Anybody love compliments?

I’m kind of obsessed.

Most of the time I would rather serve in front of people than behind the scenes because of the attention.

When I wake up on Monday morning to ready my Bible, there’s no crowd poised to cheer.

No one is waiting to praise me for the man of God that I am. No fanfare, no hi fives, no thank you cards.

Little by little, I can shortcut my time in the secret place for the pull of the public eye.

But according to Scripture, God isn’t into what is seen.

He’s more concerned with who we are behind closed doors – doing good…quietly.

He’s more concerned with our inner man – who are as people rather than our gifts, talents, and what we achieve.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Not much. Success in God’s eyes is much more robust, hidden, real.

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Sunday morning has its share of busyness and distraction.

It’s not that we worship gear, tone, & rock stardom. We’re just distracted – crowded minds and preoccupied hearts

I hate to say it, but oftentimes meeting with Jesus on Sunday morning feels like a reunion with an old friend. It’s refreshing, we remember the past, but it’s like we’re just “keeping up appearances.”

We aren’t connecting on a regular basis.

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When it comes to preparing for Sunday’s worship, we have the usual routines.

We pick our songs, we arrange the music, we schedule the band, we rehearse. But what if I told you there was more to your preparation than that?

What if I told you there were ways to leverage your influence on a deeper level each weekend?

I know, we’re all busy. But no one wants to get stuck in dead routines that have no meaning. This post is all about breathing life into those rhythms we keep every week.

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The most important dynamic of your setlist isn’t your songs.

It’s more about the fire in your heart, the anticipation in showing up, the wide eyed wonder of your gaze, and bringing others along to do the same.

But there’s a way to craft your setlist that will distract or engage the room.

When crafting a worship set, you want to frame an experience that will stick with people long after the worship service is over. It’s not just about emotional highs, cool music, and happy sing-a-longs.

We’re after God’s heart, right?

We want to experience His very near, very real presence.

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“It’s not that you shouldn’t lead worship.

It’s just that your passion to lead others has overwhelmed the necessity of leading yourself.

The best worship leaders are those who are in tune with the Holy Spirit – so engaged in the Person of Christ – that they help others to be vulnerable. They lead with an honest, open heart – freeing others to surrender all.”

When I first wrote that, I was preaching to myself. I felt God challenging me to step up my leadership.

I mean, how could I lead a room in worship if I was unwilling to lead myself?

Lead myself in worship – that’s something we don’t think about right?

But when your personal times with God drift to few and far between, when you’re more excited for the things of this world, and when your passion revolves around the spread of your own name and influence, something needs to change.

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