Some election lawyers suggested that Musk is inching closer to the legal line.

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The technology to put a name to a face is now free or cheap to use, so it is mostly a matter of ethics and propriety about whether to exercise the ability or not.

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Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin.

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Some students of color at Stoughton High School were among those who received such messages, according to a statement from Stoughton Public Schools.

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"We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience."

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Families can take part in scavenger hunts, nightly s’mores, and more.

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Residents say rallying around local issues helps them find common ground.

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Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty earlier this year to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.

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Stefanik, 40, who serves as House Republican Conference Chair, has long been one of Trump's most loyal allies in the House, and was among those discussed as a potential vice presidential choice.

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Homan was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border and Trump’s pledge to launch the largest deportation operation in the country's history.

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“Either you stand with the powerful oligarchy of our country, or you stand with the working class. You can’t represent both.”

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Rubio was elected to the Senate in 2010 and has staked out a position as a foreign policy hawk, taking hard lines on China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba in particular.

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New York Judge Juan M. Merchan had been set to rule Tuesday on an earlier request to throw out Trump's conviction because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer on presidential immunity.

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“My body has changed a little bit, but I weigh the same.”

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Meet Flavio Sala! Flavio is a remarkably well-rounded Italian guitarist from Bojano, currently living in the United States. Throughout his career Flavio has been captivating all kinds ... Read more

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The Atletico Paranaense International U-17 tournament starts today

The tournament features
Atletico Paranaense U-17
India U-17
Uruguay U-17
Orlando City FC U-17

Feel like something like this is worth its own thread. Seems like a nice initiative, just not so sure about how well it will go with the record the AIFF have.

There is now a facebook page and website though (which looks nice) so right now it is better than the AIFF Academies (lol)

https://www.facebook.com/MXIMIndia/

http://www.mxim.in/

The AFC U-19 Championship 2018 Qualifiers draw starts at 4pm, local time.

A total of 43 Member Associations (MAs) from across Asia will participate in the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers, with ten (10) group winners and five (5) best second placed teams advancing to the finals along with the hosts. The AFC U-19 Championship qualifying stage is scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 8.

The 43 MAs will be separated into two zones, WEST (West, South and Central) with 22 teams and EAST (East and ASEAN) with 21 teams. Seeding for the draw is based on the rankings of last year’s AFC U-19 Championship in Bahrain. Teams that did not participate in the competition’s 2016 edition have been included but as the lowest-ranked sides. The host MA for the qualifiers will be drawn into separate groups.

The teams will then be drawn into three (3) groups of five (5) teams and seven (7) groups of four (4) teams.

WEST Zone:
Pot 1: Saudi Arabia (Host for Qualifiers), Islamic Republic of Iran (Host for Qualifiers), Iraq, Bahrain, Uzbekistan

Pot 2: Tajikistan (Host for Qualifiers), UAE, Qatar (Host for Qualifiers), Yemen, Palestine

Pot 3: Oman, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkmenistan

Pot 4: Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Syria, India

Pot 5: Kyrgyz Republic (Host for Qualifiers), Maldives

EAST Zone:
Pot 1: Japan, Vietnam, Korea Republic (Host for Qualifiers), Australia, China PR

Pot 2: Thailand, DPR Korea, Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia

Pot 3: Timor-Leste, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Philippines

Pot 4: Macau, Brunei Darussalam, Northern Mariana Islands

Pot 5: Cambodia (Host for Qualifiers), Indonesia, Mongolia (Host for Qualifiers)
*The remaining two (2) balls that are not drawn will be moved to Pot 4

The 2018 AFC U-23 Championship will be the third edition of the AFC U-23 Championship, the biennial international age-restricted football championship organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the men's under-23 national teams of Asia. A total of 16 teams will compete in the tournament. It is scheduled to take place 9–27 January 2018. China has been recommended as the hosts by the AFC Competitions Committee.

Of the 47 AFC member associations, a total of 42 teams entered the competition. They are divided into two zones

• West: 22 teams, to be drawn into five groups: two groups of five teams and three groups of four teams.
• East: 20 teams, to be drawn into four groups: five groups of four teams.

The final tournament hosts China will participate in qualification despite having automatically qualified for the final tournament.

The draw will be held on 17 March 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The teams are seeded according to their performance in the previous season in 2016.

Qualifiers to be played from July 15-23 July, 2017.

West Asia :

Pot 1 - Iraq, Qatar, UAE, Iran & Jordan.
Pot 2 - Uzbekistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait & Oman.'
Pot 3 - Tajikistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Bahrain & India.
Pot 4 - Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka.
Pot 5 - Nepal & Turkmenistan

East Asia :

Pot 1 - Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia & Thailand.
Pot 2 - China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar & Laos.
Pot 3 - Malaysia, Cambodia, Timor-Leste , Chinese Taipei & Singapore.
Pot 4 - Mongolia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Brunei & Macau.
Pot 5 - Guam 

Player Eligibility :
Players born on or after 1 January 1995 are eligible to compete in the tournament.

The AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers draw starts at 3pm, local time.

Some 45 Member Associations will take part in the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 qualifiers, and they have been divided into two (2) zones of WEST (West, South and Central) with 23 teams and EAST (East and ASEAN) with 22 teams. Both zones will have a total of five (5) groups.

Teams in each zone have been placed in five (5) seeding pots based on the rankings of the AFC U-16 Championship India 2016. Teams that did not participate in the 2016 edition have been added but as the lowest-ranked sides. The host nations for the qualifiers will be drawn into separate groups.

The teams will then be drawn into five (5) groups of five (5) teams and five (5) groups of four (4) teams.

Ten group winners and five (5) best second-placed teams will advance to the final stage of the tournament, along with the host MA. The AFC U-16 qualifiers are scheduled to take place from September 16 to 24.

WEST Zone:
Pot 1: Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran (Host for Qualifiers), Oman, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan

Pot 2: Kyrgyz Republic, Saudi Arabia (Host for Qualifiers), Yemen, India, Tajikistan (Host for Qualifiers)

Pot 3: Syria, Jordan, Afghanistan, Qatar (Host for Qualifiers), Palestine

Pot 4: Bangladesh, Bahrain, Lebanon, Nepal (Host for Qualifiers), Turkmenistan

Pot 5: Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka

EAST Zone:
Pot 1: DPR Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Korea Republic, Thailand (Host for Qualifiers)

Pot 2: Malaysia, Australia, China PR, Hong Kong, Laos

Pot 3: Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Mongolia (Host for Qualifiers)

Pot 4: Cambodia, Philippines, Macau, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands

Pot 5: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia

Top spot in the respective groups will earn direct qualification, while the four best second-placed teams will also advance to the 2020 Finals.

Should the yet to be determined host for the Finals finish either top of their group or among the best four second-placed teams, the next (5th) second-placed team in the ranking among all groups will qualify instead.

The Qualifiers will be played on November 2-10, 2019.

When was the last time we had good performance in the AFC U-19 qualifiers? Brandon, Naryan das batch i think 

The draw for the AFC U-16 Championship 2020 Qualifiers concluded at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur yesterday with the 47 teams discovering their opponents.

India have got tricky and difficult group comparing to other SAFF nations. Blue colts have qualified for last 2 editions, this time it looks difficult not just because of the draw but also because of our preparation. 

The Asian hopefuls will vie for top spot in their respective groups that promises direct qualification, while four best second-placed teams will advance to the 2020 Finals.

As the host for the Finals has yet to be determined, should the yet to be determined host finishes among the qualified as either top of their group or one of the four best second-placed teams, the next (5th) second-placed team in the ranking among all groups will qualify instead.

I recently took on a new position leading worship in a small church on the outskirts of Nashville. They are good people and there are a lot of great things happening in those church walls. However, they are feeling the same stress that many of our churches feel today, and that is staying relevant with our ever changing culture in music worship and not leaving our senior population in the background feeling marginalized.  Let’s be honest, if it were not for their lives, traditions and heritage we would not be in those walls today. So what is the answer for young worship leaders today trying to navigate this tug of war? One word. Love. You have to love your senior people.

I worked for 13 years in a health and wellness center spending much of my days working alongside senior adult participants. One of the most important things I learned in that job was that when an older adult begins to lose their independence, they often begin to lose hope. And when people lose hope, they often grasp onto anything that is known and trusted in their lives. Change is difficult and people naturally want what is familiar. But I also found as I validated their giftedness and encouraged them to reach out to the people around them, they were willing to rise to the challenge and hope would begin to return in their lives. 

My fellow worship leader friends, can I encourage you to validate your people? Honor your seniors with a genuine love and respect. You will be amazed at the things that you will learn from them!

My current worship leading position is part time and I don’t have the luxury of spending hours in the office for drop in appointments and lunch dates. So, this week I hosted a luncheon for around 50 seniors who attend our church so that I could get to know them a little bit and let them hear from my heart. I sent them an invitation stating that I wanted to meet with them and explain to them why they are the most important key to growth in our local church.  Let me say right off, we never once discussed music worship in the church. Maybe someday...but not this day.

Instead, I validated them with a message that I have shared before. Here’s the message.

“You are valuable.”

Isaiah 46:4 - "Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.’

“This was a promise to the people of Israel.  But our God is the same God that spoke those words to His people. We are also His people. I believe today that God MADE you, he will SUSTAIN you EVEN TO YOUR OLD AGE.  Why would God do this? Why would He make this promise to us if our lives are no longer valuable here on earth? You may be retired from a job...but God has not retired you!”

