If you aren’t yet familiar with her, the name to be looking out for in the coming year without a doubt is Dara Maclean. With two studio records behind her, the Lord is paving a fresh path for her ministry that hearts everywhere are sure to resonate with.
 
She’s been singing and doing music and ministry since she was seven years old. In her words, “it was not good sounding by any means. I remember at seven, I ran into my dad’s office and I had a walls of Jericho type song, and he applauded me because he’s a really good dad, but I’m sure it was really rough. But I felt called to the industry from a very young age and that has been everything for me.”

Having grown up in the church, she experienced first-hand that church really can be what you need regarding your maturing as a believer, a worshiper, and a leader. In her community she had “the opportunity to really fail forward in the sense of what not to do as a worship leader or youth leader. That was school for me in a lot of ways. God just knows how He uniquely creates us. I had to learn by doing and was forced into situations where experience didn’t get me there, but only the Lord could do it.”
 
“My parents looked at me and did NOT say, ‘You can be anything when you grow up.’ They said ‘there’s a specific calling on your life, and until you learn to hear from the Lord yourself, we’re going to help you.’ It has never been a question as I’ve pursued that calling.”
 
Some of Dara’s musical influences include Crystal Lewis, Martha Munizzi, CeCe Winans, and Brian & Jenn Johnson. These influences combined with her own experience in the recording industry served as the inspiration behind her and her husband’s heart to be a safe place for creatives to grow and learn and get tools to pursue their passions without having to step outside of the church.
 
Right now Dara is in the process of writing for a live worship record. It’s something that she is taking her time with in order to make it the very best it can possibly be. “For me personally I had to get off of the pump-out-a-record-every-two-years train. I could never take away from what the Lord had done on my journey, but I just had to stop and say ‘this project is worth it, I want more, I want another level, and that just takes time.’” Also around that same time, Dara married her husband Donnie Petty, so her life focus began shifting dramatically.
 
Leading up to the live recording, they have been and will continue to release one single at a time as a build up to the full project. Blameless was released in the fall of 2016 and then her latest song, Ashes, hit the scene just in time for Easter this year.

Along with being a songwriter and recording artist, Dara and her husband serve at a church in Fort Worth, TX. When it comes to balancing a music career and pastoring in the local church context, Dara says that it’s not something she did very well for a long time. “I became very overwhelmed. In the past I’ve been an all-or-nothing person and the Lord has helped me tremendously. I had to learn to not be a perfectionist when I didn’t need to be, and to stop carrying the weight of things I didn’t need to carry. I was putting all of that pressure on myself, so the balance began to come when I sort of ‘got over myself.’ God is perfectly faithful and fit and He has qualified us for what He has called us to do. Not by might and not by power, but by the Spirit. When working in the first two only, you grow weary in well-doing.”
 
The story behind her most recent release, Ashes, is a very personal one. Dara takes songwriting very seriously and carries the full weight and responsibility of her name being attached to anything. So when she walks into a co-write, nine times out of ten she already has a theme in mind, if not a full set of bones for an idea. But this particular session with Travis Ryan (We Believe) happened to be the last of a week straight of two co-writes per day. “I walked in and Travis had this concept of Ashes, and we knew immediately ‘God You just have just given us a gift.’ We definitely should not be focusing on this just for Easter, because victory of death, what a revelation! There are definitely areas of my life that have died . . . full on valley of dry bones. Jesus did not die so that things in me would remain dead. He longs to show off in the marriage that is dying. For those who struggle with self-harm issues, fill in the blank . . . we need Jesus. The goal is to prophetically proclaim this over people because I’ve needed it myself. The reality is, there is stuff in our past that needs to remain dead. But shame and condemnation is trying to keep dead that which God said ‘I gave that to you as a gift of life’. I believe those things, through the power of revelation, can be resurrected and that will lead people to the Lord. That’s huge!”
 
One thing is for sure; this sister has a gifting and a message from the Lord that will not easily go unheard. And the soul in her voice only solidifies the power behind the words she is singing. So if you haven’t already, check out her music today.
You can get Ashes here and keep up with what Dara is up to here.

