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Thursday, March 1, 2012
Easter Worship Songs
Can you believe Easter is just 5 weeks away from this Sunday? Whether you're in the middle of or just getting started planning your Easter worship services - we've got 10 powerful and timely songs for you to download FREE this week from worshiptogether.com
Monday, February 27, 2012
Re-thinking the Words of Worship
Are we thinking about what we say to God during worship?
You scratch your head, you look around, and you ask your friend, “Wait, what did he just sing?” You just heard a theological lapse from the mouth of the well-intentioned worship leader. Somewhere in the middle of that epic bridge he declared, “Thank You, Father, for dying on the cross for my sins.” Wait, shouldn’t he have said the Son? You stare straight ahead trying to remember if you overslept the morning the church leaders voted to change the church’s position on the Godhead.
Read the full article by Relevant Magazine: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/worship/features/25963-rethinking-the-words-of-worship
You scratch your head, you look around, and you ask your friend, “Wait, what did he just sing?” You just heard a theological lapse from the mouth of the well-intentioned worship leader. Somewhere in the middle of that epic bridge he declared, “Thank You, Father, for dying on the cross for my sins.” Wait, shouldn’t he have said the Son? You stare straight ahead trying to remember if you overslept the morning the church leaders voted to change the church’s position on the Godhead.
We’ve all experienced this to some degree in that dimly lit sanctuary—surrounded by outstretched arms, eyes closed tight, and voices lifted in song. Perhaps our faux pas included something other than an absent-minded misrepresentation of the Trinity: maybe we came just shy of Will Ferrell’s dinner table prayer in Talladega Nights when he praised that sweet little baby boy in a golden manger up there in heaven. We must realize our worship leaders teach us as much about God and our relationship with Him as our preachers do. The only difference—worship leaders use songs, words and prayers.
The words we sing unite our hearts, our minds, and our congregations in the vertical and visceral act of worship. Songs and Scripture serve as vehicles to the throne of the Almighty. Worship leaders have the task of pointing people in the right direction.
Read the full article by Relevant Magazine: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/worship/features/25963-rethinking-the-words-of-worship
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
hope.glory – challenging worship perceptions and practices in Salvation Army gatherings
By Phil Laeger
As I write this, I’m listening to the near final mix of our live worship recording that took place in November of last year. I can’t wait to release the album and DVD. This project is—for me anyway—the culmination of the hopes and dreams and prayers and tears and frustrations and vexations and sweat and optimism and roadblocks and open doors of the past 10 years. Wow. Maybe I need to unpack that run-on sentence a little…
I have been so privileged to be part of music ministry in The Salvation Army over the past nearly 15 years. It has been a great journey and the groups I have played in and led have been given incredible leeway in a lot of ways. We’ve led worship at youth councils and conferences, camps, retreats, etc, etc. Some of those times have been life transforming for me. We have seen people give their life to Christ, people broken free of addiction, people transformed in a very real way by the power of God in worship. It has been humbling to be used by God in that way. We have had extended times of energetic praise and extended times of reverent and precious worship, dripping with the presence of God.
Read the rest of the article at: http://www.phillaeger.com/hope-glory-challenging-worship-perceptions-and-practices-in-salvation-army-gatherings/
As I write this, I’m listening to the near final mix of our live worship recording that took place in November of last year. I can’t wait to release the album and DVD. This project is—for me anyway—the culmination of the hopes and dreams and prayers and tears and frustrations and vexations and sweat and optimism and roadblocks and open doors of the past 10 years. Wow. Maybe I need to unpack that run-on sentence a little…
I have been so privileged to be part of music ministry in The Salvation Army over the past nearly 15 years. It has been a great journey and the groups I have played in and led have been given incredible leeway in a lot of ways. We’ve led worship at youth councils and conferences, camps, retreats, etc, etc. Some of those times have been life transforming for me. We have seen people give their life to Christ, people broken free of addiction, people transformed in a very real way by the power of God in worship. It has been humbling to be used by God in that way. We have had extended times of energetic praise and extended times of reverent and precious worship, dripping with the presence of God.
Read the rest of the article at: http://www.phillaeger.com/hope-glory-challenging-worship-perceptions-and-practices-in-salvation-army-gatherings/
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
StudyBass.com
Yes, for all you wonderful low-end boom providers. Today I bring you a website I came across just last week. A comprehensive step by step curriculum on how to play bass. I love it. Very detailed.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Passionately Listening
From worshiptogether.com
I’ve read of Beethoven that, when his hearing was lost, he sawed the legs off his piano and laid its body down on the floor; then, with his head pressed against the floorboards, he pounded on the keys in an effort to hear the notes. He continued to write his symphonies even when one of his greatest tools—his hearing—was taken from him. Passion and perseverance are an explosive combination.
I should pray with that kind of unquenchable desire, especially when it sounds like God is silent. Like Beethoven, I ought to press my ear to the floor; I ought to search for the sound of His footfalls. I am “...a deaf man with my ear to the ground, listening for what You say.”
I sort of love it that God dances with us like this. He weaves like the shuttle on a loom, coming close, pulling back, and irresistibly drawing all of us little threads into the tapestry created by His dynamic movement. By it we learn to ache for Him when He feels far off, and cherish Him when He draws near to us.
