For the Christ follower, this week leading up to Easter, is one of the most exciting times of the year. In our Bibles, we read the 1st hand accounts in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John from the apostles who walked the roads with Jesus Of Nazareth over this Holy Week. When you read their accounts, feelings of amazement and wonder drip... and ooze... from the pages. These men were experiencing something awe inspiring that would change the trajectory of their lives!

Back in 2012, I took part in a music writing collective hosted by singer / songwriter Aaron Ivey, from a church called the Austin Stone. Back then, he did something every year called the 7in7 challenge. The idea behind it, was that over a seven day period you were to challenge yourself to write seven songs. Even further, in those same seven days, you were to open yourself up and post those songs to social media platforms for all the world to hear. Now, eleven years later, one of the songs I wrote: The Mystery of Christ: A Benediction has been listened to approximately 14 times! Yes, staggering to take in, I know... 

I chose to tackle the project by writing seven songs inspired from the book of Ephesians. This was seventh song, the last one written for the challenge. Before I share it with you, I want you to look at a couple verses spoken by Paul the apostle when he prays: 

I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 And to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19  

What a prayer! He's saying, "I'm praying that you can comprehend something that is incomprehensible, that passes knowledge. I want you to know something that's impossible for you to know."  You can't know it unless God reveals it to you. And the only way we get that revelation is in the cross. Can you picture it?

Width and length go left and right... it's horizontal; depth and height go up and down...it's vertical. Can you see it? It's a picture of the love of God in the cross of Jesus Christ! Deeper and wider than we can ever possibly know! Yet, simple and clear enough to be accessible to every man, woman, and child! What a beautiful mystery!

This Good Friday... this Easter, I pray that you might understand; the mystery of Christ

I pray That you might find it beautiful; The mystery of Christ.  

Praise be to God for this indescribable gift!

- Pastor Milo 

The Mystery of Christ: A Benediction 

I pray that as I kneel before the Father of all things;

His Spirit might resonate with you.   

I pray that he might strengthen you with power from The Lord;  

That Christ may dwell in your hearts  

That you might understand; the mystery of Christ

That you might find it beautiful; the mystery of Christ   

I pray that you'll be rooted and grounded in love; 

Show mercy to your fellow man.  

I pray that you'll have boldness and confidence in God; 

Even when you can't hear His voice.

That you might understand; the mystery of Christ

That you might find it beautiful; the mystery of Christ   

(c) Milo Wilson, 2012

https://soundcloud.com/milowilson/the-mystery-of-christ

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I had waited too long. That was particularly and painfully clear, now that we crested the hill into an area where the sun had been shining all day. It was too late in the season, and too warm of a day for this ride to go very well. We were snow biking, a fairly new sport built around mountain bikes with incredibly oversized tires... designed to ride over the top of the snow, nicknamed: "Fat Bikes." 

My brother-in law had been inviting me to take an afternoon off all winter long and join him on the trail, and I had procrastinated right up until the very end. The snow melt was on in full force, and what was left for a base on the hard snow packed trail was quickly deteriorating. With 60 degree weather forecasted for all of the following week, this was definitely the last fat bike / snow biking day of the year. We had to ride... today.

Fat biking trails are groomed in the winter, much like cross country skiing trails. There is a machine that comes through the network of paths that tamps down the snow, and gives it a solid 4-6 inch frozen base that ranges from 24-36 inches wide. If you wait too long like I did however, the melt narrows the trail tighter and tighter, until all that is left is a 8-12 inch wide balance beam of ice... 

I recently read a chapter in David Jeremiah's "Shelter in God," about the North Yungas Road. It's a mountain highway in Bolivia that offers drivers breathtaking views of the Andes mountains as it descends 11,000 ft from the mountains into the adjoining rainforest. The North Yungas road is not famous for the scenery however. It is famous for danger. In fact, that particular stretch of highway has earned the terrifying nickname in recent years: "Death Road."

What makes it so dangerous? For one thing, the road is unpaved, which forces drivers to ascend and descend the mountain on nothing more than loose gravel. Also, the road is only 12 feet wide. The entire road. In the United States, 12 feet is the current standard for a single lane of traffic on our interstate highways. A single lane! On my fat bike ride, I was constantly falling or sliding off of the 10-12 inch wide base, and walking the bike because of the ridiculously narrow trail, often landing quite uncomfortably on the top bar of my bike frame. I had definitely waited too long. This wasn't what I signed up for. This trail wasn't fun to ride today, to be sure. In fact, it was downright painful.  

And on the North Yungas Road, while the entire road is only 10-12 feet wide, it negotiates around hairpin turns and dangerously steep grades with what is truly the most terrifying factor of all: the lack of guardrails. There are no barriers, fences, or barricades to keep drives from plunging up to 15,000 ft to the valley below. In contrast to my silly bike adventure, the North Yungas road is not just uncomfortable, or painful. It's tragic. Up to 300 people will lose their lives this year alone, on Death Road.

In many ways, our lives can be a lot like this road. There are days the road isn't any fun to travel. We can experience breathtaking views and peaks of joy, but we can also experience terrifying days through dangerous descents. On top of that for many, this pandemic, this Covid-19 crisis was a removing of the guardrails from the sides of the road. And yet, the road of life continues on.... 