Over the last few months we’ve tackled the topic of TEAM BUILDING.  As much as I would love to feel as if we have this one nailed, we don’t.  TEAM BUILDING is a muscle that every leader needs to continue to develop.  It’s easy to let this one slip away from us! Just when we start to feel like we are getting on top of this, something changes.  A vital team member leaves.  A leader needs to take on the responsibility of a different area.  Your best guitar player gets hired as the worship pastor at another church.  These are all real-life situations that happen in even the best teams.  They will happen to yours as well.

In our “Month One” blog on team building we presented the IDEA of developing a Leadership Pipeline within your worship ministry.  This IDEA helped support that idea that building an EMPOWERED TEAM is a powerful Kingdom tool.  “Who’s responsible for who?” and “Who’s responsible for what?” are two of the most important questions that needs to be answered in any team environment.  When you lead a team with clarity and spread out the responsibility for others to own your team, you ignite growth opportunities that might have went unnoticed. 

In “Month Two” we presented the idea of “Making Recruitment and Assimilation a Normal for Everyone”.  So many times, I bump into Worship Leaders and Pastors that feel the very unfair burden of building ALONE.  With this IDEA, we present the notion that every team can build better and faster when the team members who are on the teams are your best recruiters.  Make this a normal practice.  At my church, we practice asking new team members to “bring one” with you.  We have found that by making this a standard practice at ground level, we never have to ask for participation from the 10,000-foot level.  Whatever is visible is what replicates.  Empower your best leaders to build.

So here we are. Month Three.

Idea #3. Clearly Identify and Communicate Simple On-Ramps.

I love my city.  I live in Lincoln, Ne.  Home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  I love the youthful spirit and progressive nature of our city.  I have even grown to love and cherish the special college football atmosphere that engulfs our city on game day.  It’s addictive to say the least.  But one thing that I am not a big fan of is traffic on game day.  There is one primary road that leads into Lincoln and over 90,000 fans make the trek to our city on game day.  There are probable more if you include tailgaters.  THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM: The roads infrastructure needs to be able to support the traffic flow to the desired destination.  If there are too many confusing pieces of communication, it would put our city into emergency mode and have catastrophic effects.  I mean, the world might come to an end if people missed a Cornhusker Football Game! (No, but seriously) ;)

Having clear and simple communication about “what to DO next” can make or break your teams culture. 

Every month I host a worship leaders round table in Omaha Ne.  At this round table, Worship leaders from multiple different denominations gather for friendship and peer coaching.  These leaders have become family and they are amazing.  We discuss a wide range of worship ministry issues.  One topic that comes up regularly is “attracting the right volunteers”.  If a leader starts to pour their heart out to me about how they can’t get enough volunteers, I always ask one question to start the conversation.  “Can you tell me about your on-ramp?” This might sound overly simplistic, but what I have found is that sometimes we make it more complicated than it needs to be or we haven’t identified the answer to the most important question at all.  Every leader on your team, in unity, needs to be able to answer this question with clarity and simplicity.

 THIS IS THE QUESTION

“Where do I go and What do I do?”

 Having clear and simple communication about “what to DO next” can make or break your teams culture. 

 Here are a few suggestions when it comes to identifying your onramp into your ministry:

       1.     KEEP IT SIMPLE-

Keep it simple in language and communication.  Your “on-ramp” shouldn’t be riddled with complex forms, interviews and assessments.  Not yet anyways.  Create an “on-ramp’ that just answers the question, “where do I go and what do I do?”.  Worry about next steps later.  But for now, getting a “willing one” to show up is your biggest win. Make it simple for them.

For example, I person asks about playing guitar on the worship team.  Any leader in your department should be able to have the same simple answer. ”I am so glad you are interested!  We host all our new volunteers on Monday Nights at 6:30pm!  Would you be my guest?!”

       2.     USE WHATS ALREADY WORKING AS YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD-

­What is already working in your church?  Do you have a rehearsal process that is spot on?  USE IT!  Is God’s presence so thick in your weekend worship services that lives are being transformed?  USE IT! I’ve made the mistake of overthinking and over programming.  I’ve launched the “extra” visitor’s night or the quarterly worship night with the intentions of attracting new people.  Sometimes those things work.  But the problem is that even though they may be effective, it takes a long time for those events to represent the culture and team that we want people to be attracted to. 

