What Do You Practice?

I'm really excited about meeting with the praise team/band from "The Big B," Campbellsville Baptist Church tonight. We're going to prepare to lead in worship on Sunday. 

Since some of you are probably curious, here's the set list:
   "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" from Hymns for Praise and Worship
   choir: "Let All That I Am Praise the Lord" by Dan Goeller
   "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" as arranged by Travis Cottrell
   "Hosanna" from Hillsong United
   "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" jazz-gospel arrangement by Benji Harlan
   "O Church Arise" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

The team I'm meeting with is familiar with most of these tunes. "Hosanna" is fairly new. The choir song is new.

And I expect to spend 2 hours with them.

What in the world will we do?

That's exactly what prompted me to write today.

We will practice getting the notes right, the rhythms accurate and tight, the form in our heads, the words clear, and dynamics crafted in a variety of ways--pp to ff and a variety of instrumentation. 

Because I'm convinced worship leaders are communicators more than musicians, we will also spend time making sure we can effectively and clearly communicate the lyrics of each song.

That much we should be able to do in about 75-90 minutes. You've done the math already, haven't you? What about the other 30-45 minutes?

We'll practice. 

Thought we covered that?

No. We'll practice worshiping. You see I'm thinking of the leadership principle that we can't take others where we've not already gone. Of course that's true with musical accuracy, but far more importantly it is true with our hearts, minds and souls. 

So we'll worship tonight. We may linger for a while in the "Praise the Lord" section of "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty." We may do a little celebrating of God's faithfulness in "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." We will certainly pray that God will "break my heart for what breaks" His in "Hosanna." 

We'll worship.

If we never practice worshiping, how can we get better at it? And specifically, get better at leading others to do it? 

How about you? Do you make room in your worship prep--whether with choir, orchestra, praise team, or rhythm section--to practice worshiping? Any tips on how you've done that effectively?

Send more kids to funerals?

Is that as bizarre sounding to you as it is to me... sending more kids to funerals?

The Child Development experts will probably disagree with the idea, but hang with me.

Children may balk more at this idea than going to see a mean doctor having a really bad day.

In fact, you may think this is the stupidest idea you've heard since The New Coke.

Here's why I had such a weird idea: I went to a funeral.

It was a guy I kind of knew, but not really. We were "good acquaintances." I wish we'd been good friends. We could've been. I missed out.

It gave me a whole different way to think about the sanctity of a life.

See where I'm going yet?

You see, as I listened to the stories about my friend Tim Best, I heard how much value was packed into his 65 years on this earth. I heard how much he meant to his students in band, choir and drama. I heard how much he meant to his community, as founder of a theater group. I heard how much he meant to his churches, including the pastors with whom he served. I heard how much he meant to this world.

He was priceless.

And that's why I think maybe we should take kids to funerals.

Not seeing it yet?

There is a trend, more prevalent in big cities I imagine, of devaluing life. Senseless murders. Valuing a pair of shoes over the feet that walk in them. It seems to me to stem from a belief that life just doesn't matter much. "My" life may. "Their" life may not.

But if kids went to more funerals they'd hear about the value of life, they'd see how much the person who is being memorialized was cherished by people--real people.

Few thing make us more aware of the value of life than death.

So even if this is an exceedingly stupid idea--sending kids to more funerals--I've decided to cherish the stories of the people around me a little more. I don't want to attend another service for an acquaintance that I wish had been a friend. I want to know people well. I want to love people well.

And I don't want to wait until a funeral.

BIG Assignment

I heard a fantastic sermon by Matt Betts at Woodburn Baptist Church yesterday. It was powerful. Bottom line? Instead of stepping over God to bow at the feet of people and their opinions of us, would should step over our fear of people to bow at the feet of a holy God. He taught that truth from 1 Samuel 15:1-24. Rock on, Matt!

But as Matt read us that passage there was another verse that jumped off the page and into my soul: "Samuel told [Saul], “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you..."

The irony in the passage is that Saul actually thinks too much of himself. It was that incongruity that first caught my attention. How can a king that put his own desires about God--a pretty strong picture of arrogance--"think too little of" himself?

So as I listened to the sermon I was also asking God to clarify for me.

God is so good. Not only did He clarify, He spoke a word I needed to hear.

Saul thought too little of himself because he had lost sight of the fact that his assignment was from God.

