There was plenty of activity with the past posts on church video announcements for your church service.  So I thought I would post some more resources to help with that process.  Here is a 3 part video series from Vimeo about how Hillsong creates their “Church News.”  Sure most of you reading this do not have the production resources that a church like Hillsong has but nonetheless there are great bits of information anyone can use in thinking about producing video announcements for your church. So enjoy and watch these to be inspired.

I probably should have prepared more for this weekend but I mean who really thought Harold Camping would be wrong with his rapture prediction? This was the first weekend with the choir since I came aboard at WCON. Moving from a choir special every single week to a couple choir numbers once a month will definitely be different but as far as preparation goes it’s much less hectic. Not to mention the hope that there will be an overlap of music that both you and your new choir are familiar enough with to feel comfortable. But once again It was an amazing weekend with a wonderful new choir and faith family. The presence of God was thick in that place as we celebrated new life through baby dedications, baptisms, and testimony. Worship together was powerful and meaningful. I love that this is my “job” each week.

In The Sanctuary by Kurt Carr
Your Grace Is Enough by Matt Maher
Glory To God Forever by Vicky Beeching and Steve Fee
Come Thou Fount Come Thou King by Thomas Miller | Robert Robinson
Jesus Saves by Travis Cottrell and David Moffitt

Check out what other churches are doing at “Sunday Setlists” or TheWorshipCommunity.com.

I stumbled into a conversation with some friends of mine the other day based on the popular Coexist stickers found on the back of so many cars.  The conversations followed loosely like this:

V: I can’t stand those Coexist stickers.  They are so annoying and are antithetical to the Christian message.

R: Really? Antithetical to the Christian message? Jesus didn’t speak of peace and loving your neighbor? I think Jesus would actually put that sticker on his K-Car (because Jesus is practical).

V: You don’t feel they promote the many paths to God theology?

R: Maybe but I’m not sure that was the intent.  Wasn’t it more religious tolerance and the idea that we should quit killing each other over religious ideals and ideologies.

V: Maybe, I don’t know it just feels like it’s pushing an agenda.

R: I don’t know if the bumper sticker is pushing the same agenda as the people putting it on their cars.

(the conversation continued but I’ll spare you the terrible strange and twisted turns it took – let’s just say somehow we ended up on the topic of ice cream versus frozen yogurt.  I have strange friends.)

So what do you think?  Do you find the Coexist campaign offensive the the Christian faith? In line with it’s teachings? or something else?  Here is some information on the Coexist foundation – the originators of the idea that has since seen many forms and more ideologies being considered within the Coexist logo (again maybe now its get’s offensive or maybe it’s still in line with the teachings of Jesus).

So i’m interested to know what you think.  Would you put one on your car and pull into your church parking lot week after week?  Do you think there is more behind it than just “let’s be happy and all get along?” Is it antithetical to the teaching of Jesus or would it fall in line to where He might wipe off a spot on his bumper and cruise around town in one (terrible metaphor by the way but you get the idea).

Hymns are making a comeback. Well you could argue that they have never really gone anywhere to begin with. But with the praise and worship craze that swept across the evangelical nation the hymn was something that was replaced with the praise chorus and relegated to the insignificant in many churches. The seeker service saw better results with more contemporary language and sounds. That is not to say that they disappeared all together but the shift from hymnbooks to powerpoint and beyond has seen the decline in hymn use.
Cue a new generation looking to connect the contemporary worship they were brought up in while desiring to learn the roots in which the church took shape. Now you have re-presented hymns introduced as new worship to a generation who didn’t necessarily know them growing up. Some have contemporized language (some thankfully with more gender neutral language others just to present hymns in a language the worshippers are speaking). Drums, pads, guitars, banjos, and more added to bring a new life to wonderfully written theological songs.
I have fallen in love with some and others prefer the more traditional. Here is a list (by no means extensive) of some groups re-presenting hymns for the next generation.

Resolved Muisc: The Enfield Hymn Sessions – Absolutely have fallen in love with There is a Fountain as well as many others on the list.
Bart Millard: Hymned No. 1 and Hymned Again: The MercyMe front man released a couple great Hymn compilations that have inspired my song selection.
Passion: Hymns Ancient and Modern: If there is one group associated with the desire to reach the next generation it’s Passion
Jars of Clay: Redemption Songs – this group has been one of my favorite for a long time so when they released an album of hymns, I jumped on it.
Covenant Life Church: How Sweet the Sound: Good collection of hymns to spark your creativity.
Page CXVI: Hymns I, Hymns II, and Hymns III: One of my most recent favorites. Wonderfully thought out remakes that just inspire you to sing a new song.
Red Mountain Church: More great hymns presented beautifully
Indelible Grace Music: Another group that just keeps coming up with creative ways to re-present music.

These are just some groups that I have been listening to as of late to be inspired. What else is out there? What are you listening too?

A few months ago I sat through a worship seminar and the topic of key selection came up. It was stated – as it has been many time before – to be smart about your key selection for congregational worship. It was said that certain keys would inhibit worship rather than promote involvement and freedom. The specific comparison to Chris Tomlin was made and it was suggested that while the songs themselves were great, the keys were not congregation friendly.