Identify what’s already working and utilize those moments to “on-ramp” your team.

        3.     KEEP IT CONSISTENT-

Nothing can steal the wind out of the sails of progress like a good dose of inconsistency.  If you “welcome” new team members on Monday nights, keep that consistent for a season.  If you “welcome” new people to your choir rehearsal and you celebrate leaders that brought them, don’t change that unless you are communicating change.  Consistency, on this point, allows us the opportunity to get buy in from our team! Consistency builds reliability. Consistency gives our leaders tools to build with.  (Side note:  We will be talking about “embracing change” and reinvention in the upcoming months.)

Consistency tells our teams that we aren’t building a kingdom that only serves us, but we are leading an army that can fight battles when we share the burden.

Identifying your “on-ramps” could be a simple strategy that could help you engage people better.  Below is a sample of an “on-ramps” document that I created for our kid’s ministry at our church.  This idea isn’t just for worship/creative teams, but for everyone.

It is essential that you clearly communicate the “WHERE/HOW” to START whenever you are building teams.  Keep your communication clear and simple.  Try utilizing opportunities that your church is already doing well to interact with potential volunteers.  Lastly, be consistent.  Everyone should know the answer to this question: “Where do I go and What do I do?”.

 Having clear and simple communication about “what to DO next” can make or break your teams culture. 

Jesus, I pray today for the burden and stress that our worship leaders and pastors feel daily. We pray that you would continue to grow our capacity to shepherd well.  Thank you for entrusting us with big things.  We are honored to pastor your people.

Please feel free to use this resource or any that you find at worship.coach. Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions about these three helpful tips.  I am always glad to help. 

Michael King @michaelkingjr
free resources available at www.worship.coach

Michael King and Michael Farren continue the discussion on the main focus areas for All About Worship - Power of His Presence, Power of His People, and the Power of a Sound.  King catches up with Farren in the middle of the KINGDOM SONGS BOOT CAMP and there are some amazing takeaways.

“Stop leading songs and start pastoring people” - Michael Farren.

Today, we're excited to introduce you to someone on the front lines of worship every single week at a local church, just like you!  He's a worship leader, pastor, husband, father and a good friend of the ministry: Jordan Merritt.

Jordan is currently serving as Worship Pastor at Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, SD, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country.  In addition to leading worship, he is a gifted songwriter. He co-wrote the Newsboys single, “You Hold It All,” and he has written songs for multiple projects with artists including Newsboys, Selah, Travis Ryan, and others. Jordan’s desire is to see the Church equipped, refreshed, and reminded of God’s promises through worship.

Thank you to Jordan for taking the time to sit down with us!  We hope you are encouraged by a "fellow soldier in the fight", who is leading worship in a local church every week.  Be encouraged and be confident that God has put you on mission as a worshipper in your church ... to restore the honor of God, to restore the People of God and to bring His presence into your services each and every week. 

Have a great week!

Rigs, Gear and the Pursuit of Happiness.

[ALL ABOUT WORSHIP GEAR TALK]

CASEY MOORE from the band called Leeland, lives in Nashville living the dream with his family. He is an accomplished musician, writer and overall cool guy. He's recorded for artists/producers such as: Michael W. Smith, Bethel Music, Jason Upton, Fleurie, Phil Wickham, Audrey, Normies, Ed Cash and Vertical Worship to name a few.

Mastermind PBC \ http://bit.ly/2CfI7Eo
Walrus Audio Deep Six Compressor \ http://amzn.to/2nUbFTO
Klon Centaur Gold \ http://bit.ly/2BpFNOq
JHS Kilt \ http://amzn.to/2EmC171
JHS Prestige \ http://amzn.to/2EnO603
Micro Pog (not modded) \ http://amzn.to/2Ez0YQ1
Strymon Mobius \ https://www.strymon.net/
Strymon Timeline \ https://www.strymon.net/
JHS Emperor \ http://amzn.to/2BWwfeM
Strymon Big Sky \ https://www.strymon.net/
Strymon El Capistan \ https://www.strymon.net/
Boss RV-5 \ http://amzn.to/2F1uXhD
Hilton Pro Guitar Volume \ https://hiltonelectronics.com/
Strymon Zuma Power \ https://www.strymon.net/

Pro Tip #1 (Do I Need All That Gear?):

Pro Tip #2 (How Do I Record on a Budget?):

“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”! 

