As a musician in a worship team for nearly 10 years now, I have learned how to play worship songs. I have learned how to create space. I’ve learned how to play by ear. I’ve learned how to play a chorus with power and strength, and then with softness and tenderness, all in the same Read More …
There’s been many a battle cry, leading people forward in confidence and braving the fight and struggle that lies ahead. I find that the same needs to be applied when you lead people in worship. But what is vocally leading? Simply put, it’s where you say out loud the next part of the song that Read More …
Something that happens every now and then is a worship leader will get a requested song to put into their set for Sunday. Excellent. Except it is often more hassle than it is worth. Often it is an unknown song, dragged up from the depths of the forgotten. As a worship leader, it is a Read More …
Dowsed in His Spirit, I felt a steel rod go down the centre of my being, grounding me. I saw the picture of a carving knife slicing down my spiritual body, cutting away the fat and stripping me down to just the bare-bone essentials. The words of Matt Redman’s song rang out from the Read More …
Introduction Earlier I wrote a post looking at how to play guitar in a small worship team. But what if there are many other musicians to fit in with, usually as a part of a larger church. For this scenario we will assume that there is a keyboardist, a pianist, a drummer, bass player, and Read More …
Introduction So you’re in a small worship team. There may be a keyboardist, a drummer and of course, you on guitar. What is your role? What is theirs? These questions well answer and give you a few ideas on things you can try next time you play. What is Your Role? In a small team, Read More …
It’s a good idea to get to know the people you are playing with. Spend time understanding what styles they like and with this knowledge you will be able to play together better. Especially the bass guitar and acoustic guitar (who holds the rythym with you). This will help the whole team grow in confidence Read More …
It can be frustrating. Ive seen it in a variety of churches. The team isnt always on top of their game, and the people theyre leading get into a hole. A hole when worship isnt hitting their hearts, where the norm is less than awe inspiring, and where Gods hand isnt in the worship. They Read More …
Playing in a church team is different then playing in a band at a gig. Mainly because at a gig you practice how the song goes, start to finish. A band gig is a performance for a crowd, your church team is for a congregation to worship our God. In a church team you should Read More …
This is my very first VideoBlog. Today I take a look at creating space within worship songs, and in between songs of a set. I will take you through some simple, practical ways to do this on a very basic level. I hope you enjoy it. Everlasting God G Read More …
There is (or used to be) a separate stereotype for ‘Church Drummers’. Quiet and simple beats with not a lot of confidence being shown. Don’t fall into that trap. You can still play assertively but quietly. Just about all the drum tutors I had could tell I was a ‘typical church drummer’ when I played Read More …
Dynamics is one of the most important tools you have as a drummer. Building and cutting back a song changes the whole mood and atmosphere. In a worship set, if a song is up tempo the whole way through there maybe no room for people to slow down and think or reflect, or if its Read More …
So you’ve started drumming at your church? Maybe you’ve been around for a while? Good on you for using the talent God has gifted to you! Don’t forget to always keep developing that talent. Even if you have a few weeks off the roster at church, practice at home so you can keep improving your Read More …
This slogan for safer driving also applies to worship songs. Slow down. Speed kills. There is a tendency (at least in the churches I’ve been in) to play songs faster than they need to be. Maybe its in attempt to make the song better, or because its boring when it’s slow. I’m not sure what Read More …
It’s one area I am passionate about. Ever since seeing Matt Redman’s comments about how most worship songs are not manfriendly, I have been aware of the struggle for Men in church and their participation in corporate worship. The church I am in at the moment is in an unusual imbalance, where of our 5 Read More …
Lloyd Rankin was also at Plugged In, run by New Wine on the 27 August, 2011, and expressed in a very easy to understand way a theory that I had been introduced to before; the more instruments there are, the less each one has to play. The main point I got from Lloyd was that Read More …