What lies ahead will rise to many more peaks, and navigate through many more valleys. Fellow passengers will offer deep friendships, and companionship for the journey. For those engaged in biblical community, we will laugh together and we will weep together; but we will seek solace and refuge in Christ... the author and finisher of our faith. 

All in all, my bike ride was a success. After the sun went down, and the temperature dropped, we were able to find a frozen loop of trail to ride by the light of our headlamps, with glint of moonlight coming through the tree branches high above. The day's events In total are a peaceful memory for me now. A moment of stillness and beauty in the midst of greater chaos and concern. I was reminded Jesus is always my refuge and strength! He is the place of stillness and peace I can go to, when the road of life is difficult to navigate.

Perhaps the words of Pastor David Jeremiah summarizing The words of King David in Psalm 30 could encourage you today like they did me? Here's how he put it: 

"Lord, I've been taken by surprise. Life has thrown me a curve, and its a hard thing for me to cope with. Even so, I praise Your blessed name. Whatever comes my way, in sickness and in health, in joy or in sorrow, I will stubbornly and confidently praise your name! You are my refuge."

May you find rest in the Lord today. If you need encouragement for the journey, if you need a companion for the trail. Please let us know. I'd love to help. 

Pastor Milo

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Foundationally, I am a Christ follower before I am a Baptist. However, I have always attended and served in Baptist churches, even though they didn't always have it in their name. This Sunday, we have people publicly declaring their faith through believers baptism, and it's a great reminder why I choose to be part of this "tribe." 

1. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About The Bible

We believe that every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. 

2. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About God

We believe in one God eternally co-equal in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe that God's never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love has the power to change lives.

3. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About Jesus Christ

We believe that God showed the world this love in the sacrificial death of His own Son Jesus, a death that we deserved. We also believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. That gives us hope for eternal life together with each other and with Him.

4. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About Baptism & Communion

We believe that in Scripture, baptism and communion are specifically directed by Christ to be observed and practiced in the churches. These two ordinances are pictures of past, present, and future realities associated with our faith in Christ, His atoning work, resurrection, and promised return.

5. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About The Church

We believe that God is painting a picture of Himself in the local church by building a family of friends that follow Him. We believe each expression is unique and autonomous and we believe that you're a part of the picture. 

6. I'm Baptist Because Of What We Believe About The Nations

We believe Christ commissions His followers to go and make disciples throughout the world. To play our part in fulfilling Christ's commission, we partner and cooperate with others to empower limitless missionary teams who are making disciples and multiplying churches among unreached people and places to the glory of God.

What about you? You may know why you are a Christ follower. But why are you a Baptist?            

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

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I have the privilege of facilitating a network of church planters for the Frontier Baptist Association. We meet for eight sessions a year, five in the spring and three in fall, in order to make room for the big summer push on outreach efforts in the community for a church planter. This month's topic is a great one for a pre-launch church planter to wrestle with, but it is also a topic that many of us still need to consider. What will be this church's philosophy of worship?

Dave Hall, a regular contributor to The Exchange with Ed Stetzer writes this: Evangelical Christians have a very truncated understanding of worship. When asked to define it, they respond, "It's singing," or "It's praising God." Worship, from a biblical perspective, is far more than merely singing or praising God in the assembly of the saints (as right and wonderful as that is). 

While many have tried to get their arms around this larger idea, I believe Bruce Leafblad of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary gives a definition that encapsulates the intent of this concise word: Worship is both an event and a lifestyle in which believers, by grace, center their mind's attention and their heart's affection on the Lord, humbly glorifying God in response to His greatness, His mighty acts, and His word.

When we open up our eyes to this definition, we understand that every part of our lives, our family, and yes, our gatherings are a form of worship. Worship is our first responsibility to God. We worship God by enjoying him. Worship is about falling in a love relationship with Jesus. Therefore, if worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music. Whether it is a time of prayer, scripture reading, baptism, communion, singing, or even silence, if our goal is to bring honor, glory, and pleasure to God, it is worship. With this in mind, let me ask this question.

What Do Our Worship Services Reveal?

1. Our View of God

Our understanding of God and our how we perceive interaction with Him may be the most important thing we ever figure out. We serve the God of the universe... not the other way around. We don't work on some project, some theatrical production, or a grand musical moment, then ask God if he wants to come help us out with it. Everything we strive to do is meant to bring God the greatest glory possible! How we worship will reveal what we really believe about our view of God. 

2. Our Value for The People of God

We the church are called in Scripture to be the bride of Christ. The bride of Christ is to be an attractive entity that draws others to Him. The old hymn tune states: They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Is this truly representative of us? Do we show love and kindness to all who devote themselves to following hard after God, regardless of age, race, gender, social status or political affiliation? How we worship will reveal what we really believe about our value for the people of God. 

3. Our Vision for Those Far From God

We are commanded to be a light unto the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden! Therefore we would expect that there are some out in the darkness that are drawn to the light and desire to come in. Are we using language, or terminology that is impossible to read and understand? When we are, simply because our lives look different then theirs, are we doing our very best to explain our beliefs and invite others to join us? How we worship will reveal what we really believe about our vision for those far from God.

Let's take a look in the mirror. What do our worship gatherings at Randall Church reveal this weekend about us? How about you personally? If you were starting today from scratch as a missionary to your zip code, what would be your philosophy of worship? What would your worship services reveal about you?

