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To Audition Or Not To Audition?

no@spam.com (Branon Dempsey) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

There is a question that has been rattling in my brain since last week. You see, a friend of mine is in the process of creating another worship service. Currently, the attendances in both services are at 80%. The consensus was to create a service that was younger and hip, which would help identify to the new growing portions of their demographic.

In order to be different, this added service was going to be more of an alternative rock sound as apart from the 1990's contemporary and the 1920's traditional. The challenge was the selection process of band members and singers who would help create the music/style of this service.

The objective is two-fold: (1.) Auditioning members from both contemporary and traditional teams in order to create a new sound. (2.) Finding/auditioning members from outside the worship ministry and/or church to create a new sound.

The problem: is the auditioning process the best way to go, rather than picking who you want and forming the group? Because of the relational and emotional ties in the current teams, my friend explained that he was cautious in the following concerns: those who are loyal and may feel that their toes were getting stepped on; those who may experience hurt feelings if they are not chosen; those who may fear rejection because they are inferior to auditions; and those who may form the perception that the chosen group is for the elite.

If this were you, how would you handle these concerns?

Vocal Rehearsal?

no@spam.com (Rick Muchow) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

What are the benifits of a Vocal Rehearsal that is seperate from all other rehearsals?

This is what we do: We start our rehearsals promptly at 7pm, whether people are there or not. We sing a few worship songs to warm up and do vocal exercises for about 10 minutes. During those first warm up worship songs, I’m greeting people as they walk in: a smile or a “great to see you.” Our materials are all on a table by the door for folks to pick up on their way in. That’s our first 15 minutes: warm up.

Next, we walk through the agenda/goals for the night. This is the list of what we need to accomplish. This is where I teach the parts or remind people of the parts for each song. We’ll go through each song one at a time so the singers can record them (on their own personal recorders) for practice throughout the week. This lasts about 45 minutes.

At approximately 8pm, I stop teaching parts and shift to a devotional that lasts 10-15 minutes. Sometimes we pray here, most of the time we pray at the end in small prayer teams. Then we’ll sing again, but worship through the songs rather than examining the individual parts. By worship through them, I mean not “performing” the songs but using them as tools to worship. Let the songs soak into the hearts of your leaders.

Because we are rehearsing for 3 different services with 3 different orders of worship, at 8:30pm we separate into individual worship service teams. This gives the individual teams a chance to polish their sound, learn any songs specifically for their services and work through worship flow and segues. Some vocal teams will spend time with their band while others rehearse on their own. All of the teams will pray together for the services and personal concerns. Rehearsal concludes about 9:15pm.

Finding the Perfect Song

no@spam.com (John Chisum) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Have you ever wished you could find THE song that would make everyone sing along? If you're like me you've actually thought that you had found it a time or two in songs like SHOUT TO THE LORD, or HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD. Then one day a well-meaning soul in your church comes up after service and asks, "Do we HAVE to sing that song again?" One person actually told me once that they would scream if they had to sing a certain song again. So is there a perfect song out there to be had? The song to end all songs? The answer is YES.

Revelation 5 gives us a glimpse into the worship of heaven. Great beasts, elders, angels, and the throne of God gather up in an apocalyptic explosion of worship! We get to see the hosts of heaven and the redeemed saints surrounded the eternal throne of Almighty God and sing a song in three stanzas - we actually KNOW the lyrics to this perfect song!

Revelation 5

6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits^[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:

   "You are worthy to take the scroll
      and to open its seals,
   because you were slain,
      and with your blood you purchased men for God
      from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
      and they will reign on the earth."

11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:
   "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
   to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
   and honor and glory and praise!"

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
   "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
   be praise and honor and glory and power,
         for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The melodies of heaven will be very different from our own. The music will be beyond anything we've ever experienced here on earth but I am convinced that we have tasted it many times here already even if we aren't aware of it. I think there will be something familiar in it because it will flow from the Spirit of God in, around, and through us. Ephesians 1 says that we have the seal of the Spirit now. I believe the song of heaven, that perfect song, will be more natural than breathing. We will inhale and exhale the very worship of God.

