Praise and Worship

FIRE BURNS

2007-12-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

Jon Owens
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Don't wanna go back Lord
to the way I used to live
the way I used to live
I won't go back Lord
to the way I used to be
before you rescue me..
I will not stop
til' every tribe and nation
bows before You..
I will not stop
til' they see your glory
see your glory..

Your fire burns within me..
burns within me with your fire..
Your fire burns within me
burns within me with your fire..

Lift up your eyes to see
The glory of the Lord is on the earth
Arise.. Arise.. Arise..

Arise generation
No longer forsaken..
Arise.. Arise.. Arise..

Here I Am To Worship (Light Of The World)

2007-12-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Here I Am To Worship (Light Of The World)
Worship
Author: Tim Hughes

Scripture References: 1 John 4:19
Verse Text: “We love because He first loved us.”

‘Light of the World, You stepped down into darkness. Opened my eyes let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore You. Hope of a life spent with You.’
Whenever we worship it always comes out of a response. In 1 John 4:19 it says, “We love because he first loved us.” We can only worship God when we see what it is that God has first done for us. As Richard Foster put it, “Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father”

When Jesus walked the earth, people responded to Him because in some way he’d touched them and revealed something of his heart for them. Whether it was the healing of a blind man, the raising of the dead, the loving of the unlovable or simply the offer of friendship, Jesus revealed His love and power to us on earth. For those who encountered Jesus and whose eyes had been opened, their response was to acknowledge Him as Lord. As the centurion at the foot of the cross said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)

‘King of all days, Oh so highly exalted. Glorious in Heaven above.
Humbly You came to the earth You created. All for love’s sake became poor.’

Despite this however, sometimes it can be so easy to lose the wonder of it all. We can get so familiar with the story of the cross and the very fact that Jesus gave up everything to walk on the earth, that we lose the mystery. As G.K. Chesterton said, “Sometimes our religion is ‘more a theory than a love affair.’” When we really think about it, the life of Jesus is totally amazing. He was in very nature God enjoying all the glory and splendor of Heaven. Yet so that we could receive His mercy and know eternal life, He humbled Himself and made Himself nothing. He even became obedient to death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-11) That is truly amazing!

So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down.
Here I am to say that You’re my God.
You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy.
Altogether wonderful to me.
When we take time to really consider the sacrifice Jesus took upon himself for our sake, and allow the mystery of it to sink in to our hearts, the response will be worship. Like the sinful lady who poured out a years wages worth of perfume over Jesus’ feet, because of the new hope she had of spending a life with Him in eternity, so too will we want to pour out our hearts in worship. Maybe we need to return once again to consider the cost of Jesus’ life and remind ourselves of the wonder of it all.

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Song Title: Here I am to Worship
Artist: Hillsongs Various Artists

Verse I : D – A – Em D – A - G

D A
Light of the world
Em
You stepped down into darkness
D A
Open my eyes
G
Let me see

Verse II :

D A
Beauty that make
Em
This heart adore you
D A
Hope Father love
G pause
Spent with you

Chorus:

D
Here I am to worship
A/C#
Here I am to bow down
Bm G
Here I am to say that you're my God
D
You're altogether lovely
A/C#
Altogether worthy
Bm G D A G
Altogether wonderful to me

Verse III :

D A
King of all days
Em
Oh so highly exalted
D A G
Glorious in heaven above

Verse IV:

D A
Humbly You came
Em
To the earth You’ve created
D A
All for love sake
G
Became poor

Chorus:
D
Here I am to worship
A/C#
Here I am to bow down
Bm G
Here I am to say that you're my God
D
You're altogether lovely
A/C#
Altogether worthy
Bm G
Altogether wonderful to me

Coda:

A D G
I’ll never know how much it cost
A D G
To see my sins upon that Cross
A D G
I’ll never know how much it cost
A D G
To see my sins upon that Cross

D A
Call upon the name of the Lord
Bm G
And be saved
D A
Call upon the name of the Lord
Bm G
And be saved

Chorus:
D
Here I am to worship
A/C#
Here I am to bow down
Bm G
Here I am to say that you're my God
D
You're altogether lovely
A/C#
Altogether worthy
Bm G
Altogether wonderful to me

Who Am I

2007-12-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

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by Casting Crowns

Intro: G C Em D (2x)
G D Em
Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth,
D C D
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt,
G D Em
Who am I? That the bright and morning star,
D C G
Would choose to light the way, of my ever wondering heart,
C D
Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done,
C D
Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are

CHORUS

G D Em D C
I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
D C
A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind
G D Em D C
Still You hear me when I'm calling, Lord, You catch me when I'm falling,
D C
And you've told me who I am, I am Yours.

G C Em D

Who am I? That the eyes that see my sin,
Would look on me with love, and watch me rise again
Who am i? That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain, and calm the sorm in me
Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are

CHORUS

When I Think About The Lord

2007-12-03T21:23:00.000-08:00

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James Huey

Key: A
Verse 1:
A E/G#
When I think about the Lord
F#m F#
How He saved me, How he raised me
D F#m
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
D Esus E
How He healed me to the utter-most

PreChorus:
A E/G#
When I think about the Lord
F#m F#
How He picked me up and turned me around
Bm G Esus
How He set my feet, on solid ground

Chorus:
A
It makes me wanna shout;
E/G# F#m
"Hallelujah, thank you Jesus,
F# Bm
Lord you're worthy of all the glory
G Esus
and all the honor, and all the praise!"
A
It makes me wanna shout;
E/G# F#m
"Hallelujah, thank you Jesus,
F# Bm
Lord you're worthy of all the glory
F#m D E
and all the honor, and all the praise!"

Only A God Like You

2007-12-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

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Tommy Walker
Key: G

Verse:
G5 Dsus
for the praises of man
Em C2
i will never ever stand
G5 Dsus
for the kingdoms of this world
C2
ill never give my heart away
Dsus D
or shout my praise
G5 Dsus
my allegiance and devotion
Em C2
my hearts desire and all emotion
G5
go to serve the man who died upon that tree
Dsus C2

Chorus:
G5 D
only a God like you
Em
could be worthy of my praise
C2
and all my hope and faith
G5 D
to only the king of all kings
Em
do i bow my knee and sing
C2
give my everything
Em Am Em
to only my maker, my father, my savior,
C2 Em C2 Em
redeemer, restorer, rebuilder, rewarder,
C2 Dsus
to only a God like you
G5
do i give my praise

TAG:
G5 Dsus
Em
C2
G5
Dsus
Em C2
G5 Dsus
Em C2
G5 Dsus
C2
Dsus

Bridge:
G5 Dsus
Em
C2

Coda:
Em Am Em
C2 Em C2 Em
C2 Dsus
G5

The Solid Rock

2007-12-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

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Edward Mote, William Batchelder Bradbury

Key: G
Verse 1:
E C#m F#m B
My hope is built on nothing less,
A F#m A B E
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
E C#m F#m B
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
A F#m A B E
But wholly lean on Jesus' Name.

Chorus:
E A
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
E C#m F#m B
All other ground is sinking sand,
A F#m B E
All other ground is sinking sand.

Verse 2:
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Verse 3:
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Verse 4:
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

My Passion

2007-12-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

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key F

I
E B/D# D A/C#
You alone are my passion for living
E B/D# D A/C#
song of my soul, desire of my heart
F#m F#m+M7 F#m7 B/D#
You alone are my passion I treasure
C#m E7/G# Asus-A
I love You for all that You are

II
E/G# A
To the ends of the earth I will follow
E/G# A-Am
There's nothing that I will not do
E B/D# D A/C#
You alone are my reason for living
C D E
Jesus my passion is You
A B E
Jesus my passion is You..

Repeat I and II

Chorus:
E D E/G# A
My Life, my Love, my God
E D E/G# A
You are My Life, my Love, my God
E D E/G# A
My Life, my Love, my God (choir: Oh Jesus You are my Passion, My Passion, My Passion)
E D E/G# A
You are My Life, my Love, my God (choir: Oh Jesus You are my Passion, My Passion, My Passion)

II
E/G# A
To the ends of the earth I will follow
E/G# A-Am
There's nothing that I will not do
E B/D# D A/C#
You alone are my reason for living
C D E
Jesus my passion is You
A B E
Jesus my passion is You..