Worship Roots (by Guest Blogger Mario Delgado)

When I became a Christian in the late 1980’s, I was unaware of the neverending battle that occurs in churches over music styles in worship. For the first year or so of my walk with Christ I was immune to the infamous “worship wars” that was occuring at the time. The first church I ever attended was a traditional Southern Baptist Church that utilized a hymn book, had a choir, and hosted a yearly Christmas cantata. Through the influence of my worship pastor at the time I developed an appreciation for the classic hymns of the faith. Of course as a teenager, I also discovered Christian music, and soon learned that my hometown in Southern California was the birthplace of some of the most influential music that came out of the Jesus movement of the 1970’s. Groups like The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Keith Green, and Larry Norman had a direct impact to the music I began listening to as a new Christian (dcTalk, Newsboys, and Carman).

I share a little bit of my musical heritage because I think we all share something in common. Ironically, our commonality is in our uniqueness. Let me explain… The Church is made up of individuals from every tribe and tongue. Right now, on the other side of the world someone is singing songs of praise to the Lord in a language that may be unfamiliar to us. Regardless of the dialect, however, the name of the Lord is being praised. Each one of us who attend Randall Church come from different backgrounds, but as we gather together on a weekly basis, these differences are the roots of our praises to God. We are a multigenerational church that has been blessed with a never-ending stream of music that details the rich heritage of our faith.

When it comes to singing and worshipping at Randall Church, it’s important to mention up front that singing together as a church, or as they say in a corporate setting, is actually a fraction of what worship actually consists of. Yes, music has always been an important part of the Church since the time of the apostles (Philippians 2:6-11, Ephesians 5:19), but so has reading the Scriptures, prayer and taking care of those in need (Acts 2:42). If you want to know what worship really looks like consider what Jesus said when asked what the greatest commandment is: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:29-30, NIV). According to Jesus, worship is about knowing and loving God in every facet of our lives. If we come to church on a Sunday and think that worship begins when the first note of the an instrument is heard we have gravely misunderstood the relationship that we should be having with Jesus on a daily basis when there is no music playing.

With this in mind, let me share two of the practical aspects of singing and worshipping that I consider on a weekly basis. First of all, when it comes to song choice, it’s important to me to choose songs that strengthen and deepen our understanding of God’s character. The longest book of the Bible, Psalms, is filled with songs that cover the full spectrum of the human experience. Within the Psalms we find songs that are outright declarations of God’s glory (Psalm 115); songs that that deal with suffering and shame (Psalm 74, Psalm 51); and songs that praise God for His activity on the earth (Psalm 97). In the same way, the songs we sing together should be celebratory, contemplative, and theologically sound. The battle lines that were drawn in the 20th century worship wars are a novelty when we ask ourselves one simple question: “Is there spiritual depth to the songs we sing?”

Now, if you’re like me and are moved by the artistic qualities of music and lyrics then there is an emotional aspect to worship that will be important to you. We must not forget, however, that God has not wired all of us the same and that some are moved more by the theological ideas expressed in our singing than by a particular music style. The Psalms make allowances for both of these worship attitudes. This is why we try to blend our singing with modern and classic songs of praise that we can sing together as a community of believers.

The importance of community is what drives the second aspect of singing and worshipping at Randall that I would like to share. Our worship should be accessible to all. Have you ever been to a church service where the key of a song is so high that you just give up singing all together? Or what about being in a service where the worship leader is always trying to teach a new song and you actually disengage from the time set aside for corporate worship? If I’m being honest, I’m guilty of being on both sides of this coin. This is why we do our best to sing songs in keys that people can comfortably sing. When it comes to learning new songs, I do my best to keep it to one or two a month. At Randall we actually have a song set-list that consist of 25-30 songs which we will sing over a three to four month period. This allows our congregation to become familiar and comfortable singing a set of songs over that time period.

Why do we do this? Because we value community! In their book, Sing, Keith and Kristyn Getty express this well. They write, “A church that sings together - across generations, standing side by side, putting community unity before personal preferences - is making a powerful and attractive statement to those who yearn for community more authentic than can be enjoyed online.” Wow, what a powerful statement to consider as we think about living in the age of social media. There is nothing that can diminish the authenticity of believers from different backgrounds coming together in a church service to lift up and sing about the wonders and glory of our God! Praise God for the opportunity we have to worship Him not only through our lives, but also through or fellowship together.

- Mario

I come from a musical background. I’ve formally studied a few instruments, and performed as a “professional” for a number of years before having kids and pursuing full-time ministry. What I tell many beginner students is, that, over time playing music gets significantly easier once there is an understanding how western music is put together. Musicians learn to understand a common language, and over time can perform together with ease. 

Whether it is classic rock or a classical concerto, songs generally have a standard framework or “song structure.” It often consists of three sections, most notably a verse, a chorus, and a bridge. Instrumental music won’t term them in the same way, but will generally carry sections called exposition, development and recapitulation. Keeping this in mind, there is tremendous variety and diversity within the limitless libraries of music, yet they share common and standardized format in how they are framed.

A.W. Tozer wrote an inspiring book called The Knowledge of the Holy in 1961 on a single train ride from Chicago to Texas. You should get your hands on it. The book is 23 chapters in length and follows a consistent pattern through each chapter, a pattern by which we, the reader, might actually be able to converse in the language of Almighty God. Tozer himself suggested “since this book is neither esoteric nor technical, and since it is written in the language of worship with no pretension to elegant literary style, perhaps some persons will be drawn to read it.”

