Something from Nothing

Have you ever had to build something?

Recently I have been working on "building" a sound system from scratch.  We are preparing to launch a service on our local college campus and needed to put together a budget for instruments and sound equipment.  Seems like an easy enough task huh?

Do you have any idea how many different microphones, cables, guitar amps, bass amps, drum kits, mixing consoles, front of house speakers, monitor systems, and rack cases there are?  Fortunately I had acquired a fair amount of knowledge by hanging out with tech savvy people (I lovingly refer to them as geeks) over the years.  By the way, get yourself a few geek friends, they are incredibly helpful, perpetually resourceful, and eternally willing to share their wisdom to anyone who is willing to listen.

Let me tell you this.  As prepared, methodical, and mindful as I thought I was, it was nearly impossible to get everything just right!  As I started ordering equipment, as things began to feel like Christmas in the middle of September around here, I realized that even though I had put a great deal of planning into this, I forgot things.  And even though I order most of the needed gear, sometimes the manufacturer or dealer would send me the wrong item.

It was dang near impossible to get things right the first time around.

Do you ever feel as though you are doing everything you can to get things right or make something happen, but no matter how hard you try, you feel as though things aren't working out exactly as planned?  I think many times we give up after the first or second attempt and assume that God doesn't want us to have that job promotion, bring that neighbor to church, take that mission trip to Africa, write that song that the whole church can worship to, etc.  I think we give up too early!  (Check out 2 Kings 13:18-19)

I took a rock climbing class when I was in college.  We had a professional climber come in and talk to our class one day (let me tell you that first of all, professional climbers are a breed of people among themselves!).  He had an interesting take on climbing that I will never forget.  He said that the most rewarding part of the climb is NOT getting to the top.  He said the thrill of the climb is when you are stuck on the wall, realizing that the next move will be difficult.  You are faced with the opportunity to try a new maneuver, make a dynamic move to the next hold, and practice your technique.  The downside of getting to the top is that the climb is over!

God gave us this one life to be an adventure.  All too often we get stuck on the little things that don't seem to work out just right and distract us from the joy of being alive.  The truth is that tomorrow will come!  Whether or not we get everything just right today, we will have another opportunity to try again tomorrow!  Keep moving towards your plans and dreams (1 Corinthians 9:24), keep running towards the destination (Philippians 3:12-14)!  We serve a God that made human-kind out of dust, something from nothing.  I am confident that he cares about the little things that seem so big today, but are small in perspective tomorrow!

Ditch The Band

The worship team.  Many people refer to the musicians on stage of the modern church as "the worship band."  I want to spend a few moments explaining why "band" can't and doesn't work in today's church culture.

By definition, a band is something that binds things together and constricts movement.  Although many of today's rock bands are terrible examples of faithfulness and loyalty because many of them are willing to sell each other out for a solo career (much thanks to large sums of money and fickle fans), the very idea of a band is a closed group.  There is only enough room for one drummer, a couple of electric guitarists, a backup singer or two, and of course the one and only lead vocalist.  The rest of the musicians that you see performing with these bands are "hired help" that come in, learn a few horn or string parts, play the gig, collect a paycheck, and go home without any opportunity of ever making it on the cover of the next album.

Although every young musician dreams of being part of the next great rock band, the message that we send to our potential volunteers when we talk about the church "band" is that there is no room for them.  Don't get me wrong, I realize that much of this is semantics and our desire is to use anyone that is available.  However, it is all too easy to turn a group of musicians that volunteer their time to help people worship freely and without distraction each and every Sunday morning into an elite group of people that sends the message to potential volunteers that there is "no room in this band."

Here is how we have done things at River City Church, and will continue to do them as long as I am privileged enough to work here.  Everything is about TEAM!  We have one TEAM at our church filled with many individuals with many different gifts.  We mix and match our Sunday morning team from a roster of incredibly diverse volunteers.  (Check out Romans 12:5)  I wouldn't have it any other way!

I realize that there are many churches that don't do their worship ministry this way.  I am not saying that we are right and they are wrong, but I am saying I am one hundred percent positive that this is the most effective way to communicate to potential volunteers that we have room for you, this is a place that you can serve, and we would be proud to worship the Creator of the universe with you by our side!  (Isaiah 40:28-31)  That is powerful!

