Tie Your Shoes Worship Leader!

Every now and then Scott Wesley Brown posts a blog on Worship The Rock - and every time he does it's always a great read and includes some great teaching.

Today he as posted a blog with an intriguing title called 'Tying Our Shoes For Worship':

Ask any serious fan of basketball in America who the greatest coach of all is, and you will more than likely hear the name John Wooden. He is the first person ever inducted into the basketball Hall Of Fame both as a player and as a coach. As a coach he led the UCLA Bruins to victory in 10 NCAA National Championships in a twelve-year span. This record remains unmatched by any other basketball coach. The Bruins won 664 games in 27 seasons under Wooden’s leadership.

But each year as the new season began and great players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Bill Walton gathered together for their first day of practice, Coach Wooden would begin by teaching everyone how to tie their shoes. Continue reading here...

Staying Connected To Your Destiny

Notes from Chapter 2 of "Strengthen Yourself in the Lord" by Bill Johnson.

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There are so many responsibilities for christians, yet Jesus illustrated a simple lifestyle; one that is carefree, not irresponsible.

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life" (Prov 4:23).


What we do in stewarding our heart determines the outcome of our lives. My internal reality often determines my external reality.

Need to establish foundational truths in my thinking:

- The nature of reality
- Who God is
- Who He has made me to be


1) Becoming From Beholding

- You become what you behold. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he" (Prov 23:7)
- Need to renew our minds - think on the things of God's Kingdom, not on the destructive reality of the enemy's kingdom.
- Fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) - Sustain our focus on Him.
- Beholding Jesus can't be reduced to reading about Him in Scripture. The Spirit lives in us!
- "As we agree with the revelation of who He is, the reality of who He is starts to flow into our lives and transform us into His likeness".


2) Agreeing With The Unseen

"The enemy uses lies to make problems appear bigger than the solutions we carry".
"The key to either great purpose or great destruction lies in where we choose to sustain our focus. Knowing this fact should move us to jealously guard our

intimacy with the Lord."


3) Personal Victory - Corporate Blessing

God is a god Father. He never sets us up to fail - only to grow.


4) The Cornerstone Of Revelation - God Is Good

"The bedrock of an automatic response from us is the burning conviction that God is good, always good! Doubting His goodnes, making up explanations for

things we don't understand (the source of a lot of bad theology), or falling into anxiety and disappointment won't be options for us".


"The safest place for us to be at any point in our lives is passionately pursuing God and the purposes to which He has called us".

The Secret to David’s Promotion

[I posted the following a few months ago - i'm still planning on blogging my notes from each chapter, so watch this space!]

I recently read a fantastic book by Bill Johnson called "Strengthen Yourself in the Lord". As I often do, I enjoyed the book so much that I raced through it only to realise I couldn't remember many of the lessons I thought i'd learnt along the way!

I'm therefore re-reading the book and summarising the key points from each chapter. I thought this would make for an interesting blog so hopefully some of you will find my notes helpful too.

I'll post my notes from each chapter as a separate blog.

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The Secret to David’s Promotion (Chapter 1)

First and foremost David was a man after God’s own heart:

After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.' (Acts 13:22, NIV)

What did David do to be known as this? Scripture shows us two key aspects of David’s life before he was anointed king:

1) When nobody was looking, David was pouring his heart out in prayer and worship to God in the fields where he tended his father’s sheep. He was pursuing God to simply know Him. This was very unusual for his day as the entire paradigm for worship in Israel was based on animal sacrifices being used to temporarily deal with sin.

2) David’s battles with the Lion and the bear showed his heart for God - he relied completely on God for victory. This trust wasn’t dependent on circumstances.


Amazingly, David did not assume the throne until 10-13 years after Samuel had anointed him to be king! In those years David endured much persecution and rejection – more than we can imagine. There was much testing that later helped him to handle the glory and responsibility of the throne.

When did God decide David was ready to become King? David faced the deepest betrayal and rejection imaginable, he stood completely alone and yet we’re told David:

…strengthened himself in the Lord his God (1 Sam 30:6)

The Philistines wanted to fight Israel but they didn’t trust David – they thought he might turn on them to get on Saul’s good side. So David returned with his men to Ziklag, only to find it burned and looted by the Amalekites. Every wife, child, and possession was gone. Not only that but David’s men, the people he had trained over the last ten years, the people he had protected and provided for, talked about stoning him!

Scripture tells us how David felt:

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters… (1 Samuel 30:6).

That’s how David felt, but how did he respond? Well he could have responded by running for his life, or perhaps by becoming indignant and by defending himself and reminding them that they owe him their lives. He could easily have done either but this is what he did instead:

…But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6).

Rather than looking to himself for strength he looked to God. His faith gave him the courage to essentially say, “Come on, guys! We’ve got wives and kids to bring back!”. Amazingly this was all it took to knock sense back into the men. They then went and brought back every person and possession that had been stolen!

Interestingly the very battle the Philistines had prevented David from fighting was the battle Saul and Jonathan died in. Only a short time later, Israel crowned David king. His darkest moment led him to the back door of the throne room.

Like David, we need to be able to minister to ourselves. This does not mean we should develop an independent lifestyle. We should be focused on serving, loving and leaning on the Body of Christ. However, sometimes we have to stand alone in difficulty and testing.

God has equipped you for great victory but it’s your responsibility to use the tools that will be mentioned in the next chapters to bring strength to yourself so you can stand in that victory.

Is Worship Entertainment?

One of the blogs I regular follow is Tim Hughes' one over at Worship Central. Tim recently posted a blog about being careful that worship doesn't turn into entertainment. He used a quote by A.W. Tozer to remind us that we need to "trust and follow God" rather than rely on our own strength and then concluded:

"Perhaps the best thing we could do in terms of our preparation for leading worship is to spend some time in God's presence, seeking Him and asking that He may fill us up with the Holy Spirit and use us in power to bring glory to Him."

You can read the full blog here.

Bringing Him Joy - The Call

A friend brought this extract from The Call (By Rick Joyner) to my attention recently. It's a good reminder about the effect our worship has on God:

"Your worship can cause Him joy everyday. Your worship when you are in the midst of difficulties touches Him even more than all of the worship of heaven...When you worship without seeing His glory in the midst of your trials, that is worship in Spirit and in Truth...Worship the father, not for what you will receive, but to bring Him joy. You will never be stronger than when you bring Him joy, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Worship Books - Top 20 Books on Worship For Worship Leaders

I've recently been following a few forum discussions about recommended books on worship. There seem to be plenty of worship books that have inspired and helped lots of worship leaders and worship pastors so I thought i'd include a list of them here for you.

I'm sure there are plenty more worship books out there but i'll start with the ones that have been recommended by lots of people as I think you'll enjoy reading them. These books on worship are not in any particular order. If you like the sound of them click the links to read the reviews on Amazon.

1. Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin

"Bob loves God, values theology, and cares about people. This mix is found throughout this wonderful and helpful book. Worship Matters will inspire you as a worshiper and spur you on as a leader of worship."
Matt Redman

2. The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman

The Unquenchable Worshipper issues a passionate call for a return to an unadulterated, first-love lifestyle of worship. In his first book release, respected worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman writes: "The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship. And there is always more fuel for the fire. When we open the eyes of our heart, God's revelation comes flying at us from so many different angles." Open the eyes of your heart and let the gut-level message of The Unquenchable Worshipper cause you, like martyred missionary Jim Elliot, to say, "Saturate me with the oil of Thy Spirit, that I may be aflame. Make me Thy fuel O flame of God."

It's time to dive into the heart of worship-will you take the plunge?

3. To know you more by Andy Park

Andy Park writes, "I've learned through the years that becoming a worship leader involves far more than developing a set of skills--it's all about developing a life in God."Here's your opportunity to sit at the feet of one who has for twenty-five years led contemporary worship services in the United States and Canada. In Park's book you'll get an inside look at how this worship leader has learned to follow the leading of the Spirit as he brings others into God's presence. And you'll find practical advice, experienced counsel and inspiring ideas on a variety of issues like

    * songwriting
    * pulling together a team
    * staying humble
    * planning the flow of worship
    * what to do in times of dryness
    * working with the pastor
    * and much more!

Above all, Park will help you discover what it means for you as a worship leader to be first and foremost a worshiper.

4. Facedown by Matt Redman

God wants us to be more than aware of His presence. He implores us to be awestruck by it-literally consumed with passion and adoration! How do we reach this state? By totally surrendering to God through worship. Facedown shows why we need to go deeper into the wonder, awe and mystery of God's presence. Only then will we find ourselves lying prostrate before the Lord-facedown in worship. The premise of Matt Redman's newest book is grounded in three biblical examples-Ezekiel 1, Daniel 10 and Revelation 7-which all reveal that the worship going on before the heavenly throne is facedown. All believers will be exhilarated by this heaven-sent beacon as it lights their way to being undone by God's eternal glory.

5. Holding Nothing Back by Tim Hughes

Holding Nothing Back is a book provoking us to worship God wholeheartedly - with all of our heart, mind and strength, giving everything we are in worship. Tim also writes on the themes of creativity, humility, adoration and the greatness of God

6. How Would Jesus Lead Worship? by Sam and Sara Hargreaves

This title shows how worship is less about our preferred music style and more an attitude of the heart towards God. It examines what we can learn from the life of Jesus about the foundational values for worship. It offers many practical examples and ideas to help creative worship flourish in the local church. It is written in a lively informal style, while rooted in mature biblical reflection. It includes 'worship experience' sections to encourage readers to pause and worship! It is suitable for those responsible for leading worship in the local church looking for practical material, worship leaders and team members looking for ideas to enhance creativity in worship, and church leaders wanting biblically-based reflections on the wider issue of why worship is a key part of growing as a Christian. The authors draw on their experience as worship leaders to offer both down-to-earth teaching and practical examples and ideas to help creative worship flourish in the local church. They remind us that if we allow Jesus to inspire our worship, we will find it becoming rooted in Christ-like attitudes towards God, one another, our community, and the wider world.

7. Warrior Poets by Robin Mark

This book is about worship. It s about how absolutely important worship is and how, perhaps, it is the highest calling and occupation of the believer. But it s not about excellence of musicianship in played and sung worship. It s not about personalities or individuals, or specially gifted folks, or style, or technique. It s not a how to book, or a work book, or a here s a service schedule that s bound to work type book. It s about how God calls us all to be His worshippers and how, perhaps, every single one of us can, through a deeper understanding of worship, make an impact and a difference in the society in which we live.

8. Whatever Happened to Worship?: A Call to True Worship by A. W. Tozer

Decrying much of comtemporary worship as entertainment, Tozer pleads for an insistence on making worship genuine and forsaking the compulsion to substitute work for worship.

9. Desiring God by John Piper

Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty. Readers will embark on a dramatically different and joyful experience of their faith.

10. People in the Presence of God by Barry Liesch

This one-of-a-kind book offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation for anyone who is interested in appreciating and renewing worship according to biblical models.

Is there one correct way for the people of God to worship him? It turns out that Scripture offers many models and forms for worship, all of which are acceptable but not necessarily appropriate or functional in a particular setting. Barry Liesch, a professor of music at Biola University, helps his readers to grasp that fact and it's implications for worship in the church today. This is a one-of-a-kind book for many kinds of readers in all kinds of churches. It offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation for worship leaders, church musicians, study groups, pastors, worship committees, and a host of others who are interested in appreciating and renewing worship according to biblical models.

11. The Air I Breathe by Louie Giglio

Not everyone may frequent the church on the corner, but we each have a place of worship. For some, it’s at the office. For others, before the mirror. Still others, on the basketball court. You were created to worship! So you naturally find a place to do it. But to worship anything less than God robs both Him and us. It’s at the foot of the cross where we reel, trying to comprehend how a holy God could chase us down with kindness and redeem us from an eternity of futile gods. In this newly revised and refreshed edition of the original The Air I Breathe, you’ll find your sense of worship increasing beyond church walls or a Sunday routine. Soon all of life becomes your delighted response to God!

"Some of the most inspiring teaching on worship I’ve ever heard has come from Louie Giglio. This book has inspired me as a worshiper and as a worship leader."
Matt Redman

12. Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise and Worship by Bob Sorge

"One of the important books of this generation, it establishes balance, a strong theological base for the worship experience, along with very practical down to earth guidelines for developing worship within the local church". - Thomas F.

13. The Heart of the Artist by Rory Noland

"I wish I had your gift!"

How do you handle those words as a creative artist? When you’re good at what you do, is it really humble to hem and haw in the face of praise?

Between pride and self-abasement lies true humility—just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as an actor, a musician, a visual artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. He’s interested in your art and your heart.

The Heart of the Artist is like no other book you’ve read. Written for artists by an artist, this frank, knowledgeable book deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces. With passion and conviction that come from personal experience, Rory Noland, music director for Willow Creek Community Church, addresses topics such as: Servanthood Versus Stardom, The Artist in Community, Excellence Versus Perfectionism, Jealousy and Envy, Managing Your Emotions and The Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist

The Heart of the Artist will help you gain a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You’ll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.

14. Extravagant Worship by Darlene Zcshech

"When church historians reflect on the worship revolution that happened around the turn of the 21st century, Darlene Zschech will be credited for playing a major role" - Bill Hybels

While challenging the Christian in the congregation to be an extravagant worshiper, Zschech also presents valuable insights and help for the worship leader. These are the words of a woman of God who lives what she writes.