Chorus:
E D E/G# A
My Life, my Love, my God
E D E/G# A
You are My Life, my Love, my God
E D E/G# A
My Life, my Love, my God (choir: Oh Jesus You are my Passion, My Passion, My Passion)
E D E/G# A
You are My Life, my Love, my God (choir: Oh Jesus You are my Passion, My Passion, My Passion)

Alabaster Jar

2007-12-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Zach Neese, Walker Beach

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Key: G
Intro:
G D/F# Em C

Verse 1:
G
This alabaster jar
D/F#
is all I have of worth
Em7
I break it at Your feet, Lord
C
It's less than You deserve
G
You're far more beautiful
D/F#
More precious than the oil
Em7
The sum of my desires
C
and the fullness of my joy!

PreChorus:
Em7
Like You spilled Your blood,
C Em7
I spill my heart as an offering
D
to my King

Chorus:
G D/F#
Here I am, take me
Em7 C
As an offering
G D/F# Em7
Here I am, giving every heartbeat
C G
For Your glory take me

Verse 2:
The time that I have left
is all I have of worth
I lay it at Your feet, Lord
It's less than You deserve
And though I've little strength
And though my days are few,
You gave Your life for me
So, I will live my life for You

Bridge:
G
Worthy, Worthy
D
You are worthy
Em7 C
Worthy is the Lord (repeat as desired) (sing simultaenous with Chorus)

Please visit this blog site for more

2007-12-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

http://yapraiseandworship.blogspot.com/

Satan Bite The Dust!

2007-12-02T03:05:00.000-08:00

CARMAN

Breathe by Michael W. Smith

2007-12-02T02:55:00.000-08:00

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G C
This is the air I breathe
G C
This is the air I breathe
G D Em D C Em D
Your holy presence living in me

G C
This is my daily bread
G C
This is my daily bread
G D Em D C Em D
Your very word spoken to me

G D Em D C
D
And I, Im desperate for you
G D Em D C
D
And I, Im lost without you

Mighty To Save

2007-12-02T02:32:00.000-08:00

Reuben Morgan, Ben Fielding

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Key: A

Intro (only lead and drums for a bit): X2
D2 A F#m E

Verse I(no bass):
D2 A
everyone needs compassion
F#m
a Love thats never failing
E
let mercy fall on me
D A
everyone needs forgiveness
F#m
the kindness of a savior
E
the hope of nations

D E D E

CHORUS I(just rhythm guitar):
A E
savior, he can move the mountains
D A
my God is mighty to save
F#m E
he is mighty to save
A E
forever, author of salvation
D A
he rose and conquered the grave
F#m E
Jesus conquered the grave
D A F#m E

Verse II:
D A
so take me as you find me
F#m
all my fears abandoned
E
and fill my life again
D A
I give my life to follow
F#m
everything i believe in
E
now i surrender

D E D E

Chorus II:
A E
savior, he can move the mountains
D A
my God is mighty to save
F#m E
he is mighty to save
A E
forever, author of salvation
D A
he rose and conquered the grave
F#m E
Jesus conquered the grave

D A E (and quickly) F#m X2

Bridge:
D A E F#m
Shine your light and let the whole world see singing,
D A E F#m
for the glory of the risen king, Jesus X2

From The Inside Out

2007-12-02T00:37:00.000-08:00

Joel Houston
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Key: C
Intro:
F C G (4x)

Verse 1:
F
A thousand times I’ve failed
C G
Still Your mercy remains
F
And should I stumble again
C G
I’m caught in Your grace
Am
Everlasting
F C G
Your light will shine when all else fades
Am
Never ending
F C G
Your glory goes beyond all fame

Verse 2:
F
Your will above all else
C G
My purpose remains
F
The art of losing myself
C G
In bringing You praise
Am
Everlasting
F C G
Your light will shine when all else fades
Am
Never ending
F C G
Your glory goes beyond all fame

Chorus 1:
F C
In my heart and my soul
Am
Lord I give You control
G
Consume me from the inside out
F Am
Lord let justice and praise
G
Become my embrace
Dm
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2:
Am
Everlasting
F C G
Your light will shine when all else fades
Am
Never ending
F C G
Your glory goes beyond all fame
C F
And the cry of my heart
G Am
Is to bring You praise
F G
From the inside out
F G
Lord my soul cries out

Other:
F C Am G F Am G Dm

WHAT ABOUT ME?

2007-12-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

by Kate Simmonds

A worship team of any worth lays its foundations in values such as unity, excellence, servanthood, and meeting with God! We have learned that these things grow out of relationship - with God and with each other. We all want to use our giftings to serve God and the church. However, sometimes opportunities don't present themselves as we might have hoped. We can start looking at other people and think, 'I could do that. Why do they get to do that and not me?' We're really saying, 'I think I should be doing that instead of them - what about me??'

What's gone wrong?
When this happens, we are forgetting that God has got a plan for each person's life, including works that only they can do (Ephesians 2:10). We are coveting the plan for someone else's life, instead of seeking God for our own. We are implying that God has messed up in some way or we feel wronged and rejected by those in authority. It's heavy duty stuff and it is very painful but we must deal with it.

These feelings are probably born of frustration and a sense that there is nothing but closed doors around you. 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick' (Proverbs 13:12). This would be less likely to occur in an environment where you feel in the heart of a team, where you know you have a role and are working with others toward common goals. But it still could happen even then because that is the nature of sin, especially pride and jealousy. And we need to remember that sometimes God closes doors because He wants us to know what's in our own hearts.

When we become so focused on ourselves and 'our ministry', we're losing the plot! We are forgetting that first and foremost we are here to make God's name known (not ours), to bring Him glory and to see His kingdom built and flourishing in the earth. We're also losing sight of the fact that "just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Romans 12:4). We are to be a team, and although we have different things to do, no one member of the team is more important.

How do we handle it?
- be ruthless, repent every time you think like this, and fight to keep your heart pure. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Phillipians 2:1-3).

- keep your heart right with God - express faith, read the Bible aloud and pray it back to God. 'Lean not on your own understanding' but trust God for your future (Proverbs 3:5-6). Put team and unity first - otherwise there's no blessing. "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! For there the Lord bestows His blessing" (Psalm 133:1,3).

- keep your heart right with other people - bless what God is doing in other people, pray for them and for God to use them, be a friend and someone who loves and encourages others. Be like David, don't 'touch the Lord's anointed' (1 Samuel 24:5-6). Our unity has a powerful message: Jesus' prayer for all believers in John 17:23: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved me."

- answer these questions: is God sovereign? Is God in control? Does God hold your life in His hands? Are God's ways perfect? Does He work all things for good? Does God have a different perspective on this situation than you? Do you want all that God's prepared just for you? Is God trustworthy? Is God faithful? The answer to all these questions is 'Yes!' Are we going to praise Him for all of that? Yes!! The 'lamenting' psalms always reach a 'yet will I praise Him' conclusion - so can we. Cherish what Hillsong worship leader Darlene Zschech calls 'the silent years', knowing that God is working on your heart and character in preparation for all that He has for you.

- finally, be a worshipper, be satisfied in God. "I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You. On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63: 2-8). Remember: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do - do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Copyright Kate Simmonds 2002
Source: www.katesimmonds.com

The Role Of The Worship Singer

2007-12-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

Kate Simmonds

"Sing to the Lord, you saints of His; praise His holy name" (Ps 30:4)
"How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! Sing praises to God, sing praises" (Ps 47:2,6)
"I will sing of Your strength … for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble" (Ps 59:16)
"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations" (Ps 89:1)
"I will sing of Your love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing praise" (Ps 101:1)
"Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything" (Eph 5:19-20)

As God's people, these verses remind us we are all instructed to sing out our worship to God. As musicians, it is such a privilege to sing in worship - whether as a worship leader or backing vocalist - and to help lead people into God's presence and even encourage or inspire others to worship. As both a worship leader and a singer, I'd like to share a few things I've learned over the years about musicianship and character.

Musicianship

- make sure you can sing in tune, and harmonise well: I'm not the world's greatest harmoniser - but once I've learnt it, it's in there! If you're not confident, work with the other singers to be clear who's singing what

- take care of your voice. Don't be out late Saturday night, drink lots of water, and get enough sleep. Warm up your voice each time, and practice; little and often is best

- develop a good repertoire, and know the words to many songs by heart. Ask worship leaders you sing with regularly for a list of songs they use. You are so much freer without your eyes glued to a lyric sheet!

