've found it helpful to read from a few different translations as different translations often bring out nuances and give fresh renderings to these ancient texts. Biblegateway.com is a great resource to compare translations.

NOTE on COMMENTS:
I've modified the layout so that comments now appear below the actual posts. To leave a comment click on the comments link and type away. You don't need to have a Google account or ID to remark, it's open to everyone.

Recap of Fall Kickoff Mtg.

This past Sunday we had our fall kickoff lunch mtg. for the worship team - thanks to those of you who attended. I especially appreciated the time of sharing we had at the end, and the opportunity to pray for one another. It's rare that we have most of the team at one place at one time, so it was good to reconnect, however brief our time was.

Wanted to post a quick recap of what we covered, as well as some upcoming dates:

• Thank you for your continued faithfulness, excellence and commitment to this ministry. It's a joy to serve alongside each of you in the high calling of leading others in worship.
• This should go without saying, but it's important to be dialed into the teaching when we're on the worship team. It's a good thing to catch up with each other. But, as much as possible, let's refrain from a lot of chatter during the message so we can maintain an environment (in the backstage area) that is conducive to active listening. If you plan on going out to sit with your spouse during the service, please be aware that for the other service there will still be people following along with the message on the TV. Consider the time before and between services for conversation.


• I know many see the worship team as a primary source for fellowship, care, etc. - and we're certainly glad that we are creating an environment where we can all feel free to share openly and honestly. But, we (myself, Gordon, Connie) would strongly encourage you to participate in a growth group or mid-sized community (if you are not already). I know we all have busy schedules, but we need to do "life together" with other believers. I know how much I need it, and how much I benefit from it in the long run. Check out the groups and communities Living Word has to offer.


• I’m encouraging us to read through the Psalms together. The goal is to read 5 Psalms a week, going through all 150 in order. Most of us (at one point or another) struggle with maintaining regular time in God’s Word. So, knowing the rest of the team is going through the same passages might help us be more consistent. There’s no better book to be familiar with as a lead worshipper than the Psalms. Below you'll see more info on the Psalms reading schedule.

In terms of upcoming events...

• Oct. 8th (Fri) - Encounter Worship - "The Names of Jesus"


• Oct. 16th (Sat) - Bonfire at Bonnie Lauer's - begins at dusk - details to follow

Regarding the Psalms...

• The goal is to read through 5 Psalms (in sequence) a week...so this week (week of Sept. 19th), we'll read Psalms 1-5. You can find the text here at Bible Gateway (NIV). Here's a handy-dandy Bible iPhone app.


• I handed out some introductory notes (from the ESV Study Bible) on Sunday. They can be downloaded here.


• PLEASE feel free to interact with the posts I'll be making on the Psalms. My goal is to do one post a week on how I'm interacting with the Psalms in my own devotional time. It'd be great to hear how God is speaking and revealing Himself to you as you are reading along.

Looking forward to the Fall!

Desert Song

Last Sunday we introduced Brooke Fraser's "Desert Song" to our congregation. This is an example of a song that I think works on multiple levels - memorable melody, great Scriptural truths, poetic lyrics and timely message. In a season when many are experiencing financial difficulty, job losses and the ripple effects those can have on families, this is the kind of song that the church needs to be singing.

Before we went out for services we spent some time as a team reflecting on the lyrics of "Desert Song".

Verse 1
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

Verse 2
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

Verse 3
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Chorus
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Bridge
All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

CCLI Song No. 5060793 © 2008 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. in U.S. & Canada by Integrity's Hosanna! Music) Brooke Fraser CCLI License No. 10491

As I meditate on these words several Scripture passages come to mind...

• Ps. 63 - David's words (in the context of his own desert experience) speak of thirst and praise
• 1 Peter 1:7 - Peter speaks of being refined by the trials, and on V2 Brooke directly quotes in the line "a faith proved of more worth than gold"
• Isaiah 54:17 - the prophet speaks of the day when God will restore His people, with the promise that "no weapon forged against you will prevail" - a line from the chorus
• Romans 8 - V3 speaks of us being "conquerors" (Rom. 8:37) and "co-heirs" (Rom. 8:17) in and through Jesus Christ

Now that you know that this song contains some precious biblical truths, let's sing and play it with a passion and awareness of God's presence!