15. The Power of Praise and Worship by Terry Law

You can get through life's tragedies when you praise and worship the Lord! With gut-wrenching honesty, authors Terry Law and Jim Gilbert detail the tragedies in Terry's life that led him to a deep dimension of Divine teamwork. Terry Law's journey took him throughout the United States, through war-torn Afghanistan, and ancient Egypt to discover three spiritual truths expressed in worship and praise. God put these three spiritual powerhouses in your personal arsenal to use against the enemy: 1.The Word of God. 2.The Name of Jesus. 3.The Blood of Jesus. Arm yourself praise and worship are tools that break through the heavenlies all the way to the throne of God. As the author proves the sacrifice of praise and the blessing of worship saved his life. You, too, will be healed from the past and enjoy new hope for the future. You can handle all of life's tragedies through The Power of Praise and Worship.

16. Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology on Worship by David Peterson

Worship is of immense concern in the church and ironically the source of controversy and dispute. Can we get behind the question of what style of worship we should engage in to understand the bedrock foundation for God's people--honoring him as he desires? Is the dissatisfaction with worship voiced by so many perhaps a result of our having wandered from biblical teaching on the subject?

Through careful exegesis in both Old and New Testaments, David Peterson unveils the total life-orientation of worship that is found in Scripture. Rather than determining for ourselves how we should worship, we, his people, are called to engage with God on the terms he proposes and in the way he alone makes possible.

This book calls for a radical rethinking of the meaning and practice of worship, especially by those responsible for leading congregations. Here is the starting place for recovering the richness of biblical worship.

17. Real Worship: Playground, Battleground, or Holy Ground? by Warren Wiersbe

With 50,000 copies sold, the first edition of Real Worship helped many pastors and worship leaders make biblical sense in the controversy surrounding worship and worship styles. This second edition contains new chapters on taking worship seriously, planning balanced worship, and tradition in worship. A question-and-answer section, a bibliography, and a Scripture index have also been added.

While many books deal with how to worship, they fail to give a definition of true worship. Warren Wiersbe defines what worship is and the four elements it involves: wonder, witness, warfare, and wisdom. As he discusses such controversial issues as art, liturgy, worship styles, and music, Wiersbe keeps the focus on God and demonstrates the balance of worship for which every church should strive.

Real Worship is both biblically based and autobiographical, containing personal testimony, anecdotes, and illustrations from Wiersbes pastoral experience.

The first edition of this book was published by Thomas Nelson in 1986.

18. Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts by Harold M. Best

Too often Christians have only thought of worship in terms of particular musical styles or liturgical formats. But a proper view of worship is far larger than what takes place in churches on Sunday mornings. All of us, Christian or not, are always worshiping, whether or not that worship is directed toward God. We are unceasing worshipers.

In this fruition of a lifetime of study, reflection and experience, Harold Best casts a holistic vision for worship as continuous outpouring in all settings and contexts. With careful exposition and eloquent analysis, Best addresses popular misunderstandings about the use of music and offers correctives toward a more biblically consistent practice of artistic action.

Incisive, provocative, profound and comprehensive, Best's landmark volume is one by which all other statements on worship and the arts will be measured.

19. Inside Out Worship: Insights for Passionate and Purposeful Worship by Matt Redman

I have really enjoyed this book. The worship team I am part of is currently using this as a study & it has been great. It has short sections, which are easy for a big group with lots of discussion. Redman asks thought-provoking questions to jump-start those discussions. It has provided lots of insight in how worship doesn't end when we leave church. We worship all the time, in everything that we do. It's been an eye-opening book for anyone, but especially those involved with worship leading. Plus it's so small, I can stick it in my purse and read it whenever I have a few spare minutes! - Reviewer on Amazon

20. Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder

Praise is something we are, not something we do. This book reflects on psalms from The Message//Remix and explains how to develop a habit of praise in your everyday life. Learn a new way of thinking about praise––focusing on it as a lifestyle, not an event.

Back Cover: Be glad, good people! Fly to GOD! Good-hearted people, make praise your habit. Psalm 64:10 Praise is something we are, not something we do. So if you’ve always thought that praise consists only of singing a couple mediocre songs on Sunday morning, you’ve missed the point. In his first book, popular musician David Crowder introduces you to a new way of thinking about praise––focusing on it as a lifestyle, not an event. David reflects on psalms from The Message//Remix and explains how to develop a habit of praise in your everyday life. A praise habit is not just possible; it’s the very reason we were created. Live in constant awe of God and watch what He does next. "Here is a book about a guy who wants to give something back to God and is interested in helping you and me do the same. He might have accidentally stumbled upon the meaning of life. Dave Crowder is a good writer, and he dares to tell us the truth about himself and his calling.

This one is worth reading." - Donald Miller, author, Blue Like Jazz

Who Are We Worshipping Anyway? The Forgotten Trinity

Picture the scene. It's a Sunday morning, we're in the local church of Anytown, and the worship leader has just finished a song; 'Lord Jesus, we thank you for your presence in this place, we love you Jesus, we glorify your name...' and softly the music builds and the vocals come in: 'It's all about you, Jesus…'

Later the pastor steps up and raises the energy levels: 'We're here because of Jesus! Let's give him the glory! It's time to commit ourselves again to him and his kingdom!'

Question. What would Jesus think about that not-entirely-untypical worship scenario?

Consider the famous Christ-hymn in Philippians 2:5-11. From verse 8 it says:
'Jesus became obedient to death- even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord…'

But you can't stop reading there.
'...to the glory of God the Father'

Our worship of Jesus, our acknowledgment of him as King and Lord, our bowing down before his mighty Name, is to be done 'to the glory of God the Father'. Does our corporate worship reflect that? Or has the Father been sidelined because Jesus (being fully human as well as fully God) is altogether more comprehensible and manageable? And what about the Spirit?

Robin Parry's excellent book 'Worshiping Trinity' makes it clear - for our worship to be truly Christian, it needs to be Trinitarian. We worship the Father who is revealed by the Son, and made known to us by the Spirit. We worship the Son who has paid the way for us to access the Father. We worship the Spirit who inspires us and leads us into all truth regarding the Father and the Son. We worship the one God who is mysteriously three persons at the same time, unconcerned by the mathematics of 1 + 1 + 1 = 1, but instead drawn into the eternal relationship of perfect love that exists within the Godhead.

Once we begin to understand that the Trinity is a relationship to be experienced, not a mathematical puzzle to be solved, our worship is transformed. Back to Anytown, where the worship leader has just finished another song: 'Father, we thank you for the love you showed in sending your Son to die for us. Thank you that you are present with us by your Spirit right now…'

And what do our songs say? Matt Redman pointed out a few years ago in a songwriter's workshop, that from the top 50 CCLI songs of the time, only one mentioned the Trinity - Chris Tomlin's 'How Great is our God'. What a tragedy! Our God IS Father, Son, and Spirit, so if we're not worshiping that God, we're not worshiping the Christian God! Granted, not every song has tick all three boxes, but there is a duty of responsibility on pastors, worship leaders, service planners, to make sure that over time there is a balance of material that leaves no-one in any doubt exactly who it is we are worshipping. Yes, it is Jesus. But it's also the Father, and the Spirit, and the one indivisible God who exists in perfect love and draws us into the embrace of the Trinity.

As Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17:
'I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.' Amen.


This article was kindly shared with us by Matt Osgood from RESOUNDworship.

How To Lead Worship | 101 Tips For New Worship Leaders

This list came out of a discussion on Worship The Rock that invited worship leaders and worship pastors to share their top 10 pieces of advice for new or young worship leaders. Many of these people have many years of experience behind them and have some great insights that they have willingly shared.

I hope you find this list really helpful. Think of it as your own group of virtual mentors offering pearls of wisdom, both practical and spiritual.


1. Always remember that you are up before God's people to worship HIM as an Audience of One.

2. Be a humble servant.

3. Lead with authority.

4. Be Spirit led.

5. The quality of the music and the size of the band have nothing to do with how "good" the worship is.

6. Always remember who you are leading, and that each one is dealing with different struggles and pains, dreams and longings.

7. Love your people as Jesus does - only then, really, do you have a right to lead them.

8. Take yourself out of the equation – it’s all about God and all for God.

9. Accept compliments and criticism and deal with them with a humble heart.

10. Pray before and during preparation, pray before practice and pray on the day you are leading. (Main point – PRAY!)

11. Choose your songs prayerfully, and if some songs don't seem to reflect the 'topic' of the sermon, don't leave them out – sometimes God presses on our heart to sing a song that will touch someone in the congregation, but that is completely out of context – He knows best!

12. Be prepared, but be open to hear from God and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

13. Don't be scared to make mistakes – learn from them.

14. Let God be the Worship Leader – hand it ALL over to Him.

15. Pick a few songs in the same key. It's an easy way to make songs flow from one to the next.

16. Finding one song to reinforce the topic might be enough. If you sing 8 songs all about God's power - you are missing out on 100 other attributes that can be praised.

17. Communicate with your church's leaders - worship isn't confined to the music portion of the service.

18. Pray with your whole worship team and ask God to help bring you together. It's easier to trust in someone on stage with you when you know that God is in control of your time together.

19. Practicing is important - because being a musician is a skilled job, but even if you are new and nervous - realize that God can use anyone who is willing to grow and step out in faith.

20. Accept that your position as worship leader is not above that of the pastor/vicar/minister. As such listen to what he or she tells you and follow their instructions, even if it is not what you had planned to do. They are leading their church and have been anointed by God to be in such a position. As such it is important to respect and trust their God given authority.

21. Understand that you are dealing with unprofessional musicians and singers that are using God-given gifts for His glory, not the glory of the team or themselves. It may not always be perfect, but it still glorifies God.

22. Make sure to spend time together not just practicing. Musicians and singers need to feel part of something so going out for a meal together, having prayer time together to pray for each other is essential.

23. You must have fun. God wants our praise to Him to be filled with joy!

24. Don't try to teach too many new songs.

25. Remember, you are leading them, you are serving them - it's not about you.

26. Be willing to crucify your own stylistic preference.

27. No matter how great a singer you may be put songs in keys normal people can sing. Try not to make them sing much higher than a D if you can help it.

28. If you don't have any comments to make then don't feel pressured to make any comments.

29. Attitude...ATTITUDE...A-T-T-U-D-E...! Check it, refine it, then check it again.
How the Worship Leader is attitudinally has long-ranging affects.

30. Take time to worship God on your own.

31. Be faithful in everything.

32. Know your team - spend time with your team outside of music venues. You must team build and don’t talk about business. Your team must know that you love them!

33. Know their skills – i.e. what music they can and can’t play.

34. Know your skills – i.e. what music you can and can’t play.

35. Always continue your education and improve your skills and that of your team. Give them music to listen to. Invest in them. (Videos, CDs, books, conferences, and workshops).

36. Be the leader. Don’t be afraid to make decisions. This goes back to team building.

37. Work really hard to listen to your team - goes back to relationship. Don’t get so focused that you don’t listen.

38. Don’t be afraid to let your team members reach and stretch musically. Band members need to feel the freedom to be creative.

39. Make the Sound Engineer part of the team. They are not an island unto themselves. Ask them for feedback they will hear and see what you can’t.

40. Set the bar (expectations) high and people will rise to the challenge. You must do this from day one! People need to buy into the vision and team.

41. Remember to prepare and be excellent musically, but also don't forget the heart side of ministry. The Levites of the OT were skilled musically AND their hearts were toward God. As worship leaders it is not an either/or type of things. We must have excellence of heart as well as excellence musically as we connect with God and lead others to encounter Him.

42. Remember - "There are no spectators in worship..."

43. Worship is a lifestyle - "God is not just looking for lifted hands on Sunday but for Kingdom Worshippers who walk out their relationships with the Father daily."

44. Your body is God's Temple and your life must be yielded to him in order for your worship to be valid. If not, it's like a man who ignores his wife all week and then holds her hand and gently guides her into service each Sunday and sits close to her so that the congregation can say, "Look at them. They are such a nice couple."

45. Preparation is good, but always remember to leave room for a move of God.

46. Don't try to over play or over sing to create a moment. Just create a space for him and he will come in.

47. Be gentle with the people of God. For you are an usher. Guide them into the Holy of Holies.

48. Be willing to move out of the way and let God speak to his people. It's ok to back away from the mic and worship.

49. First and foremost "guard your heart and your intimate time with the Saviour". Don't let the work of the ministry, the need, distract you from that which is most important. Be a person of the secret place. Psalm 27:4-8.

50. Remember people are your purpose. You are a signpost, a conduit for the presence of God to minister to His people. Acts 20:28.

51. Leading worship is not worshiping in front of people. Your job is to lead them. Take them where you have already been. To the feet of Jesus.

52. Your worship set should grow out of your own personal worship time. Don't just choose songs that go together.

53. Be a student of the Word, always.

54. Have a love for the Bride.

55. Pursue excellence not perfection.

56. Be relational to your team, to the congregation, and to the staff.

57. Form relationships: Start off with a barbeque or whatever and invite everybody (pastor, musicians, vocalists, fader jockeys, etc.) and get to know them. Consistently schedule non-church time with them. You will not regret it.

58. Actively seek input from team members: ideas, suggested material, etc.

59. Require attendance at practice(s) as a prerequisite to service, regardless of giftedness.

60. Don’t add anybody to the team who you have not established a relationship with. It is easier to add folks to the team than to dismiss them.

61. Plan ahead: If your tech team knows who is playing, and your frontal people know which songs will likely be covered, the set-up is done ahead of time and the frontal folks can practice individual parts and harmonies beforehand.

62. Actively direct / arrange. Many worship leaders do not articulate what they want, but expect everybody to just know.

63. Establish a set of signs to guide your team know what you are going to do next.

64. Establish discipleship: mentor somebody, expect your team to mentor others, have nights of worship where folks can bring instruments and play with each other. Mentor small group worship leaders. Have small group leaders mentor others.

