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A Call to Heal Communities of Worship & Prayer Pastor Steve Fry
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Rediscovering Worship Beyond Our Differences Steven Malcolm
Jackson Wu C. Dennis Williams
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Rediscover (Reset) Worship Grant Norsworthy
VOL 30 NO 1 3
35
LE AD ER SHI P
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Multigenerational Worship One Church, One Congregation:
Principles of Multigenerational Worship, Part 1 By Vernon Whaley
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Missional Worship
By Darnisha Taylor
MUSI C
30
Lost & Missing Sung Prayers One Generation to Another
By Josh Lavender
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Worship Radar Lucas & Evelyn Cortazio 45
of Community Music By Caitlin Lassiter
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Songwriting Q&A
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ENCO UR AGEMENT
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Devotional Hindsight is 20/20 By Nancy Nethercott
4
A Call to Heal
B Y
PA S T O R
S T E V E
F R Y
Communities of Worship & Prayer
N
obody expected this. Year 2021 was supposed
Judeo-Christian value system, and the cockfight that
to be the year we put 2020 behind us. A fresh
was our presidential race all underscore the very real
start. We glimpsed the end of masks and
struggle for our nation’s soul.
the election was, well if not settled, at least close to resolution.
But that the body of Jesus would be as divided as it is? For those of us who cling to the gospel, our
Then the assault on the Capitol Building happened.
divisiveness as a Church has pierced our very sense
Images of hostile takeover are now seared forever
of collective identity.
in our minds. America seemed to lose whatever innocence she had left, and the reality of unbridgeable rifts in our culture suffocated our souls.
We who love Jesus, who worship Him and pray to The Father in His Name, have never seen this. And many of us have retreated to our various tribes who think
The divisions have gone deep. I understand that. The
and believe like we do. We are in danger of letting
social and moral stakes are high. Our very identity
our divisions harden into insurmountable barricades.
as a republic is up for grabs. The fractious debate is between the right to fight for our freedoms and our obligation to obey civil authorities. Simmering social
How can we as a Church begin a process of healing? A couple of simple steps to start:
injustices, the culture’s growing hostility toward a
5
ONE //
So what is the ultimate reason we worship? Because
First, let’s make sure we’re worshiping God for the right reason.
not to attract His Presence as if He were outside
God is worthy (Rev 4:11). Not first to encounter Him, our gatherings waiting to walk in when He sees us worshiping sufficiently. Worship is not first an experience; it’s a declaration of God’s “worth-ship.” Whether we feel His Presence in
THE FAMILY AT WORSHIP.
Worshiping together should unify us around a mutual desire to exalt Jesus. But I’ve been somewhat stunned to see worshipers this divided.
Perhaps this exposes a flaw in our understanding of worship. Seems to me that if we were worshiping
Jesus, we would be drawn to Him. And being drawn
to Him, we would find some unity in our common life in Christ that would elevate us above rancorous political debate. So…maybe we haven’t been worshiping Jesus as much as we think. Maybe we need to reassess why we worship. And perhaps this might be a significant step toward healing. I have often heard it said that we worship to encounter God’s Presence—that our worship attracts God’s Presence. It is true that as we worship, we become more aware of His Presence. But is this the primary reason we worship? If worship is based on my encounter with God, then I eventually risk worshiping my encounter of His Presence, rather than Him. That’s like being in love
our worship today like we did last week is irrelevant. We worship because the Lord is worthy. Not to generate emotion (although we should prize passionate worship) or to create an attractive environment, or not to create a Christian “alternative” to the house jam in the hip part of town.
If our divisions in this season are as intense as they seem to be, could it be that our commonness in Christ is more fragile than we thought? And if Christ hasn’t loomed large enough for us to pursue the unity for which He prayed, then is He sufficiently large in our vision? And if He is not, have we truly been worshiping Him? Perhaps one of the first steps toward healing a fractured Church is to worship God for Christ’s sake. Simply because He is worthy. If that were the reason we worshiped, we would more readily find each other in our common devotion to Christ, thus dialing back the tensions that have polarized us. And if we’re drawn to Jesus, we’ll be moved by His desires. And this brings me to a second step.
with love. Like loving the experience of romance more than the person you’re committed to.
6
TWO //
But Proverbs 10:12 gives a marvelous insight into
Let’s be an answer to Christ’s prayer.
relationships heal: Love covers all offenses. Or as The
May they all be one, just as you, Father,
how we can tend our emotions and allow time to let Message puts it, Love pulls a quilt over the bickering. When we experience more strained relationships than we know what to do with, it can be very emotionally taxing. We so want to please God that we want to
THE FAMILY AT WORSHIP.
are in me, and I in you, that they also may
make things right with people, but we don’t know how to tend all the fractured relational at once!
be in us, so that the world may believe that
That’s when love can cover. We may not be able to
you have sent me.
reconcile with everyone quickly, but in the meantime, love covers!
JOHN 17:21
Love covers relational tensions while unity and trust
This was Jesus’ focus in the hours before the cross. Not mission. Not even evangelism. Unity. If we love Jesus, wouldn’t we want to fulfill His desires? Unity is not lowering our convictions to the lowest common denominator. It is the commitment to love one another even in our differences. And it is our love for one another that validates our message. Remember, it was Jesus Himself who stated the ultimate argument for the gospel; It isn’t apologetics, or effective mission, or manifestations of His Presence. It is the unity of His followers. I am not saying that there are no issues we shouldn’t divide over. The Apostle Paul wrote some pretty stark letters to some pretty compromised churches in Revelation. But they are far fewer than we think. The fact that our unity is the primary means of convincing the world that God is real and Christ is the way should stir us to maintain that unity in the bond of peace.
are rebuilt. We don’t have to pull away from anyone just because we know there are unresolved issues in the relationship. And because love covers, we don’t feel the pressure to resolve all of our relationships all at once, and we don’t have to be afraid that we’re going to feel guilty carrying the emotional weight of unresolved relationship tensions for the rest of our lives just to keep other people happy. That is human fear. So, rest in the power of His love to cover you and cover your relationships in the meantime. Give the responsibility of the healing of relationships back to God.
How do we make sense of things? Rest in God’s promise to reveal truth. Jesus told us that truth would set us free (John 8:32). We may not know everything we want to know, but God will always
Still, how does unity get practical? And how
reveal to us what we need to be free. Start trusting
might we heal damaged relationships?
God to reveal the truth about things in His way and
We have been walking through an enormous amount
in His time by praising His character.
of trauma. When there is this much disruption, on a
Don’t worry about feeling what’s right. Just say what’s
scale this large, we can experience more relational
right. Confess what the Scriptures say about God. He
tensions than normal. And sometimes we cannot deal
is just in all His ways and kind in all His doings.
with all of the relational loose ends at once.