I shared with them Hebrews 12:7 - “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” I went on to tell them this.    

“Your history and heritage in Jesus is unlike anyone else’s. No one else can effect the world around you like you can. The lessons you have been taught and the hardships you have faced have made you who you are. And hopefully, we have all learned to allow those life lessons draw us closer to Christ and to become more like Him.”

We then dove into this scripture:

Eph. 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I reminded them that “God still has work for you to do... work that He has prepared in advance for you! That’s exciting! He has specific assignments just for you!!!!”

I went on to explain “God Assignments” as a way of life to listen to the Spirit throughout your day and be willing to act on His assignments when He speaks. Perhaps it will be paying for someone’s gas or spending time with a teen in the church. I challenged them to be faithful to ask the Lord daily and be willing to share with each other what God is doing in their midst. I asked them to speak out their faith because a younger generation is starving and thirsty to know that God is real. Young people can see fake a mile away and they are not interested in just “doing church.” I reminded them that no one else in these walls can testify to the reality of God in their lives the way they could.

I left them with this challenge:

“Young people hunger to know God...but they can detect fake and they don’t like it. How can YOU help them to see the reality of God? You can offer them love and acceptance.  You can invest in them. You can offer God Talk. God talk is sharing what God is doing in your life TODAY... answered prayer, sharing hope, sharing the Joy of the Lord.

Let’s face it...when you and I are gone... when Jesus takes us home... the future of this church remains in the hands of those coming after us. And if we don’t foster right relationship, testimony and genuine love of God with the younger generation, this church will not grow...it will die.  It’s a heavy assignment. But I believe it is the assignment God is calling us to step into.”

We closed with this scripture and very few dry eyes in the room. The Spirit of God was near and there was a new sense of awareness that we are called with a purpose...even to our old age.

John 13:34-35

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When the Spirit leads and we have another luncheon (as they have already requested that we do this again!) we will begin to discuss the importance of letting change happen in our music so that the same message of God is delivered in a relevant way that younger generations can understand. But not this day...this day was all about love. 

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Submitted by: Shelly Head
Worship Pastor at Gallatin Church of the Nazarene

I am a Father of four beautiful children. I remember the moment that each child took its first breath. I was right there waiting with expectation for this important moment of life. My last two children are twin girls. It was amazing to experience the incredible miracle of their first breaths one right after the other. It was almost overwhelming.

I often wonder what it was like for God after making creation. He made the sun, the moon, the stars, the oceans, and the trees. All of this creation was on the simple power of His Word, but when He created man something was different. The rest of creation was created by the power of His words but man received His breath. The Bible says that “He breathed into . . .”

 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" Genesis 2:6-7 (NKJV) 

It is from the very breath of God that we actually get our life.  Understanding the linkage of how we were created opens my heart to receive the great love of God.

I can imagine the pure delight God must have felt as the breath of His life began to flow through man. To see His image, His delight, His passion in front of Him with His breath inside of mankind was to see His beloved creation move beyond a vision into reality.

In the New Testament, the disciples are in a place of wonder trying to figure out how they are going to continue the mission when Jesus leaves them. The answer comes when God sends the Holy Spirit to breathe upon them. In the Gospel of John Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit to the disciples in the same manner that God gave life to humankind. Scripture tells us that Jesus breathed on them to receive the Holy Spirit.

"'Peace to you! As the Father sent me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'"  20:21-22 (NKJV) 

His very breath was breathed upon them and later in Acts was poured out through the Spirit of God. As believers we live as part of a greater Kingdom. There are realities that exist for us that seem contrary to the things we see. His breath is that which brings life.  

Now my children are a little older and aren’t at the first breath stage. Something else has changed. They have figured out the pantry and the refrigerator that belongs to me also belongs to them. For some crazy reason my kids think that because they are my children and they are living in my house that my food is theirs. They do not think twice to drink the milk or have some bread. They do not question whether they are entitled to it or not. They do not come to me and say, “Dad I wasn’t so good this morning so I don’t think I should be able to eat of your food today.” They could have been horrible earlier but they still come to me in freedom and boldness. Why? Because they know who they are and what is theirs. They know their first breath marked them as my children. The truth is I love giving to them. I love providing for them.

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Luke 11:9 (NKJV?)

Jesus' instructions to “ask, seek, and knock” contain a combination which is intended to unlock the shackles of hopelessness. 

When you know who you are and what Kingdom you are a part of, you have no problem asking. It is not hard to worship when you know that the very breath you are worshiping from is His. It is not hard to seek and knock when you know that your Father delights to give you good things.

I once heard Pastor Jack Hayford say regarding the Holy Spirit, “Without me, you cannot. But without you, I will not.”  He chooses to use us. We will accomplish the impossible things and even menial things set before us because the breath of God is our source.

