relevant expression: May 2008

new look

So I'm trying this new look for the blog. I really like the feel and look, but I'm not sure about the guitar. Of coarse I do play a little guitar, and it is my ministry blog as well, so I thought it might fit.

What do you think about it, or should I keep looking for something else? I was getting bored with the other look.

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the message on our website

Jeff Foss and Kit Mckee are doing a great job in getting the weekend's messages up on our website. They are getting them up every week.

They have put it up from this past weekend when I spoke. I have attached the link, especially for those of my friends and family who don't attend our church. In the message I read a pretty cool blog entry from my wife.

There is also the song "In Better Hands" closer to the end that the worship team did a awesome job on.

Thanks guys for getting it up on the web so soon. Here is the link. http://www.babchurch.org/resources.htm It is the one entitled "God's Grace is Enough"

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weekend reflections- May 24, 25

We had a great weekend at church. I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to speak at church this weekend. I had a great time doing it.

The worship team did a great job, and I'm very thankful for the work they did as an investment unto the Lord.

Here are the songs...

-Happy Day (Steve Fee)
-Our God Reigns (Brandon Heath)
-Mighty to Save (Hillsong)
-In Better Hands (Natalie Grant)
-Your Grace is enough (Chris Tomlin)

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nervous/excited

So I am a little nervous and really excited for this weekend. I have the privilege to be able to speak. I just haven't spoken in a couple of years since I moved to Boise. God has laid something on my heart to speak on, so I'm just trusting Him.

I know I am in front of everyone every weekend with the music, but this is a different role. One that I enjoy. Please pray for me this weekend and for our church.

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weekend reflections- May 17, 18

We had a great weekend this week. Keith Harrington spoke and did a great teaching us how we need to live out our worship.

Here are the songs that we worshipped with.

-Happy Day (Steve Fee)
-Made Me Glad (Hillsong)
-At the Cross (Hillsong)
-Top of my lungs (Phillips, Craig and Dean) Special Music
-Here I am To Worship (Tim Hughes)

Thank you church for a great weekend of Worshipping God.

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we need to learn to feed ourselves

Proverbs 26:15

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

One of the top reasons that people leave churches is that they feel like they are not getting fed.

That might be true in some cases. The church that they are a part of is not doing its job. But I think many times, those particular members are just to lazy to feed themselves.

When my kids were smaller and they were learning to eat, I didn't mind helping them to eat their food. But if they are 18 and I'm still doing the "Hey, here comes the airplane" routine, then there is trouble.

Many churches in America are filled with people that have never learned to eat for themselves. Sometimes this is the churches fault. Many time it is the christians fault, because they are unwilling to feed themselves.

The Church has many functions, but it is not there to feed the christian every spoonful of God's Word. The Church's job is to be the body of believers who work together to accomplish God's plan. We do learn at church, but we must also learn to feed ourselves through our own study and time with God as well.

The message should be proclaimed at church, but if we refuse to apply it, study God's Word, pray, and have fellowship with other believers, you will never grow past a toddler as a Christian.

Don't bury your hand in the dish. Learn to consume God's plan as you study, prayer, and serve. Learn to feed yourself. You will be better for it.

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the amazing invisible worship leader

Bill a member of our worship team sent me this article, written by a man name Eric Herron. I thought it was very good, and I wanted to pass it along to you. I totally agree with him.

The Amazing Invisible Worship Leader by Eric Herron

A few years ago after leading a crowd of missionaries in musical worship, I received the best comment I could have received as a worship leader. It wasn’t, “I love your voice.” Nor was it, “Hey, great guitar licks, man!” It was, “Today, you were INVISIBLE.”At first, I wasn’t sure how to take this. Was it a compliment? Was it criticism? As I engaged in conversation with the person who offered this comment, I began to understand his meaning. He explained that obviously he could literally ‘see’ the entire worship team up front – the drummer, bassist, guitarists, and singers. But, for much of the twenty minutes of musical praise it was as if we were not there at all. Somehow our team had played, sung, and led is such a way as to ‘get out of the way’. We had become ‘invisible’.

In this era of ‘worship rock-stars’ we quickly slip into a mode of leading in which our presence too easily becomes the center of attention. With lights shining, microphones blaring, and stages set, perhaps a few inches too high, it can be a struggle to direct the focus where it should be – on Father, Son, and Spirit - not on us. I am not opposed to these aesthetic extras. It is just that all of these things must be employed in such a way that our gathered worship becomes less of a produced performance for humans and more of a humble presentation of our love for God.

So, how can we practically accomplish ‘invisibility’ as worship leaders? As I have reflected on those words from that complimentary missionary, I have recognized a few basic principles that guide my team in allowing worshipers to ‘see right through us’ to the Lord:

Don’t say too much.

Have you ever felt like a musical worship leader has confused her role with that of a preacher? Occasionally, I find that I am tempted to share more words than necessary as I lead musical worship. I gently remind myself that ‘someone else is preaching today’ and settle into the idea that I have the special function of pointing people to God, not through my words, but through music. I try to ‘let the songs speak’ both in their lyrical content and melodic and harmonic content. This avoids unnecessary verbal clutter that distracts and blurs the attention of worshipers.