- be alert, and learn to anticipate what's coming next. You are not 'lost' in worship and oblivious to everything around you. You are worshipping, though. It is possible to be aware of the worship leader, of where the congregation is 'at', and still enter fully into worship at the same time! It gets easier with experience. If you haven't heard the worship leader call anything, look and catch the signal to the band. You only need look when a decision needs to be made - at the end of the chorus, for example. Also be alert to help the worship leader if they need you, bringing music forward and so on

- listen to what's happening in both the worship and music dynamics, and sense when it's good to join in or step back. Check what the worship leader is happy for you to do, or work out specific places for harmony with the other singers. Consider the sound of the whole band, that means blending with the other singers, not standing out as the soloist. It's not a performance, it's a team effort - enjoy it!

- handle the soundcheck 'professionally'. In your foldback you probably just need your voice, keys and are able to hear the worship leader. A lot of rehearsal time can be wasted if people don't know how to soundcheck properly, so if you're unsure, ask someone who knows

Character

This is where the rubber hits the road for all worship musicians. There are a lot of gifted people out there, and in secular music people will forgive any kind of behaviour from those that are extremely talented. Obviously it's not to be like that in church or more importantly, for God. What makes you stand out here is attitude - what's in your heart.

- I love to work with great musicians but on my worship team, first and foremost I want worshippers. People who are the same in the congregation, in the prayer meeting, as well as on the platform; they love to meet with God. They love the secret place with God - they don't need an 'audience'

- have a servant heart. If you want to serve in this ministry, don't just do it when you feel like it or it suits you. We all get asked at the last minute sometimes, we all have busy weeks … count it your privilege! The flip side is not to have a 'what about me' attitude if you're not asked - see the 'What about me' notes for more on this. Be a team player

- place your security in God and not in what you do or don't do. Your identity is in God and not in your abilities. It is very important to think like a team, which is a process - it takes time to develop friendships and feel genuinely secure with each other. But do make that your goal - you will get so much more out of it if you come with an attitude of 'together we are going to lead people into God's presence and give Him glory and meet with Him' than if you are feeling 'this is my big opportunity for everyone to finally know what a brilliant singer I am'… Know your gift is exactly that - a gift - and it's not just a gift to you, it's a gift to the worship team, to the church. Be a good steward of it - don't take it for granted, practice so you can be as good as you can be. Don't in any way feel threatened or rejected by the size of your role. If you're singing two lines in harmony at the end of the second chorus, "be faithful with little", enter into the worship with everything you've got and bring your bit of colour to the whole painting. To continue the analogy, develop a 'big picture' mentality! Matt Redman's song, 'Heart of worship' is so brilliant: "It's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus"

- be able to express worship without being inhibited, but at the same time without drawing attention to yourself. Singers who never smile and seem rooted to the spot are not an inspiration to worship. Experience helps, but just be more focused on God and worshipping Him than being too aware of yourself. We can enhance the worship, but be careful not to distract - don't over-ad-lib which can seem 'show-offy', or let your voice be too 'dominant' in corporate times of singing freely

- aim to grow in singing prophetically. Know the Word of God and aim to bring timely things of depth and weight that are consistent with the progression and flow of worship

- be positive, encouraging and supportive. It's very discouraging for a worship leader to say 'We're doing to do such-and-such' song, and the singers or band respond with 'I don't like one, it's too high' or similar (whingy) comments. Please have a bigger perspective than that! If you think someone led worship sensitively, or sang or played well, tell them. "Encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13). Be fun to be around but know when to be professional. That means have a laugh, by all means, (it is supposed to be fun) but know when to stop talking, pay attention and listen

To sum up, we are positive, supportive servants, who are genuinely worshipful, secure in God and who we are in God, 'professional', with a clear understanding of our role, we're alert, well-prepared and we have a 'worship sensibility'. We're not there to promote ourselves but to honour and glorify God, and what we do, we do it excellently. We are team players, who love God, who love to worship, who have the Word of God (and whole songbooks!) in our hearts, and who genuinely love to see people meet with God and to see God being praised. Not much then! But go for it and give God your very best.

Source: www.katesimmonds.com

Worship vs. Performance

2007-12-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

Charlie Hall

Worship is the exalting of God and the humbling or decreasing of myself. To lead others in a corporate song means that I lead them to exalt God and lay themselves aside. I help them rise past me, the worship team and even the song and meet with God himself. My problem is this: the world has taught me to strive to be loved by doing things or performing so people like me. This doesn't fit the true meaning of leading worship. If I were leading worship from a desire of people liking me, I am not decreasing, I am increasing and even more I am not exalting God, I am performing.

Performance draws attention to yourself. Worship draws attention to God. A performer shines a spotlight on their own skills and capabilities. A worshipper draws attention to God's beautiful attributes. I am not saying performers and performances are wrong. I am saying that you cannot perform a worship song.

I have learned to battle this some in my heart and mind by realizing I am accepted, I am the beloved of God, and He is in love with me. He is the one I want people to worship, the one who has set me free and is in love with me. As you lead worship, lead from the truth that you are the beloved, and then lead people to decrease, and exalt God.

Lord, help us desire you getting your glory as much as you desire to get your glory.

Source: www.charliehall.com

Where Passion And Music Meet

2007-12-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

David Ruis

Sometimes in the worship community, there can be a strong focus on musical excellence. Could you elaborate on that?

David Ruis: There must be a pairing between technical excellence and passion that happens. You can't, for the sake of passion, blow off technical excellence. But when technical excellence lacks passion something doesn’t resonate well.

Look at the great historical example of Mozart and his counterpart, Antonio Salieri, in the movie, Amadeus. I know it’s a bit Hollywood, but here you have Mozart. He had technical ability, but what brought him to impact the popular culture of his day was his passion. Salieri, who some historians say was technically superior to Mozart, was uptight, stressed, competitive, and was so consumed by technical excellence that his zest for life and passion didn't fill his music. Which one of these men do we know about today? We know about Mozart.

If we care about what God is looking for, He takes high value in it. In John 4, you’ve got Jesus and the woman at the well reflecting on worship. She's unlocking a longing in her life and a desire to meet with God. She’s confused about what she's been told. Her ancestors told her you go to the mountain. The Jews said to go to the temple. She’s wondering, “Where can I go to find God?” Christ answers, “A time is coming and is now here when you will worship the Father.” The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Since God is spirit, those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

“Spirit and truth” refer to something a whole lot deeper than emotions and doctrine, to the deepest part of our being. That is why only those who've been touched by the blood of Christ can truly worship God, because outside of Christ, our spirit is dead. We’re dead in trespasses and sin. It's the Spirit of God that quickens us, makes us alive through the redemption of the blood of Christ. There was a whole part that was separate and cut off from God that is now awakened, and it from that place we worship.

Paul says, "I pray with my mind. I pray with my spirit. I sing with my mind. I sing with my spirit." The place of the spirit is a place of deep life and real passion but it's not esoteric spirituality, or mysticism. It's not theological knowledge or doctrinal purity. Christ is looking for honesty, and complete vulnerability, and that's where passion comes from. Passion is not just good for us; He’s actually looking for it.

Source: www.vineyardmusic.com

Why We Worship

2007-12-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

Carl Tuttle

This paper is written to describe our experience of worshipping God. A definition of worship is given and a scriptural basis is set forth as a foundation. The reason behind our worship, our methodology, and the results of our worship are also discussed. Finally, some insights on how to enter into worship are given.
While worship is an everyday lifestyle of service to God as well as ministering to Him in song, the primary emphasis here is upon our gathering together as believers in a small or large group to worship through songs of praise and hear God speak to us and move among us in any way he desires. His promise to us is that when we gather together in His name, He comes into our midst.
For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Mt. 18:20).

What Worship Is
Worship is the experience of lifting our voices toward God and drawing near to Him through songs of praise, adoration, and intimacy in order to touch Him and to be touched by Him. This is a very scriptural concept as set forth in the Psalms.
Come let us sing for joy to the Lord. Let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. (Ps. 95:1-7).
This scripture shows that worship is more than a theology or a practice. It is an experience whereby we actually approach and enter into Gods presence in a manifest way. The focus of worship is to touch Gods heart and to be in His presence.