Even when God is whispering instead of shouting, He is relentless in His pursuit of the human heart.
I’ve read of Beethoven that, when his hearing was lost, he sawed the legs off his piano and laid its body down on the floor; then, with his head pressed against the floorboards, he pounded on the keys in an effort to hear the notes. He continued to write his symphonies even when one of his greatest tools—his hearing—was taken from him. Passion and perseverance are an explosive combination.
I should pray with that kind of unquenchable desire, especially when it sounds like God is silent. Like Beethoven, I ought to press my ear to the floor; I ought to search for the sound of His footfalls. I am “...a deaf man with my ear to the ground, listening for what You say.”I sort of love it that God dances with us like this. He weaves like the shuttle on a loom, coming close, pulling back, and irresistibly drawing all of us little threads into the tapestry created by His dynamic movement. By it we learn to ache for Him when He feels far off, and cherish Him when He draws near to us.
Even when God is whispering instead of shouting, He is relentless in His pursuit of the human heart.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Free Christmas Music!!!
Looking for some christmas music for your church services this winter? Follow the link to some FREE downloads. Audio, Lyrics and Lead Sheets!!!
10 Free Christmas Songs
10 Free Christmas Songs
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
What Is Worship? (a 15 minute Bible Study)
Article from Intouch.org
Releasing Our Preconceptions and Learning to Exalt the Lord
Psalm 96
One of the most controversial issues in the church today is worship. Sadly, the phrase “worship wars” is used to describe the conflict between various music and service styles. Maybe it’s time to open our minds, drop our preferences, and learn what the Lord says. In the Scriptures, the word worship means to bow oneself down in humble respect to a superior being.
The goal is to meet and exalt the Lord in such a way that we come away transformed. Like Abraham, we humble ourselves and honor God by believing Him, obeying His commands, and withholding nothing from Him (Gen. 22:1-18; Heb. 11:17-19).
The Old Testament gave very specific regulations for worship, but when Christ came, He changed the way we approach God (Heb. 9:1-15; 10:19-23).
Now Jesus tells us that the only way to worship the Lord is in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Since the Holy Spirit lives within each believer, our meeting place with God is no longer an external temple but the internal spirit of man (Phil. 3:3), and the sacrifice we offer is ourselves (Rom. 12:1-2).
Because the New Testament records only general guidelines for churches to follow (Acts 2:42), each culture and era has been allowed the freedom to determine the specific elements of their meetings. However, the spirit of our gatherings should match that described by Paul in Colossians 3:12-16.
Although detailed practices and methods are not prescribed for the church, Psalm 96 lists timeless ways to praise and exalt the Lord.
But sometimes we don’t glorify the Lord when we meet with Him. In Mark 7:6-13, Jesus warned that it is useless to honor God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him. If our attitudes are divisive, argumentative, or selfish, we have failed to worship the Lord (1 Cor. 11:17-22).
Questions for Reflection
1. Where is your focus during church—on yourself, others, your preferences, or the Lord? What hinders you from concentrating on God? What do you need to surrender to Him?
2. Private, personal worship shapes your mind, emotions, and will—and prepares you to give God genuine honor through corporate expression. How can you exalt the Lord each day with your thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions?
Releasing Our Preconceptions and Learning to Exalt the Lord
Psalm 96
One of the most controversial issues in the church today is worship. Sadly, the phrase “worship wars” is used to describe the conflict between various music and service styles. Maybe it’s time to open our minds, drop our preferences, and learn what the Lord says. In the Scriptures, the word worship means to bow oneself down in humble respect to a superior being.
The goal is to meet and exalt the Lord in such a way that we come away transformed. Like Abraham, we humble ourselves and honor God by believing Him, obeying His commands, and withholding nothing from Him (Gen. 22:1-18; Heb. 11:17-19).
The Old Testament gave very specific regulations for worship, but when Christ came, He changed the way we approach God (Heb. 9:1-15; 10:19-23).
Now Jesus tells us that the only way to worship the Lord is in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Since the Holy Spirit lives within each believer, our meeting place with God is no longer an external temple but the internal spirit of man (Phil. 3:3), and the sacrifice we offer is ourselves (Rom. 12:1-2).
Because the New Testament records only general guidelines for churches to follow (Acts 2:42), each culture and era has been allowed the freedom to determine the specific elements of their meetings. However, the spirit of our gatherings should match that described by Paul in Colossians 3:12-16.
Although detailed practices and methods are not prescribed for the church, Psalm 96 lists timeless ways to praise and exalt the Lord.
But sometimes we don’t glorify the Lord when we meet with Him. In Mark 7:6-13, Jesus warned that it is useless to honor God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him. If our attitudes are divisive, argumentative, or selfish, we have failed to worship the Lord (1 Cor. 11:17-22).
Questions for Reflection
1. Where is your focus during church—on yourself, others, your preferences, or the Lord? What hinders you from concentrating on God? What do you need to surrender to Him?
2. Private, personal worship shapes your mind, emotions, and will—and prepares you to give God genuine honor through corporate expression. How can you exalt the Lord each day with your thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions?
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