Bonus:
Came across this powerful video - Jill McCloghry, one of Hillsong's worship leaders, shares a personal story involving "Desert Song". It's worth your time.

Preview of Next Encounter - Names of Jesus

I always look forward to our times of corporate worship - but I especially look forward to our Encounter services. The opportunity to spend extended time in God's presence singing, reflecting and responding - and to do so with folks who've made a point of being there - is sweet indeed.

The theme for the October Encounter is "The Names of Jesus." As I was looking at possible songs for the evening, I came across a Delirious song called "How Sweet the Name" from their Kingdom of Comfort album. I loved the melody and piano instrumentation - and I immediately identified with the song's personal lyric. We'll be doing the song during a more intimate of worship.

Enjoy the preview...

What would I have become
If you’d never stopped to pull me through
What would this life had done
If you’d never whispered liberty
I heard you sing so sweetly a song of love

Jesus how sweet the name
The name that saves
Jesus how sweet the sound
The sound of grace
The sound of praise
The sound that saves

So many songs I’ve sung
But there’s none more beautiful than you
And here I’ve found myself
So I’m happy to be lost in you
I hear you sing so sweetly, a song called love

Every soul needs a saviour

Rhythms

Back in June we had an Encounter worship service. For those of you unfamiliar with what Encounter is all about, the tagline for every Encounter service is "slow down-savor-worship." We want people to come and enjoy God's presence as they "unplug" from the pace of modern life. More singing, more creativity - it's a totally unique experience.

The theme for the evening was "Sacred Rhythms" and the main Scripture text was Gal. 5:25: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit". One way we illustrated the idea of "keeping in step" with God's Spirit was through the use of percussion - a lot of percussion!

John Hogan, a professional drummer/instructor, came up from NC to lead the routines (as well as a workshop). His wife Melody is a visual artist, and her artwork was featured the last couple of months in our church coffee bar (you can check it out here). It was a pleasure to get to know both of them back in June, and I'm glad they'll be returning this weekend.

John will once again be leading some of our drummers in a reprisal of the floor tom routine that ended the Encounter service. Don't miss it - it will start both services this Sunday, Aug. 29!

Below is a video of the percussion routine (think STOMP) that opened the Encounter service. Enjoy!

Hello...It's Me Again

So yes, it's been a LONG time since I've posted anything new on this blog. Those on the Living Word worship team know that I've had quite an eventful summer - the cancer diagnosis, treatment, relocating to a new house. Throughout God has proven Himself faithful, especially in my weakness. I have been humbled by the prayers and support of our extended family at Living Word.

All that being said, I'm ready to start a new chapter of life and ministry.

And, I'm committing to posting something on this blog at least once a week.

For the worship team members - you'll be hearing more at our all-team mtg. on Sept. 19, but I'm excited about the opportunity to examine the Psalms together. I'm hoping this blogsite will play a significant role in the study and application of this ancient hymnbook.

So, this is a new beginning. I'm excited about what God is doing and will be doing in the worship ministry here at Living Word.

Buckle up!

Trampling Over Death by Death

Yesterday I was getting a little exercise in by running around the church parking lot (I know, not exactly the most inspiring scenery, but hard to beat in terms of proximity) and the song "Christ is Risen" came up on my iPod. The song was recorded by Matt Maher, a singer/songwriter/worship leader; our worship team performed it a couple weeks ago for our Easter services. It's one of those songs that builds, both lyrically and musically, and by the time you get to the end of bridge you want to jump out your seats and shout "Amen!" OK, at least that's what I want to do.