Why We Worship
Deep inside we desire and need to meet with God. We have a hunger for more of God and want to experience an intimate relationship of love with Him. We worship because it best brings about the fulfillment of these things. The most important thing to us is to know God through relationship. Worship is therefore our highest priority because it facilitates this.
There is no life for us in much of what traditional Christianity offers us. Apart form Gods presence, the system and structure of the church including its Bible studies, singing, teaching, programs, and traditions of outward righteousness are only forms without Gods presence and power. We need to turn from lifeless forms and begin to draw near to God and kiss His heart through the experience of worship. This will satisfy the deep need within us to bless our God and to experience His presence. As a result, the presence of God will cause all that we do in the Kingdom of God to be birthed forth with life and effectiveness.

How We Worship
We come together in one accord to, celebrate, praise, exalt, and adore our God with songs and instruments. We begin with celebration and flow from song to song toward intimacy of worship with our God. A worship leader uses appropriate instruments and songs to accomplish this and takes as much time as is needed to worship God. Our present methodology is what best facilitates worship as far as we know at this time. As we draw close to God and grow in our relationship with Him, our understanding of worship will deepen and our methodology will progress. This will maintain freshness in our worship.

What Happens When We Worship
The primary emphasis of our worship is to magnify, bless, and lift up Jesus as an end in itself. But as a natural result of worship, God comes through the presence of the Holy Spirit and ministers to us. As we worship, we come into the presence of God. Through His presence, we are touched by His compassion and love, we are cleansed through repentance of His blood, we are changed as He does a work of brokenness in us, we are blessed and empowered, we are released from bondage and pressures, we are made whole. Through the numinous of God, these supernatural things occur. As a result of His presence, the Word of God may be internalized and effective ministry one to another may also occur. Worship is a real experience where we touch Him and are touched.

To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God. -William Temple

When we kiss the heart of God in worship, we are healed, inspired, motivated, directed, and integrated into reality from Gods perspective. - Steve Robbins

How We Can Begin To Enter Into Worship
As we begin to approach God in a fresh way and enter into worship, there are some principles we can apply to facilitate a meaningful and whole-hearted experience. We must first be in a place where we are comfortable with the style of worship and can freely and openly participate. If worship is occurring and the Holy Spirit comes among the people then many will naturally be drawn into His presence. If we come to our God recognizing our deep lack before Him and respond to Him with openness and a sincere desire for more of Him, then we especially place ourselves in a position to receive. To the degree that we will admit our own need for God and be vulnerable before Him, we open ourselves to His supernatural ministry.
O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your loving kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. - Psalm 63:1-8
As we come together and actually begin to worship, an important principle is that of receptivity. Steve Robbins says to first, dial down and open yourself up to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as you focus on Jesus Christ. This will make you receptive. As our desire to bless and experience God is communicated to Him through worship, the Holy Spirit comes to us. We need to be afraid to open up without reservation to god in this way for He promises to give us what is good. If we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit then he will come and touch us.
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! - Lk. 1:9-13
It is also important for us to be genuine as we worship. It is unfruitful to manufacture or work up something. Our sincerity and honesty before God and others will keep us properly focused as we worship. Steve Robbins identifies this as the principle of reality. Be genuine. Humble your heart before God, forsake anything hardening your heart to the ministry of Gods Spirit, and lovingly respond to God in a way that reflects honesty and harmony in the inner and outer man. Reality honors the balance of not being distracted by others in your responsiveness to God, and not being distracted by others in your expressiveness towards God. Your discernment on how to negotiate this balance will develop as healing takes place in your heart. Remember, though, Godconsciousness should be a priority over self-consciousness.
Another principle is that of release. We need to let the outer man reflect genuine responsiveness of the inner man. This will increase our interaction with the presence of God and will bring wholeness to the total person. Just as suppressed emotions degenerate the personality, so spiritual suppression deflates the spirit. Worship and praise is a glorious release of the inner being.

Source: Excerpted from Let Your Glory Fall Syllabus

Pastors vs. Musicians

2007-12-01T06:10:00.001-08:00

Mike Pilavachi

An extract taken from Christian Musician Magazine on the harmony between control & creativity.

Mike Pilavachi discusses the tension between a musician's creativity and a pastor's control.

Creativity, in its truest sense, is the activity of the Holy Spirit. So Christian musicians should have a head start on anyone else because they have the Holy Spirit's creativity. And yet in the church we struggle with giving expression to creativity. The church is possibly the most conservative institution on the face of the earth. I'm not speaking politically or socially, but in the sense that we just don't like change. As for pastors , speaking as a pastor, sometimes creativity threatens us because we are not in control of the creativity. The whole thing about creativity is that we're not meant to be in control. So there's this whole "war" between the pastors and the musicians. Pastors think of musicians as undisciplined, egocentric, out to do their own thing. And musicians feel as though pastors are controlling, demanding, and that they never encourage them. And in disputes between pastors and musicians it's always the musicians that come out worse. The pastor's got the clout.

One of the things that I've been so sad to see all over the world is musicians on the fringe of the church carrying so much pain. For many musicians church has become the most uncomfortable place to be. Then as pastors, we wonder why some musicians get into trouble and fall into sin. And we say, "Ah, you see? Everything I said about him turned out to be true." Actually we've driven them to the edge. There's something in them that knows that their creativity is given by God, and they can't really worship God unless they use their creative gifts. And yet when they do, we tend to marginalize it. We also don't allow musicians to make mistakes.

Now, I work with Matt Redman, and I was his youth pastor when he was thirteen years old, so we've sort of grown up together. I remember when he started developing his musical gifts and leading worship. I remember that we talked about learning to be spontaneous musically in the worship setting. So he tried it a few times, and it didn't go well in the beginning. He crash-landed. And I'd go up to him afterwards and say, "Matt you did this wrong, you did that wrong." "Matt, you must not do that." "What on earth were you thinking when you did that?" He took it for ages, and then one day, he turned to me, and really quietly he said, "Mike, I don't thrive under criticism." And it just stopped me. Of course he doesn't thrive under criticism. No one does. Another time, when he'd tried to be spontaneous and it didn't really work, I said to him, "Matt, maybe we shouldn't try this spontaneous thing too much." Matt said, "But Mike, you were the one who told me to try it. If I'm ever going to get it right, if I'm ever going to learn how to do that, we've got to accept that at the beginning I'm going to get it wrong. And it was like, "Of course!" I wish that as pastors we gave our musicians more freedom to make mistakes. If only we could love them unconditionally, then we'd have the right to speak into their lives, because they'd know that we're doing it because we love them, and not because we want to control them.

I want to encourage musicians and worship leaders: I know that the church has hurt you. Don't give up on the church. The church needs you. God wants you as part of his church. For all its faults it's his church, and we'd be the poorer without you. We need musicians to hang in there, and to slwly help pastors to let go and trust. Perhaps you should actually say to your pastors, "I want to be under your authority. I want you to let me know when I've made a mistake, but tell me kindly, and encourage me too." As someone who loves worship, I'd love to see more musicians using their gifts in worship in the context of the church. We've got bands like Deliriou5? Who are using their gifts to bring worship to the streets, as it were. That's important, but we also need those who bring worship to the temple.

In the Old Testament, they took such great care with the musicians and the instruments and created great worship. And in the history of the church for the first few centuries, the church was at the forefront of new music. The Gregorian chants, for example, were cutting edge, chart-topping music in their day. But we just stuck with that. Luther and Wesley took the tunes from the songs being sung in the bars and put Christian words to them. General William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army, was doing very innovative music for his times. Much of the church has held on to those traditions. And sometimes , those things can become a stumbling block to allowing us to be creative today. Every move of the Holy Spirit in the history of the church has included fresh creativity in music and in worship. I want to encourage - and it's already starting - more and more pastors and leaders to recognize that there's something of God in the creativity of their musicians, and to make space for it.

