Matt Redman—10,000 Reasons

July 12, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

So I’m usually hesitant to feed the consumerist worship monster, but sometimes there’s just a collection of new songs that deserve some recognition.

Back in February I had the “fantastic” opportunity to be in the crowd at LIFT. LIFT is an event geared towards worship leaders and songwriters hosted by Passion City Church at Center Stage in Atlanta. During the event, Matt Redman recorded a live record called “10,000 Reasons.”

The songs speak for themselves. I won’t go into a detailed review. I’ll just say…buy it.

Here’s a little video from Matt talking about the project.

Matt Redman talks about \"10,000 Reasons\" on YouTube

Be Like This Kid

June 4, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

Ever have one of those days that you wonder if you’ll ever “get it” and start to really be good at what you do? Well, maybe this kid who’d just learned to ride his bike will inspire you. [HT:loswhit]

This worship thing…it matters.

May 29, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

Redemption is the means; worship is the goal. In one sense, worship is the whole point of everything. It is the purpose of history, the goal of the whole Christian story. Worship is not one segment of the Christian life among others. Worship is the entire Christian life, seen as a priestly offering to God. And when we meet together as a church, our time of worship is not merely a preliminary to something else; rather, it is the whole point of our existence as the body of Christ.

John Frame

David Foster’s 10 Tips for Songwriters

May 26, 2011 in leadership, songwriting with 0 Comments

This is a completely un-researched shot in the dark, but it’s quite possible that you may have never heard more songs on pop radio by a single songwriter than by a chap named David Foster.

Click this link to the music player from his website and you’ll see what I mean.

Now, I can’t speak to the character of the man. But to the talent…holy cow. He might be more of a pop-music icon than The Beatles or even MJ.

Recently Foster was recognized by BMI for, as New Rockstar Philosophy put it on their site, “being old and successful”. (-: David took a moment at the event to share 10 Tips for Songwriters. Watch this… Don’t read too far into some of it, but as it relates to how we approach our craft as musicians and leaders, there are some real nuggets of gold, even far beyond songwriting.

Sometimes Things Don’t Go According To Plan

May 23, 2011 in General with 1 Comment

You know those Sundays where everything is planned just so, but then as soon as things get rolling at go time something derails your best intentions, and you just can’t seem to recover?

Well, this should make those days a-ok.

Kind of like when you see the “perfect” neighbor’s “perfect” kids throw a fit in Walmart.

Who’s the Boss?

May 23, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

The heart of an artist is unique, and I believe that it’s creative bent is the last thing anyone should try to tame.

But Worship Planters aren’t only artists. Many of us have an entrepreneurial streak that runs deep as well.

The Entrepreneurial Artist

The combination of artist + entrepreneur is powerful. These characteristics suit us for transforming a bland cafe-gymni-torium into an inspiring worship gathering space week after week, come rain, hail, snow, or gail. When everchanging circumstances come along and throw us a challenge, we can think of a dozen ways to tackle it that would make MacGyver weak in the knees.

But our biggest strength is often our biggest weakness, isn’t it?

The Paintbrush Hits the Canvas

We often find a common bond with our visionary Lead Pastors when it comes to that entrepreneurial spirit. We can both see how things could be as if they happened yesterday. I think this is what draws us to our leaders in the first place. His vision sounds like mine, and we sit and dream for hours on end about what things should look like. It’s a match made in heaven

Then we hit the season of producing that vision, and the artist side kicks in.

7 Sound Check Tips from Andy Piercy

May 21, 2011 in Leading the Band with 0 Comments

Earlier this week, I had the distinct privilege of hanging out at a worship leader’s retreat led by a British chap named Andy Piercy and his wife Judy.

Not sure who Andy Piercy is? Well, you know that little tune, “Der Kammissar“? Yeah. That’s Andy singing it.

And have you ever heard of a band named Delirious? or a fella named Matt Redman? Yeah. Andy produced their first few records.

Andy and I “randomly” met a few weeks ago at a friend’s house when I also found out he lives just a few miles up the road.

Andy is a fantastic worship leader of worship leaders, and in just these few short weeks has already deeply influenced this little worship planter.

