Get The Paddles Out
I was leading Sunday morning worship at this church. I greeted the assembled worshipers and… got back a very wimpy response. I felt like I was looking at a room of corpses.
Hymns Are Old Burned Up Plastic Bottles
The other night, I was tucking my son into bed and noticed some trash on his bunk bed shelf. It was the remains of an old, burned-up plastic Coke bottle.
How am I Supposed to “Worship” Singing O Little Town Of Bethlehem?!
Do you know which Sunday marks the end of the Church calendar year? (Did you know the church had its own calendar?!)
Praise Vacation
In the middle of your day. When you’re too busy to stop. When the pressure of the moment is all you can feel. When your dryness defines you. When you lack in zeal in serving the Lord.
3 Ways to Teach Musical Instincts
Did you ever wish you could teach your worship team to have better musical instincts? You can!
Singers Prophesy
What if our singers’ primary role is to prophesy, to declare the emotion and heart of God?
The Issue of Fear (and the way to avoid it getting its grimy hooks into your #SundaySetlist planning)
My typical planning schedule…
Drums, the Holy Spirit, and Congregational Response
Have you ever been frustrated, confused, or saddened by a lack of response from the congregation you’re leading in worship?
Do you see what I sing?
When was the last time you took a breath, ready to sing the next line, only to slowly exhale, mumble, or watermelon through the next line because the words weren’t up in time?
How I Learn Melody
What’s the most important musical part of a song? Melody. It’s the DNA, the unique fingerprint. Which brings up the next question…how do I learn melody, especially if I don’t read music or don’t have the musical notation available?
How Songs Are Built
Why do I need to know how to build a song?
Because knowing how to build songs enables…so many things.
Never Copy the CD*
I love what Todd Henry says in his podcast The Accidental Creative: “It is the age of creativity. Cover bands don’t change the world. Don’t be a cover band. You need to find your unique voice.”
Six Things I Learned About Rehearsals (From Leading a New Team Every Week…For Years!)
Almost every week, I lead a new team of musicians. Sometimes all we have is a Sunday morning rehearsal.
Worship Ministry Devotions
Do you wish that rehearsal would go deeper than just pulling the music together?
Groove, Space, and Dynamics
Groove, Space, and Dynamics are three things that we can always have more of in the music we create. But how?
who do YOU say I am?
I was planning a worship set. Feeling crushing pressure and tension.
Filter Bubbles and “my” Church
When was the last time you worshiped with other believers? Wait, but I mean not at “your” church. I mean, when was the last time you joined believers outside of your congregation and fully engaged in worship in their Sunday morning worship gathering?”