The excitement is tangible at the National Worship Leader's Conference in Kansas City. Early arrivers are wandering the halls looking at exhibits, visiting with friends, looking at schedules. networking, exchanging ideas, and blogging.
Worship leaders from across the country are looking forward to a week of honing their skills, but also to spending time in worship. For most worship leaders and band members, this week will be a rare opportunity to release in worship. For an entire week, we do not have to contemplate playing the right chords, remembering all the lyrics, and gauging the response of our people. For an entire week, we get to be the audience.
For me, this is an exceptionally valuable opportunity. It is not often that a mom of four kids can travel out of state for a week long worship event. I am fully aware of the sacrifices that my husband is making so that I can be here this week. I am praying that God will rain down in this place. I want to fully experience his presence and leave renewed, refreshed, and rewired for ministry.
Worship begins at 7:00. Let the countdown begin.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tomorrow
Clothes packed. Maps downloaded. Snacks purchased. Ice chest loaded with water. Lodging arranged. Car repaired.
It's time for a road trip. A road trip to Kansas City for the National Worship Leader Conference. However, for me it is much more than just a road trip to attend some amazing classes and listen to awesome speakers and spend time surrendered in worship. For me, this is about a journey into my future.
Playing keys in church since I was a young child, I sense the winds of change. I cannot quite figure out where God is taking me musically, but the journey seems to be starting here, now, in this moment. When I first heard about the conference, I never dreamed I might actually attend. For a church planter's family, the money for the conference was an astronomical amount. It is almost as much as we spend on groceries for an entire month.
My husband, Shawn, was at first strongly opposed to me attending. He would just be getting back from a 9 day trip to Mexico, and we would then be apart for another week, and then there was the money factor. I had not expected to get to go, saw the logic of his wise reasoning, and so I was surprised by my strong reaction. I was devastated. The more I prayed, the more I realized that God wanted me at this conference. He has an appointment with me there, one that is critical. I am absolutely certain of this. As we continued to pray for the next several weeks about going, Shawn somehow found the funds to allow me to be obedient to God's voice.
I don't know what to expect. I can't guess the end of this journey. But I am certain that this will be a monumental week. A week that changes me, that makes me more like Christ. I can't wait.
It's time for a road trip. A road trip to Kansas City for the National Worship Leader Conference. However, for me it is much more than just a road trip to attend some amazing classes and listen to awesome speakers and spend time surrendered in worship. For me, this is about a journey into my future.
Playing keys in church since I was a young child, I sense the winds of change. I cannot quite figure out where God is taking me musically, but the journey seems to be starting here, now, in this moment. When I first heard about the conference, I never dreamed I might actually attend. For a church planter's family, the money for the conference was an astronomical amount. It is almost as much as we spend on groceries for an entire month.
My husband, Shawn, was at first strongly opposed to me attending. He would just be getting back from a 9 day trip to Mexico, and we would then be apart for another week, and then there was the money factor. I had not expected to get to go, saw the logic of his wise reasoning, and so I was surprised by my strong reaction. I was devastated. The more I prayed, the more I realized that God wanted me at this conference. He has an appointment with me there, one that is critical. I am absolutely certain of this. As we continued to pray for the next several weeks about going, Shawn somehow found the funds to allow me to be obedient to God's voice.
I don't know what to expect. I can't guess the end of this journey. But I am certain that this will be a monumental week. A week that changes me, that makes me more like Christ. I can't wait.
Monday, June 14, 2010
My name
In Genesis 11, the people of the world have united with a single goal, a common purpose. They are going to build a tower to the heavens, so that they could make a name for themselves. This was such an abomination before God that he came down and confused the languages and scattered the people so that such an event could not take place.
So what do we do as humans? We constantly try to make a name for ourselves. We seek to build our own empires from our own talents and from our own hard work and sweat and effort. We frequently unite with those around us to further our own personal goals. It is easy to be united around a tangible goal that is achievable in our own strength.