The starting place is to ask and then in doing that, to draw on the energy and power of the Holy Spirit to go beyond anything we can pray on our own.  We need the breath of God to live in the fullest and to walk in the supernatural element. The breath of the Almighty God is what empowers us to move from the natural to the supernatural.

It is the very breath of God that distinguishes us from the rest of creation. Ask, seek and you will find the promise of God. May the reality of the breath of God in you move you to purpose and lift you higher.

---

 

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Transformation.  

As leaders, its a prayer we pray, a decree we sing over our congregation. We cry out for a shift in holiness. We desire a change of heart, for our church to be refined by the experience of worship. It’s easy to lift up your voice to the heavens, declaring God’s goodness and mercy, but lives are changed through the act of sincere transformation.  

Stories are powerful, and when someone comes forward with a testimony, something stirs within us. We relate, we believe, we hope. And that is the power behind transformational leadership.  

I was recently listening to a John Maxwell sermon, and he spoke about this very topic. I can’t take credit for the 4 points I’m about to share with you, but when I heard them I knew it was something worth sharing.  

We can read all the books we want on the types and styles of leadership, and honestly, it will always come down to your personality and how God has called you to lead. There’s no right or wrong way. But there is a truth that remains universal, and that is that leadership calls us to live life at a higher level. Leadership that sparks change and inspires movement requires a lifestyle that leaves no room for safety or compromise.  

All transformation happens through a transformational leader. Look at Scripture, for an example. Paul experienced one of the most radical life changes we see, and without his leadership, we would be missing 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament  

The book of Acts, at its core, is about how men stood unified and influenced an entire religious movement. King Xerxes was transformed by Esther’s faith and courage. Moses led an entire nation to freedom because he made the choice to live a life of trust and risk. These biblical heroes are set apart by their intentionality.  

They chose things normal people were not choosing, they honored God in ways others were not. This is what transformational leadership is about.  

So let’s dig into what it looks like for us to be a transformational leader amongst our church and teams.  

Transformational leaders see things other people do not see.  

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? Many leaders passed by the man beaten and stripped that day. But it was the Samaritan, the unlikely hero, that saw what others refused to see. He transformed that man’s life through the power of touch and empathy.  

Are your eyes open to ministry moments? When you begin your rehearsals, are you so wrapped up in the sound check that you miss an opportunity to bless the new vocalist with introductions? Do you purposefully interact with those who serve unseen? Do you pick up the trash that everyone seems to dismiss? Honor is shown through the noticing. Begin praying for God to open your heart and prompt you as you serve each week.  

Transformational leaders say things other people do not say.  

Again, I am reminded of the story of Esther. She was told from day one not to reveal her Jewish roots. But when it came down to conviction, she had the courage to speak truth, and she was rewarded greatly for it. Transformational leadership takes conviction and bravery. People do not follow titles, they follow courage.  

What has God planted in your heart that needs to be spoken? What song needs to be sung? What person needs to be counseled? What words need to be said to yourself? Do not fear this part of leadership. Life and death are within the tongue, so use every opportunity to speak bold life over those God’s entrusted to you.  

Transformational leaders believe things other people do not believe.  

When Lazarus passed, the mourners came in droves, and Jesus was soon informed of his friend’s death. As He approached, Martha met Him there. She ran to Him and exclaimed, “If you had been here my brother would not have died!” The passage goes on as Jesus asks her if she believes He is who He says He is. She chooses to believe and even calls out her sister Mary to voice the same. This belief led to Jesus calling for Lazarus to rise from the grave, a miracle that confirmed that family's faith and legacy.  

Sometimes in ministry, we are called to believe beyond what even our pastoral leadership can see. Attendance, salvations, offerings, healings. Transformation happens when a congregation sees its leadership believing the unbelievable. It instills hope and trust in a God that is bigger than what we see. What do you, as a leader, need to be believing over your team, over your church, over your family in this season?  

Transformational leaders do things other people will not do.  

The story of Daniel has always been a powerful one in my life. When King Darius decrees that no man should pray to anyone but himself, Daniel continues to pray 3 times a day to God. When discovered, he’s thrown in the lions' den, and I think we all know how that turned out. God honored Daniel’s obedience and willingness to do what others would not do. It took courage, it took conviction, but Daniel’s belief in God was stronger than the consequences. His heart was settled.  

There will be times where you will be asked to do what others might not do. There may be convictions or levels of lifestyle you must obey because you’ve chosen this path of transformational leadership. Your life might look more conservative, it might look more dangerous, it might look more financially minimalistic. Whatever God is calling you to do or to not do, have the courage to say yes. Have the gall to live boldly in your conviction. This will always have a ripple effect among teams.  

