tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43297661133931357182024-02-07T18:11:13.746-06:00Art of WorshipCurating and Fostering Ideas on the Art of WorshipKJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-67221814114728712712014-04-08T13:23:00.001-05:002014-04-08T13:23:23.453-05:00Engagement: Why it MattersI've recently challenged myself to start blogging again, and regularly. <br />
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In light of this new challenge, I am kicking off my blogging with a series on <b>Engagement</b>. Now, I don't mean engagement in the "fixin'-to-get-married" sense, but in the "connectedness" sense. Although this post is being written specifically with worship pastors in mind, I think this series will be helpful for anyone in a leadership position, especially in ministry-related affairs.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As a worship leader, I am concerned with pursuing excellence in my craft, and that means two things: musical excellence and pastoral care through the medium of music. Many times, worship leaders forget that they are in charge of a congregation for a short while, and it is their duty to help them respond to God. Because of this, they usually focus on becoming better musicians--better singers, better guitarists, etc.--and forget to stay tuned in to what is happening in the localized body of Christ they serve. Our role as worship leaders is to not only put forth music that is excellent, but to also care for people through our music.<br />
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Because we are musicians, I want to hit one facet of leadership through music first. The music that we put forth is important for multiple reasons. If we present music that is anything less than our best, it becomes distracting and yanks the congregation's focus away from God and directs it at us. If we bring poorly chosen music to a service for a congregation to sing, we are hurting their ability to respond to God in a healthy manner. <a href="http://myanchorholds.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Katie Eckeberger</a>, a traveling worship leader, once said, "At the end of a service, people go home singing the songs we perform--they shape people's theology." We have a responsibility to the body to play our music well and to play well-written music.<br />
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How do we care for people through our music? We stay engaged with the body of Christ. While out touring and playing at various summer camps with my worship band a few summers ago, I learned that my worship ministry was never effective if I never learned the campers' names. It seemed completely unrelated at first, but I soon learned that the more I played volleyball or ate meals with the campers, the more I knew them and they knew me, the better worship was. Once I got to know them, I began to hear their stories, and their stories helped me lead them. Their stories helped me know how they were hurting, how they were rejoicing, and how they released those emotions. I knew them, they knew me, and I could lead them because they trusted me.<br />
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Trust between a congregation and a worship leader is something that I had never heard mentioned until just a few months ago, when one of my friends and fellow worship leader said she looked forward to having me lead her in worship because she trusted me. We have led worship together before, but I think she trusted me because she and I have lived a lot of life together. She knew my heart, and she trusted me.<br />
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We are called not only to musical excellence, but to the care of those we lead in song. To be effective leaders, they must trust us. This trust is gained by performing music at the highest level possible, and by living life with them. We are all human, all sinners, all being renewed in Christ Jesus. By performing excellently, they will trust us to care about our crafts and take pride in our work. By living with them, they will know our hearts and trust us to lead them into the throne room of the Living God.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 14px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;"><i>Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. - G.K. Chesterson</i></span><br />
<br />KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0Greenville, IL, USA38.8922687 -89.41313559999997638.8428282 -89.493816599999974 38.941709200000005 -89.332454599999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-31386774770992456582013-04-23T20:26:00.000-05:002014-04-08T13:27:08.281-05:00Struggles and Suffering: A Major Shortcoming of CCM Music<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the course of this semester, one of the topics that has come up time and time again is the lack of contemporary worship songs that deal with suffering in a manner that is both honest and Christian. Oftentimes, worship songs are too happy—or too hopeful</span>—<span style="font-family: inherit;">to really give voice to the struggles that people face in an honest way. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but this is the general opinion that people not actively involved in worship planning hold (at least with the people that I've spoken to), and I don't think these criticisms are entirely invalid.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">It has come to my attention that there are certain topics that </span>the<span style="font-family: inherit;"> church at large doesn't like to talk about: sex and death being the two largest elephants in the sanctuary. This past year, I have seen more of my friends experience the reality of death than I have in the other 18 years of my life. Four people have died, and three of them occurred within the current semester: a mother, a father, and a young teen suicide. This semester also witnessed the Boston Marathon Bombing and the West, Texas plant explosion. What do we have to offer those who go through this?