Writer Jordan Chamblee sets the scene in this way: The gentle rhythm of the train and the hum of muted voices threatened to lull A. W. Tozer to sleep. His eyelids were heavy and his back ached from the less-than-comfortable springs in his seat. He squinted at the hurriedly jotted lines in his journal, which grew shakier as they wound towards the place where he had stopped, pen poised over the page held tightly in cold fingers. He brushed away the crumbs from his dinner – a cold piece of toast – that had fallen on the page. Some of the crumbs found their way into the gutter between the pages, and after a tired attempt to remove them with a fingernail he let them be. He breathed deeply, set down his pen and rubbed the grit out of eyes with his knuckles. He shook himself a little and looked back at his writing. “… Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.”  

“The gaze of a soul.” Page by page, chapter by chapter, the reader is drawn in to listen to the melody, feel the rhythmic pulse, and fully immerse into a new song. The soaring tune of what the Christian can expect to discover when his heart is set on pursuing God. Here is the framework I see for the song.

Start With Prayer. (Verse)

Seek The Heart of God. (Chorus)

Study The Surrounding Culture. (Bridge)

Biographers tell us that Aiden Wilson Tozer was known to arrive at his office in the early morning, change into a pair of old pants so he wouldn’t wrinkle his slacks, and pray for a up to three hours at a time—beginning on the couch, but soon moving to the floor, face buried in the carpet. This was a man who pursued hard after God. Many of us have the desire to work and do mighty things for the Kingdom of God, to be “on fire” for Jesus. With all the best of intentions, have we forgot to pursue Him? Have we actually learned what true worship is? 

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Lead Electric plays fills, adds color, and often sets the hook for a song
• The Lead player should be playing a solid body electric with a stratocoaster type of configuration.
• The function of the Lead Electric is to play little melodies in spaces in the rhythm where there is no vocal going on
• Adding color may mean adding higher register chords on verse and then driving distortion on the chorus
• The Lead player is responsible for setting the hook, or musical ID of a song. This should be played verbatim. Guitar solos are are a separate talent/responsibility.
• The Lead player should be an excellent rhythm player. By understanding rhythm player's function you can better stay out of each other's way.
• The Lead Electric player's job is to enhance the overall worship experience.
• The HOW is in the KNOW
• KNOW your rig
• KNOW what to play in different styles (better yet what not to play)
• KNOW how to play to stay out of the way of the vocalists and piano
• Listen to what is being played around you
• The Lead Electric must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• A good way to achieve common time feels, and learn better strumming patterns and understand the structure of a good guitar solo is to practice with a drum machine.
• A Lead Electric must be in tune and groove
• Always, always use a tuner to correct intonation. Strings change during a performance.
• Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Know what groove to play on certain styles.
• A Lead Electric should be using a variety of effects.
• Chorus or reverb - anything to sweeten up the sound, but not detract from the intonation
• Lead Electric must have chorus and distortion. Other optional effects are delay, phaser, tremelo, and wah etc. 
• A Lead Electric should be familiar with the notes on the guitar's neck, and be able to play triads and their inversions as well as scales
• Triads are three note chords, and an inversion is a rearrangement of those three notes
• Some scales you should know - major, dorian minor, minor pentatonic, major pentatonic, and the blues scale all based off of the 5th and 6th string. 
• The Lead Electric is the person in the band called on most often for playing solos or improvisational licks. This is not always the lead player's strength. Remember, you can never go wrong playing the melody. Also, blues licks work 90% of the time if you are in the correct key.
  
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear a Lead electric player out and when he begins to get tired the riffs time will begin to drag
• Technique can make a difference in one's time and groove. Bad technique can make something that is relatively easy to play become difficult.
• Taking a lesson now and again can fix these problems and steer one in the right direction.
• Good visual communication is key to a Lead Electric player's success
• If the Lead Electric is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front. Learn to be ok with that.
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Keyboard player is now responsible for modern synthesized sounds as well as sounds that were traditionally produced from the piano and the organ.
• In only a very few scenarios would there be a need in the modern worship band for multiple keyboard players, or a separate organist / pianist.  
• The Piano is traditionally the foundation of melody for vocalists. This may not always be the case in a worship band setting.
• In the worship band setting, the keyboard has dual roles as a harmonically foundational instrument and as a color instrument.
• The organ is also a color instrument unless specifically required for a song. Its role in the contemporary worship band has been reduced to a color instrument. It is not a significant source of melody or harmony.
• The keyboard and the organ are very similar in that the tones of each can change drastically to add a broad spectrum of tonal qualities to any song arrangement.