Transformational leadership is not easy. It is isolating at times and misunderstood. But trying to lead without a heart of transformation can only get you so far. Without the courage to see differently, speak boldly, believe audaciously, and do rightly, you set your team up for failure. So as we move into the summer months, take this time of rest and reflection. Use it to examine your heart and see what God needs from you in each of these areas. What do you need to say? What do you need to believe this year? What do you need to do that will spark change? What will you see that will lead others' eyes to open? Ask God to transform your heart during this season, and watch as it transforms your leadership. 

We are stoked to bring you this edition of the podcast! These gems will be released throughout the year in addition to our normally scheduled releases. We appreciate the voice that all of our worship pastors, leaders and artists bring to the table. We hope that you enjoy this as much as we do!

On this episode, Michael King gets a chance to talk to Matt Maher. Matt is currently promoting his new release, Echoes, and is on tour with Chris Tomlin. Matt shares his heart on the meaning behind “Echoes” and some great perspective that we have, as worship leaders, to lead with authority and with great burden. Check out more on Matt Maher by doing the following:

• Visit his website to learn more about him as an artist, his music & traveling dates
• Check Out "Echoes" on iTunes
• Follow Matt as an Artist on Spotify
• Subscribe on YouTube for even more content & music

A special thank you to Matt Maher for joining us. Next week we will pick back up on Part 2 of the Dustin Smith/Michael King discussion on the future of AAW. You won’t want to miss it ...

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

---

 

 

 

“What is the Sound the of Heaven? Its the people of God. Us. It is our calling, in whatever arena, to be His light, His hands and feet to a lost world. These songs are a declaration of the desire to walk in the identity of Christ and be the audible and visible Sound of Heaven.” 

-- Brad + Rebekah

This is the mission statement from the newest album released by our friends, Brad & Rebekah Bichsel!!  We had the chance to sit down and talk with this awesome couple, who both lead worship together, and have such a great heart for the Church.  Take a moment and listen in!  Brad & Rebekah share some personal things that they are walking through, and how this album is really a declaration of faith. And speaking of that album, check it out:

Also, take some time and head over to their website at Brad + Rebekah Music.  Make sure to check out the "About" section and read up on their story.  There's even some images and stories behind a few of the songs on this album - many times we write songs out of real experiences.  This album, and their stories, are no exception, and you'll be impacted by it.  If you're looking to get the album ( YOU SHOULD! ), there's a few ways to do that:

• Buy it on iTunes
• Listen on Apple Music
• Listen on Spotify
• Download on Amazon Music
• Download on Google Play

There's plenty of options there for you, there's no excuse!  Last but not least, Brad + Rebekah have even released multi tracks, chord charts & videos along with everything.  You can find that under the "Music" section of their website here.  We pray that these songs would minister powerfully both to you & to your church! 

---

 

We are excited for you to meet our guests on the AAW podcast, Clinton Allen & Ryan Williams from River Valley Worship! They both lead worship at their church in Minneapolis, MN.  

In today’s interview, we’re talking with Ryan & Clinton specifically about their story as worship leaders and as songwriters. They talk to us about their current roles in their local church as worship leaders and leading teams. They also have some great insights about how they approach writing new songs for their church - considering the people that will be singing those songs and even their senior pastor - It starts with relationship!  They share experiences from leading REAL people in REAL ministry week to week, so we really believe this will speak to many of you listening that are also leading worship week in & week out.  You have authority as a pastoral musician. 

Last but certainly not least - you can find out more about River Valley Worship's brand new album!  Head on over to rivervalleyworship.org and find ways to listen below:

• Buy it on iTunes
• Listen on Apple Music
• Listen on Spotify
• Download on Amazon Music
• Download on Google Play
• Watch on YouTube

There's plenty of options there for you, there's no excuse!  Be blessed, and be sure to check out their new album —- “MILLION LIFETIMES”! 

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The belonging Co worship leader Andrew Holt sits with us this week to talk about dealing with transition and celebration.

Andrew talks about his story and his transition into leading worship. Also, can we take celebration too far in church?  Some people may think we go too far ... how about you?  Listen in!

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From the moment you read the title of this blog you probably started to formulate what you thought it meant. This is something that we all do on a regular basis without much effort… it just happens naturally. We see a title or just a snip-it of something and automatically start drawing conclusions as to what the context is. This is a habit that I am personally trying to break in my life and I hope that we (the church at large) can get better at this as well. But with that said… it is pretty natural to do so. 

This blog is not so much about the theological contradictions that we sing or write. It’s not about the actions we sing about and don’t do. (Like singing, “I lift my hands” while I play guitar and can’t. Or something like, “I bow down” while I am literally standing. Or even making grandiose declarations of what we are going to do for God but have no intention of really doing them.) I can think of a bunch of these but nevertheless… I digress. 