Last weekend I headed up to a worship conference run by New Wine, called “Plugged In”. The following points brought up by Tim Costley builds on my previous post but possibly in a more succinct way. High and Low Dynamics Tim Costley began his seminar showing us a graph where different instruments fit between high Read More …
Before I start, I want to make it clear that what I am writing is an opinion, and it happens to be mine. I am sure that many of you (some of whom I consider as close friends) will disagree with me profusely. And you’re entitled to your opinion, but then, so am I. I Read More …
So you’re a new worship leader. You’ve been in the wings, and you’ve seen others do it. You’ve stepped up to the mark, but maybe didn’t realise just how much preparation is required. I myself, only have limited experience, but there are a couple of tips I have picked up along the way. 1. Pray Read More …
I’ve just finished watching Rob Bell’s “Everything is Spiritual”, and I thought I’d tie it in with my thoughts on worship. Lately I’ve written an article on the fact that worship isn’t just music. Rob alludes to the detrimental problem of defining a ‘spiritual life’ as separate from life in general. He says that it Read More …
There are many benefits for playing by ear in a worship team, just as there are benefits for having music in front of you. I must say, that when I lead the congregation in worship, I like to have the music in front of me as a fail safe, although there have been times where Read More …
One of the most valuable skills I have learned over the years is the ability to play worship by ear. The benefits are endless, least of all because you no longer need to flick through music folders or have a music stand in front of you. The fact of the matter is, that with music Read More …
So you’ve come to church, again. Things havent been going well for you. The latest deadline at work passed on Friday and the project wasnt complete. Your dad’s just been diagnosed with cancer, and your mate was just over at your place telling you that things are over with his 6 year marriage. You enter Read More …
Many times we come to worship our God and feel completely unworthy. Our sins of the week have mounted up and we might feel like the worship that we bring is tainted and blemished. This can often lead us into a position where we choose not to worship our God. But God wants our worship. Read More …
A trap that church-goers can fall into is thinking that Worship is music, and that the only possible way to worship is to sing a song or bask in the ambience created by talented musicians. The fact is that music is just a tool to a means. If the means is to worship God, then Read More …
Build up your worship leaders, one encouragement at a time. Each and every week, our worship leader puts themselves out there. More so than the other musicians and singers. They are presenting worship for the congregation to join in with and worship their God. They are constantly getting a feel on where God is taking Read More …
The following are some thoughts and observations of worship in Church today. Enjoy! #1: Worship God and only God. You’re not up there for any other reason. If you are able to worship in your own heart, then that will help others to worship with you. #2: Listen to God. Don’t just leave it up Read More …
Sometimes we have a tendency to include everyone and every instrument in our worship team. Whilst a bit of variety can be enlightening and refreshing to otherwise dull renditions, it can also steal the attraction away from God. It can overwhelm the congregation as the sound gets bigger and full of instruments trying to stand Read More …
Thank you. Said with a humble heart, it is difficult to receive such compliments humbly. Week after week I come off stage from worshipping and leading the congregation in worship, an Ive never been able to deal with the simplest compliment of them all. Thank you. This week however, I found out how. I never Read More …
Having never written a successful worship song, maybe reading this post may be detrimental to your future in writing worshipful songs. And maybe this may turn out to be “How Not to Write a Worship Song”. But I believe that any song, if sung to God from the heart, can be just as good as Read More …
So often we come to a place of worship and we do all the talking. How many times have we prayed and been the only one to say anything?Time and time again through my spiritual walk with God I have heard people talk about how prayer is a two way thing. Where us talking to Read More …
At the heart of the gospel is a continuing message of Love. Mark 12:29-31 says this: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and Read More …
Tonight I was challenged by Rob Bell’s ‘Tomato’ DVD from his Nooma series. Why are we so obsessed with being right? Why do we have this mentality of doing things that will suit us, and let others fall by the wayside? This constant struggle to create our own identity rather than being concerned about others. Read More …