• The Keyboard player must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• On ballads, arppegiate your chords, meaning open up and roll through the individual nots of a chord. 
• Arpeggiating through the chord changes on a verse sets a beautiful contrast for a booming chorus.
• A good way to achieve common time feels, and learn better grooves and styles is to practice with a drum machine. 
• When using piano sounds, a Keyboard player should think of their instrument as part of the rhythm section.
• The piano player's right hand, the ride cymbal, the high hat, and the snare drum are a unit. When the snare drum plays, accent notes in your right hand.
• With a right handed drummer, a piano player's right hand should should line up and accent with the drummers right hand.
• The piano player's left hand, the bass player, and the kick drum are a unit. When the bass drum and the bass player accent notes, the left hand should accent the root of the chord. 
• The left hand should rarely play anything other than the root of the chord.
• When the band is really booming, go up an octave, revert to open fifth in the right hand, and open octaves in the left. Too many notes in the chord will muddy the overall sound.
• When using organ and synthesized sounds, a Keyboard player should think of their instrument as a color instrument. It is not a significant source of melody or harmony.
• Color instruments adjust the mood, the feel, or the timbre of the sound produced by the band. 
• Color instruments give the timbre of sound a gritty edge, or a warm backdrop
• Color instruments bring a great deal of depth to a worship band's overall sound, but are rarely the primary source of that sound
  
• A Keyboard player must be able to match the groove
• Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Know what groove to play on certain styles.
• A Keyboard player should possess a good knowledge of their instruments capabilities
• They should know how to navigate the keyboard control panel, how to get different sound patches, and how to manipulate them for a desired sound
• They should know how to correctly set up their gear. This includes the setting up keyboard stand, connecting the foot pedal, and connecting the keyboard to a direct box.
• They should know how to change their volume, and where the power switch is
• A Keyboard player should have a basic preffered set of common sounds, and know how to access them quickly
• Piano sounds - Bright Upright, Classical Concert, E Piano, Rhodes, etc.
• Color sounds - Warm Pads, Hammond Organ, String Pads,  Pipe Organ, etc.
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear a Keyboard player out and when he begins to get tired his time will begin to slow down
• Technique can make a difference in one's time and groove. Bad technique can make something that is relatively easy to play become difficult.
• Taking a lesson now and again can fix these problems and steer one in the right direction.
• Good visual communication is key to a Keyboard Player's success
• If the Keyboard player is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• Play simple
• Don't feel like you have to play every note, every beat of the song. There are many other musical voices in the band to be heard.
• Remember the rhythmic value the keyboard brings to the band. Practice new arppegiated patterns as much as new chord shapes and scales.
• Understand where your instrument fits in playing with the band. If there are acoustic guitars, or a rhythm electric, they might be in the same harmonic range. Jump up an octave, or use chord variations to be in a different harmonic range and therefore open up the overall band sound.
• For Keyboard players who are having trouble playing with a band
• Fight the desire to play the vocakist's melodies and harmonies verbatim. While this is a good rehearsal help, playing the melody live will clutter the sound considerably.
• Make sure you are well equipped and provided with charts you can read - Lead sheets vs. Chord charts vs. number charts
• Try to re-learn how you see the keyboard. See it as chord shapes and chord placement on the keys rather than following melody and notes on a page. This will take time, but the transition is necessary if you want to be able to play with a modern worship band.
• Practice with your metronome or better yet drum machine set at the appropriate tempo and groove of the song.
• Learn how to simplify what you are doing if it becomes hard to keep up with the band
• When playing with the band, remember that the pianist is not the only instrument on the stage.
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front. Learn to be ok with that.
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Acoustic enhances rhythmic feel and strumming
• The function of the acoustic is to play the basic chords and keep good rhythm
• These two qualifications must be met to have groove. Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Often times, the tonality of the acoustic guitar isn't audibly perceived as noticeably as the percussive quality of the instrument. It is part of the rhythm section, so play it as such.
• The Acoustic player must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• The Acoustic player, the ride cymbal, the high hat,  and the snare drum are a unit. When the snare drum plays, accent your strumming pattern. 
• With a right handed drummer, an acoustic player's strumming pattern should line up with the drummers right hand.
• On ballads, arppegiate your chords, meaning play your strings individually. 
• Flat picking, or finger picking through the chord changes on a verse sets a beautiful contrast for a booming chorus.
• A good way to achieve common time feels, and learn better strumming patterns is to practice with a drum machine.
• An Acoustic player must be in tune and groove
• Always, always use a tuner to correct intonation. Strings change during a performance.
• Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Know what groove to play on certain styles.
• An Acoustic player may choose to use some effects.
• Ideally, an acoustic should be plugged in through a direct box, preferably through a stompbox tuner/mute switch.
• A nice EQ can make an average quality guitar sound rich and full.
• Chorus or reverb can sweeten up the sound, but not detract from the intonation.
• An Acoustic player must have and use a capo
• A capo raises an existing open chord up to a different key
• The Acoustic guitar sounds best, and performs best when using open chord structures.
• Power chords and bar chords sound best on an electric guitar, where the effect pedals fill out the sound. Play chords on the acoustic where it can resound more naturally. 
• A capo has gotten a bad name for being a mediocre guitar player's crutch.  Realize that it makes sounds available that were never possible before the capo.
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear an acoustic player out and when he begins to get tired his time will begin to slow down
• Technique can make a difference in one's time and groove. Bad technique can make something that is relatively easy to play become difficult.
• Taking a lesson now and again can fix these problems and steer one in the right direction.
• Good visual communication is key to an Acoustic Player's success
• If the Acoustic player is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• Play simple
• Don't feel like you have to play every note, every beat of the song. There are many other musical voices in the band to be heard.
• Use capo techniques simplify chord structures.
• Remember the rhythmic value the acoustic guitar brings to the band. Practice new strumming patterns as much as new chord shapes.
• Understand where your instrument fits i playing in the bandn the band. If there are keys, or a rhythm electric, they might be in the same harmonic range. Capo up, or use chord variations to be in a different harmonic range and therefore open up the overall band sound.
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front. Learn to be ok with that.
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Rhythm Electric enhances rhythmic feel and strumming
• The function of the Rhythm Electric is to play the basic chords and keep good rhythm
• These two qualifications must be met to have groove. Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• It is very important that you stick with the basic role of rhythm guitar so the band doesn't sound too busy.
• The Rhythm Electric must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• The rhythm electric and the snare drum are a unit. When the snare drum plays, accent your strumming pattern.
• On ballads, arppegiate your chords, meaning play your strings individually.
• A good way to achieve common time feels, and learn better strumming patterns is to practice with a drum machine.
• A Rhythm Electric must be in tune and groove
• Always, always use a tuner to correct intonation. Strings change during a performance.
• Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Know what groove to play on certain styles.
• A Rhythm Electric should definitely be using some effects.
• Chorus or reverb - anything to sweeten up the sound, but not detract from the intonation
• Rhythm Electric must have chorus and distortion. All other effects are optional (delay, phaser, tremelo, and wah etc.) Many times these should be left to the lead guitar. Too many simultaneous effects can muddy the waters.
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear a rhythm electric out and when he begins to get tired the time will begin to slow down
• Technique can make a difference in one's time and groove. Bad technique can make something that is relatively easy to play become difficult.
• Taking a lesson now and again can fix these problems and steer one in the right direction.
• Good visual communication is key to a Rhythm Electric player's success
• If the Rhythm Electric is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• Play simple
• Full open string chords do not work well with distortion
• Power chords work best for rhythm electric in most scenarios. Take the time to learn variations and octave jumps for power chords.
• Understand where your instrument fits in the band. If there are keys, or an acoustic, they might be in the same harmonic range. Capo up, or use chord variations to be in a different harmonic range and therefore open up the overall band sound.
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front. Learn to be ok with that.
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Bass is the musical foundation of every chord played
• The function of the bass is to lay the foundation for everything that is happening in the band
• It is extremely important that the bass player be aware of what is going on. This includes song forms, stops and starts and groove.
• The Bassist must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• The bass and the kick drum are a unit
• To make a band feel good the drums and bass must lock in with each other's time. 
• A good way to achieve this is to have common time feels. An excellent way to get that is to practice with a drum machine.
• A Bassist must be in tune and groove
• Always, always use a tuner to correct intonation. Strings change during a performance.
• Groove means that the rhythm of the music makes the audience want to tap their foot or clap their hands
• Know what groove to play on certain styles.
• A Bassist must have good tone
• Use compression when slapping
• Equalize your tone with more mids and highs than you think you might need so it will cut through the band and a center of pitch can be established
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear a bassist out and when he begins to get tired the time will begin to slow down
• Technique can make a difference in one's time and groove. Bad technique can make something that is reletively easy to play become difficult.
• Taking a lesson now and again can fix these problems and steer one in the right direction.
• Good visual communication is key to a bass player's success
• If the bassist is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Be where you and the drummer can visually communicate. This is very important on beginnings and endings of songs, as well as periodically throughout the song in establishing feel and in working together as a team. 
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• Play simple
• Complex rhythms are almost always a combination of many elements, not just one
• Complex rhythms require a team to make them work
• There is nothing better than a big fat root on any chord. Its how you play the root that determines the groove.
• Know the notes on your neck. Read the chord changes and just play the bottom note of the chord.
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front. Learn to be ok with that.
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