This made me think, a worship leader who has a range more like that of a castrato than the manly Mac Powell. I have found generally that songs in what would seem to be “congregational friendly” keys tend to be a little low for me to feel comfortable leading.

Now I don’t have the years of experience that this man leading the seminar had but my experience with leading worship in unfriendly keys seems to be pretty good. I rarely change the key on a Tomlin song, I often key up songs, and don’t shy away from falsetto parts. And I have found that the response is just as great as the time we left songs low (to me). The only times I have response to be lacking is when the congregation is unfamiliar with said song.

So does that mean that certain keys are not better than others? Probably not. But I don’t like the idea that we lower our expectations of our congregations. When people are engaged in worship the don’t seem to mind jumping up an octave, down an octave, singing harmony, or even just being silent yet engaged. If Phil Wickham songs are too high for a mass of people to sing then why are so many people at his concerts engaged and singing their hearts out?

Our jobs as worship leaders is to help the congregation engage. If that means lowering or raising the key of a song then do it. But at the same time you have to be able to lead in a range comfortable for you otherwise it won’t be as engaging. Familiarity with a worship song helps. Recently we shifted Shout to the Lord from the key of G to the key of D (better key for me to lead in) and found that the congregation responded just as well even though it was a new arrangement of the song (Lincoln Brewster) that was much higher than the original. They responded great. They were into the song, they allowed themselves to just worship and it was revived from an almost too tired worship chorus to one with new life.

So what do you think? Should we be more conscious of the key for the congregation or more conscious of the familiarity? I believe that you have to sing in a key you are comfortable leading in which for me pushes the range up to places most “professionals” suggest is too high for a congregation.

I don’t think we give the congregation enough credit sometimes.

Sorry that my blog posts have been so few and far between. Life has been good but very very busy getting adjusting to a new ministry, new schedule, and just about a new everything. I have thoroughly been enjoying my new ministry here at WCON. The first month so far has been spent getting to know everyone serving in my ministries, figuring out how things have been operating both in the interim and under the previous Worship Pastor, and just getting my feet back underneath me while I figure out each next step. It was another great weekend at WCON and though I have yet to master the language change from morning to evening on Saturdays, I am excited and blown away at the response in worship services so far.

All Because Of Jesus by Steve Fee
Blessed Be Your Name by Matt and Beth Redman
There Is A Fountain by William Cowper and Lowell Mason (Enfield Hymns Version)
Revelation Song by Jennie Lee Riddle
My Savior My God by Aaron Shust and Dorothy Dora Greenwell

Check out what other churches are doing at “Sunday Setlists” or TheWorshipCommunity.com.

It was a little nerve-racking to step onto a foreign stage and lead a new faith family in worship. I arrived in Westminster on the Tuesday after Easter (having just lead a Palm Sunday production, holy week services, and Easter Sunday). The week leading up to my first time leading worship with WCON was a whirlwind to say the least. But when I stepped up for the first Saturday night together I felt strangely comfortable and at ease. I mean I have led worship all over the country each a first time together but this night was different. It wasn’t a calm derived from years of experience but a calm born out of a gentle confirmation that God had orchestrated this to be and this was His plan for this next chapter of my life.
3 baptisms for the weekend was also a great way to start off my tenure here at WCON. A celebration of life, new life, and new family. Before our first service Sunday morning started I took some time to pray for this new family as well as my old extended family back in Tennessee. As long as I can get out of the way, God is going to do great things here in Denver (as well as Tennessee).

All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises by Paul Baloche
You You Are God by Beach, Walker
God You Reign by Lincoln Brewster and Mia Fieldes
From the Inside Out by Joel Houston
My Jesus I Love Thee/Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus/You Are My King Medley (original arrangement)

Check out what other churches are doing at “Sunday Setlists” or TheWorshipCommunity.com.

Well I have been pretty quiet lately. Not because I forgot to blog but simply my life has been beyond crazy and I just haven’t been able to find the time. Part of the deal with accepting the position an my new church was for them to allow me to take a little longer to get there due to my commitment to our Easter season at my now former church. We had a big production planned for Palm Sunday (and the Saturday night before) and then Holy week services followed up by Easter then a Uhaul truck ride across country. It was a very busy time to say the least.

Because of the grace extended from my new church to allow me to stay longer than what they may have wanted and what would be normal in a situation like this, the timing made it so that I would have to work the first weekend. I spent the first two days in a Uhaul driving from Tennessee to Colorado, had staff meeting Wednesday morning and a special rehearsal Thursday night. In between all that I was learning all the things you need to know when starting at a new place, unpacking and setting up my office, trying to plan out services and meeting so many new people that I can’t keep names straight yet.

And now it is Saturday morning, only hours before my first worship service with my new faith family (and a few band member I will be meeting for the first time hours before service). I felt more underprepared for Thursday’s rehearsal than I have in a long while – afterward I felt much better but still a little scattered. Tonight and tomorrow morning are going to be great and I am just thankful to be a part. God has called me to begin a new chapter in the life of my family. While I know it won’t always be smooth and easy, I do know that God has prepared this way for us and we follow.