“But if I don’t feel that way about God right now, I will
7
feel like a hypocrite confessing that.” But praising
Everything includes national unrest; everything
God’s character when you don’t feel like it is not
includes the shock of our moral drift as a country;
hypocrisy; it’s the courage not to let your emotions
everything includes prophetic words that don’t seem
rule you. As you do, you will be able to see everything
to come to pass. Everything means everything.
truthfully. It might take a little while. And you may not get divine perspective all at once.
Now, if God promises that we can have life, joy, and peace and respond rightly no matter how traumatic
But we can rest in God’s power and grace to help us
the situation, then there is emotional strength for us
understand the truth about any situation. Including
in what we are facing at this moment.
these present crises.
We have emotional strength to love one another as
Second Peter 1:3 says,
brothers and sisters in Christ. We may win a political argument. We may stoically endure pandemics. We
His divine power has granted to us all
may expend vast amounts of time and energy in the
things that pertain to life and godliness,
(1 Cor 13:1-3). Someone paraphrased that passage
through the knowledge of him who called
move mountains, and give away all I have… but if I have
cause of right. But without love, we gain nothing
us to his own glory and excellence.” God
this way: “I may have prophetic powers, have faith to not love, as far as God is concerned it’s as if all these accomplishments and sacrifices never happened.”
has already given us everything that
If we as a Church are to heal, we must re-center our
we need for life and godliness, and we
worship on Christ. And how will we know that we’re
get everything as we center ourselves on
centered on Christ? We will be awakened to a passion for unity.
knowing God.
BY
PA S TO R
S T E V E
F RY
Steve Fry is a conference speaker, pastor, author, composer and recording artist. Blending worship and scriptural teaching throughout his ministry in a way that is relevant and revelatory.
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REDISCOVERING beyond our differences
I
heard a story once that forever changed the way I view what it means to worship. My friend attended an annual youth camp that occurred in the Midwest,
and every camp came with a groundskeeper. My friend said every day he would see the groundskeeper mowing the grass with the biggest smile on his face, so one day he went over and asked the man, “Why is it that you have a smile every time I see you cutting the grass?” The groundskeeper replied, “This is my way of worship and time away with God.”
Renewing Our Minds Romans 12:1-2 says,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living B Y
S T E V E N
J AC K S O N
C .
M A L C O L M
W U
D E N N I S
A N D
W I L L I A M S
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 10
This Scripture was written on the inner cover of the
Hillsong.” That is today’s reality in some cases. This
first Bible my pastor gave to me. He told me that this
McDonald’s pace, “have it your way” state of mind
Scripture would carry a lot of value doing what I do.
that we have today blocks us from experiencing the
What does it look like to worship? And even further,
worship God intended. I don’t believe God made
what does it look like to worship as a young black
worship a genre, style, sound, or community. I
kid who loves hip-hop music and comes from the
believe God made worship to be our daily lifestyle:
hip-hop community? I honestly never asked myself
to wake up each day, in the view of God, and give
that when I started attending church and raising my
ourselves to Him the way we each best know how.
hands during the worship part of service.
So how do we rediscover true worship beyond our
When I circle back and think about Romans 12, and
differences? The answer is simple: open our minds and
about the groundskeeper, I think about how it says
open our hearts to the understanding of what true
“by the renewing of your mind.” It is almost like your
worship REALLY is. For me personally, I'm the guy who
original way of thinking can’t comprehend the fullness
has everyone scratching their heads after worship
of what worship REALLY IS! A simple mind sees and
asking, "What did I just watch?" For the longest time,
hears only what it wants and/or likes. The mind is
the worship team and I from my church would lead
closed to fit its personal criteria and if something
worship as visitors at other churches and give them
is unfamiliar, it is looked over. However, a renewed
the hip-hop worship experience. The looks we would
mind sees, hears, and carries a level of discernment of
get sometimes would be sad and in some ways jaded
what it sees. It understands that not only are creation,
me, but I pray we as God’s children will someday
skin, language, and culture different, but the way we
move past our own small thinking and remember
worship our Creator is also different.
how BIG God is. There is so much beauty in other cultures and
Opening Our Hearts
so much to learn from one another. What if God intended us to have these differences to learn, grow,
The fact that Jesus didn’t even speak English is funny
and love one another? There is newness in what we
to me. Imagine a brown-skinned man coming into
don’t understand, and until the day we open our minds
today’s American church and singing His favorite
and hearts, there will always be a gap to fill.
worship song. Without knowing who He really is, I wonder how many people would tune out and think,
Worship is a lifestyle, starting with renewing the mind.
“Man, I wish He would have sung something from
BY
S T E V E N
M A LC O L M
A multi-cultural hip-hop artist, Steven Malcolm's songs are grounded in faith, fiercely-delivered rhymes, and a willingness to blur the lines between genres. It's an approach that's earned the songwriter five Dove Award nominations, more than 49 million on-demand streams, and an audience that's just as diverse as his own influences, bridging the gap between the worlds of commercial rap, pop, Christian music, and reggae.
11
12
REDISCOVERING B Y
J AC K S O N
beyond our differences
W U
I
n 2019, our pastor resigned from his position to become a football coach. Naturally, many people assumed that a scandalous reason lurked behind
the scenes. On the Sunday of his announcement, he explained his reason. It was the 2016 presidential election. The divisive antagonism of that year nearly ripped the church apart. As a black pastor of a multiethnic church, arguments over race took a toll on his heart and family. Slowly, he realized how upset and burned out he’d become. He had lost the vigor needed to shepherd the congregation well. Fast forward to 2020. The pastoral staff was determined not to endure again the trauma of 2016. And they didn't, even while many other American churches found themselves divided more than ever. What did our pastors do this time?
Intentional Preparation As it turned out, part of the solution was being made ready in the four years between elections. A major value of our church leadership is authenticity. The pastors make a regular practice of publicly discussing their struggles and the sensitive issues that sweep through the church. Even among the staff, open disagreement and debate are encouraged. But reconciliation and repentance are always required if someone takes a conversation too far. This environment unwittingly prepared the church for the unprecedented spectacle that was the 2020 election. Well before COVID hit, pastors began reminding the church of the pain that 2016 inflicted. They forewarned of possible disputes and disunity looming in the months ahead. Our leaders used a two-pronged approach in their teaching. First, they intentionally sought to help people discern the worldview and
13
values that underlie our political ideologies. They showed how each ideology seeks after a good goal meant to help creation to flourish. At the same time, each of these objectives, apart from the others, can become idols. Each of us might contribute to the problem even as we seek God’s best.