Adapted from a clinic taught by Jerry Tyson.  jerrytyson@earthlink.net

• The Drummer / Aux Percussion is the bus by which the entire band must travel
• In a worship band setting, the drummer is in charge of time
• The Aux Percussionist enhances and intensifies the rhythmic motion in a song
• Djembes, cajones, congas, timbales, shakers, tambourines, and triangles are all instruments which can bring a great deal of depth to a song
• The Drummer and Percussionist must have good time and good feel
• A metronome or drum machine is a necessary tool to use to help internalize one's time feel
• Most all of the larger more popular bands are using a click track or drum machine to keep everyone on the same page and even to enhance the music by adding drum loops
• Good technique is essential for good time and endurance
• Bad technique can wear a drummer out quicker than anything and if the drummer begins to get tired the time will begin to slow down
• Good visual communication is key to a drummer's success
• If the drummer is not aware of his surroundings, he may miss a cut off or a great musical moment. This can be disastrous.
• Don't bury your head or stare off into space, watch the Worship Leader for instruction and cues 
• Avoid Playing too much
• Complex rhythms are almost always a combination of many elements, not just one
• Complex rhythms require a team to make them work
• Be sensitive to the needs of your band
• Be open to providing a little hi hat click for your vocalists or instrumentalists when needed
• Know the tempos of all of the songs and be ready to count them off
• Know all the transitions in your worship set, you are the bus
• The Worship Leader has the final say
• In some cases, the instrumentalists may have more musical experience than the person up front.  
• Musical perfection is secondary to giving God the Glory he deserves. Much of this comes from attitude and servitude.
• While input is healthy, and constructive criticism is part of the band dynamic, keep egos in check and realize the weighty responsibility a Worship Leader carries in ushering a congregation into the throne-room of Grace.
• Don't overplay - LESS IS MORE

I will start by saying there is never a concrete rule when it comes to being a worship leader. The minute you decide you have a formula that makes it all work perfectly, God tends to come in and shake things up a bit. Don't look at this post as a concrete rule.