65. Be real.

66. Use what you've got! If you're new, chances are the team is new as well and you probably don't have all the pieces yet. Just use what you've got and watch what God does.

67. Less is more! Too often, we can replace "excellent" with "loud".

68. Listen more, and then play. If you're not listening, you're playing too much.

69. Worship with "recognizable" songs. Don't teach too many new songs. Maybe 1 or 2 a month. And then do that song the next week and again a few weeks later to solidify it.

70. Hearts on fire, minds on ice! Don't let your passion for Jesus override your abilities. You CAN do both, have passion and play within your ability. That works best.

71. Above all, boast only in what Christ can, and is doing. Not what you are. Try this when people give you praise, say, Thank you, Praise God! In doing this, you're blessings the person for seeing the gifts God has placed in you and you're "deflecting" the praise up to God where it rightfully belongs. You don't want to absorb any of it, It's Toxic!

72. Remember, you can do nothing on your own. But through Christ, "All things are possible".

73. Worship through the songs in your own personal time before you use them, make them your own, and read the words through as a prayer. I always find this helps me prepare.

74. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Know what you want to do and know why you want to do it.

75. No matter how busy you are at your role, concentrate on worshiping. This is the part you will be modelling to the congregation.

76. Don't let talent overshadow other weighty characteristics when choosing your team.

77. Consistent tempo is way more important than being flashy.

78. You will get tired of songs way faster than your congregation, because you presumably listen to worship music a lot. Don't avoid playing songs two weeks in a row, especially newly introduced ones. Let your congregation get to know the songs well, so they can focus on God. As a side note, don't bring in songs you're only going to do once because it matches the sermon.

79. Don't start all your fast songs at the volume ceiling. Leave room for dynamic lifts.

80. Have capo versions of the chord sheets for songs in guitar unfriendly keys. (E.g. C#m could become Bm Capo 2).

81. Don't make big reactions to mistakes. The congregation may not notice the mistake, but see your negative facial expression.

82. Get a decibel meter. Volume is highly subjective. If people claim you're "too loud" you need to be able to check it out so you can bring the volume level down or tell those people what the real deal is. (We play at 85-90 dB, which for a band with live drums is remarkably quiet. Most people who think we are "too loud" actually just don't like live drums).

83. Set up your gear first. Get to practice and service as early as possible to set up your whatever so that when your team gets there you can assist/socialize with them. This will also make them get ready faster.

84. It's not a funeral. Last time I checked we worshiped the RISEN Lord. If he'd stayed in the grave I'd understand expressionless dirges.

85. Pay attention to you performance technique. I know it's a dirty word, but we are performers (just with different motives). A pastor has to understand the dynamics of stage presence and so do we.

86. Have integrity. Get a CCLI license and stay within the boundaries. Is your integrity worth making illegal copies of CD's and music? Hopefully not.

87. Get serious! Before picking up a mic or guitar, get serious about the Word...I just get alot of worship leaders that aren't digesting meat yet.

88. Study Timothy and Titus about the behaviour of leaders in the church (sober, not given to adultery, etc.)

89. Study James and learn to control your tongue and keep your ego in check.

90. Go through the Old Testament teachings on worship. Remember once Isaiah got a glimpse of true worship his comment was "I am ruined" because he realized that he will never measure up to the Holy God....thank god for Grace!

91. Put a "Paul" in your life to hold you accountable and be transparent.

92. Connect with as many people as possible in the body and build relationships...don't be the music minister that appears right before service and disappears right after.

93. Don't let the music team become a clique. Keep them engaged in serving through the body.

94. Carry lots of extra picks in your pocket, two extra 9 volt batteries, and bring two guitars (assuming you’re a guitarist!).

95. Dont' allow tubas or eight year old kids that play the clarinet on the team.

96. Pick songs that are true to Scripture... if you aren't sure than talk to your pastor about them.

97. Get a good sound man! Your sound man can make you or break you, so make sure that who ever mans that board knows what he is doing and how to do it – otherwise you will have bad mixes, feedback and that will mar the service. Send your sound guys to training at a seminar such as Syn-aud-Con, AES or some of the others here. Good sound guys don't just happen.

98. Remind musicians to check their tuning before each performance.

99. Map out your songs and strive for a sense of dynamics – tension, release and build.

100. Remind vocalists about mic control – back off on strong notes and get closer on softer notes – don’t drive the sound guy crazy.

101. Remind everyone that if you can hear just yourself – you’re too loud!


If you got this far and found this list helpful please take a moment to bookmark it on sites like Delicious and Digg it using the ‘Share ’ button below – thanks!

Find Worship Leaders In Your Area!

Last week the "Member Map" was launched on Worship The Rock. It's been fun to see people popping up all over the world on the map! If you haven't checked it out yet take a look and find worship leaders in your area!

The beauty of this map is that you can click on people in your area and then easily browse to their profile to read more about them and drop them a note to say hi!

Worship Leader Resources - Online Resources For Worship Leaders and Worship Pastors

Just thought i'd list a few worship sites that I use regularly. I'm responsible for running some of them, others are run by friends and some are run by people i've only met on the internet. Hopefully these online worship leader resources will help you in your planning, your learning and your accountability.

Worship The Rock - The online network of worship leaders, worship pastors and worship team members. It's free to join and you get a profile page where you can upload songs you've written as well as photos, videos etc. There is an active forum and a 'Songwriting Circle' where members can post songs and get constructive feedback from other songwriters.

The Worship Community - Worship leader resources and articles. Regularly updated with fresh content relevant to worship leaders and worship pastors.

Worship Blog - Daily Blog From Worship The Rock (You're reading it now :-) ). Daily worship blog aimed primarily at worship leaders, worship pastors and worship teams, but also relevant for anyone interested in worship in the wider context.

Worship Leader Jobs - Worship leader jobs from the US, UK and all across the world. You can list worship pastor jobs for free and browse listings. You can also sign up to receive free email alerts when new jobs are listed in your area.

He Must Increase - The network for UK worship leaders and musicians. It's a social network for worship pastors and worship team members from around the United Kindom - similar to Worship The Rock but just for the UK.

RESOUNDworship - Free new UK worship songs for worship leaders and churches worldwide. Download MP3s, chord charts, sheet music etc all for free.

Worship Central - School of worship run by Tim Hughes, Al Gordon and Ben Cantelon. Regular blogs, a forum and more importantly new songs each month with accompanying chord sheets. They also have a few instructional videos and a monthly Podcast.

HotWorship - A comprehensive directory of worship websites.

If you have other online worship leader resources that you use regularly please leave a comment below with the name of the website and i'll review it and may add it to this list. Thanks!

I Will Rise - Chris Tomlin's I Will Rise When He Calls My Name

I Will Rise By Chris Tomlin

Has anyone heard this fantastic song by Chris Tomlin called 'I Will Rise'? I heard it a while back and just love the lyrics. Having searched the web it looks like this song was a collaborative effort with the following people helping to write the song: Louie Giglio, Matt Maher, Jesse Reeves and Chris Tomlin.