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!

Why don’t we dream?

Now I’m not talking about while you sleep, or letting your mind wander during the sermon on Sunday (you know who you are), I’m talking about the ideas and follow through that can shape an entire generation’s future. After all, this is one of the greatest ages of all to dream big. There has been no better time in history to be able to spread news, media and information quickly and efficiently, than today.

Sure, we live in an age of fake news and misinformation, but have we looked at the endless possibilities of what we can accomplish in this information age for the gospel, or for your own families and communities? Have you ever dreamed beyond your current capabilities?

I was visiting Europe recently and asked the locals what they thought of the west (dangerous question, I know) and the difference between our cultures. The answer surprised me. It wasn’t negative or biased, it was actually thought provoking and interesting. They said:

“Western cultures breed dreamers. They don’t have to be experts to do something. They can go out, and do it. No-one tells them they can’t, therefore...they can. Europeans typically don’t work this way. If you are not a master of your craft you have no business creating anything in that field. That’s a big difference.”

Now, that can be eye opening. How many times have we told ourselves we can’t do something because we were too inexperienced, or we lack the necessary skills. Trust me, God loves ideas. He loves for His people to dream beyond their capabilities. Why? Because that’s when we truly HAVE to rely on Him. He gets all the glory, as He should.

Remember, God IS the creator of all things. ALL THINGS. So you can sit there reading this and nonchalantly nod your head and say “Well, duh. Of course”, but don’t you realize that means we can connect with Him directly? We can dream along with Him and get His ideas for our lives??

Church Life

For some, it may seem like the only way to achieve the greatness for God is to endlessly try to regurgitate something that the “world” does so well, when in reality, we should go to the creator of all things and access something new, or something fresh for your local, national or global church body! You were destined to change the world’s thinking!

The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.  Ephesians 1:23 (MSG)

For me, I totally understand the battle of my own mind to either copy a new trend or fad because it’s relevant or cool. But, what if I could establish new trends by talking to the Father who can out-create anything anyone could think or imagine? What could you accomplish then?

So, in saying all that, let’s dream again. Let’s revive those dreams you slowly let fade away. Who said you can’t write that blog/song/screenplay, start that business, preach the gospel, innovate ideas and send those ideas around the world? Pray that God will download His ideas and strategies into your life. Love Him and trust that He will come through on every occasion. Then the easy part is just to be obedient...

...but that’s for another blog.

The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction. Proverbs 21:21 (TPT)

Pray and ask the Father for new, fresh ideas, or ways to follow through with your current ones. God wants them. The church wants them, and you know what? I need them.  

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but also brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! - Hebrews 12: 28-29 (The Message)

What is so important about worship?  

How many of us come for the singing and completely forget what the first part of our service is about? There can be two people standing beside each other during service - one can be in the “Holy of Holies” and the other can be thinking about the business meeting he has next week. One person can have an encounter with God and the other person say it’s just “ok”. 

Every time I enter into God’s presence, God speaks. He promises to do just that!

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. - Revelation 3:20 

 This passage is appropriate for the unbeliever but is written directly to the Church. When we come to church we get really excited about the Word of God. That’s good. We love to be fed. I think many people are missing that it is not just what we are eating but with whom we are eating. Church is not just that we get a good meal but that Jesus is dining with us.

LOOK - LISTEN - LEARN

 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” - Exodus 3:1-5

LOOK . . .   

My wife and I went to Maui, Hawaii for our honeymoon. We were on a beautiful walk along the beach one night when I heard many voices yelling, “Look!” I glanced over and didn’t see anything. It wasn’t until I turned the right direction and went from a glance to truly looking that I saw huge whales breaching the waters. 

 When I say the word LOOK, I don’t mean glance in God’s direction when you come to church. When we gather together to worship, that’s your cue to turn aside from whatever you were doing or whatever you have to do this week. Look at God. That is why the songs we sing have to do with God’s greatness and attributes. It’s time to look at God.  This of course goes way beyond a Sunday or service experience, but that’s definitely a great starting point. 