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"They're in a better place now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Their suffering is over."</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Not that these aren't true, but let's be honest: they're pretty lame. No one really knows how to deal with death, and that's not even really the issue here. The death of a loved one is a hard thing to go through, and fortunately I have yet to experience it first hand. The issue is this inability to connect with the people who <i>are</i> experiencing it. The major shortcoming of contemporary worship music is its inability to give voice to those people that are so obviously hurting, and not at all in a place to sing happy worship tunes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Protestants have this habit of neglecting the bad stuff in order to get to the good stuff (spiritually speaking, that is). This past Easter I played for the Good Friday service, and to my memory it was one of maybe two Good Friday services I have ever attended (two is being hopeful; it may have been the first one). At the close of the service, my friend sang "Were You There?" a cappella, without the lights on, and everyone left in silence. It was certainly the most sombre service I have ever been to, including my friend's mother's memorial service. Later that night, when I was talking with my dad about the service, he said, "You know, in the twenty or so years we've been members at the church, I've only gone to two Good Friday services." I would guess that a similar number is shared among many of my Protestant friends. We just don't go to Good Friday services, because we leave feeling so down, so sad. <b>All Sons & Daughters</b> wrote a song called "Buried in the Grave" that accurately captures how we leave that service, and how the disciples must have felt when Christ <i>actually</i> died (watch the video <a href="http://youtu.be/plzxF29AuOQ" target="_blank">here</a>). Protestants, therefore, place a high emphasis on the celebration of Easter Sunday, oftentimes saying "There can be no salvation without Christ's resurrection." Certainly this is true, however Catholics would reply "There can be no resurrection without Christ's death." After attending my first Good Friday service, Easter Sunday was immeasurably more joyful and powerful than it has ever been. Good news is good, but only in light of the bad news, which we Protestants and "modern worshippers" often neglect to talk about.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">This habit of neglecting the bad stuff is what brings pastors to preach about how Jesus came that we may have life, and "have it to the fullest" (John 10:10), but leave out that "the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). This habit of neglecting the bad stuff is what brings songwriters to write about how we will stand, "with arms high, and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all" (The Stand, Joel Houston). This habit of neglecting the bad stuff leaves us with a Christian faith that we cannot relate to.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most powerful verses in the Gospels is also the shortest: "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). This verse captures one of the most tender moments in Jesus' ministry, and I want to draw attention to the fact that <u>there is no resolution</u>. Jesus' friend, Lazarus, had died. Martha, ever the cerebral one, went out to meet Jesus. "'Lord,' Martha said to Jesus, 'if you had been here, my bother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask'" (John 11:21-22). I applaud Martha's faith and all those who can suffer tragedy and speak with that much confidence. However, Mary embodies that which many of us go through: sorrow and struggle. "When Jesus saw her weeping...Jesus wept" (John 11:33, 35). Jesus offered no hope, no resolution. Jesus wept.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The director of the Worship Arts degree at my school joked with me that when a family loses someone, we arrive at their door and say "We're so sorry for your loss; here's a tuna casserole." But sometimes, that's just what we need. We need people to come and offer no words of comfort, but simply sit and cry with us. No words need be spoken; it is community that helps soothe the aching of our hearts. We cannot ask God to reverse the situation, or ask Him "Why?" as if He'll realize He made a mistake and will get to work fixing the situation. Sometimes the best choice is to simply ask God, "Walk with me through this." That's where worship songs fall short. Sometimes, "when sorrows like sea billows roll," I can find it in myself to say "It is well with my soul," like Martha did. But in those moments when the weight of my life's circumstances weigh so heavily that I cannot even bring myself to say that, there is no song* that says "Jesus, walk with me through this." There is no song that captures the same compassion and tenderness as John's two words, "Jesus wept."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In response to this, I have begun to write my own "Kyrie" (Kyrie Eleison meaning "Lord, have mercy"). Hopefully, it will be something that meets people where they are and gives them a song to sing and to really cry out to God with. My hope and my prayer is that it will help people worship honestly when life becomes overwhelming.</span><br />