But then there is Genesis 12. God finds a nobody, Abram, and says, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you' I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." God does impossible and miraculous things in Abram's life. Abraham becomes great because he is surrendered and obedient. God makes Abraham's name.
I have been thinking about this today. It is when we simply trust and follow in obedience, that God makes us who we are meant to be. When we try to short circuit God's plan and do it on our own, we end up scattered and confused.
It is when we are in that moment of total and absolute surrender that we can experience the most beautiful worship.
So what do we do as humans? We constantly try to make a name for ourselves. We seek to build our own empires from our own talents and from our own hard work and sweat and effort. We frequently unite with those around us to further our own personal goals. It is easy to be united around a tangible goal that is achievable in our own strength.
But then there is Genesis 12. God finds a nobody, Abram, and says, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you' I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." God does impossible and miraculous things in Abram's life. Abraham becomes great because he is surrendered and obedient. God makes Abraham's name.
I have been thinking about this today. It is when we simply trust and follow in obedience, that God makes us who we are meant to be. When we try to short circuit God's plan and do it on our own, we end up scattered and confused.
It is when we are in that moment of total and absolute surrender that we can experience the most beautiful worship.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
True Heroes
All my life I have daydreamed about a music career on stage. I wanted to bring music to the masses. That dream has certainly varied over the years. In my childhood, I pranced around on top of the furniture singing loudly and pretending to be Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. As my piano obsession grew in high school, I dreamed of playing with famous orchestras in large symphony halls. In later years, as my passion for worship grew, I fantasized about being "discovered" and getting to play on tour with famous worship leaders.
In college, I lacked the confidence to pursue a musical career and instead settled on a future as an elementary teacher. I was fortunate to stay home with my children for eight years, and I have now finished 6 years in the classroom. Even as a part of a very noble and worthwhile profession, I cannot make the music inside be quiet. It is a raging fire that desperately tries to claw its way out of my soul.
In recent months, I have been very torn about where exactly my future might lie as far as music goes. I am long past my prime of being "discovered" and don't know that I would even be willing to travel long hard weeks away from my children. Even if I was good enough.....
I have sought God without ceasing, and last night I finally heard Him speak. I don't know exactly where I am going with my future, but I came to an earth shattering discovery. I have waited for years to "be" somebody. I have waited for an entire lifetime to "make it" on stage. But last night I came to understand that perhaps I have my priorities way skewed. Jesus Christ himself came to earth, taught locally, discipled a few friends, and died on a cross. He did not have to be big or famous to fulfill His destiny. I think in America, we overemphasize the importance of selling CDs and being a somebody on the music charts.
Last night as God and I were wrestling, I realized that how many CDs I have or don't have has nothing to do with my value to God. The time and energy I invest in my congregation, however, has infinite worth. Every life that I touch, every person that I walk alongside, those are the things that are going to matter.
I am not belittling the influence of great, famous musicians. I am simply saying that becoming famous can never be the goal. Serving Christ must be the goal. I am also saying that I came to an entirely new understanding of the value of investing a lifetime within the local church. If I never use my musical gifts anywhere else, but I am daily digging into the deepest, darkest, messiest places of my friends' lives - trying to minister to them and help them love Jesus a little more, I think that is of far greater value than having my name up in lights.
I think as musicians, we have forgotten the real heroes in the musical story. The real heroes are the men and women that get up every day, walk into deep relationships, and change messy damaged lives. I admire many professional musicians who are also ministering within a local context, but there are also many that are simply traveling from one gig to the next entertaining the masses. Last night I wondered if maybe it takes a more courage to be a minister than to be famous.
Food for thought for me, anyway.
In college, I lacked the confidence to pursue a musical career and instead settled on a future as an elementary teacher. I was fortunate to stay home with my children for eight years, and I have now finished 6 years in the classroom. Even as a part of a very noble and worthwhile profession, I cannot make the music inside be quiet. It is a raging fire that desperately tries to claw its way out of my soul.
In recent months, I have been very torn about where exactly my future might lie as far as music goes. I am long past my prime of being "discovered" and don't know that I would even be willing to travel long hard weeks away from my children. Even if I was good enough.....
