I was on staff and was failing with my techs. There was constant tension. There was contempt and sarcasm. And so much passive aggressiveness. There was no life. Rehearsals were dreadful.

Slash chords, color chords, inversions, and magic chords shape musical expression. I'll illustrate their unique roles with piano examples, but all melodic instruments can benefit from understanding these nuances.

It’s happening all over America. Worship leaders with twenty and thirty years of experience are “aging-out” of leading worship.

No, they’re not, but that’s what they call it.

I was helping our pastor pick up some used subwoofers and speakers for our church. We pulled up to a storage container, and our tech friend, who was selling them, greeted us with a smile.

Which of the Five Faders matters most? The logical answer is “my Fader!” :)

This question makes sense, but it isn't the most useful one. Often, the underlying concern is finding justification to challenge a leader or team member who is out of balance or unhealthy.

Have you appreciated receiving the Worship Fertilizer or any of the many resources from Ad Lib Music?

Can I ask you a big favor?

The Five Faders book launches TODAY!

I’ve never known what to do with orchestral band instrumentalists who want to join the worship team. It feels like they come from a different world. But there’s hope for us!

If You Can Be Anything, Be Kind

I am not often envious of my daughter’s wardrobe, but she has one shirt that I covet. On the front, it says “be kind,” and on the back, it says “everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” It’s a simple concept that has become my personal mantra as a worship leader and church planter.

I turned 50 in February. I’m not sure how it happened. I’m pretty sure yesterday I had all my hair and it was much darker, I could see at night while driving, and there were more days ahead of me than were behind me.

I love that my kids are multi-instrumentalists. Most mornings, we have family worship from 7:30 to 8:00. We take turns choosing the songs and rotate on the instruments from piano, bass, drums, acoustic or electric guitar, violin, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, percussion, and of course, voice.

Have you ever wondered where the Five Faders came from? This is its origin story!

I was talking with an audio coach in rural Illinois and we were reflecting on the realities that many churches don’t realize how far from their potential they have settled for, how they’ve grown accustomed to simply functioning on the lowest possible rung.

I was reviewing a worship video recording for a local church. I was struck by the singular thing they could do to improve their music quickly and increase congregational engagement exponentially.

Have you ever felt stuck at what to say when you open a worship service or introduce a song?

Every week, our team sets about the task of creating music to worship with. We create spaces where our congregation can meet with God. And we do it primarily through the tool of music.

Ever notice how some brothers and sisters seem to over-emphasize God’s “love” and under-emphasize our need for repentance? It’s in our culture. Like high places. High places that need to be destroyed.

Watch the Five Faders keynote!

I recently mentioned the name “Neo” to a room full of worship leaders, and they knew.

Worship MUST be your priority because it SETS your priority.

How do you know when you’re going from being detail-oriented, exacting, meticulous, and nuanced to... nitpicking? Where’s the line?

Every Fader must answer this critical question.