Source: www.heartofworship.com

Finding My Place Of Rest

2007-12-01T06:09:00.001-08:00

Dawn Critchley

Even serving God in a place that serves the body of Christ in renewal it is still possible to get dry. We certainly hadn’t planned for our hearts to grow cold, but last year Rob and I noticed it happening gradually over a number of months when life had become busy and we had become so caught up in ‘the doing’ that we had forgotten to just ‘be’ in His presence. Hebrews 3:11-19 says that a hardened heart cannot enter into God’s rest, so we knew that in order to find the rest we were looking for, we would need our hearts to be softened first. The question was how?

It was on New Year’s Eve, that universal time of reflection, when Rob and I took a very thorough look at where we were and decided that we needed to make some life changing resolutions. “What is wrong Lord? What is it that is missing in our lives?” we asked. He answered by calling us to learn to abide in His presence.

We took hold of Jesus’ promise that if we would come to Him weary and heavy laden, He would give us rest. We also asked God to stir a new hunger in our hearts to spend time getting to know Him again. The response we got was almost instant, as if He had been waiting, sitting on the edge of His throne, saying, “I thought you would never ask.”

A GOD SPACE
The following day was a wonderful beginning for us. One of the first things that we felt we needed to do was to dedicate a place in our home to spending time with the Lord. We have called it our “God space”. We employed some creativity in making it a calm, relaxing spot, the kind of place where you would sit and visit with a welcome friend. We could tell immediately that God was pleased, and He started meeting us there. We’ve also taught our children to love our “God space,” and we have had some very precious “family God times” there.

We initially felt that we needed to just soak in God’s presence in order to soften our hearts again rather than striving after Him with an agenda or even a prayer list. Instead of trying to flex our “mighty man of God” prayer muscles, we decided to wait in His presence. Our mornings began with listening to worship music. We allowed the Holy Spirit to wash over us letting the words and music refresh us.

We also discovered the value of putting our love for one another into action by soaking each other in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to come and fill the other with more of Him. As our hearts began to soften more each day, the atmosphere in our home began to change, and it transformed our relationship with our children.

The prayer in that song, “Draw Me After You,” was being answered, and we found ourselves longing for our mornings with Him. Our “God times” would set the tempo for our days. Consequently, we have been able to handle the pressures and stresses of life much more easily because we have been learning to fall back into the Father’s arms and rest in Him.

Our desire is to remain there. Hebrews 4:10 says that if we want to enter into God’s rest, it means resting from works. Rob and I took a thorough look at our lives to determine what works we needed to give up. God-given responsibilities and good works can become an area where we strive to find God’s approval and fall out of rest. We need to see what our Father is doing, to hear what He is asking of us and focus obediently on doing only those things. This has meant that we have had to learn to say “no” even to seemingly good activities so that we don’t miss God’s best for us. It is much easier to hear Him from a place of rest then a place of striving. He promises that if we abide in the Vine who is Jesus and do what we see the Father doing, then we will be fruitful (John 15). Why strive when it only brings weariness and stress with little or no fruit? What a relief it has been for us to learn that we can rest and yet be fruitful. I’m learning that “One handful of rest is better than two fists full of labour and striving.”(Ecclesiates 4:6)

How To Enter God’s Rest
How then, do we remain in a place of rest when life seems to press down on us from all sides? If we make our choices based on God’s values, we are off to a good start. He loves intimacy and has designed us to be intimate with Him. We must seize the time to let Him stengthen us with His reassuring love. When the tyranny of the urgent and unbearable weighs in on us, we must remind ourselves that our right response is to fall back into Him and allow our hearts to trust and confide in Him. Like King David, even in the face of adversity we must value waiting on the Lord and inquiring after His counsel. Rob and I are learning to give up control and trust Him with circumstances daily and are enjoying greater fruitfulness and rest as a result. Our work is more focused and inspired.

In a day when the number of burned-out and stressed-out servants of God is on the rise, the Father is calling us to a better way. He is still saying, “Cease striving and know that I am God,” Isn’t it time for all of His beloved children to find rest in Him?

Source: www.wildox.ca

Shout To The Lord

2007-12-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

Darlene Zschech
listen here

Key: A

A E F#m E D
My Jesus, my Savior, Lord there is none like You.
A D A
All of my days, I want to praise
F#m G D E
The wonders of Your mighty love.
A E F#m E D
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength,
A D A
Let every breath, all that I am
F#m G D E
Never cease to worship You.

A F#m D E
Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing:
A F#m D E
Power and majesty, praise to the King.
F#m D
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
E F#m E
At the sound of Your name.
A F#m D E
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
A F#m D E
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand.
F#m D E A
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

Forever (Hillsong)

2007-12-01T06:04:00.000-08:00

Hillsong
listen here

D
I'll worship at your throne, whisper my own love song
G Bm A
With all my heart I'll sing for You my Dad and King
D
I'll live for all my days, to put a smile on Your face
G Bm A
And when we finally meet, it'll be for eternity

Em Bm A Em
And oh, how wide You open up Your arms when I need Your love
Bm A C
And how far You would come if ever I was lost
G A C
You say that all You feel for me is undying love
Em D G
That You showed me through the cross

D G
I'll worship You my God, I'll worship You my God
Bm A
I love You, I love You
D G Bm A
Forever I will sing, forever I will be with You, be with You

Take It All

2007-12-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

Marty Sampson, Matt Crocker, Scott Ligertwood
listen here

Key: B
Verse 1:
B
Searching the world
B
The lost will be found
B
In freedom we live
B
As one we cry out
B
You carried the cross
B
You died and rose again
B
My God
B
I’ll only ever give my all

Verse 2:
B
You sent Your Son
B
From heaven to earth
B
You delivered us all
B
It’s eternally heard
B
I searched for truth
B G#m
And all I found was You
B
My God
B E
I’ll only ever give my all

Chorus:
B F#
Jesus we’re livin' for Your Name
G#m E
We’ll never be ashamed of You
B F#
Our praise and all we are today
C#m
Take take take it all
C#m
Take take take it all (repeat)

Other:
B
(bass & electric)

Bridge:
C#m G#m
Running to the One
F# E
Who heals the blind
C#m G#m F#
Following the shining light
C#m
In Your hands
G#m F# E
The power to save the world
B
My life

Coda:
C#m
Take, take, take it all.
C#m
Take, take, take it all.
F#
Take, take, take it all.

SALAMAT PANGINOON

2007-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Rommel Guevarra
listen here

INTRO: E-G#m-F#M-B
E G#m F#m
SALAMAT PANGINOON
B E
SALAMAT SA ARAW NA ITO
E G#m
KAY GANDA NG UMAGA
F#m
BUONG ARAW KAYO
B E
ANG AKING KASAMA
G F#m G F#m
HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH
G F#m G F#m
HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH
G B-B7
HALLELUJAH

Ten Things I’ve Learned About Raising Up Worship Leaders

2007-11-26T05:00:00.001-08:00

Andy Park

1. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of training others
I like the "Five Step Discipleship model" I learned from John Wimber:

A. Lead worship with a worship leader in training in attendance.
B. Have that person play alongside you while you lead.
C. Have that person lead while you play alongside him or her.
D. Talk about the worship time afterward.
E. Finish the process by letting them lead alone.

As long as you’re a page ahead of the people you’re leading, you have something to say!

2. Be unselfish

Be committed to building God’s kingdom, not your own. If there’s only one weekly meeting in your church, you might have to share your space! Co-lead with an apprentice. Gradually increase his or her levels of responsibility.

3. Choose people who have a well-rounded worship life and Christ-like Character

Worship leaders have more authority when their lives match their songs. Outstanding worshippers in the Bible are also noted for their acts of service to God. Furthermore, when the church sees someone who is "going for it" in God’s kingdom they are more willing to follow that person in worship.

4. Choose people who risk and have a good track record

At the Anaheim Vineyard, we have a gifted worship leader named Mike Kinnen. Mike spearheaded worship in a local church plant. He had lots of responsibilities that were new to him, like raising up a worship band and worship with a P.A. system. Then, he raised up other worship leaders and left them doing it in his place. I like to work with risk-takers who don’t quit even when the going gets tough.

5. Choose people who have "bought in" to your ministry

You can’t lead people that don’t want to follow you. The most fruitful mentoring relationships I’ve have are those in which there is mutual admiration between the two parties. If a person has the skills, experience, knowledge, perspective and character that I admire, I’ll have a reason to pursue them.