The lyrics to the song are as follows:


I Will Rise

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
[x2]

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise


Wow! This song is truly inspired of God - if you haven't heard it before you can listen to it on YouTube here - enjoy!

Free Christian Sheet Music - Free Sheet Music and Christian Worship Guitar Tabs

People are always looking for free stuff on the internet, and that includes Christians! (and Worship Leaders!) I've compiled a list of places that you can browse and download free christian sheet music from. Often chord sheets and guitar tabs are available to download for free as well, and sometimes even the MP3s to go with the sheet music. I've only included sheet music for Christian songs. (I expect you can download other non christian free sheet music from lots of other websites too).

I'd like to add that this list of websites offering free christian sheet music is not comprehensive and I will try to keep it regularly updated with other free christian sheet music sites that are suggested to me. (Just leave a comment on this blog if you know of other webpages offering free sheet music for christian songs).


Free Christian Sheet Music & Guitar Tabs

#1 Favourite:

RESOUNDworship - Free UK Worship Songs by British based worship leaders. Download Lyric sheets, chord charts, lead sheets and MP3s, absolutely free.


Other Free Sheet Music & Guitar Tabs:

ChristianGuitar.org - Thousands of christian guitar tabs.

Christian Music 4 Praise and Worship - They claim to offer the largest collection of free christian music on web. Songs have a range of the following available to download: sheet music, chord charts, lyrics and MP3s.

Cantorion - free sheet music, good for Christmas Carols and classical.

Free Worship Charts - Loads of free chord sheets, regularly updated.

PWarchive - Christian guitar tabs but no lyrics.

Worship Archive - Free worship guitar tabs.


If you know of anymore useful sites offering either free christian sheet music or free christian worship guitar tabs please leave a comment below - thanks!

Worship Team Guidelines - Guidelines For Worship Leaders and Worship Teams

A worship leader from the UK by the name of Chris Sayburn put together some guidelines for "budding youung worship leaders". I believe many of these guidelines could be just as valuable to those of you who have led worship for some time - either as a reminder or as a template which you can adapt and use for your own teams.


Leading Worship - A Few Things To Consider

First and foremost if we are going to lead worship we need to be worshippers. How can we lead people somewhere we haven't been ourselves? Develop your relationship with God above everything else. Operate out of encounter ‐ do everything out of spending time with God. To lead God’s people in worship is an awesome privilege and a great responsibility...never forget this.

Communication

• When you are asked to lead worship, communicate with the leader and speaker before hand to get practical things sorted like what’s the theme, how many songs do you want / how many sets...etc... but also to find out what they think God might want to say to the church (its good to ask the speaker to send you a few bullet points of that they will be saying).

• When you have got this information you can now start to look at how you can choose songs that will help people respond in worship.


Service Structure

• A lot of service structures have a pre‐service song, 2 main music slots one at the beginning and one after the talk and an offertory song (somewhere in the middle!) For Roots we tend to have just the 2 main slots.

• Use the first slot as a “call to worship” Big songs that focus on God, His character, His Power, His
Love, His Greatness, His Faithfulness, songs that are all about Him and not us. This is a great way to start our worship journey because sometimes we don't “feel” great so using songs that are all about God and not about “how we feel” can really encourage people to worship. Also try and use songs that are inclusive songs with “we” in rather than “I” as it's important to remember we come together as one unit, a family to worship God together.

• Use the second slot to help people respond to the talk, if the talk is about surrendering, choose songs that give people opportunity to “surrender” lead them to a place of intimacy with God, songs that allow them to rest in His presence. (Its worth noting that sometimes service leaders choose to have a “final song” to wrap the service up - this is usually upbeat to “send people out”.)


Choosing songs

• Pray! Before you start putting songs together ask God to guide and lead you by His spirit. Jot down some song names that come to mind that go with the theme or back up the speakers talk. First work on the “Call to worship slot” How can you start people off on their worship journey by helping them take their eyes “off” of themselves and fix them on our awesome God?

• Check what songs were done in the last two services, as you don’t want to do all the same songs!!

• Think about what song(s) God is really blessing at the moment? What is he wanting to say to His church?

• Choose wisely depending on who you are leading, for example if you have elder members make sure there is a hymn(s) in there - again let's be inclusive not exclusive.

• A good question to ask is if someone came to the service and only listened to the songs what would they learn about God? Don’t just do 4 songs that say exactly the same thing...help people journey.

• It can be helpful to get a musical flow (but you don’t always have to do it) so one song can flow into another without a “stop/start” disruptive affect, this can be particularly helpful in the second “response slot.”

• Be mindful of song keys, are they too high for females or too low for males? Most songs in the soul survivor books (especially upbeat praise songs) are written in what I call “festival” keys - where there are 10,000 people - as you can imagine its a different dynamic with 100! I usually take the songs down one or two tones (key of B or Bb down to A and from A to G).

• Once you have worked on choosing some songs, start to worship God with them and you will see if and how they will work together, be asking God is there a certain song or lyric that He wants you to emphasize. Be thinking of beginnings and endings or how they will flow into each other so when you come to practice you have an idea of what you want - as if you leave it to everyone you will never get anything done!

• Be praying and using those songs during the week as part of your times of private worship to God.


New Songs

• Its good to freshen up your song repertoire with new songs ‐ the bible speaks about “singing a new song to the Lord” but carefully plan how your going to introduce the new songs.

A good way to introduce new songs to a congregation is to use them in the Pre‐service and / or offertory song slot. (maybe pre service on week, then preservice and offertory week after). After 2/3 weeks of the congregation hearing them, try using it as part of the main service for 2 or 3 weeks in a row, see how the congregation are picking it up. Is it helping people worship? Give it 2 weeks rest then try it for another 2 weeks in a row, then make a decision whether you are going to put it in the song list or leave it.


Practices

• If possible let your team know the songs before the practice so they can be thinking and going through them. This will give you a head start in the practice.

• If you are doing a new song, send them a link to the mp3 and sheet music so again they can have an idea what to expect, this will save practice time.

• If you can, get the sheet music out for the team before the practice or develop a system where each member has a file and they are individually responsible for their own music. (This can be hard work though if people forget to bring their files).

• Make sure you build a routine of praying together, this is essential if if we want to be authenticity in
our worship otherwise we are basically saying “God we don’t need you”. Pray for the congregation, pray for the speaker and leader. Pray for the band that God would lead the team for His glory.

• See what can be the mundane task of setting up equipment, as part of your worship to God.

• Try and keep the musicians under control when sound checking ‐ as musicians can't seem to not play when their instrument is in their hand! Follow the PA persons instructions.

• Make sure everyone tunes there instruments (those applicable) at the start.

• Take a strong lead, (but don’t be bossy!) - you will have an idea of what you want to do because of the prep you have done, communicate what you are thinking with the band and work on that as a template.