Creating A Culture of Understanding Second, the church formed small groups where people could intentionally process their views and the perspectives of those with whom they disagree. The intent and ethos of these groups were carefully crafted to facilitate discussion and mutual understanding. These are not places to filibuster about Black Lives Matter and in making America great. These venues gave people an outlet to express their anxiety and frustrations. They became places to foster appreciation, not antagonism. Several weeks after the election, our church has not merely survived, but strengthened. And to be sure, our church and its political views are incredibly diverse. What made the difference? The humility and vulnerability of pastoral staff and the foresight of our leaders to prepare the congregation for the inevitable occasion that would provoke strong emotions. Opportunities were created where people could be heard and understood. Our church did not close its eyes and pretend we agree about everything. Nor did we act like we are a perfect church. Such candor was a gift, an act of compassion by our pastors.
BY
JAC K S O N
W U
Jackson Wu is the Theologian-in-Residence at Mission One in Phoenix, after serving for many years as a church planter then a seminary professor for Chinese pastors in East Asia. In addition to resources and articles found at JacksonWu.org, he has published several books such as Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes and One Gospel for All Nations.
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15
REDISCOVERING B Y
C .
D E N N I S
beyond our differences
W I L L I A M S
F
ifty-seven years ago, while visiting with faculty
Recently several prominent black pastors who were
and staff at Michigan University, students asked
members of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr about integration in
announced that they are repudiating themselves from
the church. They were not only concerned about inte-
the SBC due to racial insensitivity. Several seminary
gration in the schools, but they were also concerned
presidents of the SBC have launched a battle against
about integration in the church. Dr King’s response to
Critical Race Theory, a broad term used in academic
the question was both profound and prolific. He said,
circles to describe critiques of systemic racism.
“The most segregated hour in this nation is Sunday at
Furthermore, the presidents of the SBC seminaries
11:00 a.m.� Even though Dr King uttered those words
stated that a fundamental concept in the struggle
57 years ago, we still find ourselves all these years later
against racial injustice contravenes church doctrine,
in a polemic, reverberating with the same issues. We
then they refused to change the names of buildings
are still segregated. We are segregated spiritually,
at the school named after slave holders.
theologically, culturally, and denominationally, and it is not getting better; it is getting worse.
16
Pastors in Christian pulpits from my state of Texas
in the church as well. The rational for this is due to
have preached sermons urging their parishioners
the fact that cultural differences did not just start
to keep their guns loaded leading up to the inaugu-
today. They were in the Bible—Jews and Samaritans
ration of President Joe Biden, while another pastor
were always dealing with dissonance; Sadducees and
referred to Vice President Harris as a Jezebel two days
Pharisees had theological differences. I surmise that
after her inaugu-
if these opposing
ration. The vitriol
groups would have
and detritus that
engaged in diver-
is coming from
sity training, then
the houses of God
the training would
are incalculable,
have halted and
and what I am so
eliminated some of
flummoxed about
the problems that
is that the church
they would even-
is mirroring the
tually encounter.
world
rather
As we engage in
than mirroring
diversity training,
Christ. This scur-
it is also equally
rilous mentality is
impor tant that
moving us closer to
we try to identify
what 2 Corinthians
the personality of
11:14 cautions us
our church, espe-
about. And no wonder, as Satan masquerades as
cially before mediating conflict. In other words, is our
an angel of light (NIV), when we really should try to
church a spiritual church, traditional church, family
become a Matthew 5:16 church: “Let your light so shine
church, etc. If we can identify the church, then it will
before men that they may see your good works and
become easier to implement new ministries because
glorify your Father which is in heaven.�
we will have a compass in knowing what kinds of
When churches find themselves contending with
things may or may not work in that local church. In
these kinds of divisive and degenerating realities, we
conclusion, divisive issues will lead to a spirit of enti-
must do a few things. First, congregations need to go
tlement, but a spirit of commitment and service will
through cultural diversity training, where we study
lead to salvation.
the different cultures not just in society but present
BY
C .
D E N N I S
W I L L I A M S
C. Dennis Williams is the Senior Pastor of Smith Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Paul Quinn College, Dallas, Texas.
17
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“Passionately Pursuing Excellence to the Glory of God” 18
REdiscover re SET
W O R S H I P
B Y
G R A N T
N O R S W O R T H Y
U
nique challenges often bring unique oppor-
Do we really want to go back to how things were
tunities. For those of us who are involved in
before the pandemic?
musical worship within the Christian Church,
2020 (with its COVID-19 restrictions) threw us some unique challenges. Our well-established “normal” was shattered. What seemed to work before—using systems that we had toiled so long and hard to develop—was no longer possible. Circumstances forced us to adapt, improvise, and find new ways of using music as an expression of worship. It’s been rough! Maybe you’re now able to go back to how things were. Or perhaps you can hardly wait to resume your preCOVID system of doing things. But that might be a mistake.
Now we’re into another year—2021. As our community of worshiping musicians gradually and hopefully moves past the unique challenges presented by COVID-19, I hope we don’t miss this unique, once-ina-lifetime opportunity to re-assess and re-discover. To reset. Let’s grab this chance to scrutinize our “worship culture” and all we have been doing with music in the Church with both hands and with open hearts and minds. As we do so, maybe we’ll rediscover (or perhaps discover for the first time) the worship that God actually requires of us. Perhaps we’ll better understand the role that music can play within worship.
19
Let’s Be Real. What were we doing before that wasn’t really working? What needs modification?
passion and volume from regular church congregations dipped lower than 2019. This has been a gradual and constant decline for years. Will 2021 be any better? Or will the downward slide continue?
What do we need to stop doing—to get rid of entirely? What needs to remain unchanged even though so
Where Did We Go Wrong?
much else has changed? I think we’d all have to agree that with the restrictions necessitated by COVID-19, 2020 saw an all-time, two-millennia low in the level of congregational participation in sung worship from the Christian Church. Do we really think that our congregation members were singing along to our streamed services as they sat on their couch (possibly still in their pajamas) gathered around a phone? I think not. How well was your congregation singing if each individual, couple, or family group had to stand a prescribed distance apart outdoors or in a mainly empty room wearing face masks? Not great, right?