Create a flow.

Choosing songs that are woven together musically – in tempo, time signature, key signature, and style – minimizes distraction and allows one song to lead directly into another, avoiding awkward and unintentional silence. Also, choosing songs that connect together lyrically will lead worshipers on a journey to the throne of God that makes logical sense. For instance, it can feel strange singing a song about God, then one to God, and then one about God again. Keep the address and theme of the lyrics moving in the same direction.

Practice hard – to play well.
It is a simple thing to spend adequate time practicing a particular music set with your team. Yet, we often fail to prepare enough. I have heard the excuse that ‘we want to be spontaneous.’ To this, I reply, “Those who are most thoroughly prepared are also those who are most able to be successfully spontaneous.” And, nothing distracts like a ‘train-wreck’ of chords and notes in the middle of a sweet song to Jesus. Of course, he can redeem all of our mistakes, but why not avoid them if possible!

Place and perform solos carefully. Often, instrumental solos can add beauty to a set of musical worship. However, sometimes guitar solos appear to be offered more to the “crowd” than to God. Avoiding this is a little tricky. I recall one time when my guitar player friend had a big sweater on and just before his solo, he reached his arm up into the air to push his plentiful sweater sleeve farther up on his arm and out of his way. His attitude was humble and his action was pure in heart, but it looked like he was John Travolta on the dance floor! It is best to avoid ‘rock star’ poses as much as possible. Try to present your body in a way that is natural, humble, and unobtrusive.

Cultivate an attitude of humility.

Taking an attitude of humility in imitation of Jesus (Philippians 2) can go a long toward making us ‘invisible’ leaders before a group of worshipers. Practicing daily spiritual disciplines such as ‘submission’ and ‘silence’ can allow the Spirit to build humility into our character. Pride is offensive to God and obvious to people. Approaching your worship leading with a proper perspective on your own place before God will contribute to your invisibility before others.Truly, it is not the lights and stage that make us performance oriented. I have seen plenty of leaders ‘steal the show’ with only a single acoustic guitar. Of more importance is our attitude, preparation, and sensitivity in this act of servanthood called “worship leading.”Today, I strive for INVISIBILITY as one who is often placed before large groups.

My prayer has become, “Lord, when people see me, instrument in hand and voice raised in song, may they see ‘right through me’, to You. Amen.”

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gateway worship

I listen to a lot of music as I am searching for songs for our worship service. I love that part of my job. So I find alot of good stuff.

Here is one of the latest ones that I really enjoy. It is the newest CD by Gateway Church. We do a few of their songs from their first CD. (Come thou Fount, Revelation Song, and You, you are God.)

This CD has some good ones as well, and I am looking forward to implementing them into our church.

Here is a link to their website, and you can hear their songs as well. http://www.gatewayworship.com/

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are you a learner or a doer?

There are 2 different types of people in the world. Learners and Doers. Learners are those people that are always studying, being taught, and pulling information in. Doers are those type of people who are always actively working at things they know. Natural doers are people that you can't stop for a minute and are constantly doing. Natural learners are the type of people that are always soaking up information, and want to learn instead of actually doing what they are learning. They just naturally want the information.

A person's sweet spot is when they can join the two. What use is information, if you don't put it into practice? What use is doing something if you have no clue what you are doing? Yes, that is deep.

I'm being serious. I know people that are really smart and have a lot of book knowledge, but they don't get much accomplished. I also know other people that just do what they know, and they never grow, improve, or get better at anything, but they are always active.

We need to have a balance. The Bible is clear that we are to be "Doers of the Word, and not a hearers only." James 1:22 We must always be learning, but we need to stay active in doing at the same time. God has given us to much to do, and to much to know, for us to not be involved in both avenues.

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weekend reflections- May 10,11

We had a great weekend celebrating our moms. The worship team pulled a song off this weekend that really stretched us. A country song. We did the song called Mr. Mom by Lonestar. It had a country swing for sure. We had a good time.

Here are the songs we did.

-Because of Your Love (Paul Baloche)
-Hosanna (Hillsong United)
-Sweetly Broken (Jeremy Riddle)
-Mr. Mom (Lonestar)

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happy b-day and mother's day mom

I just wanted to wish my mom a Happy Birthday today. And since her birthday is really close to mother's day, I want to wish her a happy mother's day as well. She is a great mom, and I don't thank her enough for all that she has done for me.

I am very blessed to have a Godly mother who raised me in the Lord.

Mom, I hope you have a great birthday and mother's day. Your favorite son. (JK)

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this weekend- May 3, 4

Here are the songs that we did as a church this weekend.

-I am Free (New Life Worship)
-Our God Saves (Paul Baloche)
-I am Yours/Take My Life and let it Be (Michaele Neale)
-Hosanna (Hillsong United and Passion)

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my twins b-day

I just want to wish my twins a happy B-Day today. They are 7 years old. I can't believe that they are that old. Crazy. I am very blessed to have them as my children. Happy Birthday Cassi and Christopher.

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