I have sought God without ceasing, and last night I finally heard Him speak. I don't know exactly where I am going with my future, but I came to an earth shattering discovery. I have waited for years to "be" somebody. I have waited for an entire lifetime to "make it" on stage. But last night I came to understand that perhaps I have my priorities way skewed. Jesus Christ himself came to earth, taught locally, discipled a few friends, and died on a cross. He did not have to be big or famous to fulfill His destiny. I think in America, we overemphasize the importance of selling CDs and being a somebody on the music charts.
Last night as God and I were wrestling, I realized that how many CDs I have or don't have has nothing to do with my value to God. The time and energy I invest in my congregation, however, has infinite worth. Every life that I touch, every person that I walk alongside, those are the things that are going to matter.
I am not belittling the influence of great, famous musicians. I am simply saying that becoming famous can never be the goal. Serving Christ must be the goal. I am also saying that I came to an entirely new understanding of the value of investing a lifetime within the local church. If I never use my musical gifts anywhere else, but I am daily digging into the deepest, darkest, messiest places of my friends' lives - trying to minister to them and help them love Jesus a little more, I think that is of far greater value than having my name up in lights.
I think as musicians, we have forgotten the real heroes in the musical story. The real heroes are the men and women that get up every day, walk into deep relationships, and change messy damaged lives. I admire many professional musicians who are also ministering within a local context, but there are also many that are simply traveling from one gig to the next entertaining the masses. Last night I wondered if maybe it takes a more courage to be a minister than to be famous.
Food for thought for me, anyway.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Twenty Ten
Last night I had the awesome opportunity to spend 6 hours at the Twenty Ten Worship Event in Grand Prairie. The band line up was spectacular: Jeff Johnson, Caleb, Tenth Avenue North, Toby Mac, and Casting Crowns.
Jeff Johnson is a local guy that I know indirectly through several friends. He has been a worship pastor at a couple of churches in McKinney and has played at lots of youth events that I've heard great things about. However, I had never had the opportunity to hear him before. In his first set, the vocals were a little hard to pick up - just some sound issues that sometimes happen with being the first band on the stage, I guess. But he came back out later to do some intimate acoustic worship time and sounded fantastic.
I enjoyed hearing Caleb - the band with Stephen Curtis Chapman's two boys. They were more of a folksy kind of sound than I had expected, but very excellent. I am curious to see what their musical future is going to hold. Definitely a lot of talent in both boys.
I have now seen Tenth Avenue North many times in concert. Last night they were doing some of the new stuff off their album that is coming out May 11. I loved what I heard and can't wait to pick up the new CD. It is cool to see the changes in these guys in just a little over a year. Their stage presence has matured, their sound has improved, and they are rocking the Christian music scene.
Toby Mac surprised me. I knew a couple of his more mellow songs that I would enjoy, but I was stunned to really love the entire concert. I loved it all - the rap, the funk, the salsa, the reggae. When they broke out the big brass instruments, I definitely felt the urge to dance. All across the arena smiles broke out. Everybody was on their feet, having a party. He cracked me up by doing "Pants on the Ground" sandwiched between a couple of "we love God" songs. He was having fun on the stage, which easily translated to the audience becoming engaged and having fun as well. I was absolutely impressed by his female vocal. She broke off into Rich Mullin's "Awesome God" gospel style, but with a rap/funk beat as a backup. It totally brought that great song back into the modern era. And man, did she have an incredible set of vocals. Wow!
Casting Crowns was phenomenal. I first saw them nearly 10 years ago on their first tour. Over the years, I have seen their progress as musicians and seen them master their craft. I love the humanness of Mark Hall, their lead singer. He is very real and very humble. I enjoyed throughout their concert as they flowed from songs into prayers and back into songs. Prayer was not an afterthought, but was an outpouring of full and overflowing souls. I was also excited to hear that they would be on a 4 a.m. flight back home to be pastors in their home churches. I love it when bands remember the importance of the local body of Christ and use their gifts to dig in deep into local relationships and build up their people.