LISTEN . . .

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” - Exodus 3:4

 God was waiting until He had his attention to speak. I will tell my kid’s to look at me when I’m talking to them. It is so irritating to try to teach them something as they are walking off doing other things or focused on something else. Let’s not do that to God. Honor stands at attention. I know if they are not looking at me they are not focused. I wonder how many people need to hear from God but He is waiting to see if they will look. 

LEARN . . . 

Anyone can learn; the question is do you realize your need to learn. The moment you stop seeing your need to learn is the moment you leave dry and empty. God said to take your sandals off, for the place you are standing is holy ground. The first thing we learn is that anything God touches is Holy. How could Moses write the 1^st five books of the bible? God taught Him. He spent time in the presence of God 

He made known His ways to Moses,His acts to the children of Israel. - Psalm 103:7

Our perspective changes in the presence of God. So when He calls to you . . . LOOK! When we LOOK, we are able to LISTEN. When we truly LISTEN, that’s where we LEARN. When we LEARN, that’s when we know what it looks like to ABIDE. And when we ABIDE, we WORSHIP! 

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!

-----

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 

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For most people who know me very well, it’s no surprise to learn that I graduated from college with a BA in Religion. What might come as a shock though is the fact that my minor was in Recreation. See, I’m not exactly what you would call the athletic or sporty type. You probably won’t catch me running much unless someone with a weapon is chasing me or one of my children has run out into the street. And while I can host a killer Super Bowl party, chances are, I have no idea who is playing because I just want to see the half-time show. It just so happened that a Recreation minor would get me done with school the fastest, so I went with it. With all that said, something has been brewing on my heart for some time now, and the image that pops into my mind every time I think about it is, of all things, sports related, and it revolves around the idea of benches and bleachers. 

We’ve all been there, probably more than once, and we’ll all be there again. Sidelined . . . pulled . . . a spectator at the game(s) we wish we were playing in. Sometimes it’s by choice and other times it’s by force, but either way, it’s an opportunity for real growth and understanding if handled well. I wish I could say I’ve always processed these seasons like a champ, but no can do. However, I have learned some solid lessons along the way. 

There are two kinds of spectators at a sporting event. There are those on the bench and those in the bleachers. The first group is made up of team members not currently playing on the field whether it’s because they’re just waiting their turn, recovering from an injury, too green to actually play, or made to sit out because of poor behavior. But, they are still team members. They have actual skin in the game, which means they bear part of the weight of the mantle of their team winning or losing. The latter is made up of those cheering on one of the competing teams. It’s family members, friends, mentors, and admirers supporting their loved ones. There are similarities between these two groups of people, but there are drastic differences that are worth exploring because they can be a game changer for you as you process through your seasons as a spectator. Once I realized the differences, a new level of peace settled into my heart that carried me through my own similar season.

A little backstory . . . Upon my family’s move to the Nashville area at the very end of 2016, I was met with my first spectator season in over 12 years. I went from leading worship on a weekly basis to not being behind a microphone for over 9 months. During that time, multiple opportunities presented themselves to embed myself into some different ministry opportunities. Each of them was different from one another, but each of them also would allow me to utilize my unique gifts well. I began exploring, networking, and building relationships while praying for clarity as to where the Lord wanted me to focus my energies and efforts. Over a few months, it started to become clearer and clearer where my gifts were more effective and where they were not. I had assumed that reaching this point would be followed by relief, but instead I was confronted with an unexpected confusion and disappointment because the places I was being met with the most resistance were the places I thought were the obvious matches. I began praying specifically for understanding and that’s when the Lord began showing me these visions of benches and bleachers. I was trying to force myself into a game that I wasn’t supposed to be playing. Instead, the Lord wanted me in the bleachers cheering on that particular ministry so that He could use me in another game that needed my specific giftings more. 

Once I wrapped my heart and mind around this idea, those feelings of rejection and failure began to disappear and a deeper level of comfort began to settle in. Soon after, doors began opening for me to serve elsewhere effectively and wholeheartedly, all while still being able to joyfully and authentically root for those other ministries to thrive. 