The chorus starts with "Christ is risen from the dead/trampling over death by death" - a line inspired by the Paschal Troparion, the characteristic Easter hymn of the Eastern Orthodox Church. That phrase - "trampling over death by death" - is arresting and unexpected upon first listen. But the more I've thought about the it more I've come to appreciate the beautiful, surprising, scandalous truth that these words proclaim. One of the great ironies of the crucifixion is that in pronouncing Jesus' death sentence Pilate (and the religious powers-to-be) indirectly silenced the power of death forever. What Satan thought to be his crowning achievement turned out to be the very means by which his fate is forever sealed (Col. 2:15).

N.T. Wright puts it this way:

"...the cross is...not the world's victory over Jesus, but Jesus' victory over the world. Here is the mystery, the cunning, of the deep love of God: that it is bound to draw on to itself the hatred and pain and shame and anger and bitterness and rejection of the world, but to draw all those things on to itself is precisely the means, chosen from all eternity by the generous, loving God, by which to rid his world of the evils which have resulted from human abuse of God-given freedom."

The truth of what Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection came rushing back to me as I was running laps - I'm pretty sure I picked up my pace a bit! I'm grateful that Matt Maher and Mia Fieldes (the co-writer) have given the church a song that powerfully reminds us of how our subversive Savior conquered death and opened the possibility of the "abundant life" (John 10:10) to us all.

You can listen to the song and check out the lyrics over at Worship Together.

"I Praise You for this Resurrection Madness"

Lord of such amazing surprises

as put a catch in my breath

and wings on my heart,

I praise you for this joy,

too great for words,

but not for tears and songs and sharing;

for this mercy

that blots out my betrayals

and bids me begin again

to limp on,

to hop-skip-and-jump on,

to mend what is broken

in and around me,

and to forgive the breakers;

for this YES

to life and laughter,

to love and lovers,

and to my unwinding self;

for this kingdom

unleashed in me and I in it forever,

and no dead ends to growing,

to choices,

to chances,

to calls to be just;

no dead ends to living,

to making peace,

to dreaming dreams,

to being glad of heart;

for this resurrection madness

which is wiser than I

and in which I see

how great you are,

and how full of grace.

Alleluia!

Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle, Innisfree Press, Inc. 1984

Keyboards in Worship

Hope your week is going well...and that you're able to spend some time reflecting on our Savior's passion. As a dad of two young kids I am keenly aware of how important is to continue to tell and re-tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection to each other and to the next generation.

Now, on a completely different note (no pun intended) - here's a great article from MusicAcademy on using keyboard sounds in worship...a lot of what he shares is exactly what I would share - only he says it better.

http://www.musicademy.com/2010/03/keyboard-effects-in-worship-soft-pads-and-string-sounds/

Would appreciate your prayers for our multiple services this weekend...looking forward to seeing most of you at one point or another.

Blessings - Chris

Electric Guitar Lead Riff on "You Have Saved Us"

Another post for the electric players - wow, two in a row!

As you know, we introduced a new song, "You Have Saved Us" by Paul Baloche, back in January. I remember an afternoon when one of our electric guitar players called me and shared that he was trying to figure out the lead riff the electric does at the beginning of the song. He had an idea of how to play it but it didn't quite sound like the recording. I could tell he was (initially) a little frustrated with how challenging it was to replicate this deceptively simple riff.

I actually contacted the guy who plays electric on the recording (Ben Gowell) and although he didn't respond to me directly he happened to post an instructional video on YouTube just four days ago. In the video he shows you how he plays the riff and how he incorporates the delay pedal. Needless to say delay is something you hear A LOT of in modern worship songs - a nod to the tremendous influence of bands like U2 and Coldplay.

Anyway, here's the video - remember, he is playing it in the key of A, whereas we do it in G.

Electric Guitars

Came across a helpful article for electric guitar players over at MusicAcademy.

http://www.musicademy.com/2010/02/top-10-dos-donts-lead-guitarists

You'll notice that MusicAcademy is one of the links on the right side of the page. MusicAcademy is a British-based organization dedicated to equipping and training lead worshippers. They have some excellent resources, articles, videos for every instrument - including the voice. In fact, we have training videos from them for keyboards, bass, drums, orchestral instruments and a vocal warm-up CD as well. You are ALWAYS welcome to borrow these resources - there's some great tips and technique stuff.