I had to laugh when Mark completely forgot the words to "Voice of Truth." He scrambled the verses, then he couldn't find his cheat sheet with the lyrics, and had to completely stop the song and start over with the correct lyrics. It was at that moment that I thought, "Yep, I could be friends with him. He was okay with not being perfect in front of a crowd of 8,000 people."
The Twenty Ten event was designed as an avenue for local and global non profits to share information about their ministries. I did not know this until I arrived. I was very excited to discover several ministries that might be able to use a volunteer team from The Crossroads in the future as we look for a variety of outreach ideas.
And one of the best parts of the night? I was ordering a diet drink when the older gentleman at the register paused before ringing me up, looked at me and blurted out, "Why the hell you getting a diet drink? You don't need one." Then he remembered he was serving food at a Christian event and was horribly embarrassed, but it was maybe the nicest thing a stranger has said to me in a long time.
It was a fun night with my daughter, Grace, and with good friends. I enjoyed basking in God's presence and hearing his voice as he poured out his love on me. I loved the authenticity of the bands on this tour, and I am excited to see how God uses them in the future for His glory.
Jeff Johnson is a local guy that I know indirectly through several friends. He has been a worship pastor at a couple of churches in McKinney and has played at lots of youth events that I've heard great things about. However, I had never had the opportunity to hear him before. In his first set, the vocals were a little hard to pick up - just some sound issues that sometimes happen with being the first band on the stage, I guess. But he came back out later to do some intimate acoustic worship time and sounded fantastic.
I enjoyed hearing Caleb - the band with Stephen Curtis Chapman's two boys. They were more of a folksy kind of sound than I had expected, but very excellent. I am curious to see what their musical future is going to hold. Definitely a lot of talent in both boys.
I have now seen Tenth Avenue North many times in concert. Last night they were doing some of the new stuff off their album that is coming out May 11. I loved what I heard and can't wait to pick up the new CD. It is cool to see the changes in these guys in just a little over a year. Their stage presence has matured, their sound has improved, and they are rocking the Christian music scene.
Toby Mac surprised me. I knew a couple of his more mellow songs that I would enjoy, but I was stunned to really love the entire concert. I loved it all - the rap, the funk, the salsa, the reggae. When they broke out the big brass instruments, I definitely felt the urge to dance. All across the arena smiles broke out. Everybody was on their feet, having a party. He cracked me up by doing "Pants on the Ground" sandwiched between a couple of "we love God" songs. He was having fun on the stage, which easily translated to the audience becoming engaged and having fun as well. I was absolutely impressed by his female vocal. She broke off into Rich Mullin's "Awesome God" gospel style, but with a rap/funk beat as a backup. It totally brought that great song back into the modern era. And man, did she have an incredible set of vocals. Wow!
Casting Crowns was phenomenal. I first saw them nearly 10 years ago on their first tour. Over the years, I have seen their progress as musicians and seen them master their craft. I love the humanness of Mark Hall, their lead singer. He is very real and very humble. I enjoyed throughout their concert as they flowed from songs into prayers and back into songs. Prayer was not an afterthought, but was an outpouring of full and overflowing souls. I was also excited to hear that they would be on a 4 a.m. flight back home to be pastors in their home churches. I love it when bands remember the importance of the local body of Christ and use their gifts to dig in deep into local relationships and build up their people.
I had to laugh when Mark completely forgot the words to "Voice of Truth." He scrambled the verses, then he couldn't find his cheat sheet with the lyrics, and had to completely stop the song and start over with the correct lyrics. It was at that moment that I thought, "Yep, I could be friends with him. He was okay with not being perfect in front of a crowd of 8,000 people."
The Twenty Ten event was designed as an avenue for local and global non profits to share information about their ministries. I did not know this until I arrived. I was very excited to discover several ministries that might be able to use a volunteer team from The Crossroads in the future as we look for a variety of outreach ideas.