Can any of you relate? Perhaps you’re in the middle of a similar season now, where you’ve been pulled out of a game you were comfortable in. Maybe you’re transitioning from vocational worship ministry at a local church to a broader form of ministry. Maybe a ministry you were heavily invested in is moving in a different direction and you’re not sure where you fit into it all. Whatever it is, you’ve found yourself no longer playing an active role in it and you’re not sure where to go from here. 

This is where scriptures that we’ve been quoting since 1st grade become alive and active in a new way. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.  - Proverbs 3:5-6

In times like this, we have to learn to press harder into the Father heart of God, trust that He has a perfect plan, and resist the urge to try and understand things from our temporal perspectives. Instead, refocus your prayers and searching on things such as….

1. Do you feel confident that this is still the game you’re supposed to be in, whether now or in the future?

2. If so, is there any reason that the Lord might have moved from the field to the bench? A secret sin? Burnout? A hurt that is keeping you from being effective? Perhaps just to rest?

3. If not, what could He possibly be moving you toward? Is there another ministry opportunity in your peripheral that you could invest in? Is there a new gift that He’s been fostering in you to use somewhere else?

This obviously is not an exhaustive list, rather just a place to start. Nevertheless, times of restlessness are rarely for no reason. Usually the Lord is at work, doing something that He’s not quite ready to reveal yet. The best thing we can do in those seasons is keep asking for His direction for the next step, resting in His peace as we continue moving forward, and believing for His best as we pursue His heart and will.

Malcolm du Plessis has quite an incredible resumé when it comes to worship.  He talks about his background in this episode of The Worship Podcast.  However, he also talks about something - we believe - that is critical for every worship pastor, leader and song writer to understand.

And that is the evolution of worship over the past few decades.  Malcolm has experience and studied knowledge in this area, like few others do.  Listen in today with a close ear, and you may just find some answers to the question, "Why do we do things that way?", you've been asking.

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

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Practical time. Yep, this will be short and sweet but it changed the way I view people and how I now develop teams that can actively work together no matter their background, age or race. How? Here’s how:

John 13:34 - A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Whaaaat? It’s that simple? Oh yeah. That simple. Let me explain.

When I first started playing on worship teams, I was all about the production, the glitz, and the glamour. Now, I’m not saying any of that is bad, because it all can be quite good, if the motives are right. My biggest problem was that I didn’t care about anyone else on that stage, or in the congregation. My focus was on myself. That sounds vain and narcissistic for sure, and it was, but I soon learned that without knowing the people around me, the people that the above scripture was commanding me to love, I would never change.

Fortunately, I had a pastor in my life who knew the power of community and the power of this scripture.  As a worship team we were already spending a lot of time together (four services a week plus a practice night), yet we didn’t really know much about each other. Weird right? You can spend hours and hours with others and not know them at all. How much do you really know about your team? At times we can become so involved with our personal lives, we forget about those around us. THAT is not Kingdom.

The change started out easy for our team. Every once in a while instead of our practice nights, we would all go out for coffee. It was a simple gesture but it was super effective. We began to talk to each other, find out about job situations and families, likes and dislikes. Then, wouldn’t you know it? We began to like each other, prefer each other, LOVE each other. Now, it didn’t happen overnight. Not even in a month. But little by little we saw our lives begin to intertwine together. We had dinners, birthdays and special events together. And the more we began to care for each other, the more powerful our services became. Our worship began to come alive! God began to pour Himself out through our congregation and our community.

I know there is power in loving one another and it’s proven itself over and over in my life, in any circumstance. Maybe it’s something we always hear, but never consider? Perhaps making this lesson a season in your worship team could turn the tides for whatever breakthrough you are needing today.

The wonderful thing is, once it begins showing itself through your worship team it will naturally begin to reach into your congregations and communities.

Let love be the power that unifies your team today.

On this episode of The Worship Podcast, Dustin & James talk funny stories from leading worship, break down what community really means in a team environment, and do we really know how to do it effectively?  Worship leaders have to care about people.   Not unlike .... well you'll just have to listen.  Enjoy!