Secular and Sacred

no@spam.com (Branon Dempsey) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Like the shock we experienced in adding drums in a worship service (for the first time) is similar to the shock of introducing a secular tune on Sunday morning. How far we have come in church music from singing Awesome God and The Battle Belongs to the Lord (Those born before 1980 or those who were pre-exposed - remember these?)

Some say that the Church has gone too far in the direction of contemporary music by using secular songs. Others say that we have not gone far enough in order to be relevant with culture. There is a fine line between remaining relevant and remaining biblical; but sometimes these lines are blurred leaving mixed signals to those in Christ and those seeking Christ. Assuming that there is a point and context for delivering these songs, when is it helpful, when is it hurtful? Where is the biblical foundation that can support the use of secular songs in a worship service? What say you?

Eugene Peterson has this to say:

Connecting to the Congregation

no@spam.com (Rick Muchow) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Viewer Blog Question:
How does one have a balance in how they worship on stage when others are really watching? I am a singer in a choir and I am having a hard time with looking at the congregation when I am singing a song that leads to a personal time towards God, yet I want others to know that this is a message to them that they to can have this personal time with Him as well it is not just for those on the stage leading them into a realm of worship. I love to close my eyes when I am singing. I can block out all the distractions and focus on Him, however it looks like I am ignoring the congregation, or that I am lazy, or tired even though I have joy on my face.

Rick Muchow:
Simply put, when I am singing a lyric to God like “I love you Lord,” I don’t look into the eyes of other people. I look up or close my eyes. When I’m singing a song about “when we worship” for example the song Shine by Matt Redman that says “we will shine like stars in the universe,” I will thoughtfully, sincerely look at other worshippers to acknowledge we’re all in this together as the body of Christ. We serve and love a wonderful God.

It is important when leading worship to remember that the goal is to connect others to God in worship. The worship leader’s most intimate worship experience is mostly done when we are NOT leading others: in a quiet time, private worship, or when we take part in a corporate worship services as a member of the congregation.

God Hears Our Complaints and Loves Us The Same

no@spam.com (John Chisum) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

In Psalm 69:1-4 David writes out of his anguish (and I'm sure stinky bad breath because he had to hide in caves a lot):

"Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to

my neck.

I sink in the miry depths,

where there is no foothold.

I have come into the deep waters;

the floods engulf me.

I am worn out calling for help;

my throat is parched.

My eyes fail

looking for my God.

Those who hate me without reason

outnumber the hairs of my head;

many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal."

David had some very real enemies. His own son, Absolom, wanted to cut his head off. He was a warrior-king who felt things at a very deep emotional level, like me, and he wasn't afraid to wear a tunic and play a harp. He kicked butt and wrote songs. So far my worst enemies are in my head and my teen-aged daughter still wants me to drive her to the mall. I don't own a tunic or an ephod but I do have some baggy jeans. I'm just learning that it's okay to sing a lament or two along with the happy-clappy praise stuff that can momentarily lift any of us out of the doldrums.

Maybe that's the real lesson here. God is big enough to hear the praise and take the complaints. He doesn't love us more when we're happy than when we're sad. He is with us in the good and the bad, when we want to love Him and when we can't understand why He doesn't seem to be listening. He sees us when we're on the mountaintop and when we're hiding in a cave somewhere fearing for our lives. Maybe it's just okay to feel what we feel and remember that Jesus was well acquainted with our weaknesses. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet without sin."

Honesty

no@spam.com (Branon Dempsey) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Honesty is hard to find in the Church. Honesty is hard to find in people. Honesty is even harder to find within ourselves. Over the past 3 days I have encountered numerous discussions on this topic among worship leaders. It seems that there is a fear within and outside the Church of being honest. We are not only afraid to admit truth, but even more so, how to confront what is false and speak the truth. Being free is not without its price. Where truth is found lies in the arms of freedom, in which this cost Christ everything. If we can muster up any honesty it is found in the freedom of Christ as he gives us strength to be true. So what keeps us from being honest? Hurt. Pain from rejection, brokenness, loss, grief and the like covered over years and decades can mar and impair our deep emotions. Damage prevents us from trusting others, ourselves and God. There is more pain in the Church than what surfaces on Sunday morning or in a Bible study. How do we cope? How are we to be honest with ourselves before we can help others? It begins with Christ healing us from the inside out. Dennis Jernigan addresses this concern in this clip. May his words stir your heart to crave Christ's healing and freedom right where you sit.

