In the last chapter of Joshua, there is a nugget that can be uncovered in regards to what true worship is and what it is not. This chapter starts out with Joshua gathering all the tribes of Israel together to charge them to trust and serve the Lord. He begins by reminding the people of …
Avoiding Burnout
I just spent a month in Finland visiting family and friends. Yes, a month. While it was nice to have all that time off, it was much more valuable than just R&R. It was a time to be filled up to be poured out again in service without burning out. After months of work and …
Theology in Worship
Let’s get this out of the way, if you are reading this, and you have any beliefs or ideas about God, congratulations, (hands you invisible diploma) you’re a theologian! The only question is, where does our theology come from? I think we can all agree that theology matters when it comes to the pulpit and …
Is My Worship the Same on Monday?
On Sunday my church was on fire. The message taught and the worship that accompanied it were sewn together in this perfect little quilt called Sunday Worship. People responded. As the team closed the service with a song congregants came forward worshipping, kneeling, singing out, and declaring that through it all our eyes would be …
Worship on a Budget
We all know that money can’t buy you happiness. It can’t buy you anything of lasting importance at all, in fact. In the worship ministry world, it seems that often times money, which buys equipment & environments, has become equated with excellent worship. There’s a subtle undercurrent out there that pulls us into believing that unless we’re …
Four Tips for Drummers in Worship
Playing drums in a church setting requires a certain mentality. We must always be aware of what’s going on around us, and be in tune Spiritually with God so that we can be effectively led by Him. As a musician on the worship team, you are in fact, a worship leader. It’s not just about playing the drums, it …
Memorizing Your Music
The pressure is real. We are all in a time crunch. If you and your music team are striving to be memorized on Sunday, let’s cover some tips and tricks that will get you memorized most efficiently. But before we jump into the specifics of memorization, let’s talk a little about how to set your team up for …
Worship Blind Spots
For those of us who drive, we know that a blind spot is an area that cannot be seen due to an obstruction. The best way to overcome these blind spots is by acknowledging them and finding other ways to see around them. As worship leaders, we have a duty to lead effective and meaningful …
Considering Personal Monitors?
I remember the first time I went to a NAMM show. It was glorious. I would like to think I had my base impulses under control, but seeing all that gear… All of a sudden I wanted it ALL. There has never been a more exciting time for technology, and specifically, technology that enables and …
5 Ways to Champion Your Team
An effective leader will fight for their team. A team who serves with a sense of being inspired, protected and valued will be successful and committed. Here are 5 ways to champion your team as a leader. SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING This may not sound like a way to be your team’s champion, but if you’ve cast …
5 Steps to a Maximum Impact Rehearsal
As a music director, session player, and clinician, I’m often asked to speak about my personal technique for learning, preparing, and rehearsing new music, as well as my approach to team rehearsals. However, above the technical delivery of your musicianship, I believe that your commitment to be your very best for your team and for …
Using What You’ve Got
In a perfect world we would all have our dream rigs. Our tone would sound exactly as we imagine it in our heads and we’d never need to buy another piece of gear because we had everything we ever wanted. Sounds good right? The fact of the matter is that for the vast majority of …
Why Me vs. Teach Me
When situations in life fly in from nowhere and continue to pummel us, it can become very easy for us to clench our tiny fists, shake them at the sky, and say, “Why me, Lord?!?” Maybe instead of throwing our fists of rage at the sky and shouting at God for what’s happening to us, …
Incorporating Youth // Part One
If you’re reading this right now, at some point in the not so distant past you have asked yourself something like this, “how can I get my students more involved in the main service worship?” Well I’m a youth pastor and I ask myself this question all the time. If we’re honest, sometimes it seems …
Worship Boss vs Worship Leader
Imagine you’re working excitedly on a new goal. You know it’s from God and that it will have a major impact on the worship life of your church. You want to jump in head on and go after it, but you have to stop right there. The way you do it will have long term …