6. Choose people that have well-rounded skills

The best worship band leaders are good pastors and leaders. Worship team members need to be cared for as people, not just deployed as musicians. If a young leader has a compassionate heart and is a good people person, he or she can be trained to pastor.

7. Release people into positions of responisibility gradually

Give someone a little responsibility and see how it goes. It is important to determine if the worship trainee is "faithful with the little things." Even if God speaks to you powerfully about a person’ calling, a proven track record will confirm what god has shown you before you give someone a permanent position.

8. Use the three arenas for training: the classroom, worship time, and personal meetings

The classroom:
The basics of worship and worship leading can be taught once or twice a year through a six or eight session course. Worship leaders and take more advance course once they are leading. When they find out what they don’t know, they’re more teachable.!

The worship time:
Observe the person leading. Give specific feedback about skills. Sometimes I only address one issue because I don’t’ want to weigh down a new leader with negative input.

Personal meetings
You’ll see more output from your worship leaders if you care for them personally. I take people with me whenever I go on ministry trips.

9. Expose people to othe training resources

Nobody I’ve trained has learned everything they know from me. For those who have a hard time attending training events, there are books, videos and tapes.

10. To keep giving, you have to keep growing

I take courses and seek out new material that will inform and inspire me. Unless I have fresh input, I get stale. Most importantly, make time to pray and worship by yourself. Go directly to the well of living water, and let him speak to you. This puts gas in your tank and gives you the right perspective on all your responsibilities.

Source: Vineyard Music Group

WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE

2007-11-26T04:49:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zschech

We often hear the phrase "Worship is a lifestyle". What does this really mean? It simply means to live a life of love. To love extravagantly. The first commandment, to LOVE the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with your entire mind, means exactly that. You make a heart and mind decision to continually seek first the Kingdom of God, and to OBEY the Spirit of God in your life, as He calls you on to a greater and deeper knowledge of Himself.

Worship requires something of you, and that is OBEDIENCE.

Why do people cringe away from obedience? I believe it is because it requires a response. John 14:12 says, "Whoever has my commands and OBEYS them, he is the one who LOVES me. My Father will love him who LOVES me, and I too will LOVE him and show myself to him."

And verse 23 says, "If anyone LOVES me, he will OBEY my teaching. My Father will LOVE him and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not LOVE me will not OBEY me. These words you hear are not my own, they belong to my Father who sent me." LOVE and OBEDIENCE are tied together.

Every time you open up your heart in obedience to God and worship Him with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul, our beautiful Lord responds with His magnificent presence. You need to continually be in the presence of God. Not only on Sundays, in a corporate place of worship, but in that secret place that maybe only you and the Lord will ever know about.

It's in this place of worship that you find yourself needing to respond to the Lord, to whatever He is asking, as WORSHIP PULLS BACK THE LAYERS OF YOUR HEART – TO EXPOSE WHAT'S REALLY THERE.

CONFESS

In Isaiah 6… when Isaiah caught sight of God he was moved to confess his sin.

When your humanness is confronted by the magnificence and holiness of God, you are made SO aware of your need for God’s grace and his cleansing power in your life. If you have unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, bitterness… ask God to forgive you. Romans 12:1 teaches us how to live this life of worship and love.

TRANSPARENCY

Psalm 51 says it so well, that when you are in the presence of the Lord, you become totally transparent and honest and your heart and soul cry out to pray "create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me". Read the Message Bible translation – it will inspire you to greater heights.

CLARITY

As you simply and wholeheartedly LOVE and ADORE your God, you receive revelation and understanding of your kingdom purpose. Romans 8:28 reveals that "… in all things God works for the good of those who LOVE Him, who have been called according to His purpose". Many Christians spend their lifetime frustrated at never knowing their Kingdom purpose. I challenge you to get in the presence of God, have an open heart to hear His voice, for He desires ALL He has planned for you even more than you do!

HUNGER

Another heart response is that your hunger for the things of God, your hunger for His Word and His truth increases. John 7:37! If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scriptures have said, streams of living water will flow from within him. Say YES to the Lord calling you to know Him more through his Word. It is LIFE to your soul.

REST COMES

Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

Joy and strength are found in His dwelling place, in His presence. If you feel like you are continually running on empty, then again, you need to respond and obey the Spirit of God and GET IN HIS PRESENCE. If I have learned one thing, it is that we were never meant to live this supernatural call, with purely natural ability. You will not make it… BUT if you take God at His Word, live in His presence, life a life of love, and respond to His voice, you WILL live your entire lifetime growing in the knowledge of Christ, always fresh and strong in the Word, and living a life that people will want to follow.

... And you thought worship was all about songs!

Love,
Darlene

This article was originally published in the Hillsong Magazine. For free copies of this magazine, please go to www.hillsongtv.com

Being A Lead Worshiper

2007-11-26T04:48:00.000-08:00

Worship
Jeff Deyo

Preparing for leading worship at a church, a small group Bible study, around a camp fire or at a gathering like WorshipCityPraise is VERY important!!! Here are a few things that have helped my band and me strive to serve the Lord in this way.

As worship leaders (each member is a worship leader, not just the lead singer), you need to remember that leading worship is NOT trying to get people to sing. It is WORSHIPING GOD yourselves, SO THAT others will FOLLOW your LEAD!!!! Instead of concentrating on worship leading, focus on being a lead worshiper. Instead of concentrating on keeping your eyebrows up (hoping everyone will think you are happy and in love with Jesus), focus your thoughts and heart on Christ.

For starters, you and your band or worship team MUST worship the Lord together as a small group, alone, away from people and the stage in order to be able to lead worship properly and in front of others. This is not easy. Put in a Delirious CD (and play it loud) or have someone lead on guitar or piano and then have everyone in the band sing along TO GOD!! Force yourselves to spend this time - it is as or more essential as the precious rehearsal time!!! In fact, I would recommend cutting your current weekly rehearsal time in half and spending one half in Bible study, singing, and prayer and the other half rehearsing, in that order. This way you will get the most out of your rehearsal. You might say there isn't enough time for this. But, trust me, you don't have time to NOT do this! Once you've all worshiped together, you will be amazed at how much quicker you learn songs and how much better you all work together.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE - then when you get on stage, forget it all! What I mean is, be very prepared, but be equally prepared to do anything God would have you do once worship begins - you need to be in great unity musically and spiritually so that you can go together where ever God leads you. Maybe you'll do a song you planned to do fast, much slower or the opposite. Maybe you'll do a song that was not even on the set list. Maybe you'll do one song several different ways for 20 minutes! You may even find that you will write new songs while you are on the stage!!!! The best worship comes out of the heart and is SPONTANEOUS, especially from the leaders!!! Don't be afraid of the unknown - just trust God, and sing and play to Him from your heart!

Each member MUST worship God with his instrument AND his voice. One of the keys to worshiping God is getting truth in your spirit. Music has a way of doing that - singing especially. You need to emphasize the need for your band to worship with their instruments - let God lead your fingers and hands as to what to play. AND even if some guys don't sing into microphones, EVERYONE SHOULD be singing most of the time. This helps each of you worship God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It also helps you to not focus too much on what you play so that God will be more capable of playing through you!

You need to all study Psalms intensely! Get a feel for how David worshiped the Lord. There are times when he was very intense and times when he was still enough to know that God was God. You can read Amos 9:11-12 and Acts 15:16-17 which shows us that God is going to restore the Kingdom of David in our day - and for HIS purpose - SO THAT all men might find the Lord!!! You can also look at passages like 2 Chronicles 5-7 & 20, Psalm 40, Psalm 84, Revelation 4-5. David and Solomon are some of the greatest lead worshipers ever! The first book of Chronicles talks about David bring the ark (the presence of God) to the people, dancing all the way - there is lots of symbolism here. The second book of Chronicles talks about Solomon building the temple to God. The dedication of the temple is especially AWESOME!!! These and many other passages will help you see the importance and power of worship music in the Bible.

You also need to start reading Song of Songs. I know this book is a little strange, but it is actually God's symbolic love letter to us. King Solomon represents God, and we, God's people, are represented as Solomon's bride. The first verse says this book is the song OF songs. That means it is the most important one!! I'd say that means it must be significant for us!!!! As you read it, you will start to develop a new vocabulary for praising God. Verse 5:1 says we should drink deeply of God's love - that is what worship is!!!! When you begin to drink of His love on stage, you will find God drawing people to Himself just like He says He will in John 12:32. That is what it is ALL about!