At no point in Church history has there been such impressive infrastructure and so much support for those who lead musical worship. We’ve got an abundance of resources at our fingertips, like CCLI, Planning Center, backing tracks, in-ear monitors, YouTube, Facebook groups, websites, incredible publications like Worship Leader magazine, and songs. So many songs! So many great songs are being written and made so easily available to us by a multitude of incredible song writers, musicians, and artists whose main focus is to provide great songs for church congregations to sing. But despite all this, in numerous regular Sunday services, I see way too many dreary faces, confused expressions, and lips that are sealed or hardly moving. Often, I can barely hear a polite, semi-musical murmuring from the congregation. The gathered believers produce an unenthusiastic sound that is easily overwhelmed by the singers and instrumentalists on the platform through the PA. Many of the people in our congregations seem confused. “Are we supposed to sing? Or are we supposed to listen?” Often, they can’t tell. I believe many of us on the platform are confused, too. We send mixed messages. We may invite our congregation to stand and sing the words that are on the screens, but then (unintentionally I’m sure) we make musical and
But how was the level of congregational participation
technical choices that send the opposite message,
in 2019 before the pandemic? Let’s be honest with
making it very difficult for Jack and Jill congregant to
ourselves. Let’s be real or, as they say in my home
sing with us. We seem unsure about whether we are
country of Australia, let’s be fair dinkum. The vocal
on the platform to guide the “voice” of our congre-
participation from Jack and Jill congregant—even
gation or whether we are trying to produce the best
though they were in the room with us—was low back
sound we possibly can for their listening enjoyment.
then, too. While there are exceptions I’m sure (and I know I’m sticking my neck out here), it has certainly been my experience that only in 2020 has the level of
Do we really want to go back to that? I think we need to hit the reset button.
20
But hey, my opinion that the Church is not singing
vidual, pre-COVID churchgoer is navigating right
well is (of course) just my opinion. I have no scien-
now. After weeks, or even months, of only “attending”
tific research or solid evidence to back this up. But
their church gathering online (if they did) Jack and
please know that my opinion has been formed through
Jill churchgoer are asking themselves, “Will I (physi-
observations and experiences gathered while working
cally) go back to the Sunday church gathering or not?”
professionally as a musician and as More Than Music Mentor within the Christian Church over a couple of decades across denominational boundaries, living for extended periods in three different countries, and travelling extensively to engage with numerous church communities around the USA and several other countries around the world. Plus, I’ve been alive for quite a while and have been musically involved in the church for my whole life. I guess I’m old enough, have cared enough, and have been watching and listening carefully enough to have noticed the gradual decline.
Hopefully, they will realize how badly they have missed gathering in the same room with their own church family. Recall how important singing worshipfully with their local community is for their spiritual health and faith journey. Remember the value of adding their voice to the voices of others as a way to worship—or show the worth—of God. How encouraged they felt to be surrounded by the rousing sound of brothers and sisters to their left and right and behind them, declaring truth of Almighty God together. How doing so seemed somehow to thin the membrane between humanity and divinity. How we could sense His pres-
Generally speaking, Christian church congregations
ence in the room as we all sang. We want them to
sang better—louder, more musically, and with more
answer with an emphatic, “Yes! I’ll be there!” But will
passion—30 years ago. 20 years ago. Even 10 years
they? Are they?
ago.
Alternatively, they might take the other fork in the
I know this isn’t the case everywhere. And I’m also
road. They might come to realize that they don’t really
aware that there are plenty of “live” videos from mega
miss “going to church” that much. Never felt that their
churches and “worship artists” on YouTube that would
vocal participation was clearly invited, expected, or
suggest that the opposite is true. I love watching
required during the Christian-ese cover band set that
those videos! Inspiring! They show us what’s possible
was part of every service. They might decide just to
in those particular contexts. But please don’t think
continue watching the online stream, or since they
me overly cynical if I point out that these are gener-
can, find a better streamed service to watch—one
ally shot at special “concert-like” events, often with
they enjoy more. One with a pro band, higher quality
artists with well-deserved celebrity status in the eyes of the people they’re leading, possibly with prudently selected passionate worshipers in the most visible sections of the “congregation,” and carefully edited in post-production. Those videos don’t represent how it is for most of the weekend warriors who are reading this. Am I right? Just trying to be fair dinkum.
Choosing Wisely at the Big Crossroad. Right now I firmly believe that, with regard to musical worship at least, the Christian Church stands at a BIG crossroad. "And this BIG crossroad is actually made up of millions of smaller crossroads that each indi-
21
production, better songs, and a snappier sermon.
The voice of the congregation is not a nice optional
Or they might decide to become one of the growing
extra if you can get it. Their voice is the imperative.
number of former churchgoers.
The congregation’s voice is more important than ours!
Recently I was speaking with a local pastor about the size of his congregation. “We were about 300 to 350 before COVID. Now that all the restrictions have been lifted, we’re back up to about 60 in the room, but with a hundred or so streaming the service.” Just a little anecdotal evidence.
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.
And let us consider how we may spur one
EPHESIANS 5:19 (NIV)
another on toward love and good deeds,
We ought to take a good hard look at the musical
not giving up meeting together, as some
and technical choices we make (key choices, volume levels, audio mixes, instrumental density, vocal embel-
are in the habit of doing, but encouraging
lishment, etc.) and ask ourselves, “Does this choice
one another—and all the more as you see
might be surprised to find that we have unintention-
make it easier for Jack and Jill to sing, or harder?” We
the Day approaching.
ally made way more “performance” choices and fewer
HEBREWS 10:24-25 (NIV)
Let’s reset by dedicating ourselves with more inten-
“congregational” choices than we realize.
So, what could this reset look like? Part of it might be this: We could make a clear and intentional distinction between musical performance and leading congregational singing. Both are great! There is a place for both, sure. But if our role is to lead a church congregation to worship God through songs, we must lean hard towards the latter rather than the former.
BY
G R A N T
tionality to use music as a tool to warmly and clearly invite our congregation to find their voice to sing as an expression of worship to God. Let’s re-affirm that our main, musical goal is not to entertain an audience but to help our congregation recognize that God is our “audience” as we all sing prayers, praises, and declarations of truth TOGETHER.
N O R S WO R T H Y
Grant is not another singer who talks too much. He’s a speaker who sings songs. An Aussie who was based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA from 2002 to 2018, Grant Norsworthy achieved considerable success as a professional musician including a Grammy® nomination, a Dove Award, extensive touring, recording and radio hits with bands like Paul Colman Trio and Sonicflood. Now conducting global ministry work from his Nelson, New Zealand home base, Grant uses his musicianship, freewheeling wit and uncommon candour to encourage audiences to deeper faith in Christ and good works. As the founder, content developer and principal instructor for More Than Music Mentor, he provides high quality online and onsite training for the heart and the art of worshiping musicians everywhere.
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M U LT I G E N E R AT I O N A L
WO R S H I P
2 4
M I S S I O N A L
WO R S H I P
2 7
LEADERSHIP.
