Worship Blog
Taco Bell vs. Chipotle
| March 25, 2011 A burrito as big as your head for $6 or a three pound box of fast-mex food for $5? What we can learn from Chipotle and Taco Bell.
Small Churches are Small Because They’re Doing Something Wrong
March 23, 2011That’s what a college classmate of mine heard when he did a ministry internship in a very large church. No, he didn’t just hear the sentiment. He heard the actual words: “Small churches are small because they’re doing something wrong.†I
Free Music From Praise Charts
March 22, 2011PraiseCharts has another great giveaway . They've got charts and mp3s for several songs from Integrity. At the top of the pack (IMO) is Gateway's O the Blood with Kari Jobe leading. Another is You Gave Your Life Away by Paul Baloche. John Mark Mc
28 Ways to Create Great Segues: Segue #15 (part 1)
| March 18, 2011Segue #15, part 1: The Offering - it's no wonder, that for so many churches, this is the segment that grinds momentum to a halt
3 Songs I'm Loving for Easter
March 11, 2011One of the things I struggle with each year are finding songs that are focused on the Resurrection and not just on the Cross. Don't get me wrong, we need songs about the Cross of Jesus, but His resurrection is equally as important as the cross (and some w
Keywords: easter, easter songs, resurrection, worship leading, worship planning | Be the first to comment
"Good Music--I Just Hate Looking at the Worship Team..."
March 4, 2011I've been talking to my team, especially my vocalists, about stage presence. Team members from secular backgrounds (bar bands, musical theater, etc) bristle at the thought of infusing worship with the kind of "stage presence" they used in performanc
Small Church/Big Worship - 2 or 3 More Numbers That Matter...
February 7, 2011In the last SC/BW post, we talked about numbers . Numbers matter. We can't scale NorthWillowBackHillPoint down to 100 people. These large churches have more people on staff than most churches have, well, people. But there are a few numbers that are
28 Ways to Make Great Segues - An Intermission
February 7, 2011We've just progressed through 14 different segues that can move us between songs. We're shifting now to look at segues between non-musical parts of the worship service.
Keywords: leadership, segues, worship, worship leading, worship planning, worship teams | Be the first to comment
Mangling Our Banner?
February 7, 2011So Christina Aguilera botched the words to the National Anthem last night at the Super Bowl. One news site had a poll asking if "we forgive her?" Forgive her? Sure. I botch words every week when I lead. It's the running joke on my worship team. I even f
Creating Inner Movement
February 4, 2011Here's an excerpt from Chord Voicings for the Advancing Guitarists . It shows how to create inner movement within open movable chords.
28 Ways to Create Great Segues: Segue #14
| February 4, 2011Segue #14: The Talking Transition - the key to great verbal segues is preparation
Ministry, Intimacy and a Disrobed Disco
| February 4, 2011For the Pharisees it was studying the scripture and keeping the law. For me, it's doing ministry. I wrap myself in the robe of pastor and musician instead of the arms of Jesus...
Keywords: , intimacy, john 5, mark batterson, soul print, surrender, worship | Be the first to comment
Great Song/Free Praise Chart
January 13, 2011If you haven't heard People's Church or Natalie Grant's "Your Great Name," you need to. Praise charts is offering the leadsheet/piano/vocal and chord chart for FREE. It'll end soon, so grab it now! UPDATE: it has ended...but check out this song - it's
Small Church/Big Worship - Numbers Matter...
January 5, 2011No one walks into a church of 100 and expects Hillsong United. But there is a slight disappointment when “Mighty to Save†isn’t that, well, mighty. Numbers matter. I know I’m not supposed to say that. But when it comes to corporate worship
28 Ways to Create Great Segues: Segue #13
| January 1, 2011Segue #13: Selah - pause, and think of that
Keywords: leadership, prayer, psalm 77, scripture, segues, selah, worship leading, worship planning, worship training | Be the first to comment
28 Ways to Create Great Segues: Segue #12, pt.2
| December 31, 2010Segue #12, part 2: Scripture - how to use it to carry us between songs
14 Ways to Escape the First Four Frets, Part 9
December 29, 2010Escape #8: The Ubiquitous D Shape (Part 9, Way to Escape # 8. I know, it's confusing. Just go with me here...) OK, I barely know what ubiquitous means. I've just always wanted to use it ever since I heard Steve Taylor sing " as a slave to that ubi
LIDs
November 3, 2010Every new adjustment is a crisis in self-esteem. ~Eric Hoffer I had the privilege this Sunday to introduce a new worship leader to our congregation. We didn't hire him. Nor did he transfer from another church. He's been here for a while--I just duste
worship planning tip #17
November 3, 2010worship planning tip #17 Unless you have the same band and vocals week after week, always plan your songs with an eye on the musician* schedule. Look at the range the vocalists who may be taking the lead. Look at the strength of your scheduled band and d
Small Church/Big Worship - 10 Ways The Senior Pastor Can Make This Sunday Remarkable
November 2, 2010I believe the senior pastor of any church is the CLW: Chief Lead Worshiper . He sets the tone for corporate worship. For the solo pastor of a smaller church, he may be actually leading the worship, or at least doing most of the behind-the-scenes wor
28 Ways to Create Great Segues: Segue #12, pt.1
| October 27, 2010Segue #12, part 1: Scripture - is a compass, is common ground, provides a unique context, is a catalyst
Small Church/Big Worship, an Introduction
October 26, 2010Small churches. They're everywhere. Check out this excerpt from a great post I just read: Imagine you are looking down a very, very long street, and all the churches of U.S. are lined up along the left side of the street from smallest to la
May god wrap his arm around him and his family in ...
October 25, 2010May god wrap his arm around him and his family in this time of need.. Sending my thoughts and prayers to him.. May god bless them..
Our community and our family is praying for brando...
October 25, 2010Our community and our family is praying for brandon everyday and for the lord to watch over him and his family as the lord heals his wounds. I will be holding a benefit for brandon and his family if anyone would like the details please contact me @ moonch
Unless Chris Tomlin's Your Worship Leader...
October 25, 2010...you probably need to lower the key on Chris Tomlin's songs. You may have one singer who can nail those notes. But most of your team can't. And your congregation REALLY can't. So you go to Song Select and print out a more congregationally-friendly key
Brandon Moore...
October 24, 2010You don't know Brandon. Or chances are that you don't, unless you're from northern Morrow County, OH. But he's someone to get to know . Brandon goes to my church. He does video editing with me and helps out just about any other way he can. And I l
worship planning tip #8: Charts - Overdo it
October 23, 2010Charts - this is one of those places where the worship leader/pastor/director needs to overdo it. And by "overdo it" -- be all things to to all musicians, if at all possible. My OCD (obsessive chart development) stems back to a prolonged and silent suff
Top 10 Reasons to Host a Worship Guitar Workshop
September 5, 2010//TEN// Teach your guitarists how to play something other than Stairway to Heaven. //NINE// The guitar has between 15 & 22 playable frets. The average guitarist uses only 4 of those. //EIGHT// Your more experienced guitarists
Live Events
September 5, 2010If you're near a live worship guitar workshop, you're not going to want to miss the hands-on practical training that happens in these smaller group settings. Here are the scheduled events. Click on the city to get more information. Marque
Walmart Worship, II
September 1, 2010After my search for salt , I put the bags in my cart and begin to make the long trek back to the grocery side (where, of course, I parked). Out of the corner of my eye, I saw bundles of firewood on the shelf. Walmart is now selling firewood. With