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</span></i> <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">What are some other short-comings of modern worship songs that you have noticed? What are other topics the church doesn't address, but should? Let me know in the comment section below!</span></i><br />
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</span> <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">*I want to state that there are, in fact, songs that say this, and one of the best exceptions is the song "Reason to Sing" by <b>All Sons & Daughters</b> (watch the video <a href="http://youtu.be/y56nxe5HeFI" target="_blank">here</a>). <b>David Crowder* Band</b>'s "Oh Great God, Give Us Rest," "Let Me Feel You Shine," <b>Gungor</b>'s "Please By My Strength," and <b>Hillsong Live</b>'s "Desert Song" are some other songs that I'm aware of. However, this list is quite small compared to the myriad of other modern worship songs currently being sung.</span></i>KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-5991140389350283972012-11-10T21:47:00.002-06:002012-11-10T23:37:12.495-06:00Growing PainsI started reading an article from <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/">Brain Pickings</a> that talked about a book called <i>Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to a More Meaningful Life</i> (which, I realize is an incredibly long title) and I was really intrigued by what I read. The author of the book, Massimo Pigliucci, is a philosophy professor at the City University of New York (CUNY).<br />
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<i>I found <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/08/the-science-of-intuition-answers-for-aristotle/" target="_blank">this article</a> and <a href="http://literaryjukebox.brainpickings.org/post/35269576577" target="_blank">another</a> on this app called "<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flipboard-your-social-news/id358801284?mt=8" target="_blank">Flipboard</a>", which is a really cool way to read about a lot of really cool things on your iPhone/Android (I don't know if there's another mobile OS that supports the app...but check it out!). Just a shameless plug for the app. It's really fantastic.</i><br />
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The article about the Aristotle book focused on the subject of "intuition", which the book spends about a chapter on. <b>Intuition</b> is that "magical" quality that some people seem to possess more of than others. It's that ability which allows one to "just know" something about someone or some situation. And in worship, this quality is <u>invaluable</u> in knowing where your congregation is and how to minister to that. Pigliucci writes,<br />
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...these days cognitive scientists think of intuition as a set of nonconscious cognitive and affective processes; the outcome of these processes is often difficult to articulate and is not based on deliberate thinking, but it's real and (sometimes) effective nonetheless....Cognitive scientists treat [intuitions] as quick first assessments of a given situation</blockquote>
and it is important to note the last words of the quote: <b>quick first assessment</b>. Pigliucci also writes that intuition can only happen in specific domains, meaning although we may be really great at intuiting when our mothers are angry at us, we can be just as clueless as the next guy when trying to figure out if that girl is flirting with us or if she's just being friendly (and if she is flirting with us, does that mean she actually likes us or she's just flirty?). Finally, he writes that intuitions get better with practice because intuition is all about the brain's ability to pick up on recurring patterns.<br />
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So how does this apply to worship and being a worship leader?<br />
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Those who know me know that I talk a lot during worship services when I'm leading. It's a tool that I use to help make myself a little more relatable to the people I am leading in worship. Often I try and give some insight into how a specific song we're singing (or maybe, even more specifically, a line or phrase) relates to what the speaker/pastor spoke about <b>and</b> how it relates to our lives. For example, one night during our Thursday night worship services (Vespers) at Greenville College, our speaker's topic was about <i>coming to grips with your identity</i> and <i>how God will use you, just as you are, for His plans and purposes</i>. We (the band) planned on singing <u>All Sons & Daughters</u>' song "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnFloiyGey4" target="_blank">All the Poor and Powerless</a>" with a flair of <u>The Digital Age</u>'s arrangement (which you can find <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iG2wUL1vTY" target="_blank">here</a>). The song's bridge contains the declaration and command "Shout it / Go on and scream it from the mountains / Go on and tell it to the masses / That He is God". I then took a moment to speak to the congregation at the end of the song. Referencing <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:19-20&version=NIV" target="_blank">The Great Commission</a>, I told the congregation that it is laid upon <b>everyone</b> to go, therefore, and make disciples. It was the faith and action of 12 men that created the global religion of Christianity, for without their action the movement would have stagnated and died and Jesus would have been forgotten. I spoke the truth of <b>Habakkuk 1:5</b>, that God would do something to the nations in our time--something we wouldn't believe, even if we were told about it. It was a powerful night.<br />