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LEADERSHI
LEADERSHIP
T
he sun was flickering sparkles on the frosted earth as we turned into the church parking lot on that February Sunday. Almost immediately, our eyes were drawn to scores of signs that read,
“ONE!” Everywhere we looked we saw “ONE” signs. As we walked into the sanctuary, the purpose and meaning of the ONE signs began to
M U LT I G E N E R AT I O N A L W O R S H I P
clarify. For years, the congregation gathered at three different times: 8:30 a.m. for the Legacy “Traditional” Service, 9:30 a.m. for the Blended Service, and 11:00 a.m. for Contemporary Worship. In addition, the teenagers and children met in separate spaces during the Blended service. In all, this 2,500 member church struggled to get attendance at any one of these services up to 500. This Sunday was different. EVERYONE was meeting together
ONE CHURCH. ONE CONGREGATION.
at 9:30 a.m.—as ONE. For weeks, the pastor’s sermons proclaimed: “ONE Faith, ONE Baptism, ONE Hope, ONE bond of Peace, ONE Calling…” and that day, the entire assembly was ONE in Worship. The praise team included 10 singers of various ethnicities and ages—an elementary child, middle and high school students, a young married couple, a middleaged mother, and a senior adult grandpa. A very large choir was equally multi-generational and
culturally inclusive. The pastor’s sermon unpacked Ephesians 4:6: ONE God and Father of ALL; above all, through all, and in all. Congregational participation was “off the chart.” Worship singing
Principles of Multigenerational Worship
began with an elementary-age child singing “As The Deer.” Congregational singing included every stylistic preference imaginable. After about 45 minutes of a well-crafted time of worship through song, Scripture, and a short reader’s theatre, the worship leader began praying. Before speaking the “Amen,” the senior adult grandpa concluded the entire service with “I Love You Lord,” complete with a four-fold musical rendering of “Amen” by the choir.
PART 1
But the most powerful moment came during the baptismal celebration right before the sermon. At this point, the congregational engagement was exceeding my wildest imagination. A member of the congregation read a short, well-crafted salvation testimony as each candidate walked down into the baptismal water: 1) a young boy with Downs B Y
V E R N O N
W H A L E Y
Syndrome; 2) a young mother delivered from drug addiction; and
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3) a 35-year-old man released from state prison just the day before. “I baptize this my brother in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” the pastor proclaimed as he raised the former felon out of the water. At that moment, the congregation exploded with praise and worship. Everyone was engaged! Even the children—especially the children—were stilled by the power of this moment. This church was worshiping as ONE. We were experiencing firsthand the stunning magic of multi-generational worship. Why multi-generational worship? First, it is scriptural. The vast majority of Old Testament references actually speak of intergenerational worship. This is where multiple generations within the same family come together for one purpose. An example of intergenerational worship could be a household where great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and children all worship together. Psalm 145:4 recaps the instruction: “One generation will declare your work to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts!” In Exodus 33:8-10, all the people rise and worship, each family in their tent door, while Moses and Joshua enter the tabernacle. New Testament examples are much more multi-generational in application—including multiple age groups outside of individual family units. In Titus 2, older men are to teach the younger men how to be sober, reverent, temperate, and sound in faith, love, and patience. And the older women are to teach the young women to love their husbands and children, and to be discreet, chaste, and obedient to the Word of God. First Peter 5 admonishes the older men to shepherd the younger. And the younger are to honor the elderly. Second, Multi-generational worship provides opportunity to edify and educate. Multi-generational worship gives opportunity for ALL to commend or brag on God’s work, tell others of God’s power and wonderful acts, proclaim or speak of God’s incredible deeds, celebrate God’s goodness with joy, and sing of His righteousness (Psalm 145:4).
BY
V E R N O N
W H A L E Y
Associate Vice President Of Program Development: Music And Worship at Trevecca Nazarene University
25
Do you want to
MENTOR THE NEXT GENERATION of worship leaders?
Pursue your Ph.D. in Christian Worship online at Liberty University. LIBERTY.EDU/MUSIC | SOM@LIBERTY.EDU (434) 592-6568 |
@LIBERTYUMUSIC
26
LEADERSHIP
Then I heard a loud voice in Heaven saying, ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters—the one who accuses them before our God day and night—has been thrown
MISSIONAL WORSHIP
out. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death.’ REVELATION 12:10-11 TLV
S
cott and I had just come back from our honeymoon and were learning how to do life together as husband and wife. We decided to go scuba diving before Michigan waters got too cold. It was a
beautiful day—not a soul on the lake, just us enjoying the newlywed life.
OUR TESTIMONY We descended 50 feet to explore Crystal Lake. The conditions were not ideal—less than 10 feet of visibility. Terrible for diving, but I always
BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS OF
hung on to Scott’s BC anyway. He was the master diver, and this black
“CHURCH”
girl was just getting accustomed to getting her hair wet (LOL). The lake was vast, but it was not unfamiliar. Still today was different. We were 30 minutes into the dive when Scott turned to me. Something was wrong. My equipment was leaking air. But we were trained, “Don’t panic.” He held the safety line as I made a safe ascent. At the surface, nothing went right. Hundreds of yards from shore, I tried but failed to repair the damage. I panicked and called for help. Still under water, Scott could not hear me. Being alone on this 8-mile long lake
B Y
DA R N I S H A
TAY L O R
27
was suddenly a very scary place. Within moments
I led worship that weekend, in shock and riddled with
of being swept to deeper waters, I knew I was going
separation anxiety. It was a slow walk to emotional
to die that day.
recovery, but one that allowed us to share the Good
After struggling to save my own life I prayed, “God, if this is how it is going to happen, I trust You.”
News. Trauma accompanies every human experience despite
God faithfully met me in those final seconds as described in Philippians 4:7,
age, ethnicity, gender, or faith. We have shared this testimony at conferences, churches, Dr Oz, 700 Club, grocery stores, yard sales—wherever someone is struggling—and we have seen God use our testimony
And the peace of God which passes all
to change lives.
understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
For us, God used prayer, medical professionals, pastors, friends, sharing, and writing to get us through this life-altering experience.
Miraculously, God led Scott to me in those murky
Scott Anthony Taylor’s book Deathgate describes
waters. Finding me at the bottom of the lake, he had
our experience in detail. His song “I Live to Praise
no time to get to shore before he conducted CPR. So
You” encapsulates our experience and our mission
he tread water, prayed, fought the enemy screaming
as a couple:
words of condemnation, and breathed for me. Then God spoke to me. As I forgot earthly worries and neared the gates of heaven He said, “Darnisha, I need you to relax and let him bring you back.” I remember that wonderful place. Scott remembers the hell he endured. Our Father in heaven heard both
I live to praise You I live to praise Your Holy name I’ll be a testimony Tell them about my story
our prayers for help and provided our rescue, a small
Tell of Your wondrous glory
boat filled with 3 praying strangers.