And one of the best parts of the night? I was ordering a diet drink when the older gentleman at the register paused before ringing me up, looked at me and blurted out, "Why the hell you getting a diet drink? You don't need one." Then he remembered he was serving food at a Christian event and was horribly embarrassed, but it was maybe the nicest thing a stranger has said to me in a long time.
It was a fun night with my daughter, Grace, and with good friends. I enjoyed basking in God's presence and hearing his voice as he poured out his love on me. I loved the authenticity of the bands on this tour, and I am excited to see how God uses them in the future for His glory.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Worship Bible Study Intro.
I am attempting to write a Bible study about worship for our band to use in our journey group. We have a very limited amount of time to spend together at practice, so traditional 2 hour small group curriculum is not going to work for us. Basically, I am studying worship, and then blogging about it. We can then discuss it as a band and encourage one another to grow in God's Word and in our walk as musicians and worshipers. I have made the commitment to get out of bed 30 minutes early every morning to have time to write. The problem is that I need so much more time. As I begin to study and write, the words become like fire in my mind. They burn with an urgency to be released in writing. Please pray that I will be able to finish what I've started. I do not have to ever be officially published, it does not have to be the best thing ever, but I want it to be exactly what our band needs in this moment of our lives to help us to more effectively lead people into God's presence.
This morning I wrote my introduction. Or at least the rough draft. I will try to post some of the other stuff as I go, so that I have a way of being accountable that I am truly spending time writing.
Introduction:
This morning I wrote my introduction. Or at least the rough draft. I will try to post some of the other stuff as I go, so that I have a way of being accountable that I am truly spending time writing.
Introduction:
What is worship? Defining worship is like trying to hold water in your hands. About the time you think you have a definitive grasp on it, it slips through your fingers. When we talk about worship, we are usually referencing our latest and greatest musical moments. Especially as musicians, we tend to equate worship with great songs that make us feel warm and fuzzy. While music does lead us into God’s presence and help us to shift our focus from ourselves to God, it is not a synonym for worship.
I have launched a quest to discover what worship is according to the Bible. In that journey, I have been amazed to discover that everything in our lives, everything around us, every circumstance that occurs, is part of creating in us a hunger for our God. Our sole purpose in the afterlife will be to worship God continually day and night. As a child, I pictured that as floating around on fluffy clouds strumming my harp and singing. What I am discovering is that worship is much, much more than I had ever imagined.
We will walk through some of the characteristics of worship in the next 10 weeks. I have a strong feeling that this is only the beginning of my study of worship. The more I study and investigate what the Bible says about worship, the more I am certain that 10 weeks will not adequately define or comprehensively explain worship. However, I am excited to be on this journey and look forward to seeing how my eyes are opened and my life is changed.
LaRissa
Thursday, November 5, 2009
It is Well - Kutless
Tonight I had no desire to work out, so I bribed myself with the new Kutless album, "It is Well". Several friends have been raving about the album, but I have not had the opportunity to listen to any of it. I am a Kutless fan, although it took me awhile to enjoy some of their more screaming songs on other albums.
"It is Well" is a worship album. I especially liked how the band sandwiched their new material between remakes of very familiar older songs such as "It is Well"and "God of Wonders." Their new material is very appropriate for a contemporary, or even a blended service. I loved the lyrics and melodies on several of the new songs.
I have not chosen a favorite yet. I am looking forward to listening to the album again in the morning on my run. After a few more listens, I'll comment more specifically on some of the new songs.
Bottom line - worth the purchase to hear the new songs. Most of the remakes are good, but the jewels of the cd are the newer songs.
"It is Well" is a worship album. I especially liked how the band sandwiched their new material between remakes of very familiar older songs such as "It is Well"and "God of Wonders." Their new material is very appropriate for a contemporary, or even a blended service. I loved the lyrics and melodies on several of the new songs.
I have not chosen a favorite yet. I am looking forward to listening to the album again in the morning on my run. After a few more listens, I'll comment more specifically on some of the new songs.
Bottom line - worth the purchase to hear the new songs. Most of the remakes are good, but the jewels of the cd are the newer songs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