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

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One of the battles that every worship leader faces, and will face until their time in ministry comes to an end, is that of valuing and expressing said value to the members of their worship teams. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Battle seems like a strong word,” but trust me, I used it for a reason. The battle is not whether it is essential and vital to the growth and strengthening of a ministry, rather the struggle lies in being intentional on a week-to-week basis when every moment of your day is already spoken for. There’s no doubt that the vast majority of you hold a deep appreciation for those who serve on your teams, but let’s face it, sometimes demonstrating that appreciation can start to feel like a chore when time is limited and funds are even more scarce. 

The people on our teams give and give of themselves and their resources, most often uncompensated - sometimes once or twice a month, sometimes weekly, and sometimes multiple times a week. We get our systems in place for how things operate so that hopefully no one is stretched too thin, then before we know it, it’s been 3 months since we displayed any form of gratitude. So how do we approach valuing our team members in a way that is genuine and effective, but doesn’t take up so much of our time and energy that we start to lose the heart behind it?

I’d like to put 5 ideas and strategies on the table. Some of them at first glance might not seem like a direct form of appreciation, but the result is still a well-valued team member with a desire to serve as faithfully as ever. Some of these systems, once they’re in place, still have the same punch of esteem but don’t require as much from you as you might think, which makes for a win-win if you ask me. Let’s dive in . . .

Foster Community

This is the single-most important thing you could do for your team in order to produce longevity and an all-in attitude. There is only so much bonding and knitting-of-hearts that can happen in a 1-hour rehearsal and 30-minute sound check. But creating opportunities outside of a Sunday morning for your team members to be together and get to know each other can cultivate a depth of relationship that will translate onto the stage in a powerful way. And what’s great is that it doesn’t have to be a lot of work on your part. It could be a family meet-up at a local park one Saturday afternoon, a potluck at the church one evening, or reserving a big room at a restaurant where everyone goes dutch. Maybe planning things like that aren’t in your wheelhouse - that’s okay - tap a couple of team members or their spouses and let them run with it. They’ll love owning a special piece of the ministry and you just get to enjoy loving on your people. Another great way to foster community is to do projects together. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a recording project either. It could be a special Christmas or Easter production. Some of the most memorable and team building times for the worship ministry I served on staff with for 12 years before moving to Nashville were our productions and live projects. You’re all there working together, rehearsing, fine tuning, tweaking . . . then the day comes where all your hard work pays off. And what you’re left with is a new depth of relationship and trust that wasn’t there before. The old saying is true . . . “the family that plays together, stays together.” You’ll be amazed at how far such a small investment will take your team.

Dive Deeper

While relational community within your team is critical, the other side of that coin is depth of spiritual community. If you are relying on the lyrics to the songs you lead each week being the sole source of spiritual development, you will be left sorely disappointed. As their worship pastor, you are not just their team lead, you are a shepherd. It is imperative that you seize or create opportunities to pour into their spiritual well-beings on a regular basis. This doesn’t have to be super time-consuming. it can be as simple as a 5-10 minute devotional at the start of rehearsal or a once-a-quarter time of worship and prayer together. Whatever it might look like, just make it intentional. The return on investment will be a team of people who are not just helping lead songs on Sundays, but are actually living them out daily. This will undoubtedly take the effectiveness of your ministry and its influence to the next level. 

Create Accountability

This falls into that category of “how exactly does this show value?” But I promise it will set your team up for success you didn’t know was possible. Within a worship ministry this can look several different ways. It can be as simple as having a set of requirements regarding church attendance and membership, small group participation, or reliability. Beyond that it can look like expecting continued growth in skill, willingness to serve where needed versus where preferred, and expectations regarding behavior outside of church. I know that it can seem sticky when you’re dealing with a team of volunteers because if you’re not paying them, it feels awkward imposing and enforcing a list of requirements and expectations.  BUT it is hard-wired into our DNA that when we are held to a high standard, we will work harder to rise to the occasion and do so with pride. In my experience, a huge shift took place within our ministry when we began setting up systems of expectations and disciplines for not meeting them. Our team members began stepping up and serving in ways we didn’t know they could. Musicians began growing, vocalists became more confident, tech volunteers started serving with a deeper since of honor. Why? Because they had an understanding that they were part of a team that not just anyone can walk onto. They were part of something that, if accepted, means you have something important to bring to the table. So as their leaders, we should have no qualms with holding them up to that standard. 