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In my mind, this whole post can be summed up in four words: <b>Just Go For It</b>. People have told me how, although they appreciate my music, they often appreciate my <i>prayers</i> (a.k.a. <i>spoken word</i>) more. People have told me that they appreciate when I go "off-book" and just start talking about things like the above paragraph, and I think it's because I <b>intuit</b> where people are and speak Truth (a.k.a. Scripture) into their lives. How do I know what and when to say things? I speak when I need to, and it's usually related to what has already been talked about by the speaker. Oftentimes, I speak at transition periods, either between songs or between major service transitions (like going from worship into the message or from the closing songs to the end). Am I scared I'll say something dumb or incorrect? <i style="font-weight: bold;">Of course</i> I am! But I trust in God's grace, and I would rather make a mistake and trust His grace to cover over my humanity than to miss an opportunity to be a part of His plan and potentially speak life into someone that needs it.<br />
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<i>Update: Not a few minutes after I had posted this to Facebook, I was cautioned by a friend of mine to not be a "know-it-all" by all this talk of <u>intuition</u>. Please understand, this is not my intent at all! I find it funny that I made a mistake and said something dumb in a post like this (which is meant to help people or incite conversation/thought). The following is added as a clarification. Thanks for keeping me in check Dane ;)</i><br />
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This <i>intuition</i>, this <i>gut feeling</i>, is the Holy Spirit leading me. Now, I don't think that every time you have some information that you've intuited it is the Holy Spirit, but in a worship service covered by prayer, when you have spent time getting your heart prepared to lead God's people in giving something back to Him, nine times out of ten, it will be the Holy Spirit. This is where the risk lies in speaking out during a worship service: if you are not spending time with God in your personal life, or if you haven't spent time with the people in your congregation to know where they are spiritually, you have not prepared well and run a higher risk of looking like a fool and saying something that doesn't have a lot of meaning behind it.<br />
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The article that started this post in my head seems to suggest that intuition is a skill that everyone has and can hone to an expert level. God doesn't do things without reason, and every talent/skill that we have and give back to God will bring Him glory. The relationship of Christ and His church is the most beautiful thing about Christianity; that we are chosen to take part in God's story, even though He doesn't need us, never ceases to amaze me. This partnership is the summation of my post. It is through intuition that the Holy Spirit guides us when we need Him to, and it is to this partnership of divine knowledge and human intuition that I trust when I speak in worship services. This article isn't really even about intuition; it's about understanding your talents and how you can use them to bring glory to the God that gave them to you. My intuition is great, but without God, <b><i>what's the point</i></b>? If He is not leading my steps, or if I am not chasing after Him as I lead a congregation, then where are we going? Once you adopt this philosophy with every gift and talent you have, becoming invisible, decreasing in your own stature so that Christ may increase in your place, becomes incredibly simple (to understand, not necessarily to do).<br />
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<i>May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, oh Lord.</i>KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0201-299 E Oak St, Greenville, IL 62246, USA38.8938403 -89.410094538.6961048 -89.7259515 39.0915758 -89.0942375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-89745049002952345432011-09-26T11:21:00.000-05:002012-11-10T23:38:04.295-06:00The Power of LoveThough this isn't a post on Praise and/or Music, it is still an important part of how we worship Christ.<br />
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Today in Chapel our speaker was an ex-gay guy giving his testimony. It was powerful. He spoke of how we, as Christians, do the gay community a disservice by trying to treat homosexuality like a simple issue, when it is, in actuality, the symptom of a much larger, more complex issue. He didn't specify what the issue was, and that was the power of his message: you have to know someone, love them, and know their story before you can begin to minister to someone.<br />
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It was amazing to hear of how God put different men into his life to teach him not only how to be a man and what masculinity is, but also to teach him his value, that he is cherished and loved just for existing--a lesson his emotionally distant father never conveyed. It was beautiful to hear the witness of the men that helped him along his journey to Christ and with Christ.<br />
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I found myself thinking about current events, my society, my generation. I grew up singing songs and hearing messages of how we were to be the Lord's Generation, History Makers, and Game Changers. I found myself pondering the gay rights movement, how homosexuality grows ever more prevalent in my time and my culture and how many Christians don't know how to handle it. I found myself thinking about civil rights movements in the past: Women's rights and African-American rights. I wondered at how those movements were the climax of a generation's cries to be treated as equals, as human beings. Isn't the gay rights movement the same? Aren't they just asking to be treated like human beings instead of being ostracized and feared? Shouldn't we, as Christians, love them just as we would love any other human being?<br />