A few years ago I was prepping to speak at a worship school. It was in the early morning and I was asking the Holy Spirit what direction we should go. I had my Evernote App full of great ideas to speak on but then I heard the Spirit say something I wasn’t expecting… 1 Corinthians 13. To be honest, I kind of rolled my eyes. I was like, “The love stuff? Why? This in not a wedding or even Valentine’s Day. Why this passage for the worship school?” I open up my bible and read this: 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV

I immediately felt the Spirit overwhelm me with a thousand different thoughts, verses, experiences, and revelation. Through the tears the Holy Spirit connected the dots for me. Jesus boiled down most of his theology and teaching on the law to this: 

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  - Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

These few verses bring together the simplicity of living out a pure Christian life. I want to highlight them briefly for the sake of context. “Loving your neighbor AS yourself” begins with YOURSELF. This portion of the verse shows that you can only love someone else to the extent that you have learned to love yourself. If your love for yourself is conditional then your love for others will be conditional. If you cannot love the image of God in you… you will have a really hard time loving or even appreciating the image of God in someone else. This is reflected in 1 John 4:20 NIV 

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

 About 8 years ago I had an encounter with Lord that shook me. I was in the middle of a meeting somewhere that I won’t mention. I ended up leading worship in a service where the speaker was a very public figure that had a very public failure. As I stood in judgment over this man I heard these very clear words from the Father: “Who are you to judge the extent of My redemption? If you can’t love him… then there is a lot about Me you don’t love. No matter what he looks like to you now… he was created in my image. If you can’t love him, a man created in my image, then there is a piece of Me you are choosing not to love. It also shows that you’re ashamed of what you see in yourself somewhere deep down and haven’t learned to love yourself fully because you feel he deserves punishment. Deep down you feel you deserve punishment. Your view on this man is a reflection of your view of Me and yourself.” As I heard this I wept and repented. There was more said but for the sake of this blog you get the picture. 

So getting back to “The Contradictions in our Worship.” In 1 Corinthians 13:1 Paul uses the illustration of a cymbal or gong. This illustration stuck out to me that morning as I was studying for the Worship School. A cymbal or gong creates a crashing sound. We have all heard it before. They can be powerful and even beautiful in the right context surrounded by melody and song. Alone they can be hard, brash, and abrasive. As someone who spent many years drumming I knew this first hand. Scientifically a cymbal’s frequencies look like a big crash when viewed on a live monitor. These are contradicting frequencies that create something called dissonance. As I pondered the science of cymbals I began to question how many contradicting frequencies were in my worship? How much contradiction was in the Love I portrayed publicly and privately? How much contradiction is coming from the body of Christ in general? 

It’s like our body language is off. It’s like when someone tells you that they love you with no expression on their face or body to back it up. It’s harder to believe because the body language is not in line with what is being communicated. Jesus is the head saying and being the truth but we, His body, are doing a poor job at communicating his true intentions for the earth and people. Our actions are not lining up with our words. I could write another whole blog just about this but for the sake of staying focused… I digress again. 

So imagine this with me… I have a drummer come to the stage, sit down, and tell him, “When we start singing I want you to bang those cymbals as hard as you can.” I have the sound man cut up the overhead mics as loud as possible and ask the crowd to sing a worship song with me. As we begin to sing, a crash of cymbals hits the air! It is so loud that it drowns us out completely. We do this for about 30 seconds then stop. I turn to them and say: “This is what our Worship sounds like to heaven if we can’t love. If our love for ourselves, the people we’re leading, and Him don’t start coming together… the melody of our life is drowned out in our contradiction. It’s not that heaven doesn’t want to hear you… there is just a sound that is louder than your love in that moment and it sounds like the crash and dissonance of contradiction.” As I said all of this I began to hear people weep. It was so powerful. We all repented together for the contradictions in our worship and to this day it remains one of my favorite moments.  

Since this blog is directed mainly towards “Worship Leaders,” hear me on this. I believe some of the most powerful worship leaders I have ever heard have been the ones who learned to fall madly in love with the people they are leading (the Body of Christ.) Like really love them. Not just tolerate them. I believe that this is the doorway to the purest worship, heaven’s sound, or whatever metaphor you want to use. The sound we all long to hear and be a part of is found through some of the simplest teachings of Jesus. Love Him fully, love yourself fully, and love your neighbor fully. I don’t care how talented you are. If you’re doing these simple steps that Jesus lays out… your worship WILL be pure. Your worship and life will start to be free of contradiction. 

My challenge to you is this: Let’s get better at loving. I’ve done multiple albums… of course I care about excellence and writing great songs… but all of the most perfect worship sets and songs in the world could not compare to the sound of a people who have learned to love. Love well so that it keeps your motives pure. Love well so that heaven can hear the melodies/worship of your heart. Love well so that His body language is being communicated to the earth. Love well until the earth looks like heaven. 

