Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

Archives for September 2010

What Cinnamon Crunch Squares Can Teach You About Ministry

This morning I poured a delicious bowl of Cinnamon Crunch Squares. Yep. I said it correctly. It’s a knockoff Aldi brand for the ever popular, game-changing Cinnamon Toast Crunch. As I was taking in bite by bite, realizing the taste is identical for half the price, I was struck by a disturbing thought.
In my life and ministry and walk with Jesus, I don’t want to simply create Cinnamon Crunch Squares. What do I mean by that? In order to create Cinnamon Crunch Squres, you don’t need to be innovative. You just have to copy. You look at Cinnamon Toast Crunch, mimic the recipe, switch the words around, create an imitation logo, and there you have it.
It’s doing what someone else has already done.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
  • In my walk with Jesus, I don’t want to just apply and mimic someone else’s experience with God. I want to have a personal encounter with Jesus.
  • In my ministry I don’t want to just mimic what other churches and ministries are doing. I want to catch God’s heart for my people, my areas.

It is possible to be in ministry but never pray. You just copy. It is possible to “walk with Jesus” but never read His Word for yourself, just the latest books.

I’m not against resources and learning from others. Matter of fact, if you think you don’t need others, that’s another problem.

But what about you? Are you living a secondhand faith, copying what’s happening around you but not seeking God for yourself?

Are you creating Cinnamon Crunch Squares?

How To Improve Your Keyboard Playing in Worship

Ever been a part of a band, worship team, or ensemble where someone doesn’t know what they are doing? Maybe that person is you. They hit wrong notes, transition to wrong keys, overplay, and are not sensitive to the moment? Yep. We’ve all been there and done that.

This Sunday Kate Griffin and I hosted a worship workshop for our keyboard players. Since a good keyboard player is so important to the sound, we wanted to create a context where deeper coaching could occur. When it comes to playing keyboard in a band/worship setting, there are some important things you need to know:

1. What is My Role?

  • Keyboard players are atmosphere creators
  • It’s our job to bring fullness and continuity to a worship set
  • Be sensitive and supportive of the worship leader
  • Awareness is everything. You can’t follow or support if you’re not paying attention. Be sure to look up.
  • Be spiritually engaged with what the Holy Spirit is doing in the moment. Allow that to interpret what you’re playing.

2. What Do I Play?

  • Pick a sound that supports the song type (organ, piano, rhodes, pad)
  • Keep it simple. Less is more. Contribute to the overall sound of the band. Give the bass player the low end. Stay in the mid range.
  • Maintain common tones between chords as much as possible.
  • Rehearse your transitions Subtlety is your friend.
  • Be intentional about dynamics.
  • Never stop practicing.

How God's Knowledge Can Strengthen Your Confidence Today

Be blessed by some thoughts from Tozer (Knowledge of the Holy)

“And to us who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us in the gospel, how unutterably sweet is the knowledge that our Heavenly Father know us completely. No talebearer can inform on us, no enemy can make an accusation stick; no forgotten skeleton can come tumbling out of some hidden closet to abash us and expose our past; no unsuspected weakness in our characters can come to light to turn God away from us, since He knew us utterly before we knew Him and called us to Himself in the full knowledge of everything that was against us. ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.'”