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Who among us is without blame? Who among us is without sin? When you witness to a friend, do you force them to change their lifestyle or do you introduce them to the Person who changed your life? For whatever reason, we can love drug dealers, prostitutes, child abusers, liars, thieves, killers, etc. and yet when it comes to the gay community we don't know how to witness to them. I would challenge any who read this to think about the power of Love, how it's transformed your life and the lives of others. Think of the power of the Cross, and Christ's sacrifice and the commitment of twelve men to so order their lives after the example of Christ that they changed the world, and how you can be a history maker in someone else's world.KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-41873224964729930942011-08-16T20:59:00.000-05:002011-08-16T20:59:57.908-05:00Band DynamicsSo I feel like the topic of "Band Dynamics" is one of incredible importance and needs to be addressed. Although this is a post directed more towards youth group bands and private school chapel bands, there may be something in here for all you, who knows? So let's get started.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Band dynamics are, as you've probably guessed, the way band members interact with each other. This is HUGE! Without good band dynamics, then everything just gets harder and more irritating. Knowing who the leader is (even just for a specific song), knowing who knows more about what, and, of course, HUMILITY is absolutely essential to having a good band! This is probably one of the hardest pills to swallow as a musician/vocalist/performer. Let me explain (feel free to skip the indented sections):<br />
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<blockquote>As a young guitarist I learned everything I possibly could about the guitar (both acoustic and electric). I played in my room for hours along with my favorite tracks from my favorite artists (Hillsong, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, etc.) Then as I got older and more confident I asked to be a part of my youth group's worship band. Boy, was I in for a wake-up call. I learned very quickly that the reason people gave me death glares was because I was playing when I shouldn't and I began to understand that playing in a band is WAY different from playing in my room by myself. I was in 8th grade when I first started playing for Truth (our Sunday evening Youth service) and the oldest members were Seniors. I've been gifted by God with a very high affinity for music (and especially for worship), but that didn't mean I could roll with the "big boys".</blockquote><blockquote>I had to learn that I couldn't just jam away on my guitar while people were trying to sound check or rehearse parts. I learned that one REAL quick. I learned I couldn't sing when I wanted to because other people were singing the same part and we weren't in sync (or there was too much harmony and not enough melody). And most importantly, I learned how to follow directions--directions of the band and music, of individual leaders, and of the Holy Spirit.</blockquote><blockquote>As I grew older I was given more and more leadership and participation in the band (when I started out I was given a monitor to share with 3 other beginners, none of us were plugged in, and we played in our sanctuary that weekly capacitates 500 people). I had continued to work on my guitar playing skillz at home, continued to study worship music and learn all the songs by heart so I could play and lead them on my own without sheet music (which wasn't that hard because of God's incredible blessing and gifting in my life) and my friends and I would even hold worship services where I was the co-leader (my buddy--two years my senior and also in the band--lead with me). Yet still, when it was my friend's turn to lead the band, I didn't lead much even though he and I both knew I had the ability to. Why? Because I had to learn to follow.</blockquote><br />
Musicians often have a natural swagger. They (along with vocalists) are often put on a pedestal as they perform and so pride is one of the biggest things they struggle with (especially if they are right...and often). The way my youth pastor ordered the band was to intentionally drag newcomers through the dirt so that they learned very well how to follow, how to behave during rehearsals and sound checks, etc.<br />
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Why does this apply to what I started talking about? I've just graduated high school (class of 2011) and when I went back just before the beginning of my high school's school year to observe and (occasionally) give help and feedback, I noticed a few things.<br />
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I had led those chapels for 3 years (almost single-handedly) and so when my senior year came and we had new people join and young ones to teach, a precedent had been set and they all knew that I knew what I was doing. In a word, they respected me. When I went to their first practice, there were vocalists off socializing with the leader (who would get sidetracked), the electric guitarist (talented, but who isn't these days?) played classic rock music every millisecond everyone wasn't going through a song, and the acoustic guitarist sat and waited for the new leader to give direction (along with a few of the juniors on the team).<br />