Speaking of electric guitar, one of our own, Mark Kahler, has been featured in a recent publication. No, it's not Rolling Stone or Guitar World - it's ADVANCE for Nurses, and our man Mark is totally rocking it on the front cover. Just had to share this one with you all!

Experiencing God

It has been an amazing week hasn't it? Life interrupted, plans put on hold, a lot of time spent indoors. The amount of snow that surrounds us is absolutely amazing, beautiful, and yes, even a little scary - especially when you are two years old and looking up at a five foot drift (that would be my daughter Anna). As I've spent the past several days inside I have caught myself admiring the sheer magnitude of what has taken place all around me - and being awestruck by the One who superintends it all. God has definitely opened the "storehouses of snow" (Job 38:22)!

In the midst of all this snow we managed to open the doors for church this past Sunday (kudos to our maintenance crew). Those who were able to make it heard Pastor Brian preach on "Experiencing God" - the idea that we were designed to be in an intimate, growing relationship with the triune God. Although many of us know things about God, understand the gospel and espouse biblical beliefs and convictions, experiencing His presence - listening, conversing, meditating, communing - well, that seems a little more elusive, at least for me. But that's what Christ has secured for you and for me - a genuine, living, dynamic friendship with Himself.

One of my favorite Psalms says "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8). I love how the psalmist invites us to experience God's presence - which is what we are doing when we are truly worshipping God. Pastor Brian had Connie & Janell powerfully demonstrate the difference between "reading" and "tasting" a cheesecake recipe. You and I shouldn't settle for just second-hand experience with God - we have been offered a personal relationship with God. The question is, what does that relationship look like? How do we experience His presence?

Over the past few years I have slowly come to the realization that I need to both "practice the presence of God" in my daily life as well as set aside time to read the Scriptures, pray, journal, etc. It's not a case of either/or but rather both/and. Yes, I am a slow learner. But God is gracious.

As I go throughout my day, I want to be aware to how God is present all around me. I want to be dialoguing with Him - praying, listening - as situations present themselves. As I was walking to the church the other day I was experiencing His presence as I noticed a couple cardinals chirping a way in the trees, and it reminded me of the line from the song "This is My Father's World" ("the birds their carols sing"). As I talk to my brothers in Christ I experience God as they speak the truth-in-love, sharpen and encourage me. As I lead others in worship I especially experience His presence - and feel His pleasure.

But I know I also need to be intentional - highly intentional as Pastor Brian would say - about my devotional time with Him. Right now this takes the form of reading the Bible, perhaps another devotional/Christian living book, praying and journaling. I am still learning what this looks like, but I know that if I want to experience the "abundant life" I need to regularly be engaged in these disciplines - along with "practicing the presence". If I don't take time to slow down, reflect, recover (!) I begin to lose some of that deep connected-ness with God. My intentional living factor goes way down.

So, those are my reflections on this past week's message - kind of raw and unfiltered. I hope you have a chance to think about this idea of experiencing God, and consider in what ways that is happening or can happen for you. If you missed Pastor Brian's message you can catch on the church website.

Weighing In on Potential New Songs

Hey Worship Team,

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I would be putting together a page on Planning Center with potential new worship songs. The initial idea came from Gordon, and I thought it was an excellent idea indeed!

We thought it'd be great to get some feedback from you, the worship team member who could potentially be playing one of these "new" songs in the near future. Was the song memorable and catchy? Was it singable? What was your initial impression? This is the kind of feedback I would be looking for.

So, I invite you, encourage you to visit the "new songs" page and let me know what you think. The link to the page is below. You'll need a Planning Center account to access this page - but if you're on the worship team you'll already have one one.

http://www.planningcenteronline.com/plans/1145285

I've set everyone on the worship team up as an "editor" for this page only. This will allow you to leave feedback on the feedback tab. Here's how: If you click on the pencil icon to the right of the song title a box will pop up and you'll see an area called "feedback notes". Here is where you can input your thoughts on the song. Just be careful not to delete anyone else's thoughts!