1. Repetition builds confidence.
Most congregations like hearing new songs. But, they will only stand and listen to the great new song, unless they have been given an opportunity to learn it over a few weeks/months. Only then will they be confident enough to clap, sing , and shout.

2. Repetition builds trust.
Playing a song in the same structure (something like V1 C V2 C B C C) each time you lead it helps a congregation greatly. No one wants to be the guy who shouts out the bridge at the top of his lungs, while the band has gone back to Verse 1 unexpectedly and reverently. The congregation learns to trust that a worship leader won't set them up for embarrassment.

3. Repetition makes a band play better.
Think of how many times U2 or Dave Matthews has to play the same tunes over and over again. This makes the band passionate, accurate, and tight. Why wouldn't you want your worship band to feel the same way? Don't throw so much new music at them that they can't play with excellence.

4. Repetition makes you lead better
New songs are intimidating for everyone. Doing a song you have led within the last 2 months is good for every worship leader. It makes you sing and play with passion and excitement rather than fear and trembling, because you have a good idea how the congregation will react to different parts of the song.

5. Repetition is necessary for recognition
A congregation will never be able to grasp the theology behind a song before they know the song. Typically a worship leader will have listened to a song 20-25 times before they lead it. This means they have a good grasp on how the song ties into the Pastor's message that day, or why it thematically should follow the previous song. However a congregation will not be able to follow your reasoning as a worship leader for how you prepared a set list, until they know and recognize a song and its lyrics.

Obviously new songs in worship are a must. However, don't get caught putting out so much new stuff that your congregation can't keep up. They are your focus. They are who you are leading into worship. Don't leave them behind. Don't be the leader who forges on ahead only to turn around and realize there isn't anyone behind you anymore...

As a worship leader, one of the hardest things for me to do is to pick only 2-3 songs. Typically I plan to have 6 songs a week during the service, so honing it in to 1/2 that is hard for me. There are thousands of great hymns and praise songs, like there are thousands of great verses in scripture. How can 2-3 songs encompass everything you want to say? Well, they can't. No more than 2-3 verses can encompass the entire Bible.

So, I have to think about worship planning like a pastor preaching a 5 minute sermon. A 5 minute sermon does not allow for a long sermon outline covering an entire book. A 5 minute sermon must be direct and to the point, with life application that can be easily remembered at lunch an hour later. So the question I have to keep in mind, is: what is the one thing I want people to take away from their time of worship.

As many of you know from reading our story over at thewilsonheart.com , our beautiful son Josiah passed away at 8 months old of a rare congenital heart defect. In planning his memorial service, I felt very strongly that I needed to lead the music for the service. Why? We really wanted a time of worship and celebration that would have a lasting impact, rather than just a few good songs to move the memorial service along. I felt this would be difficult for anyone to do without having personally known Josiah. So, I needed to pick 2-3 songs.

After a ton of wrestling back and forth, the 3 songs I landed on were.

It Is Well - Horatio Spafford
Never Let Go - Matt Redman
Everything Glorious - Crowder

Can you see the 1 sermon application point I wanted to leave people with?

It Is Well
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Never Let Go
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

Everything Glorious
The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
You make everything glorious

So, here is the one point I wanted to share in honor of Josiah, if I can put it together for you.

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well,
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
You make everything glorious

In all that we have been through, God has taught us to hold on to him, and He will be glorified.

Worship Leaders: Take the time to reduce your worship set to 1 statement. Pastors who are making a lasting impact do it all the time. Worship leader, what if YOU did it all the time? What if your 1 statement is the same as the 1 statement your pastor is making?

I have just finished picking our music for our Christmas Eve service. In our setting, this year will be very simple and acoustic, but sometimes simple requires a ton of work. In my planning, I use Halloween every year as a drop dead date for Christmas planning. Our service occurs on Dec 24. Many of you have earlier performances in Dec. If that is the case, Halloween may be too late. The point is, be ready early. This way, your people make their Holiday plans around you, rather than the opposite scenario. Here are a few things to think about when planning Christmas services.

1. Have music selections settled on by Halloween

2. Set rehearsal dates for Nov and Dec set by Halloween

3. Know your musician's Christmas travel plans by Halloween

4. Know your Pastor's Christmas sermon title/outline by Halloween.

5. Know your stage layout, costumes needed if necessary, and location set if necessary - by Halloween.

6. Have listening CD's handed out, there are many versions of Christmas music. You want your people to know your version, and beginning to listen to it by Halloween.

7. Make sure that your personal family Christmas plans are set before Halloween, so that you can plan the church's event around your own - not leave your family to grab the leftovers.

8. Consider what you might perform for the following Christmas while you are looking at the material. Church budget's need to be completed this time of year (around Halloween), so budgeting for the next fiscal year is helpful.

9. Don't expect to re-create what took professionals months in a studio to get what you hear on a CD in your spare time between Halloween and Christmas.

10. Enjoy every Christmas song you hear between Halloween and Christmas. There will be a ton!

Why are worship wars still waging? I have spent much of the last 3 weeks away from home and my normal routine. However, there was a minister in the waiting room yesterday that I had the opportunity to talk with some about worship styles.