• Develop “signals” so your team can know when you want to go to a chorus / verse / stop / be quiet etc.... this can be great fun!

• Practice time can be taken up with a lot of practical musical things - thats ok. The practical element is part of your worship to God. Psalm 33v3 urges us to play “skillfully.” We have our duty to do our best and care about what we do.

• Don’t get too caught up with every detail - for example, we will do a verse then chorus then verse 2 then
chorus then tag then chorus x 2 - because we need to be following what God is doing so people might really be responding to a chorus so you might want to repeat that a few times...etc....

• HAVE FUN! Enjoy doing what you do, try and do some crazy things and be creative.

• Why not bring some food along and hang out together before hand, this is a great way to build team.

• Urge your team to keep praying and pressing into God, we want to be able to stand up and lead with integrity.


Leading Worship

• Make sure you wear appropriate clothing, nothing unhelpful like low cut tops, short skirts, football shirts, short shorts or things with massive logo’s. We want Jesus to be the focus not us.

• Always turn up early so you can be there to greet your team and get things ready, plus it gives you time to pray and go over any last minute things.

• Pray with your team before leading, hand it all over to God.

• Be yourself, don’t pretend to be something your not or put on a “fake” voice or accent, trust that God has called you for being YOU.

• Simply worship God! Lead with your eyes OPEN, look around, see what God is doing this will help how you lead the songs.

• Keep eye contact with service leader  - they are the overall leader and may want to get your attention to stop or play quietly while they give direction.

• Be continually asking God “what do you want to do next?” when you're leading and trust what you are thinking to do next is from God and go for it.

• If you make a mistake don’t worry just keep going. Or if there is a horrendous key clash where people are all playing the wrong thing just stop everyone and simply start again in the right key without any fuss. Again we want the focus to be on God not us!

• Once you have finished leading make sure you pray together, afer leading and exposing your heart and soul in worship you can be left “vulnerable” - pray for Gods protection and refreshing over you all.

• Just keep having a go at leading, the more you lead the more you can learn.

• Are there other people you see who you feel God has anointed to lead worship? Speak to them and pray with them about it, maybe invite them to co‐lead with you at the practices. Just start them off leading all the songs with you then gradually hand over a song to them to lead alone, then more and more until they are ready to give it a go in the service.


Development

• It’s good for you and your team to be accountable to other people. We all have things we need to work through and its essential to have someone who prays for us and helps us to keep moving forward in our journey.

• Get reading books on worship, it gives us so much depth when we know why we do what we do! Also, we can then make sure that what we are shaping our music ministry on is biblical and not just the latest “sound”.

• Learn from people who have been leading for years. Spend time with them, watch how they lead and ask for guidance.

• Work hard to learn the songs “off by heart” so you can concentrate on leading and not what the next chord or line is.

• If you play an instrument work hard at being the best you can, again, so you can concentrate on leading rather than worrying about hitting those next chords.

• Above all, like I said at the start....develop your own personal relationship with God.

Diane Luna - Rock Everlasting

Since launching Worship The Rock back in April 2008 many talented musicians have joined us. When time allows I try to listen to some songs on WTR and some songs really stand out.

One example is a fantastic musician called Diane Luna. She is from San Diego and has an album called Rock Everlasting (which is available on iTunes or from her website). When I first heard her songs her voice reminded me a bit of Jennifer Knapp, but a bit more folkey (is that a word?!) with a bit of country thrown in for good measure!

My wife bought me the album for Christmas and I really enjoy listening to it - especially when driving to work. It's relaxing and soothing and the lyrics strike a good balance of containing scripture whilst being unique and fresh which is always good!

My favourite song is 'Rock Everlasting' and talks about not leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I'd encourage you to visit Diane Luna's profile page and take a listen to her songs on there - if you like what you hear make sure you leave her a comment and consider buying her album on iTunes!


If you have recorded some songs (and uploaded them to your profile page on WTR( and would like the song(s) to be reviewed just drop me an email (click the 'About Me' link and then the 'Send A Message' link on my profile page). I can't promise to review all requests but i'll do my best!

The Link Between Work and Worship

A while ago I was sent this short study about the topic of 'work' by Brian Greenaway the Assistant Pastor from Emmanuel Pentecostal Church in Dartford, Kent here in the UK. I think it gives us a fresh perspective on worship - enjoy!


"I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours."
Jerome K. Jerome


"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group - there is less competition."
Indira Ghandi

Why is it that so many people consider the word 'work' a negative word?  Jesus often spoke about doing Gods work: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." Work is not considered to be a bad word in the Bible, in fact the Bible says that work is one of the ways in which humanity serves God – it can be described as a component of our worship: Avodah (Ah´-voe-dah) is a Hebrew word used in the Bible that has two distinct yet intertwined meanings: worship and work.

The dual meaning of this word can give us insight for today.

The word is used for the concept of 'worship' in Exodus and 'service' in Numbers 8:11. The actual root word means to work or to serve. And the English word for service is very close to its meaning.

True worship is hard work, involving energy and effort. Worship is something we do deliberately, we should think, concentrate and give it our all - body, mind and spirit. The psalmist encourages us to "Be still, and know that I am God".

Work is also serving. For those who love and follow Jesus our work is bringing worship and glory to God, it is the pinnacle of serving Him. There is always great satisfaction when we have finished a job and we stand back and look at our work, however, the ultimate work for the Christian is bringing worship to God. 

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17).

Top 10 Pieces Of Advice To Worship Pastors Going To A New Church

We all deal with change in different ways. Some love it, some don't mind it but most dislike it. Well how do you deal with changing jobs and churches at the same time? Have you ever had to do it? Possibly you are changing worship pastor positions right now and are having to deal with some of these issues right now.

Rich Kirkpatrick has compiled a top 10 list where he gives out 10 pieces of advice to worship pastors taking up a new role in a new church.

A few of my favourites from his list are:

be yourself: you have to know what you are good at and not good at and leverage the good and expose your weaknesses. You have to school your new place of service in who you really are, but if you do not know that yet you could be handicapped. If you are younger, well you are. Be happy about that and look the other way when people sour because they are no longer young like you are.

speak the culture: learn the lingo and adopt it immediately and be careful about comparing to past places of service or other churches you have read about, etc. Do it, but with caution.

be an apprentice: find a mentor, or two or three and keep asking questions. You will not get answers. Most likely the good mentors will ask you questions and make you solve your issues. But, they know what to ask. A mentor is not someone who is perfect, but has the luxury of pointing to the results of both good and bad choices you might make. Making mistakes makes you an expert, right?


I like this idea of mentoring - it can be really valuable to spend time with people who have walked a similar path to us and can lead us both by example but also by encouraging us beyond where they have been.

I encourage you to read the full list here.

Life Without The Bible

Have you ever wondered what the christian life would be like without any bibles? Have you thought about what we wouldn't know about God and Jesus Christ if we didn't have the bible?

