I’m calling this blog entry Monday Mix because I’m consolidating a few items into one.
Here I’d like to highlight a recent worship conference I attended, update you on some chord charts for Surrender, and share yesterday’s song list at LWC.
So here goes…
ForgeCon
This last weekend I had the privilege of attending ForgeCon, an annual gathering of worship leaders from around the country with the purpose of cultivating community and equipping worship leaders and artists. The conference had several contributors.
One of the keynote guys was a fellow named Dan Wilt. Dan is the creator of worshiptraining.com as well as an author, speaker, and songwriter. Dan also plays the hammer dulcimer and sings in the group Wilt & Dunn. These guys were awesome.
The vision of their music and ministry is to create “liturgical spaces” as they call it. It was pretty inspiring and challenged me to think more creatively about our worship services at LWC. More on this later…
Other guys like Rich Kilpatrick (worshipmythbusters.com) and John Voelz had some very interesting things to say that challenged the many cliches that have crept in and surrounded the subject of Christian music and worship in the church. Check out their sites at the links above.
For me the highlights were the relational building times. I was pretty stoked to have some extended conversations with friends like Shannon Lewis, Joe Day, and Matt Boswell. It’s pretty cool to be encouraged by guys who are in the same stages of life and ministry.
Joel Klampart organized the event. His vision for the conference is so cool. What God has placed in his heart is compelling – bringing together worship leaders and teams to be refreshed in God’s presence, learn some practical things, to be authentic with each other, and to build lasting friendships.
Chord Charts
With the release of my latest EP Surrender I’ve got some new chord charts and hopefully helpful guitar tutorials coming soon to the Song Corner. Be on the lookout for those in the next couple of weeks.
Changing It Up
Last week, when thinking through Sunday’s song list, I felt the need to change it up a bit. We started with a slower, more heart felt 6/8 balad called All I Have Is Christ; instead of a more “Happy-Happy-Joy-Joy” song with a four on the floor beat, combined with the Coldplay knock-off guitar hook in the intro. Please pardon the glib pessimism…
I’ve really been wanting to think outside the box more with regard to our worship services. No matter who you are, everyone has a tendency to drift towards those status quo, stuck-in-a-rut comfort zones. As I look at myself, I have been tried, and found guilty.
So I’m asking God to give me hunger and expectancy. I’m not talking about some bizarre Charismatic experience. I’m talking about the day to day mystery of God’s grace being perfected in our weaknesses; weaknesses that are common to many worship practitioners and church leaders. I’m talking about laziness in planning, sluggish creativity, mediocre thoughts of worship, and low views of God.
But all is well. We have a sovereign resurrected Christ! And I’m hopeful that God will be glorified. He is faithful…
Yesterday’s order of service
Call to worship- All I Have Is Christ (Na Band) [YouTube]
Public reading of Psalm 96
I Will Boast (Paul Baloche) [YouTube]
Everlasting God (Chris Tomlin verison) [YouTube]
3 minutes of silence and reflection
Missions video
offering and response Come Thou Fount (Sovereign Grace version)
Sermon from Jonah chapter 4
Benediction from 1 Peter 5, and Numbers 6