I far too often do the same thing. I see the assignments of other folks--friends, colleagues, Facebook friends, and I start to "think too little of myself."

And then I remember, any assignment from God, anything He has appointed and anointed me to do, is a big deal. It's the Assigner of the task, not the task, that makes it important. 

Some of what I've learned from Mother Teresa and Henri Nouwen seems in line with this: to clean toilets because it is the calling of God is better than to lead a large corporation if it is not His calling.

This is hard for me. I imagine it may be hard for a few of you, too.

How about it? Are you thinking too little of yourself these days? 

Then do what God has called, gifted, and anointed you to do. And trust that He knows more than we do about how to get His will done, His kingdom to come.

Thoughts? Please comment below!

Confession Time

I struggle with it. I know I often seem to have great clarity, but honestly...I have a lot of fuzz about several things related to worship ministry in 2013. Here are a few.

1) I miss making great choral music. I really loved working fine points of choral tone, of hearing harmonies that just don't seem at home in a more modern-worship context, and teaching much of the great choral literature I learned in college and seminary. I don't know that it matters--in terms of growing the kingdom of God--but I miss it.

2) I still don't feel like I have a clue what the "graded children's choir" has to do with worship ministry in the modern church. The original concept grew out of a desire to have great adult choirs, those who could read music and sing well. But I struggle with a lack of clarity about how to prepare the next generation to lead worship for their generation.

3) I wish youth choirs could be a big deal again. I know, so old school! But I remember tours. I remember relationships. I remember watching those students excel. And I miss it. I really wish we could find a way for the church of the 21st century to have vibrant youth choirs.

So there are my top 3. What about you? Anything you'd like to "confess" that is a struggle for you when it comes to clarity and ministry? Maybe our online community can come up with some helpful input!

The Next Chapter (from special guest, Dennis Cook)

I’m thankful that Rod has asked me to supply a guest blog post for the Worship Coach blog! I admire Rod and am thankful for his ministry in the local church and my life. Worship Leaders, rely on Rod’s daily post to encourage you as you follow God’s call in ministry!

My last day at Hawesville Baptist Church was Sunday, January 20. I spent over 5 ½ years there ministering through music and discipleship with some great leaders! On Sunday, February 3, I begin a new chapter in my life as Pastor of Worship and Discipleship at First Baptist Leitchfield.

Rod gave me a few ideas for this post and the one I picked is the one I am most unsure about, but I am going to give it my best shot: What am I going to do in the first 3-6 months to create a culture of worship at my new church?

While going to a church in view of a call, you never get a ton of time with those in your ministry – a couple of rehearsals and worship services at most don’t exactly give you all the tools you need to understand who you may be serving with in the future. Above all things, during that weekend, you are most concerned with worshiping God, being yourself and making sure your ears are open to see if God is truly calling you there.

So now that we begin this next chapter, what are some things I will attempt to do to establish a culture of worship?

1) Educate. Over the first 3-6 months, I will be utilizing several tools to educate the congregation on who I am, how the Bible explains true worship and how we will be worshiping as a group of believers. I will use my blog (ChurchMusicToday – shameless plug), Facebook, and the church newsletter to share some basic “talking points” on the direction we will be headed as a staff, congregation and worship team.

1 Chronicles writes about being “skilled” in leading music. That is a huge responsibility for us to make sure we are not merely going through the motions. Most importantly, I will attempt to educate them by teaching them that worship is a direct response of who we are and what Christ has done for us. Moreover, as we are to be the body of Christ, all of our words and actions (in and out of the church building) should be acts of worship – putting our preferences aside and putting His purpose first.

2) Experiment. I’d say you have a certain amount of time during the “honeymoon” phase of ministry to get a good deal of experimentation in. Ya know, the “honeymoon phase” where everyone likes you and you haven’t made anyone upset with changes yet. Some honeymoon phases are longer than others.  I’ve had a month of a honeymoon phase and I’ve also experienced a year of it. During the experimental phase of ministry at FBC, I will choose to experiment with:

a) order of worship. I will attempt to be flexible in the order, move things around a bit, all the while gauging feedback and possible issues for red flags. There is no true order of Biblical worship. We have Biblical mandates as to what to include as an acts of worship, but no true order.

b) style of music. I will experiment with different styles of music for congregation, praise team and praise band. My goal is to be very thematic in what I plan, so the door is open to using any style, as long as the lyrics are Biblical. Variety will be my goal and it will also show me the abilities of the musicians and singers. Are we able to do anything from “O God Our Help in Ages Past” to “White Flag” and anything in between?