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While I sat making sheet music for the band I grew more and more irritated. The constant noise was killing me, and there was no real sense of direction. This is where band dynamics come into play. Even though I knew more about how to run the practice, about strumming patterns for the acoustic, about lead lines for the electric, about harmonies for the vocals, it was not my place to say anything to them because my time had come and gone there. Someone new was stepping in. Let me break down the age:<br />
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Leader and lead vocal - Soph.<br />
Acoustic - Soph.<br />
Backing Vocalists - Soph. & Seniors<br />
Electric - Freshman (or Soph.)<br />
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The problem here was that there was no general atmosphere of Respect. With respect, the electric would know not to be <u>constantly</u> playing classic rock tunes, the backing vocalists would know not to get the leader sidetracked, the leader would know that it's ok to defer to someone else if s/he knows more than her. Things go a lot more smoothly.<br />
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Within music, the 2nd guitar (in this case an electric) would know to play in a different register than the primary rhythm guitar (capo up, play triads and leads instead of strumming rhythm, etc.), the vocalists would know when to sing melody, when to sing harmony, and when not to sing at all. The leader would know that it's ok to not sing everything all the time but to delegate to other people so that even though s/he is the leader of the song, the congregation gets the feeling that <u>everyone</u> is singing so it's ok for them to sing too.<br />
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Band dynamics consist of <b>respect</b>, <b>humility</b>, <b>patience</b>, <b>love, <i>respect</i>, </b>and <b><i>humility</i></b>. Given these, things go a lot smoother, sound better, reduce headaches, and keep things calm and fun. And, my personal favorite, even if you don't exactly know what you're doing, you're going into a service with a group of people you know have got your back and that is an incredibly comforting, empowering thought.KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-52286597813807508072011-06-08T00:28:00.000-05:002011-06-08T00:28:01.980-05:00Thoughts on VisualsThis isn't always something that the average church-goer would think about, but it is important as worship leaders and planners to be conscious of: how our lyrics look on screen. If you go to a church that utilizes projected images, the way those images look is incredibly important.<br />
<a name='more'></a>I have had to go into different presentation softwares on a few different occasions to input lyrics to songs we were going to do in the upcoming service. Each time I was very nit-picky about how words were placed onto each slide (for lack of a better, general term). There is nothing more distracting than lyrics that cannot be read, lines that break funny, or poor backgrounds. When lyrics are too small or are ridiculously large or there are just too many words on the slide, the average worshipper finds it hard to give everything to God as part of his or her mind becomes preoccupied with how those poorly formatted slides just get more and more annoying.<br />
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One thing to think about is punctuation. For whatever reason, punctuation is usually omitted in lyric projections, and sometimes when we see punctuation (like a "?" or "!"...really anything that's not a comma) we get distracted. At the very least, our eyes and thoughts are immediately drawn to it. Though this can be distracting, it can also be used to draw emphasis to certain words, phrases, and/or ideas. For example, if in <i>Revelation Song</i> you put "With all creation I sing, 'Praise to the King of Kings! You are my everything, and I will adore You!'", it can make people read the line differently and so give a freshness to the song.<br />
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One last thing: videos. At my church our Associate Worship Director occasionally makes videos to "intro" the sermon for the service. Usually it's just to introduce a new sermon series, but sometimes it finds its way before every sermon in the series. This is not a bad thing, as it can help mentally prepare the congregation to receive the message and switch gears from worship to instruction. However, one of the backtracks he used for a particular sermon series was David Crowder* Band's <i>Phos Hilaron(Hail Gladdening Light). </i>Though this was an awesome tune for the actual video clip, it created an awkward feeling (for me at least) in the worship order when we would exit the stage having just finished a song like <i>Aftermath </i>(Hillsong United) or <i>Awakening</i> (Chris Tomlin). Those that are familiar with the songs can probably understand what I mean by bad transition music. The reason I bring up the instance is because it is also important to think about when videos are used, how often, and, if possible, what the audio is and how it will fall within a specific service.<br />
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These are all things to think about when planning a worship service, but, thankfully, not necessarily things that one has to think about for <b>every</b> service.KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-34378583623325151712011-05-07T20:37:00.000-05:002011-09-11T15:52:53.972-05:00Hosanna - Guitar Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yloIPEBdbpw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>This is a tutorial on how to play Hillsong United's "Hosanna" with a short-cut (aka foote) capo. This technique is good for two things: 1.) It is usually easier for a beginner to play because it contains no barre chords or open power chords, 2.) it provides a rich, full open chord sound on an acoustic guitar.<br />