He attends a church that is struggling through the process of hosting a contemporary worship service at 9:30 and a traditional service at 11:00. The minister of music resigned recently, which now hhas the church looking for a new minister of music who can fill both the choir directing role, and the worship leading role.

Finding an individual who is capable to do both roles is proving to be very difficult. Why? Very few universities offer both formal musical training, worship training.

The result? Formally educated music ministers who have no idea how to run a band rehearsal. Great worship leaders who can't sing very well, let alone direct a choir to sing in harmony.

As long as our universities neglect training the worship arena the war will rage on...

I am struggling through the process of writing music again. I say again, because I have not made a serious effort at putting anything out since before I went to college.

I guess for some people that college experience is a time where all the creative juices come out. Some of you were able to sit around the dorms, and put some cool music together with guys from the house. This was not the case for me.

I was a commuter, with a family, and a very busy church position. Any writing I have done was with Jeremy and JP while we were in the Marine Corps.

All that said, I have an itch to be writing but I don't know where to start. I believe my strengths are in arranging more than original works, but look for more posts on the subject while I fight through the process over the next few months.

I was invited a few weeks back by Mark Powers with the South Carolina Baptist Convention to come to a round table discussion with contemporary worship leaders from around the state. They were looking particularly for involvement from worship leaders who are in churches that don't have a traditional or blended worship service. I didn't really finalize our decision to go until early in the afternoon yesterday - then, we got tied up with a few things here at the office, so we left for Columbia 30 minutes later than we should have. Fortunately, we arrived 35 minutes late, and walked in the doors with a nice young couple we found out to be Keith and Kristyn Getty. If youaren't familiar with them, they write some really cool modern hymns, like "How Deep the Father's Love," "In Christ Alone," and "Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer."

Here are a few points I took away from a really cool and intimate (there were 8 of us) evening.

1. Our contemporary worship songs are only dealing with 20% of the character of God.
2. The purpose of singing is to express the community we have as the body of Christ.
3. A song that tells a story will be remembered the longest.
4. A worship leader should stay as close to the basic melody as possible. A congreagation appreciates this simplicity, and will sing out more.
5. A worship leader should do their best to keep eye contact with the congregation, rather than losing themselves in worship and thus excluding the people from the experience.
6. Theology taught through music will be remembered long after a pastor's sermon on the same subject is forgotton.
7. Stravinski, Gershwin, and the Beatles all looked for a folk music melody in its simplest form. Simplicity in music makes it accessible and memorable.
8. A seeker sensitive church can be guilty of having people uninvolved, bored, and shuffling their feet... as much or more than an old, lifeless, ultra traditional church - if they do not plan music that a congregation to sing easily.
9. In any style of worship, it is the relationship between the pastor and the worship leader that will decide whether or not the people are involved in the worship experience. People pay very close attention to how those two interact with one another.
10. Worship music should help reinforce teach the faith taught from the pulpit.

What an incredible opportunity! Thank you Mark for the invite!

I love to learn new music. I love to play it, listen to it, and absorb it. However, I have learned this summer through having a busy schedule of mission trips, sports camps, and youth retreats that playing music everyone knows has a very healthy impact. If you take a moment to look over the set lists used over the last three months, you will see a number of repeated songs. Our people have begun to sing out, and loud!

When I lead at a camp, I like to do nearly all new stuff. It makes the experience unique and new. This summer, at the 2 sports camps I decided to only use 5 total songs for an entire week to try out my new theory. To me it felt like I was overusing the music, but I noticed without a doubt that they needed the repetition. They wanted to do songs over and over again.

At Ridgeview I have typically introduced a new song for 3 weeks before I have considered it "learned" by the congregation. These may not be consecutive weeks, but they are 3 weeks within a 4-6 week period. I am going to be more intentional about playing a new song 5 or even 6 weeks out of a 7-9 week period. The people appreciate the extra face-time, and can worship better because of it.

Anyone want to challenge my "research?"

One of my greatest challenges is putting together worship services each Sunday. The actual selection of songs I mean. There is the putting together of a song itself, in how the drums will enter, how the guitar solo will finish, or if the horns will be used this week or not. These are all secondary to the first question. What songs should we play?

The following questions need to be answered.

Does the worship set flow musically (key signatures - G to Em)
Does the set flow emotionally (tempo - 2 songs back to back at 120bpm)
Does the set flow visually (too many moving parts can be a huge distraction)
Does the set fit in with the message? (what is the one thing everyone should leave with at the end of the service? - prayer works, God heals, friends love)
Does the set flow theologically (do all the songs talk about the same character trait of God - should they?) What do the words say?

Worship leaders - The only thing that separates our music from everyone else is the lyrics. Songs can have funky beats, kicking guitar riffs, or heavy organ chords - but all of that can be found elsewhere in the music world. If you are choosing song sets based on Fast, Fast, Slow or Major, Major, Minor - You are not doing your job.

Don't be a lazy leader. Do your homework. Agonize over a 2 song set. Can these two songs flow in many of the above ways? Think of the people in the seats. They need time to learn new songs. They need songs in keys easy to sing. They want to worship too. Fight the urge of doing what you have always done. Fight the urge to do something new every week. Struggle.