After all, Colossians 3 calls us to use “Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” correct? Let’s be sure to follow that Biblical model in all of our corporate worship.

3) Edify. One of the most unifying moments for the praise band at HBC was an idea of fellow blogger, Zach Rice. Zach suggested to me the idea of a praise band book study. I highly recommend this idea – it worked at HBC and I plan on doing it at FBC. We used the book, “Worship Matters” by Bob Kauflin. This is a great resource for you, as a leader, and for your ministry. If you’ve never read it, order it today. Another way to build up the team-like atmosphere within the worship ministry is to have a night where you gather and worship together by singing new songs to be used in worship in the future. Learn the songs together – both musically and lyrically – and spend time in worship. In this process of edification, I will also be able to gauge the abilities of the instrumentalists and singers as well as learn how we can grow in the future.

4) (and finally) Employ. I want to let the people lead the music and worship ministries at FBC. I want to be a better delegator.  I need to be a better delegator. So, with that in mind, I need to work hard on planning and promoting. The more I do in planning, the more I can promote and equip my leaders to do the jobs they are called to do. I want to be able to employ the volunteers I serve with to do the best job possible. We are many members, but one body. So, as ministers, it is our job to equip our people to give God their best.

Secondly, I hope to employ the services of the Worship Coach so that he and I can possibly work together on empowering the strengths and building up the weaker areas of the new ministry God has led me to. I can’t think of a better way to set goals for my new ministry than to have Rod’s assistance on seeing things from a perspective other than my own. Hiring him as the “secret shopper” (coming in as a guest and testing out our greeter ministry, signage, flow of worship, etc.) could be a great blessing in setting or preparing my ministry plan for the months ahead.

Thanks Rod for the opportunity to write for your blog!

“May He become greater, and I become less.” – John 3:30

Dennis Cook

Pastor of Worship and Discipleship

First Baptist Leitchfield (KY)

Your Song Story

I was honored to fill in for my dear friend Andrew Causey and lead worship at Woodburn Baptist Church near Bowling Green, KY. The service was planned before I got there and was sort of a "throw back" service for that congregation. Every song was found in the 1991 Baptist Hymnal. The accompaniment was just piano and organ. There was no praise team. No choir.

And it was great.

It made me so proud of my friends who are leading well in that cross-generational church. The style of music did not determine the expression of the worshipers. Young. Middle. Old. All were engaged.

Two things I'd like to share from that experience that may serve you.

#1 - The power of a cappella singing. One of the things I asked the pianist and organist to do was drop out for the last chorus of Mark Blankenship's Worthy of Worship. As one of the older members commented to me after the service, "It sounded like the roof might come off!" The sound of voices--the only instrument fashioned by God--was powerful. If you haven't recently found a way to sing softly, loudly, or in between--and without instruments--go for it!

#2 - The need to share our song stories. A song Andrew had chosen was one I don't think I've ever picked in 25 years of planning worship services, "Day by Day." (Please don't hate me if you love that song!) What struck me as we sang was how much that song took me back to singing at my grandmother's church on Mother's Days as a kid. And I imagine she, and my mom, could tell me stories about why that song means so much to them. So I encouraged the congregation--younger folks first...
   a) young people, there's a reason those older than you want you to know these songs. It isn't just because we like them, it's because we have encountered God through them. Just like you are meeting with God through newer music, we have stories and memories of God's faithfulness connected to songs we've been singing for decades.
   b) older folks, there's a reason you want those younger than you to know these songs. So TELL US STORIES! This can be a great way to commend the works of God from generation to generation. (Psalm 145:4) So rather than complaining that we don't sing "Victory in Jesus" enough, tell people why that song is a faith marker for you. Share the story. Share your story. Share God's story. And then, whether we sing it often enough or not, our children and grandchildren will know the works of God in your life. And isn't that endlessly more important than what songs we sing anyway?

How do you share your faith story with those younger?

Spiritual Energy

Does that title seem odd to you? It sometimes does to me, almost new-age-ish.

Let me share where I first started using that phrase.

I was the Worship Pastor at First Baptist of Lansdale, PA. We had an early, contemporary service. And people who would visit the early service from their regular late (more traditional) service would comment about how the service just seemed to have more energy. Fewer people attended at 8 am. A lot fewer. There was no 40-voice choir like the later service. No giant pipe organ like we had at 11:00. But more energy.