To a lost and dying world
God mercifully allowed me to recover with no physical
I encourage you to allow God’s recovery story in
damage after being dead 8-12 minutes according to dive records. God also allowed Scott and me to walk through the pain of great emotional damage following
your life to evangelize wherever you go—outside and inside the Church.
that traumatic experience.
Shared with permission of Scott Anthony Taylor www.scottanthonytaylor.com
BY
DA R N I S H A
TAY LO R
Worship Pastor at Bay Life Church, Brandon, Florida. www.darnishataylor.com
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MUSIC. LO S T
&
M I S S I N G
S U N G
P R AY E R S
WO R S H I P
R A DA R
S O N G W R I T I N G
Q & A
3 0 3 3 3 5
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MUSIC L O S T + M I S S I N G S U N G P R AY E R S
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. PSALM 145:4 NLT
ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. S
ome of my earliest memories of my grandpa are hearing him whisper words under his breath like, “We honor You;” “You’re worthy;” or simply, “Thank You.” Whether he was washing the
dishes or walking through the halls, if you were listening carefully you could hear his three-word prayers softly fill the room. As a kid I’m sure I thought more than once, “Who is he talking to?” It didn’t take long for me to learn not only Who he was talking to, but what it looked like to “pray without ceasing.” At my church in Indianapolis, Trinity Wesleyan, we have had many
B Y
J O S H
L AV E N D E R
special Sundays when we invite a choir of kids to sing with the worship team for the morning. When our team gathers to plan those
30
services, we aren’t really looking for the most melodically elegant or theologically dense songs; instead, we try to sing the gospel in the simplest ways we can. One of the songs we chose for a morning like this was the chorus of Hillsong’s “This I Believe.” A couple practices and some hand motions later and we were all singing:
I believe in God our Father I believe in Christ the Son I believe in the Holy Spirit Our God is three in one I believe in the resurrection That we will rise again For I believe in the name of Jesus
Moments like these remind me of the beautiful simplicity of the gospel. I’ve seen the gospel proclaimed when parents explain to their children what it means to eat bread and drink juice in the service, or when our church sings a version of the Apostles Creed together, or when my grandpa whispers breath prayers around the house. I think these are the kinds of things David was talking about when he wrote the last of his Psalms in our Bible: “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” The gospel is both intricate and accessible. We need wise mentors, parents, and grandparents who explain the deep truths of the gospel and disciple the next generation, or just pray without ceasing around the house. We also need thoughtful worship leaders, writers, and planners who present the deep truths of the gospel in a simple and singable way that engages multiple generations.
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This is my encouragement to the worship leaders reading this:
01.
02. 03.
BY
J O S H
Keep looking for the moments to include the whole family in worship, whether in the church or the home. Keep praying in the kitchen or singing in the shower. And keep telling the next generation how amazing God is.
L AV E N D E R
Josh is a Worship Director at Trinity Church Indianapolis. He is the co-founder of Wesleyan Worship Project and Awaken Worship Collective. He is a composer, artist, author and Song Discovery Alum.
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MUSIC
Lucas + Evelyn
WORSHIP RADAR
CORTAZIO.
WATC H B Y
C A I T L I N
L A S S I T E R
You need to be writing, first and foremost, for your people. The moment you go beyond that and start adding these expectations to something that God gave you, it’s a dangerous road. LUCAS
V I D E O
Lucas and Evelyn Cortazio of Community Music join us to talk about the backstory of Community Music, creating worship culture in your church, how the pandemic has changed the future of worship music, and what it’s been like to watch their song “Make Room” become an anthem for churches around the globe.
F
or Lucas and Evelyn Cortazio of Community Music, worship is much more than a thirty minute set list on a Sunday morning—it’s a
culture, a way of life, and a constant state of living surrendered to the Father. Brazilian natives who found their way to Naperville, Illinois, the couple currently serves as songwriters and worship pastors in their local church, Community Christian Church. Several years after the release of their song “Make Room,” the declaration began to spread and find new homes in church congregations around the globe. While it’s an honor for any songwriter to watch their work impact
33
MUSIC WORSHIP RADAR
Something is about to break. There is a waking up to something that God is about to do, something that’s new that we haven’t experienced before. Maybe, just maybe, this season has been preparation for what’s coming. LUCAS
lives like that, for the Community Music crew, it was
culture in their church, why it’s so important for song-
never the intended result. “We started writing to
writers to know their “why” when they step into a
create language for our local church,” Evelyn said of
writing room, how the pandemic has changed the
the heart behind the songs that come out of Commu-
process of creating worship music, the humbling
nity Music. With a focused goal of creating worship
journey of “Make Room” and what it’s been like to
culture in their local church and crafting songs specific
watch such a prophetic song take on new life in the
to what their people need to sing in that season, Lucas
last year, and what new things Community Music
and Evelyn recognize the gift it’s been to watch this
has coming in 2021. The couple also discusses how
song take off, but are also quick to say it would have
they’ve experienced the faithfulness of God in their
been just as much of a gift from God had the song
lives, what they believe the Lord is doing in the church
never left their community.
right now, how the songs are a vehicle to creating
In this conversation, Lucas and Evelyn discuss how they’ve been intentional about creating worship
BY
C A I T L I N
authentic community, and what advice they feel is most impactful for worship leaders and songwriters.
L A S S I T E R
Caitlin Lassiter is a worship leader, writer and college student with a passion for worship ministry in the church. She is currently studying worship and journalism at Trevecca Nazarene University and lives in Nashville, TN.
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MUSIC
SO N GWR ITI N G
SONGWRITING Q&A
Q & A //
Q U E S T I O N
W IT H
K R I S S Y
N O R D H O F F
How do we best address divisions in the community of worship and prayer in the things we write?
It’s amazing and mysterious how certain songs can tear down walls and bring such unity in times when we need it most. But how does that happen? How can we write songs like that for our time? Using the Word of God to guide us as songwriters is key, and so is listening in the moment to the Holy Spirit as we write. But the way we deliver what we feel God is saying also has a major impact on how it’s received. Know your words. Yes, the Word. But also, know the definitions, the nuances, the connotations. Because as words string together into lyric, these things matter. They create the language of the song, but beyond that, they set a tone. Two songs may have the exact same message yet have entirely different tones. For instance, let’s say song 1 has a message of unity that has a slightly corrective undertone. There are small inferences of judgement, blame and accusation. Song 2 also has a message of unity, but it has a hint of loving undertone. It has flavors of grace and openness, and it almost feels like an invitation. Which do you think would move you? I’ve seen time and time again how songs with a tone of love ready hearts for unity and response. May that be true of the songs you write, and may they have a great impact on your church!