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*Note: the short-cut capo used in the video is a backwards Kyser capo, but Kyser does make short-cuts for sale. If making your own short-cut capo, it must bar the A, D, and G strings (3, 4, and 5).KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-58946457061001835462011-04-18T22:07:00.000-05:002011-04-18T22:07:54.957-05:00Worship Is Like SeasonsIt has been my experience that worship often occurs like seasons. It has themes and feels, but they all move and change and never really stay in one spot for very long. I'm sure that many, if not all, of you have noticed that churches get "stuck on a song" (or songs) for a while. For a long time in my youth service we sang <i>From the Inside Out</i> by Hillsong United, as well as <i>Fire Fall Down</i>. Currently, we often do <i>Your Love is Strong</i> by Jon Foreman and <i>Revelation Song</i> by Jennie Lee Riddle. Why do I mention this?<br />
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The simple fact of it is that we as humans are habitual in nature. We love things that don't change because they provide comfort and security. Unfortunately, with the advent of Comfort and Security comes the departure of the Need for God. In planning a worship set, you not only repeat songs because they are well known by the congregation but also because they are well known by the band (which can be really helpful when the band you are playing with is young and inexperienced). The danger that this poses is large, but maybe unnoticed. The congregation, especially if you are playing at a retreat or summer camp type venue, can become emotionally attached to the song. Now, don't get me wrong, emotions are wonderful in a worship service. Emotions should point the way to God, they should tug at our heart strings and invoke our Reason and Intelligence to ask the Spirit what He would tell us, but often we don't get that far. If a congregation becomes "emotionally attached" to a song, the danger for them is to rely on their memories, on how they first felt when they heard the song for the very first time, and to stop seeking God and how He chooses to reveal Himself each time the song is sung. The band can become so comfortable playing that song that it can go from playing a worship song and leading people in worship to just having fun and playing a great song.<br />
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Humanity's love of comfort doesn't just show itself in what song we sing either. It is revealed when churches stick with just one style of music (Traditional or Contemporary), one style of worship (Structured or Spirit-led), one element about the atmosphere ("I can only worship if..."). My caution, and essentially my reason for writing this, is so that you can look at yourself and determine where your heart is when it comes to worship. It is a lie of Hell to say "I can't worship unless...." If you can't worship unless conditions are just the way you want them, then is it really worship?<br />
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John 4:19-26KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-65370329420458284772011-03-25T22:17:00.000-05:002011-03-25T22:25:44.744-05:00The Pursuit of ToneMaybe it's because I've been writing a research paper for my English class, but I'm going to be writing this blog and using Nigel "The Droff" Hendroff's blog post on Hillsong Creative (<a href="http://hillsong.com/blogs/creative/2009/01/27/the-pursuit-of-tone-droff/">The Pursuit of Tone</a>) as a reference and proving point. Regardless, I hope that you find this helpful and informative, and I pray that you take this to heart. Also, as with any of my posts, feel free to comment with your opinions, questions, and suggestions. I want this to stir discussion.<br />
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What, then, is the "Pursuit of Tone"? For those that are newer to the area of Worship Leading, this is a key point to consider, regardless of whether you are a vocalist, a percussionist, a pianist, a guitarist, or a techie (shout out to ya'll!). The pursuit of tone is just what it sounds like (deep, I know). It is the constant search-and-discovery that you go through in order to make things sound just right. No human likes bad-sounding music, so why would God?<br />
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What makes a good tone? If you have ever heard a choir sing, or have been a part of a choral performance, you know that <i>balance</i> and <i>blend</i> are absolutely key to having a good performance. The only time someone should stand out is when the moment is right, or the solo cannot be replaced (and still sound good) by the group singing unison. The same is true in worship. All of the instruments must blend and be balanced in order to provide a solid <b>atmosphere of worship </b>and not be a distraction to those you are trying to lead in worship. There are, as you've guessed, many ways of accomplishing this, and so I will try to be clear and concise.<br />