What are your expectations of worship? Often we walk through church doors expecting the music to be spot on, the lights humming, the people fully engaged and the atmosphere electric. But how does it get to be like that? Do we need the lights, the music and the atmosphere to live up to our own Read More …
Worship is often associated with music, singing, lifting your hands, closing your eyes and going to church. But how much more could it be if we look t the true essence of what is worship? Worship is a choice. We chose to give God our praise and surrender to Him. We sing the words of Read More …
How do we connect with the congregation? How do we lead them in true worship? Some say that on stage, you need to be worshiping in order to lead others to worship. This is entirely true, but you also are required to lead. Whether you’re a backing guitarist or the lead vocals, you are leading. Read More …
Each year on Good Friday I make a cross. It started whilst on the edge of Lake Rotoroa on a lonesome Easter Friday. It was 2001. I made myself a cross out of two branches, lashed together with rope. Ever since, I have been making crosses. One year it was out of toothpicks scattered on Read More …
Why did God create the Tree of Knowledge, if he knew it would bring sin into the perfect world he created? Maybe not even that he knew it would bring sin, but even that it could bring sin into this world? The Tree of Knowledge, placed in the centre of the garden, was a tree Read More …
Have we forgotten about worship? What it truely is? And how we endeavour to transfer that each week in to musical form for corporate worship. Yet lately I get the feeling we are choosing our songs based on popularity, or how much we like them, rather than having a broad, overall vision for the worship. Read More …
To be waken by the plain, simple meow of a cat stuck on the roof outside the window of your two story home. Usually, waking me at such time on the only day I have to sleep in will result in a shrug and a turn to the otherside of the bed to resume my Read More …
In December of 2009 I decided I wanted more. More of God. More inspiration. More of life. I was sick of sitting at homegroup feeling convicted, guilty and ‘not christian’ enough because I didn’t read the bible or pray regularly. I was sick of not getting the most out of this life I am supposedly Read More …
This latest album release from David Crowder pushes him further into musical genius, but further away from a more traditional view of what contemporary church music is. Whilst his earlier albums have been ground breaking in the way that we view worship, this latest piece leaves very little in the way of practical songs that Read More …
Worship. For the last wee while I’ve become more and more unfulfilled by the worship from the music at church. Its not that its bad music, or that I’m not enjoying it, but the fact that it is not enough for me. In studying it more, I’ve found that worship is so much more than Read More …
Today I’ve been painting. Not my usual kind of stuff, you know – art on canvas etc… No. This was more white on house… But I have been listening to Delirious lately – got their new album “My Soul Sings” and I love “Paint the Town Red”. Kind of appropriate then. Paint the Town Red Read More …
Tuesday night is practice night for our worship team. Which raises an interesting question. Is there such thing as worship practice? I’m not talking about music practice, but rather practicing for worship? Surely it would be considered as worship regardless? You can’t exactly tell God – “Sorry, don’t worry about these praises to Your name, Read More …
Any music montage, such as the type I make that is placed on YouTube is now completely and entirely removable. Even though I make it a important self-policy to always list the music’s copyright owner, and never, ever claiming the music as my own, Get Amnesty sums up the laws and regulations surrounding the reason Read More …
Is it just me or is there a monopoly starting to arise in the Christian worship scene? Surely there must be more music makers out there than just Planetshakers and Hillsong United? After a night of introducing new songs which were as bland as the inside of an empty jar, it just feels so meaningless Read More …
Lately I have been re-kindling one’s passion for the blues. When I started playing guitar the first thing I learnt to play was 12 bar blues shuffle in A.Upon reading the life story of Eric Clapton, it is obvious his respect for a legendary pioneer of blues, Robert Johnson, who recorded a small number of Read More …
The Imposter // Kevin Max At first listening, Kevin’s Album title ‘The Imposter’ was averagely similar to his first one. I got it in a bargin bin for $10 to be honest! (It was released AGES ago…)But its solid. The music comes out and there’s a bit of extra grunt behind the guitars that was Read More …