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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Herald. Proclaim. Singing out because they can. All through the day there were two Tui’s, calling out across the fences, across the stream and across the tree tops; chirping their beautiful and distinctive call. Proclaiming. How often is it that we talk about things that excite us? How often is it we talk to our Read More …
Tonight I headed out with our worship team to Wellington City Elim for Parachute Music’s “noise” conference. It was an honour to hear Henry Seely from Planetshakers, one of the leaders in Christian worship music, come and talk to us about worship. It invigorated, challenged and inspired me in many ways. I am still quietly Read More …
Today I headed along to a new Smallgroup that started up for that 20-40 year old range. It was really good seeing a few familiar faces and getting to know a couple of not so familiar ones. As with any new thing like that things were very tentative as people searched for the right level Read More …
Today I headed over to Vicky’s after church. It was so good to see her. It always warms my heart to see her open her door, and to see the smile I fell in love with flash across her face. We had lunch together, resorting back to our student days of toasted sandwiches, and watched Read More …
Today was a marathon. 8:30-9:45am – Morning pre-service practice. 10:00-11:30am – Morning Service. 12:30-3:00pm – New songs for Morning Service practice. 4:00-6:10pm – Evening pre-service practice. 6:30-8:00pm – Evening Service. Essentially almost 12 hours of playing my guitar. (Those with eagle eyes and guitar knowledge will see the link straight away between the photo and Read More …
I love my Mini. Today Vicky and I went to pick up Vicky’s sister from Silverstreem. Quite a trek for the lil’ Gherkin. I got this photo whilst waiting in the parking lot. Its very… raw. Just like the Mini. It really puts you back in the driver’s seat. None of this luxury of modern Read More …
Lately I’ve been working on the new church website. This is by no means is a finished design. So I thought I’d give you a bit of a sneak peak at it, since I don’t have a photo to share with you today.
Life is like stacks sometimes. We have one thing going, one project, one book we have to read, or one thing we had planned for the day. Then life adds another stack on top. Another project, another requirement, reposibility or favour. Soon it all mounts up. I think of all the things I’m stacking up 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 …
So today I was lucky enough to get a haircut. I do actually look forward to it, none the least because I get to spend time with my beloved Vicky. I was surprised however at the number of comments I got about it walking into church tonight. It was… different. Possibly because I wore a Read More …
Stripped bare. Only the essential element of life. God. That’s what it should be about. That’s what everything should be about. But even Church has got it wrong. Everyone is so focused on what the service should be like, what songs we should sing and how many times we should sing them. There is a Read More …
Church last night opened my eyes. It was a sharing service, where people of our youth community get up and share their high’s and low’s of the year, and their hopes and dreams of the next. If you were there and are reading this, do not read this as an attack on you personally if Read More …
So lately I’ve been rummaging around in my head, jumping over hurdles and fighting with myself in the spiritual realm. Where shall I begin!? There have been a few teething problems with the new location, and the consistancy of the services. The standard has dropped considerably, and there is the lifeless energy of a dying Read More …