We would miss out on so much of our heritage as Christians if we didn't have access to bibles. We would know hardly anything about God or Jesus, the gospel, salvation, healing, forgiveness and loads more.

What would we base our beliefs about God on? I suppose we might look to creation and realise God is a creator God. We might be able to glean other truths from creation too but our knowledge would be limited hugely.

Another way to think about this is: would you still be a Christian if someone proved the whole bible to be a lie?

I'm guessing not. However, like me, i'm asusming that you don't believe this would ever happen as the bible is God's truth to us. So much of what we believe rests on the bible being true, almost everything in fact. Obviously, we have a living relationship with Jesus, not just with a book, but we know from John 1 that Jesus is the Word - the two are intertwined and inseparable.

A further way to realise the importance of the bible is to think about how you would explain to a non-christian friend or colleague your christian beliefs without using any bible references, stories or quotes. Could you do it? Well I guess you could talk about your personal relationship with God through Jesus...but how would you explain how you found about who Jesus was? You would need to refer to the bible, or to refer to someone who had read the bible and then told you about it!

Why then do we, do I, neglect the bible sometimes and not do everything we can to make sure we get first hand knowledge and understanding of it? Especially when bibles are freely available to most of us, in bookstores, libraries on the internet, on our iPhones etc. Some people in countries that experience persecution for being Christians don't even have access to a bible and would give anything to own 1 bible for their family. Let's get our priorities right and back on the Word!

Made Me Glad - Miriam Webster - Christians Singing Lies?

Back in April 2009 I blogged about a song by Miriam Webster (plays music automatically when you visit the site) called 'Made Me Glad'. You can visit her page about how the song came about here - it's worth it just to see the picture of the piano in the sea!

I still think this song is fantastic and it's great to see that Miriam is releasing her album, entitled 'Made Me Glad' very soon - the release date is 9th October 2009 here in the UK.

I've often heard the phrase "Christians don't tell lies, they just sing them" and "Christians sing promises they can't keep" but i'm not sure I always agree with this. I tried to explain my view on this by posting a comment in response to a blog on He Must Increase. I don't think I did a great job of getting my point across though.

'Made Me Glad' is another song that could be interpreted as singing lies and making impossible promises. For example:

I will bless the Lord forever (Really?)
I will trust Him at all times (Will you really?)
He has delivered me from all fear (Has He?)
He has set my feet upon a rock
And I will not be moved (What, never?)
And I'll say of the Lord

Whom have I in heaven but you
And there's none I desire beside you  (Really?)

The comments in brackets are what people who claim that 'Christians sing lies' and 'make promises they can't keep' could possibly be thinking. I approach songs like this from a different angle, from a 'faith' perspective:

God...calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

And without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)

So, if we're singing from a faith perspective I think it's fine, in fact necessary, to sing promises and statements that we aspire to and take hold of 'by faith'. It's as if by singing what we want to believe to be true, God takes that faith and makes it more of a reality in our lives. More than if we only ever sing about where we are currently at in the natural - i.e. we could sing words like:

I will try to bless you Lord at all times

or

I wish there were none that I desire besides you

I would argue that this isn't singing in faith but only approaching God with our natural being. Let's be people of faith, who call things that are not as though they were. It's similar to "counting ourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11) but i'll leave that one for another blog!

Worship Leader Network

It's been exciting to see Worship The Rock grow so rapidly since it's launch back in April 2008. About 3 weeks ago the online community reached 5,000 members. This was a fantastic milestone...but it's not just about the numbers.

Along the way we've seen many people connect with other worship leaders and worship pastors who wouldn't have had another way to do this due to where they live. We've heard testimonies of leaders who have received pastoral support through difficult times from online friends that they have never met in person.

On top of that we've all been able to share the benefits (and difficulties) of being a part of a community, an online community yes, but a community nonetheless. The internet has truly transformed the way we meet and converse with people and it's been an honour to be able to be part of connecting worship leaders, worship pastors and team members.

Thanks for all the comments that many of you have sent in - it's always encouraging to hear how you've been blessed and how God has worked through tecnhology and strangers!

If you have a praise testimony of an experience on Worship The Rock please do share it below. I've recently been asked to write a short article about life on WTR and would love to include some stories from our members. Please only share your story if you are happy for me to use it (I won't mention any names in the article).

Thanks!

Worship Quotes For Worship Leaders

Ever find yourself trying to inspire and motivate your worship team, or even yourself? Sometimes we just need that small nugget to inspire us - it might be a photo of a dramatic landscape, an encouragement from a friend, a chapter in a book we're reading, a scripture, an amazing speech or a quote from some one who communicate well.

I just found this web page that has some fantastic worship quotes - some of my favourites are:

C.S. Lewis -
"The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in
God which made David dance."

A. W. Tozer -
"Without worship, we go about miserable."

C. S. Lewis -
"We only learn to behave ourselves in the presence of God."

Jack Hayford -
"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped"

Lamar Boschman -
"When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without
heart."

Graham Kendrick -
"Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to
discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our
richest and most wholesome experience in life." p.58 "A Heart For Worship" by Lamar
Boschman

Tommy Walker -
"How quickly we forget what it's all about. We can get so strategic that we worship so
our church will grow, not because He is worthy. But we're doing all this because God is
worthy and we want to worship Him."

Paul E. Billheimer -
"Surely that which occupies the total time and energies of heaven must be a fitting
pattern for earth."

Henry Sloane Coffin -
"If there is one characteristic more than others that contemporary public worship needs
to recapture it is this awe before the surpassingly great and gracious God."


Now there's nothing left to do but to worship Him!

Our Deepest Fear - Take A Risk

I recently read this speech that I thought was used by Nelson Mandela in 1994 - having done a quick search it looks like he probably didn't use the speech after all. It was actually written by Marianne Williamson. I think you'll agree that the words are profound:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."



This was a bit of a wake up call for me. Why do we shrink from new challenges, from doing that thing we've always wanted to do? I guess often it's fear. Fear of the unknown. So instead we carry on doing the things we've always done and sticking to what's safe.

Friends, let's break the mould, be different, take a risk and aim for the stars!

Nichole Nordeman - I Am - Fantastic Lyrics

I've been re-listening to a CD that i've had for a while. It's the 2002 album by Nichole Nordeman called 'Woven & Spun'. There is a song on there called 'I Am' which is beautifully written and fantastically sung.

The lyrics are:


Pencilmarks on a wall, I wasn't always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You can
You said, I Am

Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I'd never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2am
And when I am weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am

The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that's familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

When life had begun, I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they'll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home
I will be weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End

I Am
Yes, I Am



It's definitely not a congregational song that worship leaders can use on a Sunday morning. However, I think it's a great example of thinking outside the box and coming up with original lyrics. I'd recommend having a listen to it if you haven't already.

It's one of those albums that I know I shouldn't really like as it's not my preferred style, however somehow the songs are well put together and Nichole has a great voice.

I haven't heard her more recent material but I think I might have to now, having had this reminder of her God given talent.