What Is Worship? - Part 1

•  Worship is extravagant respect, admiration, and devotion to God.

•  Worship is responding to all that God is with all that I am.

Biblical definition:

       Genesis 22:1-14 Abraham was so enamored with God, so close in relationship with Him that he responded every time God came calling.  We see Abraham's purpose and devotion in worship because of his preparation and faith he practiced when God asked him to sacrifice his only son.

      Exodus 10:3 "Let my people go so that they may worship me."  God's desire was to free a nation from slavery so that they might worship Him.  Before we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are enslaved to our sins, but Jesus has set us free; primarily to worship Him.  The first commandment reminds us of this: "You shall have no other God's before me."

            "God meant for a new convert to be a worshiper first.  After that he can become a worker."  A.W. Tozer

      Romans 12:1 Our lives, as a whole, are intended to be an act of worship.  In view of all that Christ has done for on our behalf, to worship, yielding our whole life, moment by moment, is the only logical thing left to do.  

            "To come into the presence of God and kneel before Him one hour takes all the strength we possess."  Watchman Nee

Developing Personal Worship - The Visual

What does Personal Worship look like?

Developing a picture / visual of Personal Worship.

A good visual of personal worship is a picture of the Old Testament tabernacle (the tabernacle of Moses Exodus 40):

Tabernacle History:  The tabernacle of Moses was considered the gathering place.  There were literally no other places the people would worship or meet with God.  Not everyone was allowed inside the tabernacle.  Only a select few (the priests, Moses, and Joshua) under very special instructions were allowed into the tabernacle.  It was built using very specific blueprints, with very specific materials, by very specific people.  The tabernacle was used religiously throughout the Exodus of the Israelites (during their 40 year journey through the desert).

1)  The gate (the place of preparation).

Objective:  Set aside a half an hour a week in a place with no distractions.  Bring a Bible, guitar, keyboard, or CD’s.  Gather your thoughts, focus your mind, and prepare to meet with God.

2)  The laver (the place of cleansing / purification).

Objective:  Pray to Christ for forgiveness and cleanliness.  Check your heart, ask God for insight into your attitude.  Offer up a heart sacrifice, asking God to remove anything that might hinder your relationship with Him.

3)  The Holy Place (the place to focus).

Objective:  This is a time to offer prayers and worship to God.  Take the opportunity to tell Him what He means to you through song, scripture, praise, thankfulness, shouting, crying, etc…  Take some time to offer personal prayers and prayers for others.  Draw near to God and seek the Holy Spirit.  This is the time to respond to God and what He means to us.

4)  The Holy of Holies (the place of intimacy).

Objective:  Meditation.  Take time to get quiet before God.  Give yourself time to be still and listen to the heartbeat of God.  Take this time to train yourself to be silent.  Give God time to speak.  It is much easier to hear His voice when we are not talking.

Developing Personal Worship - The Need

WHY DO WE NEED PERSONAL WORSHIP?

PONDER THIS:

      Personal worship requires continual cultivation and nurturing.

GOD'S CALL TO HIS PEOPLE:

1.  We are called to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
      John 20:30-31

2.  We are called to follow Jesus Christ in obedient discipleship.
      Matthew 4:18-20

3.  We are called to use the gifts and abilities God has given us.
      Romans 12:4-8

4.  We are called to honor and serve God in our personal lives, in our households and families,
      in our daily occupations, in our community, our nation, and our world.
      Deuteronomy 5:16

Fundamentals & Essentials of Worship

A DISCUSSION:  Fundamentals & Essentials of Worship

• There are many people that have been Christians for a long time and know all about “worship".

• There are many people that are Christians and are uncomfortable with “worship".

• There are many people that are NOT Christians and don’t have the slightest clue about “worship".

• My goal is to explore some of the fundamentals of “worship” and what it looks like INSIDE and OUTSIDE of the church.

DISCUSSION #1:

How would you define “WORSHIP”?

Before we can determine whether or not it is important, we need to determine what it is!