You are also welcome to post feedback on the new songs in the form of comments to this blog post. Or, if all else fails, just shoot me an email with your thoughts.

You may be wondering what criteria I use when considering new songs to introduce. Here are several considerations (in no particular order):

• Theological Content - what does the song say about God, His character, His redemptive work? Is the song declaring, affirming something about God that calls for a response? Is what the song is saying theologically sound?
• Musicality - does it have a memorable melody? Does the melodic structure fit the lyric or theme?
• Singability - can the average person sing it after hearing it a couple times? Is the melodic pattern easy enough to follow, and is the melodic range (lowest to highest note) within the range of the average person?
• Lyrical Quality - does the song avoid cliches? If the song has a rhyme pattern, are the rhymes solid? Are the metaphors consistent or mixed?
• Singular vs. Plural - are the pronouns in the song personal or corporate? I tend to prefer songs that use the "we/us" language in corporate worship settings.
• Repertoire - when looking at the songs already in our repertoire, does the new song cover a topic that is lacking representation in the repertoire?

I hope you can take a listen to some of the new songs...

Paul Baloche's "You Have Saved Us" and Spiritual Adoption

It has often been said that when people leave the church on Sunday mornings, they'll remember the songs more than the sermon. What this says about our attention span and wiring I'm not sure, but I do believe there is some truth to this. Something you can hum to yourself will tend to stick in your collective consciousness longer than a bullet point, because music resonates with our emotions and senses in a way that often eclipses the spoken word.

NT scholar Gordon Fee puts it this way: "Show me a church's songs and I'll show you their theology". Bob Kauflin has also blogged about the importance of the songs we sing.

Since the songs we sing do leave a mark on the hearts and minds of those we are leading, it's important that the content of our songs are theologically sound and robust. One of the great yet often overlooked themes of the NT is adoption - the idea that God the Father has made us His spiritual sons and daughters through Christ.

J.I. Packer dedicates a whole chapter of Knowing God to this theme of adoption. When I read through this section last year it renewed my love and awe for the way in which God relates to us:

Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into His family and fellowship, and establishes us as His children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the father is a greater.

Packer's contention is that adoption is more exalted than justification, for it implies intimacy and fellowship. Yes, God forgave us - incredible and amazing. But on top of that, He welcomes us into His family and invites us to call upon Him as "Abba." Packer argues that the whole Christian life should be understood through the lens of adoption.

The new worship song we've been singing hits upon this theme of adoption. The first verse of Paul Baloche's "You Have Saved Us" says

Who am I that You would know me
Who are we to You Lord
You have shown
Your love and mercy
We are strangers no more
We are daughters, we are sons
All because of what You've done

I love how the verse begins with the sentiments of the Psalm 8:3-4 and then hits upon the truths found in Gal. 4:4-7. It's really sweet when a song combines great theology with a fresh groove and memorable hooks. As we sing and play this song may we enjoy the presence of God our Father and rest in the assurance that we are His sons and daughters.

Check out Paul's band playing the song live below.

Playing Piano in a Band - Good Example

This post is for the keyboard players...

As you know, playing piano/keys in a contemporary band setting can be - to put it mildly - a sticky proposition (and I'm not referring to how some keys can stick on a grand). Some of us come from backgrounds where we are used to carrying the load of the song - the rhythm, melody, bass, harmonic structure, etc. When it's just one instrument (a piano or organ) leading the song than that's appropriate. However, when you are joined by an acoustic rhythm player, a bass player, an electric guitar player, some harmonists - then the whole equation changes. It's not that the piano/keyboard doesn't have a role to play - it definitely does - but the role takes on a new look and approach.

I came across the video below that basically shows a keyboardist how to play a particular song ("A Mighty Fortress" by Christy Nockels). We actually performed this song last year. I wanted to share the video with you, not so that you would learn how to play the song, but more because it demonstrates principles that apply to playing keys in a contemporary band setting. I appreciate how Nathan Nockels talks about keys and the challenge of "fitting into" the modern band.



If you want to play along with the video the score for the song can be downloaded here. NOTE that he is playing it a half-step higher (in the key of Db).