Yet the energy wasn't emotionalism. We weren't always laughing or crying or any such thing. We just had more of what I could only describe as God-sourced energy.

It was while I was learning to lead worship in that place that I think God awakened in me the desire to lead with passion and energy that reflected the words we were singing. The style of music helped, but as I have increasingly discovered over the last few years, the profound meaning of the text--and engaging it fully--is what has maintained my spiritual energy and passion.

Let me use a song you may not be familiar with to illustrate. I learned it from one of my mentors, Dave Bullock from Elmbrook Church in Wisconsin. Dave used to bring a group of folks to lead worship for a Kentucky Baptist Convention event called Shepherding the Shepherd. And it was there I learned "When I Was Lost," a song by Kate Simmonds:

When I was lost you came and rescued me

Reached down into the pit and lifted me

O Lord, such love: I was as far from you as I could be

You know all the things I've ever done

But Jesus' blood has canceled every one

O Lord, such grace, to qualify me as your own.

Over the last few years, as I've sung the words "I was as far from you as I could be" and remembered the multiple times and ways God has rescued me, has canceled my sin, has qualified me as his own, I can't help but sing with gratitude. No editorial note is required at the beginning of the song. My story intersected God's story and got lost--or better, found--in that Story. 

And so I sing from the deep places of my heart, my mind, my soul. 

When lots of people in the same room do this at the same time there is spiritual energy.

Or as the Psalmist translated it according to the old KJV: "Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." (Ps 22:3)

So when people talk with me about the way I lead worship that connects with them, I most often hear something like "I really believe you when you sing." My hope is that this is not only true for all who stand on a platform and leads God's people into God's presence for God's glory, but that it looks like it.


For help developing this part of you as a worship leader, I offer mentoring as part of Worship Coach consulting and I'd be honored to serve you in whatever way I can. Just shoot me a message!

RodEEllis@aol.com
www.worshipcoach.us
502.229.0114

Freedom, Freedom, Freedom

I did enjoy Braveheart quite a lot, but that's not what I'm thinking here.

It is Martin Luther King, Jr. day, and that's what prompted the timing for sure. I am so grateful for the vision MLK had for all people to be free in Christ.

And, of course, that concept comes directly from the scripture: Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. (Galatians 5:1)

Doesn't this have significant implications for our worship gatherings? Shouldn't people have a powerful sense of Godly freedom when it comes to how we express our hearts and minds? Shouldn't the Christ-oriented heart be increasingly able to demonstrate outwardly what it feels inwardly? 

I am convinced the answer is a fervent YES! 

And so on occasion, when I'm leading worship, I will encourage people to pursue that freedom. My experience has been that a set of words can so profoundly affect me that while others are standing, I have to sit under the weight of what has been sung. Conversely, there have been many times I couldn't just sit there and sing; I had to get on my feet. 

Without being defiant or antagonistic (which is why I called it Godly freedom), I encourage you to spur those you lead toward freedom in worship. According to the Apostle Paul, that's why Christ set us free--to live free!

Happy Martin Luther King day, friends!


To get some help with this dynamic, I'd love to come and serve your worship leading team--choir, praise team, tech team, planning team, etc. Just shoot me a message! RodEEllis@aol.com

Becoming Tech Savvy

I enjoy technology. I'm not obsessed with it. I don't think it is the key to a utopian world. And I don't think the church even needs technology to worship. (I did spend time in east Africa, where there was no electricity available, and we worshipped just fine.)

But in our great country, and in most churches in our country, being able to navigate around worship-related technologies is sure helpful. If we're going to enlist unpaid servants to run sound, a computer, a light board, a camera, etc. then it would be good to be able to communicate using the right vocabulary, it would be even better to have a working knowledge of what the capabilities of those technologies are.

But how?

That sort of depends on where you're starting and your personality.

I have a friend who reads--cover to cover--every instruction manual on every piece of electronics he buys. I would rather visit a mad dentist having a bad day.

I have another friend who loves to share "tricks of the trade." I love hanging out with him 'cause I learn every time.

And then there's a simple sense of adventure. When we first installed a theatrical lighting system at Memorial Baptist in Frankfort, I was a sponge--watching lighting everywhere I went, paying attention to how it was used for dramatic sketches, for soloists or ensembles, for preachers, etc. I thought of it as a playground and I was the kid.