      "Acknowledging that someone or something else is greater - worth more - and by consequence, to be obeyed, feared, and adored…Worship is the sign that in giving myself completely to someone or something, I want to be mastered by it.”  --Harold Best

Book: Music Through the Eyes of Faith

DISCUSSION #2:

What does “WORSHIP” look like?

• Worship of an object or relationship.

• Consumes your thoughts and actions.

• The object of our attention, topic of our speech, the outflow of our income, etc.

      "Worship of the living and true God is essentially an engagement with him on the terms that he proposes and in the way that he alone makes possible."  --David Peterson

Book: Engaging With God

      "Reverential human acts of submission and homage before the divine Sovereign, in response to his gracious revelation of himself, and in accordance with his will."  --Dr. Dan Block

Book: For the Glory of God

DISCUSSION #3:

WHY do we need to “WORSHIP” God?
• Worship is our testimony to the world of what the Lord has done.
• We have the opportunity to glorify the creator of the universe.
• Worship is what we were created for.
• God does not need us to worship Him in order to be validated, He gives us the opportunity to worship Him.  Romans 12:1-2

HYPOCRISY.
• Is it hypocrisy to do things for my wife, even when I don’t feel like it?  I made a commitment to my wife.

• Is it hypocrisy to continue to sit through class, even when I feel like it?  I made a commitment to my education.

• Why are we so afraid as Christians to be hypocritical by worshiping God, even when we don’t feel like it?

HOW do we need to “WORSHIP” God?
• Lift your hands.
• Use your voice.  Psalm 100
• Kneel.
• Jump around.

      "Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His Beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin".  --William Temple

(1881-1944) Readings in St. John’s Gospel

Developing Personal Worship - Practice

PRACTICING PERSONAL WORSHIP:

Personal worship requires TIME (continual cultivation and nurturing). Personal worship consists of more than prayer and singing (a combination of everything).

Personal worship is the opportunity to get quiet and listen to God, focusing and listening to the heartbeat of God. It is a time to offer prayers to God, offer worship to God, and tell Him what He means to us; drawing near to God and seeking the Holy Spirit. It is a great time to respond to God and what He means to us. Personal worship is giving God the opportunity to speak into our lives, without us talking.

Assignment: Take a half an hour this week and get away from people. Bring your Bible, a notebook, and music (a guitar, keyboard, or CD’s). Spend time singing praises, raising up prayer requests, and most importantly listening to what God has to say. Take time at the end of your personal worship time to sit, stand, lie down, or walk in silence. God rarely shouts! Unless we shut our mouths, we will never be able to hear the whisper of the Spirit.

Developing Personal Worship - The Importance

THE IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONAL WORSHIP TIME:

(Personally vs. Corporately)

We must realize that the dynamic of corporate worship is different from personal worship. In fact, corporate worship should in part, spring out of personal worship.

A personal worship experience contains primarily a vertical interaction between the worshiper and God. This allows for more personally expressive thoughts, promises and commitments, and therefore the use of personal phrases and words.

The shift to corporate worship adds two new dynamics to the personal experience – 1) thehorizontal dimension where believers interact with each other, and 2) the internalizing dimension where we receive teaching and internalize the truths that become the basis of our faith. 1) The horizontal dimension is fulfilled through the use of songs and words of testimony (which spring out of personal worship), and tools of admonishment, encouragement, self-examination, etc. 2) The internalizing dimension fosters the need for songs that teach truth, engage the mind, focus on God's faithfulness, teach of his character, etc. The addition of the horizontal and internal dimensions for corporate worship must be met with songs, texts, prayers, creeds and liturgies that address these opportunities and needs. Again, with these must be the appropriate, relevant and varied expressions of worship music.

The important thing to remember is that corporate worship (both horizontal and internal) is birthed out of our personal experiences with God. Anything else causes only an emotional response (if any at all) without deepening an already existing relationship.

Developing Personal Worship - The Experience

THE IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD:

Genesis 28:10-22 (MSG): “Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it. Then GOD was right before him, saying, ‘I am GOD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I’m giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they’ll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. Yes. I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you wherever you go, and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you.'

Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, ‘GOD is in this place—truly. And I didn’t even know it!’ He was terrified. He whispered in awe, ‘Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God’s House. This is the Gate of Heaven.’

Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. He christened the place Bethel (God’s House). The name of the town had been Luz until then.

Jacob vowed a vow: ‘If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I’m setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father’s house, this GOD will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I’ll return a tenth to you.’”

Jacob was on the run! He had stolen everything from his older brother, and now he was running for his life. One of the most popular forms of transportation of this time period was a camel. A racing camel’s top speed is 40 mph; it can run at 25 mph for one hour or 12 mph for up to 18 hours. After only one day of travel he had put approximately 67 miles (approximately 5½ hrs.) between himself and his family. Unbeknownst to Jacob, he stopped in a place that his grandfather had built an altar to Lord many years before.

Although Jacob was running for his life, this became one of the most defining moments in his relationship with God. A personal experience with God creates a milestone or landmark that we can always look back on that helps carry us through even the most difficult seasons of our lives. Without a personal experience with God, we will only have shallow emotional happenings that are blown away at the first sign of adversity.

Songwriting 103 - Extras

MODELING

One of the biggest challenges of songwriting is learning flow. It is one thing to write down a bunch of words and chords and cram them together to make something sound pseudo musical. It is another thing to make a continuous song from beginning to end that expresses something within your heart.

Try tearing apart and analyzing a song that you already enjoy listening to. What is it about the song that makes it unique, catchy, and appealing? If you can play an instrument, break apart the chord changes and find out if there is anything interesting or out of the ordinary. Write new lyrics over the top of the old ones using the same amount of syllables in each line.

FORM & STRUCTURE
Although there truly are no rules when it comes to songwriting, there are several elements that are common throughout today’s contemporary music. First of all, every song has some sort of form (verse; verse/chorus; verse/chorus/bridge; etc.). Become familiar with and try emulating the form of your favorite songs.

The hook is usually a single phrase within the song that summarizes the meaning or theme of the song. Often times the hook will be a short lyrical phrase that contains either the song title or some other theme the songwriter wants the audience to remember. The hook can also be a musical phrase that will stay with people long after the song is over.
The bridge is an extension of the song. It will take the listener someplace further than the verse and chorus are allowed to go. Lyrically it should make a new statement, or re-emphasize something that has already been said. Musically it should provide contrast to the song and/or even provide opportunity for an instrumental section.
The best way to get ideas for song form is to continually listen to music. Try a style that may be out of the ordinary for you: Reggae, Classical, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Metal, Punk, Classic Rock, etc.

SONGS OF THE LORD / SPONTANEOUS WORSHIP

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:3)

SING YOUR PRAYERS. You will make yourself vulnerable to God, and therefore deepen your relationship with Him. (God may use this time as inspiration for a new song that could grow into something corporate). Many modern worship songs have been berthed out of spontaneous worship. Read your Bible, pray to God, and sing what is in your heart. If you don’t set your expectations too high, you will be surprised of the songs that God will place in your heart.

SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION. Read the Bible, go to the park, head to the mountains, play some music. In all reality we cannot describe all of the wonders of God in one short song, however, God loves to speak to people of His character through worship. Find an action or characteristic of God that inspires you. Why do you choose to worship only Him?
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:46)

PRACTICE MAKES PREPAREDNESS. Notice that I did NOT say "Practice Makes Perfect!" Every song has merit, and many early songs will prepare us for the songs that are to come. Some songs are only meant for the audience of One. Other songs have the potential to reach the ears of millions. The good news is that God has millions of new songs in His hands, and He is waiting to give them to whomever asks.

PRACTICAL STEPS
• Buy a journal and keep it with you at all times.
• LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to music!

• Open your heart and mind to inspiration.

• Practice writing songs, share them with others,

and allow for feedback.

• When you pray, try singing your prayers.

• Read the lyrics of the bands you like.

• Read and re-write the Psalms.

RESOURCES

• “Songs From Heaven” by Tommy Walker

• “Facedown” by Matt Redman

Songwriting 102 - Lyrics

Lyrics can be one of the biggest challenges for any songwriter. One of the most effective resources for great “worship song” lyrics is scripture. It is tough to go wrong when singing scripture. When using the Bible for lyrical ideas, you do not have to write things word for word, however, if you are going to change words around, be sure to keep things Biblically accurate!