Coming Back to the Heart of Worship

2007-11-26T04:04:00.000-08:00

Mike Pilavachi

With a spanking new building, a congregation wearing combat trousers, a PA system that cost thousands and links with the summer festivals, some might have thought that worship wise, a Church like Soul Survivor Watford had it sussed.

Since it began - meeting in school halls with a PA that packed into the boot of a Cavalier - Soul Survivor Watford has always been given plenty of time over to worshipping through music. Over the years people have poured out their hearts to God through it, and there have been plenty of examples of great things happening as a result. However, in the autumn of ’96 we realised that something was ‘up’ with our worship. At first it was difficult to put our finger on the problem. On the surface everything was just fine; many of the musicians had worked out how to tune their instruments and the sound engineers were getting out of bed on time. Each service contained a block of songs that focused on the cross and gave people the chance to get down to business with God. To make this easier, the music was (nearly) up-to-date, the chairs had disappeared and the lights were low: what better atmosphere for young people to worship God?

Yet, we seemed to have lost the spark. We seemed to be going through the motions but I noticed that although we were singing the songs, our hearts were far from him. Was it Redman’s fault? I listened…he wasn’t singing any more duff notes than usual. Then it clicked; we had become connoisseurs of worship instead of participants of it. In our hearts we were giving the worship marks out of ten: “Not that song again”, “I can’t hear the bass”, “I like the way she sings”…We had made the band the performers of worship and ourselves the audience. We had forgotten that we are ALL the performers of worship and that God is the audience. We had forgotten that sacrifice is central to biblical worship. In the Old Testament, whenever the people of Israel gathered to worship, they sacrificed a lamb or other animal. In 2 Chronicles 7, when King Solomon and the people gathered to dedicate the new temple to the Lord, Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. Now that’s what I call a barbecue! The passage says that the glory of the Lord fell on the people and they prostrated themselves on the pavement and worshipped. In fact the presence of God was so tangible that, for a while, even the priests could not perform their duties.

We don’t need to sacrifice sheep and goats today and certainly no sacrifice on our part can earn God’s forgiveness or our salvation; the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross has done that for all time. Yet we ARE called to bring sacrifices in worship. We are called to offer our bodies as living sacrifices - this is OUR spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1). We are called to offer our sacrifice of praise.

We were challenged to ask ourselves individually, ‘When I come through the door of the church, what am I bringing as my contribution to the worship?’ The truth came to us: worship is not a spectator sport, it is not a product moulded by the taste of the consumers. It is not about what we can get out of it; it is all about God.

We needed to take drastic action. For a while, in order to truly learn this lesson, we banned the band. We sacked Redman!

Then we sat around in circles and said that if no one brought a sacrifice of praise, we would spend the meeting in silence. At the beginning, we virtually did! It was a very painful process. We were learning again not to rely on the music. After a while we began to have some very sweet times of worship. We all began to bring our prayers, our readings, our prophecies, our thanksgiving, our praises and our songs. Someone would start a song a cappella and we would all join in. Then someone else would take it on to another song. The excitement came back. We were not having Church; we were once again meeting with God. With all the comforts stripped away we worshipped from the heart.

When we had learnt our lesson, we brought the band back. It was at this point that Matt began to sing the song he had written out of this experience. I wept as we sang it for the first time. The words expressed exactly what was going on:

download mp3 here

The Heart Of Worship
Matt Redman

Key: D

Verse 1:
D A Em
A
D A Em
A

PreChorus:
Em D/F# A
Em
D/F# A A/C# D
Em D/F# A
Em
D/F# A

Chorus:
D A2/C#
Em
G A D
A2/C#
Em
G A D

Verse 2:
D A Em
A
D A Em
A

When the music fades,
All is stripped away,
And I simply come.
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart.

I’ll bring You more than a song.
For a song in itself is not what
You have required.
You search much deeper within,
Through the way things appear;
You’re looking into my heart.

I’m coming back to the heart of worship,
And it’s all about You,
All about You Jesus.
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it.
When it’s all about You.
All about you Jesus.

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve.
Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours,
Every single breath.

Matt Redman
© 1997 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

Mike Pilavachi serves as pastor of Soul Survivor, Watford, a growing and thriving youth congregation near London, England where Matt Redman is worship leader. In addition Matt and Mike head the leadership team for the Soul Survivor festivals which occur in England and South Africa.

Source: Soul Survivor Magazine

Attitudes of a Worshipper

2007-11-26T02:41:00.000-08:00

Tim Hughes

Recently, I've been thinking again about the importance of our heart attitudes. When involved in leading worship it can be so easy to lose focus and concentrate on the less important things. There can be a temptation to get so carried away with trying to create the best sounds and songs that we forget about our own attitudes and motives. Although it's essential that we give our best shot to being as musical and creative as we can, we must never forget the simple meaning of worship. When thinking about the attitudes of a worshipper, King David provides an excellent example. I have been challenged by the way he lived his life and want to briefly look at a few of his characteristics.

Firstly David had a heart after God. He actively pursued and hungered after God. One thing we often see David doing is 'enquiring of the Lord'. A great example of this was when David and his men returned to their base in Ziklag to discover it burnt to a crisp with their children and wives kidnapped. In the midst of such panic and grief, rather than letting his emotions get the better of him, David goes off to enquire of the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:1-8)

David concerned himself with doing the Lord's will and not necessarily his own. It's so important for any worship leader to be constantly seeking God's will. It can be easy to get complacent and work out the set formulas to get a good response in worship, but by doing this we'll miss out on so much of what God is doing. Rather let's be asking God to show us what He is doing and follow that. Therefore when leading worship it's vital to be seeking God's direction in terms of song selection, where He's taking it and what He's wanting to show us. If we don't 'enquire of the Lord' we'll miss it.

David embraced the hidden place where he would hang out with God. It was in this place that he learnt so much about God, worship and living a life for Him. I know for me personally that it has been on my own with God, worshipping Him and pouring out my heart that I have fallen deeper into love with Him and been changed. Let's embrace the hidden place.

Another characteristic we see in David was that he knew what it was to serve and to be humble. After having been anointed King by Samuel rather than letting it go to his head, he headed straight back to look after his beloved sheep! Now I don't know about you but if I had been told that I was going to be the next King of my country, I wouldn't return to my day job. However David knew what it meant to serve. He knew that before God it was just as important to serve his sheep as it was to lead his country.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we are all called to serve and not to be served. I heard the story of a well-known worship leader who when he was starting out was very eager to be involved in leading lots of worship events. However his main role at his church was initially to clean up after services and keep the place tidy. At first he resented doing this, but found that it was in this place that he met with God in a deep way and learned the importance of the heart of worship. As worship leaders we're called first to serve God, and then to serve the people we're leading in worship. If we know what it means to serve then humility will naturally follow.

Another thing we see in David is that he led by example. David lived a life of worship and consequently encouraged others to do likewise. One classic example was when David took on the mighty Goliath. Now in this situation David didn't confront Goliath because he was in a bad mood and was up for a fight. Rather David got his handy sling ready because he couldn't face seeing this giant mocking his God.

Another time in David's life, as he was bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem, David was seen to be dancing with all his might in just an ephod - which apparently didn't cover much!! When his wife Michal looked on, she was embarrassed and ashamed, and consequently didn't hold back on letting David know how she felt. However, to this David replied; "I will become even more undignified than this and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." (2 Samuel 6:22) Here we see David worshipping God, going for it with all he had. It wasn't just his words that showed how much he loved God; it was his whole lifestyle that displayed his devotion.

One thing I love about David was that he was his own man. When he was about to square up to Goliath, the present king, Saul, told him to try on his best armour. However David was drowned in the kings fighting gear, and instead opted for a sling and five stones. Not much really when it comes to state of the art fighting equipment. The issue though was that David wasn't going to pretend to be anything he wasn't - he was going to be his own man. Graham Kendrick once said, "If asked to sum up the art of leading worship in one simple sentence, I think I would say, be a worshipper, be a servant, and be yourself." It's so important that we allow God to use us the way he intended to, rather than something that's not true to us. Unfortunately I will never have the guitar skills of Eric Clapton or the voice of Bono, but that doesn't matter as God chooses to use me the way I am.