But there's also just good old fashioned research. Sometimes you have to hop online and check something out. Or contact a knowledgable friend/colleague to get an answer.

I've seen more and more people ask questions on Facebook, like my buddy Dennis Cook did recently when checking into presentation software.

And, of course, if you'd like some help with an all-around check-up, let's set up a Worship Coach session--either with you or your tech/production/media team. I'd be honored to serve any way I can!


www.worshipcoach.us
www.facebook.com/worshipcoach

Three Choices

Every day you and I are faced with three cultures from which to choose:

   a) the culture of current world trends,

   b) the culture of (church) tradition, and

   c) the culture of the Bible.

This is true in virtually every area of life. But nowhere is it more true than in our approach to worship.

I had two delightful experiences a few years ago that led me to think about that in a different way.

Experience #1 was with a couple of highly respected older men in a church I served for a long time. They invited me to lunch for an opportunity to share some of their thoughts about worship styles as “seasoned citizens” and a longing they had for unity in our congregation. I learned much from their thoughts and their perspective.

Experience #2 was at a worship concert with one of today’s biggest names in the world of Christian worship, Chris Tomlin. It was there that I joined my (retired age) friend Martha in learning to “dance in the river.” It was a grand experience and I worshipped with every song, those I liked and those I didn't like as much.

So is it a leap from these two experiences to making choices in “worship culture?” I don’t think so. Allow me to explain.

First, the two gentlemen were sharing with me their perception that a more contemporary worship style lacks reverence. I agree that modern worship tends to be less formal, subdued, and quiet than that evangelical gatherings of the last 50 years. And there's no doubt that the culture of our world is increasingly irreverent. That’s why it is essential that we do as the Psalmist declares and “…bow down [and] kneel before the Lord…” Unlike the observations of those two men, though, my experience with contemporary church services is that they do, indeed, have beautiful moments of quietude, of reverence. This is good and healthy.

Second, at the Chris Tomlin worship concert there was a great deal of borrowing from the culture of rock–n-roll. There was shouting and dancing and raising hands, much like the experience of any rock concert. But then I had to ask myself, is that is really the culture of the world or has rock music actually stolen it away from the culture of the Bible. After much consideration I believe we need to take another look into the recounting of worship in the Old Testament, and specifically the hymnbook that Jesus used. (the Psalms) As uncomfortable as my upbringing may have made me with “raising hands” in worship, it is biblical. Again, we choose, is it from the culture of the world, the church, or the Bible? I certainly think shouting is foreign to our tradition, but how many Psalms can you find that say we are to “Shout to the Lord?”

So my conclusion after these two beautiful events is simply this: Let’s work to leave behind the culture of tradition (not tradition itself; just its culture).  And let’s work to engage our world, to be “in it but not of it” so that we do not embrace the culture of the world, but we speak through it and work with Jesus to redeem it. And let’s work most intentionally toward embracing and adopting the culture of our Bible where we are instructed to:

…sing for joy to the Lord;

…shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation

AND

…bow down in worship

…kneel before the Lord our Maker.

What do you think? Leave a comment and I'll gladly respond.

Come to Me: A treatment for the hurried life

I offer this for you for use in your personal devotional time or as a reading in worship. There are some great tunes written with the "Come to Me" concept at their core, whether quoting this passage or not. (see suggestion at the end) It could be a more classic choral piece or a modern worship song. Be creative.

One note, if you are using it in a service, make sure the actors/readers spend some time getting comfortable with the "out of time" overlap of words which eventually come into alignment. It will make key moments have much greater impact.

Matthew 11:25-30 (The Message)

Reader: #1: Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer,

Reader #3 (Jesus): “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”

Reader #2: Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. 

Reader #3 (Jesus): “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

All three: (read in turns, overlapping by one word, so you are talking on top of each other)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burnout out on religion?

All three: (read, overlapping at first, then slowly coming into alignment)

“Come to me.”

Reader #3 (Jesus): “Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”

All three: (again read in turns, overlapping by one word, so you are talking on top of each other)

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.”

All three: (in unison) “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”

Reader #3 (Jesus): “I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”


Here's just one fresh example of a song that could beautifully follow this reading: Come to Me (Bethel Live). You'll find the print music here.