He’s everything He says He is…

no@spam.com (Matt Redman) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Approached from any angle, our God is glorious, majestic, loving and holy. You can search as long as you like but You will find no gaps in His greatness or goodness. He is steadfast, constant and perfect.

When we study a person for a while, before long we will find some kind of ‘chink’ in their armour – some kind of inconsistency perhaps. For although we may each have admirable qualities, none of us are as steadfast, faithful or unflawed as we would hope to be. God, however, is different. He tells us He is holy, and it is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He tells us He is love, and everywhere you look you will find His love. He tells us He is faithful, and as we investigate we discover that He is absolutely true to His word. He is the perfect and unfailing King of glory. He is the incomparable God of holiness – set apart to be worshipped and adored. Constantly He shines with splendour. Moment after moment He radiates grace, peace and love. There is no lapse in His character or inconsistency in His nature. Our God is everything he says He is… for now and all eternity.

Teach Us To Pray

no@spam.com (Branon Dempsey) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Our pastor yesterday discussed the important role of asking God questions. Why is this important? Because asking questions compels us to dig deeper in our understanding of God. Whether if we are distraught, in need, in confusion or in need of direction. This morning I applied this truth to prayer - mainly, asking God to teach me about prayer. Communication with God is where we interact with Him between the Word and life. I was struck by the words from the disciple in Luke 11:1 "Lord, teach us to pray..."

What a powerful question/statement to Jesus. If you think about it, the disciple, seeing Jesus praying to God. Knowing that the Messiah not only has direct access to the Father, but literally can ask Almighty God anything he desires. The disciple, standing there in anticipation, could have asked Jesus for anything. He had the opportunity to bring some specific need to Jesus or to really corner Him into a self-ambitious dialogue or self pity. Instead, he presented to Jesus a statement that inferred a basic question: Lord, teach us to pray.

My guess is that the disciple would find the answers of his deepest needs. Like Mary, choosing the one thing that is most important, coming to Jesus alone. When was the last time you came to Jesus alone? Without need, without worry, without issues. Our concerns are necessary and right to bring, but in the beginning there is God. When we come to Him alone, we find all we need in the purest form of who He is: Emmanuel, God with us.

When The Music Fades

no@spam.com (John Chisum) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Today is my daughter's last performance as ANNIE (check out my Facebook page for some pics). She's done thirteen shows and has had an absolute blast doing them, but it all comes to an end after today's matinee. You'd have to know her to know that she was born for the part (everyone says so) and that she even came out of the womb with red hair. This was her first lead and she has done a marvelous job, says the proud Papa! It has been her dream to play this part and we've stocked up on anti-depressants now that the show is ending!

Sometimes, as church-going Christians, we can get hooked on the adrenalin of the praise music, preaching, and fellowship we experience on Sundays. The writer of the Book of Hebrews (most scholars think it was Paul) said "let us not stop meeting together" (Hebrews 10:25) so, of course, we shouldn't but I wonder sometimes if we're not looking for the wrong kind of stimulus from it. Considering how performance driven we've become in our churches these days it seems easy to me that we would all begin to be conditioned to being "pumped up" by the music and excited by the exhortations and forget the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

We'll pray our daughter through her "post-adrenalin" let-down over the next week. She'll miss being Annie, but there will eventually be new roles for her to conquer. But what about the rest of us? Can we worship effectively at home or in the car with no music, no preaching, and no one else around?

In my workshops I help believers go deeper in their personal worship lives and to look at corporate worship as a time to contribute instead of to receive only. When the lights go down and the stage is bare, what song is playing in our hearts?