 

On today's podcast: What do you believe? 

That's the question we discuss with Gabe Finocchio (The Royal Royal) as we dive into the, sometimes complex, worlds of doctrine & worship.  As worship leaders, we can easily neglect God's word & focus more on the songs themselves or our own church services.  Well today, we talk with Gabe about that journey between theology & our song.

We think what comes out could surprise you. Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast and find the show notes:
https://linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
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I don't know if you have ever been on a 15-hour flight with 8 and 13-year-old boys, but that is where I found myself a couple weeks ago.  I had been invited to minister at a conference in Australia and my wife and I decided it was finally time to take the whole family to the land down under.  This meant we would be taking 3 different flights that would total about 24 hours of flying. Lucky for me, my kids are pro travelers. I even remember one trip when my youngest was just 6 years old, he asked how long one of the trips was going to be and I said 8 hours.  His reply was, "oh, that's not too bad." I knew at that time that my kids were going to be able to handle almost any trip I threw at them.

So here we are on the 15-hour flight and the first thing everyone does is start choosing their movies.  My first thought is, no phone, no email, no communication...sleep. This is a rare opportunity for me. But instead I start filtering mindlessly through the movies and it only takes one swipe of the page before my 13-year-old elbows me and points to a movie that I have been telling him about since he was a little boy, Braveheart.   He was always too young to watch it before and it had been so long since I had seen it that I told him I would watch it and then decide if I thought he was ready. So instead of sleeping, I embarked on the three hour Braveheart adventure.  

If you have ever seen this movie then you know it is not for the weak of heart. I love how Robert Ebert describes it in his 1995 movie review . . .

Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" is a full-throated, red-blooded battle epic about William Wallace, the legendary Scots warrior who led his nation into battle against the English in the years around 1300. It's an ambitious film, big on simple emotions like love, patriotism, and treachery, and avoids the travelogue style of so many historical swashbucklers: Its locations look green, wet, vast, muddy and rugged. Not much is known about Wallace, known as Braveheart, except that according to an old epic poem, he unified the clans of Scotland and won famous battles against the English before being captured, tortured and executed as a traitor.

From that review does this sound like the type of movie I should be watching on a plane?  Yet here I am, three hours into the flight completely locked in. All the lights are off in the plane.  Both boys are asleep and William Wallace is getting tortured. My testosterone is through the roof. I forget I'm on a plane. I want to stand up and yell, mercy! I am a mess. Tears are pouring down my face.  I don't care who you are. If you don't feel something when Mel Gibson yells, "FREEDOM", while being tortured, then you need a pulse check. NOTE TO SELF . . . DON’T WATCH BRAVEHEART ON A PLANE!

As I watched this movie, God was doing a work in me that I was not expecting.  He was reminding me of the fight that he has called me to and the leanings of human nature to take over and fight for itself.  The story of Braveheart, like so many stories in the Bible, is centered around men who fought for power instead of people.  As I was sitting in the plane watching the soldiers mock the townspeople and abuse their position, I felt myself shrinking in my seat.  As I watched the King and those that he had placed in leadership abuse their power, I felt like it is much of what Jesus encountered when he walked the earth and a lot of what we encounter in church leadership today.  

As I travel around the world I see men and women who are fighting for position, but they have stopped fighting for people.  When Jesus stepped on the scene he was not concerned about a position, he was fighting always for people.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. - Luke 4:18-19

One of my favorite lines in the movie Braveheart is when William Wallace says to Robert the Bruce . . .

There's a difference between us.  You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom.  And I go to make sure they have it.

I feel like this is what Jesus would say to a lot of ministers today. I know it is what he said to a lot of leaders in the Bible who abused their positions.  Is it what he is saying to you today?

Today's podcast is a sit down with the hosts of All About Worship, Dustin Smith & James Galbraith, talking about the important of valuing people, over the titles or positions we hold.  God has asked us to be responsible - able to gauge a response - for the people we lead.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
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Today's podcast is a car ride talk with one of our favorite people in the world - Michael Farren.  We're talking about the dangers of isolation ... it's a sneaky weapon of the enemy uses (many times) against creatives and leaders alike.  When you don't know you're isolating yourself from people and relationships, you need an answer; A shift.  Listen in to find out what that shift was for these guys, and what it might be for you too. Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
The Worship Podcast on Instagram
The Worship Podcast on Twitter

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Today Dustin and James talk about all those pesky little distractions during worship. Is flag waving, pottery and painting true expressions of worship? I mean…really? Can someone be too loud during our praise and worship sets? Are these really distractions to us? Take a listen and let’s find out.

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship in partnership with WeAreWorship.