Not a Spectator Sport

He changed my life. Really. In fact, I don't know of very many people (outside of family and those I interact with often) that have changed it more.

And this excerpt from his book may best summarize the impetus for that change: "Worship is not something done to us or for us but by us."

Those words from the late Robert Webber now shape the way I think about everything in the worship gathering: song selection, flow, instrumentation, rehearsal, body language, fashion, screens, sound, lighting, and more.

So when one of my friends in ministry asked me to write about how people can be encouraged to join in, not just be spectators, my mind first went to this short sentence from the opening pages of Worship Is a Verb.

But then, as I've pondered over the weeks since my friend asked, I've decided to offer just three ways I try to lead in a way that gets as many people as possible "doing" worship.

First, spiritual formation. It seems to me that when I encounter someone who has a soul that is afire with the Spirit of God, their worship is expressed. It has to be. It can't not be. And that's true regardless of style of music. So the pastoral team, including the worship pastor, must invest in "fanning into flame" the faith we have received.

Second, worship education. Churches are places of learning. People learn in many ways, and sadly, we often learn things that aren't true or right. So using Biblical verses, passages, stories and concepts, I try to create an accurate understanding of what Christ-exalting worship involves. Some ways I've done this through the years include Bible Study groups, weekly emails, newsletter articles, book studies, and now--a lot of social media.

Third, platform modeling. This has been area of exciting growth for me over the last decade or so. I want to authentically look like what I'm asking the congregation to do. If I appear disinterested, I do an injustice to the goal of helping others actively "do" worship. But if I communicate the lyrics I'm singing, I can encourage others to do the same.

This is one my strengths in worship ministry. In fact, the track record I have for helping churches become active worshipers is a huge part of why I have created my Worship Coach consulting-ministry. If there is any way I could come and help your church be more participatory in her worship, I'd love to hear from you!


www.worshipcoach.us

Daily D

I had an unusual experience while praying the other day. I've been praying for a few decades, most days of those decades, and often many times in a day. And this has never happened.

God seemed to tell me to shut up.

I know. Seems heretical.

I don't mean that God was telling me to ignore Him or break fellowship or any such thing. But this particular praying was just before a key meeting, so I thought spending some time with my Father would be wise. As I prayed I sensed Him whisper to me, "be yourself." Five times I prayed, and five times the same response. And then there was just this sense that he sort of told me we were finished talking.

It was really weird.

And just like weird people, weird experiences are worth staring at.

So as I've stared.

I've pondered.

I wonder if we have over emphasized daily devotions and under emphasized daily devotion.

Let me say that another way: we may have made too much of a few minutes with God and too little of every minute with God.

(And we probably do the same with money, beating the drum of the tithe rather than looking at God's desire for a hundred percent of what we receive.)

So what if we thought of daily devotions as a part of--but not all of--daily devotion.

Returning to my bizarre prayer-experience, perhaps God was revealing to me that all of my morning was prayer, some of it talking with Him alone and more of it being with Him and others.

What do y'all think? Leave a comment, if you don't mind!

Softened?

Pastor Dwight Moody, at the ordination service for my nephew, Jeremy, preached a passionate sermon about the calling to faithful, gospel ministry. It was really great. (Read more in "A Father's Pride, blog post for January 7.)

One phrase he used caught my ear: "We cannot soften the gospel."

I agree. The gospel is not soft, it is strong. It can even be sharp, especially when it cuts against our pride and self-sufficiency.

But the thought that came to me at the very moment Dwight spoke those wise words was: "But the gospel must soften us."

And one of my favorite verses of scripture was quickly on the heels of that thought: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

And that makes me think of a great, modern classic anthem by Craig Courtney, "Here I Am, Lord." (Actually the song is by Dan Schutte, but Craig wrote a stunning arrangement.)

But back to the point, I wonder--if we're not being softened by the gospel, have we softened it?

Attitude Is?

A friend in ministry suggested I write about how I have successfully dealt with those in worship ministry who have a bad attitude.

This should be short!

Actually, I think it is a great question and I'm even more interested in help you may have to offer than I am in what follows. This is a huge challenge, and I'm not sure it is one I have effectively conquered. Still, I have three approaches to share.

First, what I've done that hasn't worked--ignore it. I tried this approach far too often. And sadly, some of those folks I just outlasted. My positive, can-do, believe the best approach has probably just frustrated some people so much that they gave up and went somewhere else. I don't know that for sure. No one has told me as much. But it seems, looking back, that this may have happened. That makes me sad.