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Q U E S T I O N
MUSIC SONGWRITING Q&A
Are there ways of writing songs that can bring peace to a congregation in the middle of conflict?
I believe the best songwriting examples of finding peace during conflict can be found in Psalms. David faced conflict time and time again, yet he somehow always circled around to finding peace in trusting in God.
He shows us this pattern
DAVID SHARES HONESTLY ABOUT WHERE HE IS. HE CRIES OUT TO GOD. HE WAITS. GOD RESPONDS. HE WORSHIPS.
What an amazing pattern to follow for songwriters. There is something beautiful about being honest (in a real yet tactful way) about where we are. We can express a common cry to God, especially in the unknown. Looking to Him and hearing His response will ALWAYS bring peace, even when there is no resolution. His presence heals. His presence redeems. His presence unifies. And suddenly we remember that worship is something we agree on. But what I really love about this pattern is hearing the story behind the worship. Every church has a unique story and can relate to different things. If fear is part of your story, don’t avoid it. If depression is part of your story, don’t avoid it. If conflict is part of your story, don’t avoid it. Lean into it. Sing about it (again, tactfully). Teach people to cry out to God for help, to wait, and to respond through song. Teach people to worship through the unknowns. Through the questions. Through the conflict. Teach people that our hope is greater than our current situation. Our peace, and for that sake our faith, does not depend on the circumstances. We know how the story ends. Make sure they remember.
BY
K R I S S Y
N O R D H O F F
Krissy Nordhoff is a Grammy-nominated and Dove Awardwinning songwriter of many well-loved songs, including Your Great Name, Famous For (I Believe), Mercy Tree, and hundreds more. She’s also the founder of Writing Worship - dedicated to championing, educating and resourcing Christian songwriters.
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SO N G
D I S COV E RY
E X I ST S
SO N G S
TO
&
PR OV I D E
R ES O U R C ES
TH AT A D D R ES S
N E E DS
O F T H E
S U B M IT
T H E
C H U R C H .
YO U R
S O N G
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T E C H N I C A L LY
S P E A K I N G
3 9
N E W
R E L E A S E S
4 2
TECH + GEAR.
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MUSIC T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
Technically Speaking. A
C R I T I C A L
L O O K
N E E D -T O - K N OW
AT
T H E
T O O L S
O F
L AT E S T T H E
T R A D E
Kent Morris lends his insight to uncover and evaluate the latest technological products and developments you need to know.
F
ILO, meaning “First In, Last Out,� is a way of life for church techs around the world. Arriving before the facilities team and staying after the
pastor, church tech directors live a life of extremes: long periods of working in solitude punctuated by chaotic moments of untold stress. Technology, for
Light-bearers in the Dark: Building Tech Community in Isolation
good or ill, is now a permanent part of the worship experience and a tech director (TD) is needed to make it work as intended. In the past, buildings served as the conveyor of events transpiring on stage through innovative construction techniques and structural design focused on acoustics and natural light. Modern buildings, in contrast, are designed to house as many people as possible in a given space at the lowest price, meaning audi-
39
MUSIC T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
tory concerns, sightlines, acoustic consider-
At the same time, the worship pastor decides to imple-
ations, and connectivity between the stage
ment a set change, so now the TD is running to Home
and audience are all compromised in the name
Depot to gather materials and figuring out how to
of efficiency. This in turn requires supple-
realize the worship pastor’s vision, while finding volun-
mental audio, video, and lighting systems
teers to strike the current stage to prevent cable
to provide the connection since the building
damage and then rewiring for the new design and
can’t. In essence, the TD serves as the fulcrum
programming the audio console and stage boxes to
between the platform and the congregation.
recognize the new layout. Once audio is functional, the TD climbs the ladder to the catwalk and begins
The Full Scope of a Demanding Job
the five-hour process of re-aiming and focusing the lighting grid. Once that is complete, the cameras need to be white-balanced to the new set, with several hours more spent programming the lighting console
Overseeing a mixed team of paid and volun-
to sequence the new scenes. And that’s just Tuesday.
teer staff, the TD is tasked with corralling the various disciplines of audio, video, lighting, staging, and set design into a cohesive whole, operating through the talents of staff with skills ranging from neophyte to veteran and work ethics running from dedicated to lackadaisical. In many churches, the TD reports to the worship pastor, though all other ministries need attention as well, compounding the TD’s issue of time management. In better situations, the TD reports to the executive pastor who meets out the AVL resources as needed across music, preaching, kids’, youth, seniors’ and outreach ministries. With a full plate of gear maintenance, equipment purchases, software updating, and volunteer scheduling, the average TD regularly works seventy hours
Unfortunately, the need for competent, committed TDs is continuing to rise, especially in light of the pandemic-induced livestream phenomenon, just as veteran TDs are leaving the field.
a week. Add in family and home duties, and the life of a church TD can be overwhelming. Part of the issue is that, as a specialty enterprise, technology can appear to “just happen” to the untrained person. For instance, Most pastors do not realize their request for a two-minute video requires, at minimum, a four-hour commitment to produce. Meanwhile, the youth pastor, who wants to create a recap video of a recent outing, is unaware of the senior pastor’s existing request, and puts in a request to the TD for Sunday as well. As a result, four minutes of servicetime video require the TD to spend eight hours editing and compiling two short videos—or spending three hours recruiting someone else and explaining what needs to be done.