He shared a few nuggets of wisdom during the retreat that I’ve asked if I could pass on to you all. I’ll share them here and there over the next few weeks.

How to Have a Rockin’ Soundcheck Continue Reading…

Stop delegating

May 19, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

We all know that the enemy of great leadership is good leadership.

And we also know that the enemy of great leadership is busy-ness.

Many churches have done a lot in recent years to strategize how to work more efficiently so that our teams can better strive for great leadership. And a buzz word of that effort has been “delegation”.

Delegation is a necessary approach.

Most of the time.

The exception:
Don’t DELEGATE what should be ELIMINATED.

Some tasks and processes on your plate certainly need to be handed off strategically in an effort to multiply yourself by training up your disciples. Delegation.

Some tasks or processes just need to die. Nix. Kill switch.

Let it go.

Elimination.

If it doesn’t deliver measurable results, and if there isn’t currently someone who can leverage it for those results, bid it farewell.

Are you sure you’re crippled?

April 23, 2011 in Health and Purity with 0 Comments

Stan is a friend of a one of the guys in our band at River Church.

Two years ago, on Palm Sunday, he stood up out of his wheelchair to find that his legs worked again. Doctors had told him his disease would continue to weaken him, but there he was…able to walk after all. (that’s a long story made short, btw)

I wonder if you are living a crippled life unnecessarily. Maybe there’s a fear in your gut that you can’t shake. It’s a disabling fear that really has no business ruling your mind.

Maybe you think you’re not suited to lead well, so you sit on your vision waiting for “the right time” or the perfect conditions to pursue it.
Maybe you’re afraid that if you don’t “have your hand in” carrying out your vision, someone will blow it for you.
Maybe you think you’ll never get ahead financially, so you spend every penny you have on junk you don’t really need or experiences you can’t really afford for fear that it’s now or never, rather than asking someone who is good with money to help you get a handle on your financial world.
Maybe you think it’s wiser to let issues on your team “blow over” than to confront them head on so that healthy growth can flourish with a little pruning and tough work.
Maybe you are afraid your spouse will lose faith in you if you really own up to your mistakes.

99 times out of 100 our fears are a waste of our time, which means, in turn, that they’re a waste of perfectly good life.

You may just need to get up out of your wheelchair and try to walk for once. Quit blaming others, God, or even yourself for whatever has crippled you. Get off your keister and make a go of it.

“One day, God will free me from this. As soon as I have the right ____________, things will turn around.”

Well, maybe so.

But maybe you’re just chicken.

Stan wasn’t chicken. He heard God say, “Stand up”. And he did.

Photo credit Wade Spees

This Could Kill Me

February 22, 2011 in General with 0 Comments

About 10 years ago I took a road trip from Atlanta with some guys to visit a friend who had moved out to Okalhoma. He had gotten to know a rock-climber-extraordinaire named John who had gotten him into rock climbing. So the natural thing to do while we were there was to take a trip to the Wichita Mountains for a climb.

I had done a little climbing in north Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. But as we hiked deep into the wilderness, it was clear that I had no idea what I was in for. I had climbed a few rocks in my day.

But in comparison, these “rocks” were so big they could have broken off to create their own solar system.

John guided us like the pro that he was. He led the climb, and I followed two or three climbers behind him. About 600-feet into the 900-foot climb, I got my foot stuck in a gap. Because of the way it was positioned I couldn’t twist it out without taking my weight off of it. But seeing as how my other foot was dangling where there was no step, I was in a pinch. I though about just pushing away from the rock and then swinging across the rock. But that was a bad idea, too, because of the LARGER rock that was about 20 feet to my right. If I had jumped, that rock would have been my emergency brake…or emergency break. I would have left the mountain with more pieces of bone in my body than I had brought in that morning.

To this day that was the most terrified I’ve been in all my life that my physical body was grave danger. I was trembling, and I just could not think of a way down that didn’t involve the spilling of blood.

Fear is a devil. It is a real tool that our enemy uses to squelch our effectiveness, vision, and boldness.

Fear kills.

So we have to kill it back.

More to come…

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