Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

Why Lyrics Might Not Be The Most Important Part Of Your Song

WHY LYRICS MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST IMP

Who wants to write better songs?

I doubt anyone would answer “no” to such a question. If you’re a writer, you want to write better lyrics, better melodies, better songs – songs that connect, that minister, that set hearts on fire.

Much easier said than done, right? Great songwriting takes time and a tenacity to not finish until it’s, well…finished.

That’s why I want to pull back the curtain on my own writing a bit and share with you what I’m learning.

I love to study songwriting. Not just great books on songwriting, but listening to songwriters and studying how they write songs.

As a songwriter, I’m always wanting to develop and find new ways to craft lyric and melody. In the early days, I was all about the lyric.

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Stop Trying To Be Great And Start Doing This

call it a plan.

Greatness. It’s a term we hear over and over.

Becoming the best we can be. Reaching your potential. Living the dream.

Kobe Bryant. Absolute greatness. The Pittsburgh Penguins. Greatness.

I’m sure you can think of other people in the greatness category.

When we think of greatness we see the Stanley Cup. We see the accolades and awards. But greatness starts way before that. For you, it starts right now.

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The Form Is Forming Us: What Are We Encountering In Corporate Worship?

the form is forming us

I don’t think any of us would disagree that corporate worship is a place of encounter.

Sure, we gather for community. But we don’t just gather for community. Sure, we gather to hear God’s Word. But we don’t just gather to hear God’s Word. We gather because the Spirit has promised to come where His people are gathered.

Heaven and earth collide. In corporate worship we meet with the living, real presence of God.

But how do we know if we’re encountering the real thing?

  • Are we encountering the risen Jesus?
  • Are we encountering heightened emotion?
  • Are we encountering a peaceful atmosphere?
  • Are we encountering “great worship”?

I believe the answer lies in what we begin to crave Monday-Friday. Over time, the habit of worshiping in church every week should produce a new desire. We crave more that which we spend time doing.

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#125: Jeffrey Kunde On Music Theory, Writing Parts, & Guitars In Worship [Podcast]

MUSIC THEORY

I needed to resist the urge to get up on stage and do my own thing. I really needed to learn the craft of what others were doing.” – Jeffrey Kunde

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Got to love sitting down and talking music. That’s exactly what Jeffrey Kunde and I did. Jeffrey is the lead guitarist for Jesus Culture as well as a session guitarist for other artists. He’s also the author of 3 practical workbooks for musicians, Music Theory for the Music Industry, Train Your Ear, and How I Play Guitar.

This conversation is all about how Jeffrey sees music, writes music, and approaches the guitar. So many nuggets to take away here, not only for guitar players, but all musicians alike.

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Next. More. Better: Putting Excellence In Its Proper Place

Next, More, & Better

At what point does excellence and production value become too much?

When does it cease to serve the local church and instead, distract us from our goal – equipping the saints for the work of ministry?

We’re always waiting for what’s next. Doing more. Making everything better.

I’ve heard the argument on both sides.

If your production is over-the-top excellent, you are a seeker sensitive, sellout church with no Bible, no depth, and a congregation that shows up to be entertained.

If you’re a small church with little to zero production value…well, that’s also looked upon with a certain degree of chagrin. You at least have to be using a click, right?

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