Subscribe to the podcast:
theworshippodcast.com
linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
The Worship Podcast on Instagram
The Worship Podcast on Twitter

 

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Fear. In my experience, and from what I’ve seen in other people’s lives, fear is a decision maker. For many of us it has made too many decisions. It has ruled our lives, our thought processes, and our actions. There are obviously different types of fears; rational and irrational, healthy and unhealthy. It’s the fear of things that haven’t happened yet that keep many people up at night. And that is not the kind of life Jesus promised. 

 

We’ve all heard the sermons about how God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, right? He gave us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, but why do we so easily forget this? As a worship leader/music director I’ve found that one of my biggest fears has been a fear of failure. A fear of looking stupid or not living up to the hype. It’s in these struggles with that kind of fear that I realized that I was trying to lean on so much of my strengths, that I wasn’t leaning on God as much. I was trying to figure out everything on my own. I was leaning on my own understanding…and in that, I realized that slowly a fear of failure had crept in. It wasn’t God’s fault. It was my own. This isn’t the only fear people deal with.

 

Many others deal with a fear of the unknown. Whether it’s moving to a new city, a new job, and new anything…people can get caught up in the whirlwind that is the unknown. The unknown affects a lot of people. In my life I have encountered many different types of people. I’ve met people who are very strategic. Everything is carefully planned out and the outcomes are able to almost be a sure thing. Fear can creep in if things don’t go as planned. Then there are people like me who prefer the spontaneous. The people who don’t have to have every detail of their life planned out. Typically this is a sign of a creative type person…and that’s me. However, fear can also creep in if we feel confined. Say we have to get a regular job. The fear of never reaching our full potential can cripple our creativity.

 

The common denominator is that when fear sets in, for most people, it changes their actions. They start to rely more on their own ways than to press into what God has. For me, prayer has been my lifeline during seasons of the unknown. To be in a season where you’re not sure what the next move needs to be can be scary, but I’ve learned to trust God. I’ve seen His hand move so many times in my life that I’m not afraid anymore to take a step of faith even if I’m not exactly sure what the next step is. 

 

Can you imagine what God would do through you if you stopped letting fear control your actions? Now, this isn’t a free pass to just go do something crazy. The Bible gives us clarity in that we must lean on His understanding. To trust in Him and to seek His righteousness. All I’m trying to get at is, fear of a lion is a healthy fear. Fear of not being good enough isn’t. It’s those fears that will keep many people from the destinies that God has called them into. It’s time to dream again, let those lungs breathe again. Stop allowing the voice of fear to be louder than the voice of God. 

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.  2 Timothy 1:7

Chicago set the post-1900 record for losses in a season, going 41-121.

The Chicago Cubs are just a couple of pieces away from finally returning to the playoffs. In 2024, the Cubs were profoundly mediocre on both sides of the ball. Improving the rotation is a worthy objective for the Cubs, because Imanaga could be due for regression as the league adjusts to his unique high-spin fastball. Chicago may try for the Corbin Burneses and Max Frieds of the world, but perhaps a lower-budget option could turn out to be the perfect Cubs addition.

Eovaldi gets ready to pitch against the Royals. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Boston's former ace is reportedly on their radar this offseason. by: Michael Kadlick Posted: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST Updated: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST SHARE As the MLB's 2025 offseason begins, the Red Sox have a former ace on their radar. According to WEEI's Rob Bradford , Boston is among "about a dozen teams" who have shown interest in starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. He declined his 2025 player option on Nov. 4 and is set to hit free agency this winter. While top tier available pitchers remain Red Sox priority, they are one of about a dozen teams who have shown some level of interest in Nathan Eovaldi — Rob

There was once a time when the Boston Red Sox never had to worry about losing a prized free agent to an American League Central team, but that time may have passed. The Kansas City Royals appear to be leading the charge, having spent over $100 million in free-agent contracts last winter. This winter, the Royals look to be active again, already inking starting pitcher Michael Wacha to a three-year, $51 million extension. Perhaps their next move could be to pilfer a big bat from the Boston lineup.

The Boston Red Sox need an ace above all other things before the 2025 campaign, but they could use multiple veteran pitching additions. Boston's rotation is relatively young and inexperienced. Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford are both 28 years old and Brayan Bello is only 25. Lucas Giolito is expected to join Boston's rotation in 2025, as he was meant to do last year before his UCL repair surgery.

The Boston Red Sox definitely are keeping their options open. Boston's starting rotation needs an addition or two, and with each passing day, it seems like that will happen. The Red Sox are expected to spend heavily this winter and have been tied to every big-name player who is available. The Red Sox mainly have been linked to the likes of Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Max Fried, but there are other options out there.

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how doctors should balance traditional and alternative medicine, and they examine new research that explains why some people don’t experience COVID symptoms. Plus, they […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how children’s food pickiness may be pre-disposed, and they talk about why black women are more likely to undergo unnecessary C-sections. Plus, they share […]