Second, something I've done that worked well--build a positive team. The more the people around me are armed with a great attitude, the more those with a bad one stand out and feel out of place. Not only that, but those around me who are more comfortable with confrontation simply speak up. One of the things I like about this approach is that as a pastor-leader, I don't have to "come down" on someone, but those in the church hold one another accountable.

Third, what I've tried to do that seemed to help--create a positive culture. This takes the longest but also has the longest positive effect. So I use scripture passages to teach--through weekly emails, in devotions at rehearsals or meetings, and in conversations--that attitude matters to God. Consider these three verses:
   "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." Philippians 2:5 (a great passage, vss. 1-11, to do an interactive conversation about over several weeks)
   "Do everything without complaining and arguing." Philippians 2:14 (yes, that really is in the Bible!)
   "We will speak the truth in love." - Ephesians 4:15 (key being how we speak)

Building a culture of Christ-like attitude can be helped along by creating a short list of core values or key concepts that are published everywhere those in the worship ministry see. While at Memorial Baptist in Frankfort, we decided on these five: integrity, community, excellence, creativity and evaluation. Click here to see more.

One last thought--we need to get better in church-world, and I need to continue to improve personally, at helping one another become more like Jesus: to offer correction, to encourage personal holiness. More verses that may help you develop a Christ-like conviction about how to walk together as a faith community:
   "...if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently." - Galatians 6:1
   "First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye." - Matthew 7:5

So my best counsel is this: develop a culture where people are open to spiritual development--by going first--while building a team of volunteers that share a desire for the same, with a positive attitude. Oh, and get your lead pastor on board. First. For sure.

Hope that helps!

Now... anything to add, wise friends?

A Twist on the Creation Account

The reading that follows may seem a little long for use in a worship gathering, but in the right moment it could provide an effective reminder of God as the source of creation. Many Biblical accounts of worship testify to the significance of recognizing the grandeur, the greatness of God. And correspondingly, the smallness of us. This passage can certainly have that affect.

For two readers:

1) In his prologue to the book of Genesis in The Message, author Eugene Peterson writes:

2) “First, God. God is the subject of life. God is foundational for living. If we don’t have a sense of the primacy of God, we will never get it right, get life right, get our lives right. Not God at the margins; not Gold as an option; not God on the weekends. God at center and circumference; God first and last; God, God, God.

1) And now, hear the story of creation as Peterson relates it:

2) First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

1) God spoke:

2) "Light!"

1) And light appeared. God saw that light was good and separated light from dark.

2) God named the light Day, he named the dark Night. 

1) It was evening, it was morning—

BOTH: Day One. 

1) God spoke:

2) "Sky! In the middle of the waters; separate water from water!" 

1) God made sky. He separated the water under sky from the water above sky. 

2) And there it was: he named sky the Heavens; 

1) It was evening, it was morning— 

BOTH: Day Two. 

1) God spoke: 

2) "Separate! Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place; Land, appear!"

1) And there it was. God named the land Earth. He named the pooled water Ocean. 

2) God saw that it was good. 

1) God spoke:

2) "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, Every sort of fruit-bearing tree." 

1) And there it was. Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties, and fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. 

2) God saw that it was good. 

1) It was evening, it was morning— 

BOTH: Day Three. 

1) God spoke:

2) "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth."

1) And there it was. God made two big lights, the larger to take charge of Day, the smaller to be in charge of Night; and he made the stars. God placed them in the heavenly sky to light up Earth and oversee Day and Night, to separate light and dark. 

2) God saw that it was good. 

1) It was evening, it was morning— 

BOTH: Day Four. 

1) God spoke:

2) "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" 

1) God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, and every kind and species of flying birds. 

2) God saw that it was good. 

1) God blessed them:

2) "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!"

1) It was evening, it was morning— 

BOTH: Day Five. 

1) God spoke:

2) "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." 

1) And there it was: wild animals of every kind, cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. 

2) God saw that it was good. 

1) God spoke: 

2) "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." 

1) God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. 

2) He created them male and female. 

1) God blessed them:

2) "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." 

1) And there it was. God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!


And then you could sing any of these great songs, or many others!
How Great Is Our God

How Great Thou Art

Indescribable

Our Great God
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Click on the title to connect to my favorite version (mostly) in itunes.


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