How to Avoid Burnout and Develop Respect The result of this untenable schedule is burnout. The average tenure for a TD at a church is four years, followed by three more similar church position stints and then capped by a move into the secular world or on to other ministries where the time commitment and stress are more manageable. Unfortunately, the need for competent, committed TDs is continuing to rise, especially in light of the pandemic-induced livestream phenomenon, just as veteran TDs are
40
MUSIC
leaving the field. Young, enthusiastic TDs, the
T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
future of church tech, often are given free reign
03
Third, it takes money to make the church fly. An old sermon joke notes that the church can
before they have matured into the position,
crawl, walk, run, or fly, but it takes money to
and, understandably make mistakes leader-
make it fly, to which the deacons respond, “Let
ship cannot abide, and then they end up disil-
it crawl.” Good technology isn’t cheap and
lusioned by church culture. All this chaos begs
cheap technology isn’t good. TDs can make
the question, what can be done?
do with sub-par equipment for some time,
01
but they tend to stay longer when the gear is
First, leadership must understand what
appropriate to the task.
technology can and cannot do. So often, pastors say, “Just set it so it’s right and leave it there,” but unless each service is
04
tors are capable, innovative, and intelligent
a scene from Groundhog Day, things will
professionals dedicated to delivering the
always be different and need constant
message. They should be treated as peers and
adjustment. The technology is only as
given the authority to say no when a request
good as the operator, meaning people
is too late, expensive, or unsafe.
have to be trained and must show up consistently in order to produce consis-
05
tent product. 02
Fourth, respect the position. Technical direc-
Fifth, develop the relationship before demanding output. Technical people operate in a vacuum of personal interplay due to the
Second, leadership of all stripes needs
nature of the job. Even the smallest effort to
to understand what it requires to make
reach out and demonstrate appreciation and
things happen. When a two-hour movie
concern will go a great distance toward closing
is made, it represents hundreds of thou-
the gap between the creative team and the
sands of hours spent bringing it to life. In
tech team. After all, they are people, too.
the same vein, a weekly worship service represents hundreds of hours of effort. When Elevation creates a worship service, there are a dozen highly skilled directors at the helm overseeing an army of volunteers through several rehearsals and numerous pre-production meetings
The role of the church tech director cannot be overstated, for a service can run without the pastor, worship team or servers, but it will stop immediately if there is no sound or lights. So, take a moment and give a virtual hug to your church’s TD. He or she is easy to find; they are always there.
before the service is presented. It can’t be done on the fly by two teens and a retired telephone installer.
BY
K E N T
M O R R I S
40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state.
41
MUSIC NEW RELEASES
MUSTHAVE
Gear for 2021 B Y
K E N T
M O R R I S
Shure SLXD Wireless Fitting nicely between music store and tour-grade quality, the new SLXD line has all the trademark Shure reliability at an approachable price. The 24-bit digital circuitry and predictive switching deliver robust performance, while the scan and IR sync modes make set-up a breeze. If you are in the market for wireless, this is the one to buy, and at around $700, a bargain as well.
Startech UVCHDCAP Capture Now that livestreaming is mainstream, you need a low-cost, reliable encoder to get and keep connection. This unit is simple plug-and-play with high quality resolution and the ability to live broadcast your video source over the Web. Even if you already own an encoder, having a $219 back-up is a wise move.
Saramonic Content Creation Kit For $399, this backpack and its contents are capable of amazing field capture work. It includes a shotgun mic with camera mount, motorized smartphone gimbal, mini condenser mic, aluminum tripod and a batch of cables, making any outdoor session a breeze to pull off.
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Gossen Digisix 2 Light Meter At $169, this is a steal-of-a-deal for a light meter with both reflective and incident modes as well as a digital exposure meter with analog settings. Usable in both photography and video applications, this is one gadget you don’t want to be without.
Native Instruments Maschine + If you want a music production system unfettered by a computer, this is your box. For $1399, it gives you a full audio interface and enough controls, buttons, switches and pads to create anything audibly imaginable. With studio-quality processing and a strong case built for professional use, you can have it all without the need to rely on a computer.
TC Electronic Ditto Plus Looper Pedal At $199, this pedal should find its way onto every guitarist’s floorboard. With a one-hour recording capacity and 99 loop sessions available, it can remember all your best riffs. You can layer long overdubs over shorter loops and import and export via USB. The one knob control is about as simple as it gets.
BY
K E N T
M O R R I S
40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state.
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ENCOURAGEMENT. INTRO TO ENCOURAGEMENT
D E VOT I O N A L
4 5
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ENCOURAGEMENT DEVOTIONAL
HINDSIG HT HINDSIG HT IS W
hat a year 2020 has been! Maybe, like me, you have experienced much this year you would like to forget about…
20/20
and get on with life. But before we just move on and jump
into 2021, I invite you to reflect on this past year in a way that the term “Hindsight is 20/20” encourages. “Hind = back + sight = look” refers to the ability to see past events more clearly than we could at the present time. This visual acuity is actually useful and important in our spiritual lives, allowing us to learn from the past and grow. But, it takes intentionality to spend time reflecting. Christians have a great tool for reflection in the Examen, a prayer of awareness that St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, taught in his Spiritual Exercises. The Examen, typically used on a daily basis, provides an opportunity for peaceful reflection, inviting us to find God in all things. By looking back and recognizing the movement of God in ourselves and events of our day, we see ourselves, in retrospect, enveloped in the God “in whom we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The Examen can also be a meaningful tool to look back over the past year to find God in all things. I invite you to take some time to pause and reflect well on the past year of 2020 and enter the New Year of 2021. You may want to journal your thoughts and prayers. Don’t rush through this process!
B Y
N A N C Y
N E T H E R C O T T
The Examen consists of a few introspective prompts for you to follow or adapt to your own spirit. Before you begin, identify some major markers of your year to orient yourself to the time period. Pause and take a slow, deep breath or two; become aware that you are in the presence of the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to help you review the year with God’s loving eyes and heart.
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ENCOURAGEMENT
Review the past 12 months
•
What am I especially grateful for this year?
•
An event that took place?
•
Courage that I mustered?
•
Love and support I received?
•
A fresh insight I received that encouraged me?
•
I ask for the light to know God and to know myself as God sees me.
DEVOTIONAL
Pay attention to your emotions
•
As I think over the year again, I notice my emotional responses to the memories.
•
Where have I felt true joy this year?
•
What troubled me this year?
•
What has challenged me?
•
Where and when did I find an opportunity for renewal and pause?
•
Have I noticed God's presence in any of this?
•
I ask you Lord, to help me linger with these emotions, whether pleasant or difficult, inviting understanding of why I feel the way I do.
•
What can I learn about myself, how and why I responded the way I did, or about the situation as I dwell in my emotional responses?
Look toward 2021
•
What can I learn about you, Lord? What is my response to you?
•
As I look ahead to the coming months and year what comes to mind?
•
What challenges and blessings might await me?
•
(Think of important relationships, major or minor decisions that need to be made, plans that are made, skills to learn or habits to build, healing to seek…)
For more on the
•
and ask for the grace I will need.
Examen for daily use: C L I C K
H E R E
I bring those challenges and blessings to you, God,
End your prayer time by thanking God for His presence in the past, present, and future.
BY
N A N C Y
N E T H E R C O T T,
D .W. S .
Nancy Nethercott was a missionary in Japan for 28 years and currently travels training leaders in foundations of biblical worship and spiritual formation globally. Nancy's doctorate is from The Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies (IWS), where she serves as Chaplain.
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