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The electric guitar is quite the beast, but the approach to its tone encompasses the approach for many instruments, so I will use it in reference to everything else (also because I'm most knowledgeable about it over an other instrument). There are many things to consider in creating tones/patches for an electric guitar, and for a more in-depth (but still relatively brief) look at the pursuit of tone specifically for the electric guitar, go check out The Droff's post on it (the link above). The only things I really want to say here that aren't said in the blog (or that should definitely be repeated/quoted) are that good tones are tantamount to awesome worship in a contemporary, full-band worship set! No one should be using the type of fuzz-distortion found in Switchfoot's "Hello Hurricane" record. <b> No one</b>. One of the best techniques I've found for the creation of a good tone is to use a song or an artist that is well known in worship and model your tone after theirs. For example, my very first patch on my DigiTech RP500 Multi-Effects processor is titled "Hillsong". My next patch is titled "Hosanna", based after Hillsong United's song. From within these sounds, though, I can broaden the range of sounds I get out of each patch by changing which pick-up I'm using (I play a Fender Stratocaster, Highway 01, US Made) and by fiddling with the 2 Tone knobs. This, in tandem with a beautiful-sounding patch, can do wonders.<br />
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Now that you understand that the overall sound of a patch is important, let's hit the effects part. Effects can be incredibly useful, and also incredibly distracting. I predominantly use EQ, Noise Gate, Wah, Pitch Shift/Whammy, Delay, and Reverb effects. Effects can be used to effectively add a lot of power and creativity to a song, but they should be secondary to a good sound. In the pursuit of tone, a good sound is more important than cool effects, but quality time should be spent in crafting both of them.<br />
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Finally, and most importantly, comes the actual playing of your instrument (Voice is included in this). The electric guitar is made to blend and add texture/power and provide support for the overall tone. In light of this, no song like "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" should have a line from Van Halen's "Eruption" playing in the background. Though an extreme example, it gets the point across. This does not mean that you cannot allow your full creativity to stretch and expand, however! The only reason I say this is because too often worship is ruined by good instrumentalists that have no feel for worship! They approach it wrong, and thus the worship sounds, feels, and essentially <i>is</i> wrong. In the vein of creativity, though, I must say I did use the intro line to Guns 'n Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine" during the chorus of "Sing to the King"! Vocalists shouldn't do a million and one vocal trills with grace notes and vocal riffs like they suddenly began singing like the song was jazz improv, but that doesn't mean they can't. The main goal, remember, is to <i>blend </i>and be <i>balanced</i>. The same goes with pianists and percussionists also. Bassists, this does not include you (just kidding)!<br />
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Techies, if you've read through this whole blog and were wondering where you come in to all of this, pay attention here! Techies have a unique take on the matter because they are not (necessarily) musicians. They don't (necessarily) take part in the same hubris (pride) that every musician must deal with. Techies must focus on EQs and levels in order to make the overall tone be <i>balanced</i> and <i>well-blended</i>. If you don't know how to do this, <b>learn it!</b> Nothing sounds worse than a lead singer who can't be heard or music that can't be heard over the awesome glory of the drums and bass amp. Techies also are a great source of feedback for how the congregation might respond to an arrangement of the song because, although musically it might be glorious, for worship it could be terrible. Techies are your best friends stage-dwellers! And I'm not just saying that because they can mute you!<br />
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I hope that this was worth taking the time to read. It was worth my typing out.<br />
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<blockquote><i>I will sing and make music to the LORD. -Psalm 27:6b</i></blockquote>KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4329766113393135718.post-27130315665790905892011-03-21T22:22:00.000-05:002011-03-21T22:22:45.028-05:00The BeginningWhy am I doing this? What's the purpose of the blog?<br />
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This blog is supposed to be thought-provoking. You don't have to agree with everything I say, in fact, I would be surprised if you did. This blog is supposed to give you advice, but at the very least help you examine what you're doing in worship as I examine what I'm doing in worship.<br />
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The main reason I created this blog was actually to leave behind all the knowledge I have gained in the past 6 years I have been leading worship. This blog will hit a multitude of things: playing the guitar, the heart of worship, ways of worship, getting a team to work together, etc. Hopefully there will be some videos and tutorials and links and lots of other stuff for you to access too. I want this blog to be a gateway into the beautiful world of music and the privilege of leading God's beloved in singing His praises.<br />
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By all means, feel free to email me or comment on the blog if you have questions or believe I am wrong on something. I would love for this to be something worth accessing, something worth plugging into, and for this to be a place where we share the adventure of discovering what it <b>truly</b> means to worship our God together.<br />
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1 Timothy 4:12KJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03309716108981067275noreply@blogger.com0