Rhyming can be extremely useful in making a song catchy and easier to remember. Because of the use of rhyming in contemporary music today, it becomes almost a necessity to all good songwriters. If you are going to use rhyme within your songs, it is very important to make it feel natural! (Hints: It is okay to use a good rhyming dictionary; If possible, be consistent to keep your rhyme schemes the same whenever you can).

Once you get in the flow with lyrics, make sure that you allow them to keep coming. One major downfall for songwriters is to write down the idea and move on. It is a much better decision to keep the flow going! Get ALL of your ideas on paper before you move on with your life!

The best way to write a song is from inspiration. Inspiration will make the songwriting process more productive with less effort. However, once you have found your inspiration, don’t feel like all of your information needs to end up in one song. It is better to say what needs to be said and no more, rather than saying too much! ALWAYS remember to write from the heart! Every good song comes from hard work and inspiration; every great one is birthed from the heart!

“If your song contains these three qualities of passion, creativity and accessibility, and if you’re communicating God’s truth in a clear and simple way, you will truly have a song that is something special.” -- Tommy Walker

HELP WITH LYRICS:
SONGS FROM SCRIPTURE. One of the best places to get ideas is from the Bible. Don’t worry, it is not considered copying or plagiarism. Besides, the authors of the Bible are copying God, we are just copying what they are copying. God’s word is ever living, ever breathing, and ever inspiring. If you use scripture as a songwriting base, you will probably want to change some of the words to create a song-like flow. If you change words around, make sure that you first understand the scripture very clearly.

HOOK / CATCH PHRASE. When writing a song, look for a short line that can summarize what you are saying. Often times this can be the catchy line that hooks in the congregation. This may be the only line people remember when they leave, so you want it to mean something. This catch phrase can be the basis of your chorus, a link between verses, or even a bridge that should be sung over and over again.

RHYMING. There is nothing wrong with making something rhyme (and there is nothing wrong with not making something rhyme). Often times rhyming phrases are easier to remember and tend to be catchier to the ear. There is nothing wrong or less spiritual with using a rhyming dictionary. Make rhymes sound as natural as possible, and use the same rhyming scheme whenever possible.

LET IT FLOW. Be careful not to stop the flow of lyrics. When you find inspiration and begin to write, do not get distracted by ideas and words that don’t rhyme or you don’t feel are “quite as good.” Make a quick side note that a section might need work, and keep moving!

“The main idea is to avoid letting a little snag in the creative process stop you in your tracks. If you have a good idea for a melody, then move forward with it. If you think that you must have the perfect lyric before you can proceed, you run the risk of not finishing your song at all.” -- Tommy Walker

**Side Note. Matt Redman struggled for years with finishing songs. He has notebooks full of unfinished songs that you and I will never hear. Many of these songs were practice songs, many others were songs that he would get tired of trying to fix and just give up. His wife Beth learned of this weakness early on in their relationship and now tells him he is not allowed to start a song unless he finishes it (she also helps him finish many of them).

Finding A Theme. Songwriters find themselves in trouble when they are trying to say too much (so do preachers). Choose what you are trying to say, and say it. Your goal is to help the worshiping congregation to grasp the one single underlying theme of the song, not distract them with multiple themes.

“What the church needs today is a restoration of the vision of the Most High God.” -- A.W. Tozer

“If your song contains these three qualities of passion, creativity and accessibility, and if you’re communicating God’s truth in a clear and simple way, you will truly have a song that is something special.”

-- Tommy Walker

Songwriting 101

Everyone has the capacity to be a songwriter, but not everyone WILL be a songwriter!” Just like everything else in life, songwriting is a choice and improves with practice.

We should all write songs!There are other people in this world that are facing similar decisions, circumstances, situations, troubles, and difficulties that you have already faced.The theme song written from your life could be the theme song that helps others face difficult situations in their own lives.

SONGS will generally be inspired by an event, devotions or quiet times, good or bad experiences, sermons or worship experiences, listening to music, a change of scenery, God, or all of the above.

Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (NIV)