Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

Breathe the Vision

Leadership is such a buzz word. To hear of another leadership book almost makes me want to take a nap. Still, the importance of it is immense. My question to you is this:

ARE YOU A LEADER BY TITLE OR BY ACTION?

My definition of a leader by title is someone who is a surface leader. There is no cause deep in their heart that they are passionate about leading towards…they simply have a title. A leader by action is someone who breathes vision. They are very passionate about something; therefore, they have to lead. If they don’t lead towards a certain cause they would feel like failures. The importance of the cause drives them to feel responsibility for making it happen. The greatness of the cause compels them to bring others along.

These are leaders worth following. Are you breathing vision?

Practical Pointers for Drummers

I cannot think of a more important instrument in a band than the drums. Drumming with a band poses a whole new set of challenges besides playing rudiments and reading grooves. Outlined here are a few pointers to keep in mind, that if followed, could save your band from destruction  – and your leader will love you for it!

LESS IS MORE – I think a general fact about musicians is that we are overly impressed with ourselves. As drummers, our minds are preoccupied with how to impress the audience with as many fills as is humanly possible. Though cool fills are awesome in their place, they can destroy good music. Play in such a way that you don’t draw too much attention to yourself. Realize you are a part of the whole – there is more going on that just your beat. Play in such a way that the bass player can follow your patterns. This will cause your drumming to speak. I always tell drummers – play the simplest groove as if it’s the coolest sound the world has ever heard. Delight in the simplicity of a straight hi-hat pattern. Revel in playing the kick drum just on beat one. Listen to the pros – they do some crazy stuff, but it’s timely. They play basics extremely well. Drums are the foundation. If you are difficult to follow the music will sound terrible; but play the simple stuff really well and you may be in Nashville before you know it.

TEMPO IS KEY – This is probably the most important quality of a good drummer – they keep a solid tempo. They practice. They practice with a metronome. No matter how good you think you are, don’t assume you have solid tempo. It comes through hard work and practice with a click track. Drummers have many tendencies I’ve noticed: rushing or dragging the beat with outrageous, inconsistent kick patterns, too many fills, and a lack of listening to the other musicians. Your job is to create a pocket that the other musicians can lock into. Don’t you love that responsibility?

FROM THE HEART – A personal goal and pursuit of my life is to bring everything I do into the focus of worship. I challenge you, make it a focus of yours to worship in what you play. Mentally engage yourself with God in every groove, fill, and play with passion. Some guys have all the techniques mastered, but lack passion and it is lifeless. This may sound hyper-spiritual to you, but how else do we “acknowledge God in all our ways”? Let your love for God be what drives your drumming. Let God “speak” through your playing to a broken heart that needs to know Jesus. This stuff is possible with God. It is not with you, but within the Holy Spirit, who has anointed you. Rock on.

Wide Awake Study Guide

This past Tuesday night in our APEX Young Adult group, we finished studying the book Wide Awake, by Erwin McManus. This was a very fruitful and challenging study for us. We closed our small groups last night, meditating on this verse of Scripture:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

I’m believing God to do far more abundantly than each young adult at APEX can ask or think, as they step out and fulfill their dreams.

Here on my blog you can access all the study guide notes for the book.

What are your tribes?

I recently began reading Seth Godin’s new book, Tribes. So far it is a compelling read. Here is Seth’s definition of a tribe:

“A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea” (1).

This past Sunday I had the privilege of attending the Steeler game at Heinz Field with some great friends. If I’ve ever seen a tribe, it was on Sunday. I felt like I was in a foreign country as we waded through the thousands of tailgaters drinking beer, playing bean-bag-toss, wearing steeler jerseys, and grilling their bratwurst.

Though I have not finished Seth’s book, I realized something about tribes that day:

NOTHING IS A SACRIFICE FOR A TRIBE.

Forking out hundreds of dollars for tickets. Paying nearly the same amount for beer and food. Sitting in freezing weather while the snow melts and soaks your jeans. Some even going shirtless. Walking miles from where you parked. This is a dedicated tribe. In the end, this is not even considered a sacrifice for the team they love.

How much more should our sacrifice for Christ be as nothing for the privilege that it is?

What are your tribes?



Wide Awake Study Guide: Final Chapter!

IMAGINE: The Human

•    What is the most memorable insight you gleaned from reading this book?

•    On page 235, what does Erwin say humanity ultimately needs? Do you agree? Why or why not? Record the answer below.

•    Do you need to rethink who you are and who you will become? After reading this book, what steps are you going to take?

“The imagination is the soil from which we grow our lives.”

•    Read Jeremiah 33:3 and 4:48. Stuck in a prison cell, do you think it was easy for Jeremiah to believe what God said?

•    Read Ephesians 3:20. As we finish this study, let’s make this a life verse and never stop believing that God will blow our minds as we dream and act according to His will.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”