Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

The Question Every Local Church Creative Team Needs To Ask

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Creativity has become the buzz word of the modern, local church. Lights shine across our stages. Rock bands bounce to great grooves that rival pop radio.

Pressure compounds every weekend as we try to make one service better, smoother, more polished, more excellent than the last.

Everyone is on the quest for greater creativity. But what is the reason?

  • Is it to be better than the church down the road?
  • Is it to prove our worth?
  • Is it to make our mark in the world?
  • Is it to be remembered?

In a recent podcast, Mark Batterson talked about how the church should be the most creative place on the planet. There are ways to do church that no one has thought of before.

I’m all for creativity. Followers of Jesus should foster a massive imagination. We should constantly be pushing ourselves to see something new, create with a new canvas.

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How To Strengthen The Heart, Professionalism & Musicality Of Your Team

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Wouldn’t it be great to have a team of the very best musicians?

Not only talented musicians, but ones who continued to learn and develop. Imagine this with me: team members who were constantly researching new gear, investing in their setup, trying new techniques.

Add to that the fact that their attitudes were top notch – they had a heart for the local church. They loved Jesus. They were on time, reliable, not big-headed, willing to do whatever was necessary no matter how glamorous.

Sound like a great scenario? What if I told you this was possible? But what if I told you it wouldn’t come easy and it wouldn’t happen overnight?

I know, it’s not a very sexy answer. Most worship leaders look to the ministries with a lot of notoriety. We wish we had the talent of Bethel. We covet the size of Hillsong. We long for the budget of a megachurch. We want to be handed an ideal situation without putting in the work to build something.

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#105: Mark Batterson On The Discipline Of Writing, Leading People, And Lifelong Learning [Podcast]

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Christ is in your corner, on your side. That’s what makes every ‘what if’ possible.” – Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson is an inspiring leader – the author of 12 books and the pastor of a great church, he’s always pushing himself to live and lead at a higher level.

In this podcast we talk about Mark’s new book, the discipline of writing, leading in the local church, and plenty of books to read.

Enjoy!

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Why Corporate Worship Is Good For The Soul

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Corporate worship. Some call it a concert. Some say it’s unnecessary. It’s the brunt of endless complaints and the melting pot for more preferences than one can imagine.

But what really is this activity that we do every single week? What good does it really do?

I’ve been in church services my whole life. Some have been amazing. Some have been awkward. Some have been educational. Some have been embarrassing.

The problem with our gatherings isn’t too little or too much excellence. It’s that we place too much stock in the “professionals.” We need a standout, “anointed” worship leader. We need a charismatic speaker. But this creates ministry platforms for the gifted few and entertainment for the rest.

What happened to the idea that corporate worship is an individual responsibility? You are the church. Your heart needs to be felt. Your voice needs to be heard. It’s not just about being entertained or getting “filled up.”

We come because we’re a part of the family and we have a voice.

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7 Traits Of A Trustworthy Worship Leader

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Do you think worship leading as more than what happens in church? I see it as more a way of life than a vocation or leading people in song.

Worship leaders lead with their lives.

The song we sing everyday makes the gathering more meaningful. Private fuel gives rise to corporate fires. And that is everyone’s responsibility. The gathered church can’t rely on the worship leader and the worship leader can’t rely on the church. We have a responsibility to:

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come into his courts” (Psalm 96:8).

It never says to ascribe glory when you feel like it. Or to ascribe glory when it’s convenient. We’re not called to worship when the band is good. We all have a responsibility.

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