Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

Should I even pray if my prayers are weak?

“God accepts our prayers, though weak, because we are his own children, and they come from his own Spirit; because they are according to his own will; and because they are offered in Christ’s mediation, and he takes them, and mingles them with his own incense (Rev. 8:3). There is never a holy sigh, never a tear we shed, which is lost.”

– Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)

Current Listenings

Justin McRoberts: Decontsruction – I met this guy at the conference and have heard certain songs from him over the years. Beautiful, raw folk music with a strong ‘prophetic’ voice. Very challenging.

Hillsong: This Is Our God – Decent worship album. I really like 4-5 songs, in particular. I find myself singing “Stronger” all the time.

Sovereign Grace Music: Psalms – Sovereign Grace is a great community of churches. Strong, theological truth is packed into these great songs. It’s exciting to see a lot of ‘lesser known’ writers all working together.

Charlie Hall: The Bright Sadness – I’ve always liked Charlie Hall because he is a deep thinker and expounder of truth. This album is soaked in so much passion, it’s almost uncomfortable. A different sort of worship music – maybe not a set of congregational lullabies, but music that definitely stirs the heart.

Highlights from the Songwriter's Conference

This is what I enjoyed most about my time away:

  • Mount Hermon, California – absolutely beautiful. Massive redwood trees, great weather, beautiful retreat center.
  • Hanging out with Bob Kauflin – Bob was one of the keynote speakers who I was able to get some one on one time with. I’ve rarely been so affected by a person – visible love for God, love for people, and all around great guy.
  • Hearing Derek Webb speak and sing – marvelous.
  • Visiting random Mexican restaurants with my Dad.
  • Drinking an iced blended coffee at ‘Coffee Cat’ that was even better than a Starbuck’s Frappacino.
  • Realizing the highest calling as a worship leader/songwriter is ministering in a local church setting to a specific body of people. Super-stardom should not be the highest goal of a minister.
  • Getting to record my song ‘Rising Glory’ for a potential CCLI TV broadcast!
  • Having a roommate named Socrates – what a great guy!
  • Connecting with Ben Gowell.
  • Meeting some great songwriters and worship leaders from around the country.

Wednesday Night – Charlie Peacock

THE SONGWRITER AS PROPHET

  • The prophet is a recipient of divine revelation
  • Prophecy is to speak the will of God into the world
  • Prophets of God
  • Isaiah
  • Messianic prophecies
  • Jeremiah – calls to repent
  • Ezekiel – prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and a coming covenant
  • Daniel
  • Joel
  • Proclaim the whole will of God
  • Our work is to bring the revealed word – Word of Law, prophets, writings, new covenant, apostles, eyewitnesses of Jesus, etc.
  • The prophetic songwriter is always bringing the truth…revealing all that isn’t a lie
  • The prophetic is too cooperate with God’s agenda in turning people from evil
  • we come to the lazy, dull, apathetic, heard hearts and speak truth
  • we use words that arouse, anger, peak curiosity, words that provoke about what constitutes life on planet earth
  • language has an implicit and an explicit function… some artists speak more implicitly – don’t judge those who do
  • the prophetic songwriting voice can also be poetic (Dylan’s ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’)
  • follow Jesus’ model and move from anger to compassion to distress
  • There’s a time and a calling to express ‘distress’ in our songs