Finally in David we see someone who respected those in leadership over him. Even though he was cruelly treated and pursued by Saul, the king at the time, David refused to harm him. David maintained a respect for the one he described as "the Lord's anointed." (1 Samuel 24:16) We must always honour and respect those in leadership over us, even when that is tough.

Sadly today people are painfully aware that no one is perfect. Again and again we have seen celebrities and church leaders fall from grace. Nothing seems to really shock anymore. This is why I believe it is so important to constantly be checking the attitudes of our hearts. When we get to Heaven, God will care little about how many albums someone sold, how many great harmonies we sang, how many inspired electric guitar solos we belted out. But He will care a lot about the attitudes of our hearts.

Source: www.heartofworship.com

Accessibility - experiencing intimate worship together

2007-11-26T02:40:00.000-08:00

Brian Doerksen

In my last article, I looked at intimacy; my highest value in worship. Intimacy at it's simplest means we sing to God. We do that because the cry of our hearts has always been- 'When can I go and meet with God?' When can we linger in His presence and just be with Him?' This time I would like to take a brief look at the second main value I hold dear as a worship leader.
Accessibility.

Let me confess something. A couple of years ago I would not have written what I am about to write. And I would not have believed it if God didn't give me the precious gift of my wife to walk and learn with.

In the past few years, our societies have made huge strides to make public places more accessible to those with special needs. People with wheelchairs, hearing difficulties etc. can enjoy a lot more events and places than ever before. I think that is great. Sometimes as a worship leader I need to ask some of the same questions that brought about change for access in the places we live. Is our worship accessible for all, is it accessible for those who are not primarily artistic or mystical?

I remember one worship experience very clearly from a few years ago. My wife and I and several friends attended a special night of worship. The leader and the band were leading us in worship through some quite abstract sounds and songs. I was having a great time; all the innovative, creative sides of my personality were being stimulated. After a while of 'closed eye ecstatic worship' I opened them and looked beside me to my wife. She looked up at me with a look that seemed to say, 'Can we go now?'. I haven't forgotten that moment. What was meaningful for me (and the worship leader and musicians) was not necessarily meaningful and accessible to all those present. Many of you are just like that. You want to meet with God. You love to worship but unless someone leads you into some songs that you can sing and find meaningful, you will potentially be left on the outside.

That means sometimes we need something called restraint in worship. I know that's not a popular word . . . . a few years ago, after the film 'Braveheart' came out, one of the cool things to do was to shout 'Freedom' in worship . . . . sometimes I want to shout out in the middle of worship . . . . . Discipline . . . . Restraint!!! Don't worry, all you passionate people out there. If we had the time, we could have a long discussion about the need for more passion in our lives and in our worship. In fact to have real worship, you have to have both passion and restraint, and to make worship music, you're nowhere if you don't have both. But we have got to look closely at restraint. Restraint is the backbone of making music that others can follow and enter in to. Let me pause here for a moment and give a few tips to worship leaders about restraint in worship.

- Restraint is picking songs that will say what the majority of the people gathered want to say to God.
- Restraint is the discipline to not play or sing all the time. (This is also especially for all members of worship teams - if you fill all the spaces with your 'stuff' the music doesn't breathe and the congregation feels overwhelmed)
- Restraint is the realization that the notes you don't play (and the words you don't sing) are just as important as the ones you do.
- Restraint is sticking to the song as written without always adding tons of embellishments that other people can't follow or sing.

And so often we need to choose songs and music that is not necessarily musician's music (those of you who are musicians will know what I mean). At times that involves some pain and sacrifice on the worship leaders and musicians part. There have been times when I have sensed we need to sing a particular song, and inside of me rages an unseen 'tug of war'. 'There is no way I am singing that simple overused song again . . . Lord what do you want? Usually I find that the satisfaction of sensing people connecting with God is more precious than doing what I wanted to do. I am not saying restraint in worship is easy, I am not saying it will even always feel good to you as a worship leader. What I am saying is it's right. If we lose accessibility, we will eventually lose the people, and maybe even the precious experience of gathered intimate worship.

Let me say one more key thing about accessibility; something that we can easily forget. If worship is meeting with God, we need to remember that God wants to take an active role in our time together as well. And so we need to give Him room to break in, to speak a word to the gathering or an individual. Maybe He just wants to come with His presence and let us rest in it. I love the stillness and quietness when God is there. What more could we as sons and daughters, created in the image of God want? But let's not leave people outside the 'door', like someone in a wheelchair who couldn't enter a building because we didn't care enough to make it accessible for them.
Let's make a way for everyone to experience intimate worship together.

Source: www.briandoerksen.com

All About You (Israel Houghton, Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff)

2007-11-26T02:28:00.000-08:00

listen here

Key: E

Intro:
E A2 E A2
(2x)

Verse 1:
E Bsus A2
You are the Holy One
E Bsus A2
You are the Living Word
E Bsus A2 F#7 A2
You are the center of my focus, Jesus
E Bsus A2
You are the Son of God
E Bsus A2
You are the the Solid Rock
E Bsus A2 F#7 A2
You are the center of my focus Jesus
B C#m7
You're the lover of my soul
D
And I adore You only

Chorus:
E Bsus A
It's all about You
E Bsus A
All about You
C#m7 Bsus A E Bsus A2
It's all about You Jesus
E Bsus A
It's all about You
E Bsus A
All about You
C#m7 Bsus A E Bsus A2
It's all about You Jesus

Verse 2:
You are miraculous
You are supernatural
You are the center of my focus Jesus
You are all powerful
You are so wonderful
You are the center of my focus Jesus
You're the lover of my soul
And I adore You only

©2001 Integrity's Praise! Music My Other Publishing Company (Admin. by Integrity's Praise! Music) Lakewood Ministries Music (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.) Champions For Christ Music Publishing (Admi
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

My Passion

2007-11-26T02:23:00.000-08:00

Let God Arise (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash)

2007-11-26T02:16:00.000-08:00

listen here

Key: B
Intro:
B E B

Verse 1:
E B
hear the holy roar of God resound
B
watch the waters part before us now
G#m7
come and see what he has done for us
F#
tell the world of his great love

PreChorus:
E G#m7 F#
our God is a God who saves
E G#m7 F#
our God is a God who saves

Chorus:
B
let God arise
E/B
let God arise
D
our God reigns now and forever
A/C# B E B
He reigns now and forever

Verse 2:
His enemies will run for sure
the church will stand, she will endure
He holds the keys of life, our Lord
death has no sting, no final word

Awesome God (Words and Music by Rich Mullins)

2007-11-25T21:55:00.000-08:00

listen here

Intro: F# B C# F#

Verse:

F#
When he saw what had to be done

B C# F#
He sent his one and only son

F# B F# C# F#
Our God is an awesome God

F# B
He was sent from up above to tell

C# F#
Us of his undying love

F# B F# C# F#
Our God is an awesome God

F#
When his blood was shed that day

B C# F#
He took and washed our sins away

F# B F# C# F#
Our God is an awesome God

F# B
Greater is he that is in me than he

C# F#
Who is in the world

F# B F# C# F#
Our God is an awesome God

Bridge:

D E D B C# F#

Chorus:

D A
Our God is an awesome God

B F#
He reigns from heaven above

D A
With wisdom, power and love

B C# F#
Our God is an awesome God

Repeat

______________________________________________________________________________

Awesome God

F#m
Oh when He rolls up his sleeves he ain't just puttin' on the ritz,
Bm7 C#m7 F#m
Our God is an awesome God.

There is thunder in his footsteps and lightning in his fists,
Bm7 C#m7 F#m
Our God is an awesome God.

Bm7
And the Lord wasn't joking when He kicked 'em out of Eden.
C#m7
It wasn't for no reason that He shed his blood.
D D/B D/F#
His return is very soon and so you'd better be believin' that
Bm7 C#m7 F#m
Our God is an awesome God.

D A
Our God is an awesome God.
E F#m
He reigns from heaven above
D A
with wisdom, pow'r and love
Bm7 C#m7 F#m
Our God is an awesome God

And when the sky was starless in the void of the night,
Our God is an awesome God.
He spoke into the darkness and created the light,
Our God is an awesome God.

And judgment and wrath He poured out on Sodom.
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross.
I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God