Expect Excellence

Excellence does not equate to perfection. I realize that seems like an obvious statement, but sometimes we can unknowingly heap undue pressure onto our team members rather than push them toward a new level of mastery in their particular skill. That’s where expecting versus demanding comes into play. To demand excellence communicates that 1) they’re playing for you and not for the Lord and 2) their place the table is contingent solely on their performance. To expect excellence from your team members forces us as the leaders to share in bearing the responsibility. If there is a certain standard of skill you need on the stage each week, then it’s your job to make sure your audition process is streamlined in such a way that only certain levels of players and singers make the team. ** Side note - if this is the case, then it will behoove you to make sure you have other opportunities for those not quite ready for the main stage to serve. This will set your worship ministry up for years of success. ** Once your team is in place, it’s also up to you to make sure that your set lists each week are in step with the skill level of your band. I’m not saying to dumb down songs for certain players and save the big ones for others. But I think there is a fine line between challenging your band and setting them up for failure. If we are going to expect excellence of our teams, then it is our job to make sure that the songs we choose are able to be executed well and with confidence. When we hold up our end of that bargain, then we should be able to expect nothing less than excellence. In return, your team members will feel valued because it will be clear that much thought and consideration has gone into the preparation and choices for that week. 

Communicate Appreciation

I specifically chose the word communicate here because this gives us a blank canvas to work with when it comes to conveying how we value our team members. Most of what we’ve talked about up until now have been passive means to show your appreciation. This piece is a proactive, intentional effort to express your gratitude and regard for the work your volunteers put in weekly. It can be as simple as we follow up email to those who served that week letting them know how much you appreciate the time and energy they gave or as personal as a phone call expressing something specific you value in that volunteer. Even as personal a touch as a hug on Sunday morning followed by a specific word of encouragement will fill up a volunteer’s tank for weeks. If you’re part of a church that has a decent budget, then putting your money where your mouth is speaks volumes as well. Again, the range for how this looks is wide. It could be anything from donuts and kolaches before sound check on Sunday morning to a quarterly dinner with the whole ministry team where you take the chance to express how thankful you are for each of them. However you approach it, the only essential key is communication. Our words are powerful and directing them toward building up our teams will bear immeasurable fruit.

At the end of the day, valuing and expressing that value to your worship team will set your ministry apart in the best way. It can seem daunting to some, but it doesn’t have to be. Eventually, after some practice and with a little creativity, it becomes a natural overflow because you see the effects of it almost immediately. Not to mention the fact that in just about every case, that same value and appreciation will be reciprocated back to you from your volunteers, so everyone wins! 

Have you ever had a worship team member that just goes too far?  We have.  And one of them may be on this show!

Join Dustin, James and special guest, Erica, as we talk about how to best manage your worship teams in the most dire situations. Being a worship leader means working with people and people aren't always perfect! How do you handle those issues?  How do you keep things right on your team with God, but also care about the individuals?  We talk through hypotheticals, but for some of you listening, these circumstances might not be hypothetical.  Have a listen and see if you can relate.

We'd love to hear from some of our listeners about situations you've found yourselves in, and how you handled them with your team!

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

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Over the years I have found myself in the midst of teams, as well as leading them. Here are some of my thoughts around qualities that make a great worship team member. 

1.  THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF UNITY

They champion the vision of the church, team and leaders, and they are responsive and vocal about it.

They esteem others! They celebrate the wins of the team and individuals.

They always speak well of church, team, and leadership. 

2.  THEY ALWAYS COME PREPARED AND READY

They learn the songs. They know the repertoire.

They maintain their instruments and gear at a professional level.

They always bring their best to the platform, and they understand that this is a part of their worship. 

3.  THEY ARE TEACHABLE

They are willing and eager to learn.

They don’t just wait to be told, they are pro-active in asking ‘what can I do better?’.

They have the maturity and humility to handle correction, even when it is something that they may find hard to hear.

4.  THEY ARE CONSISTENT

They always have an attitude of excellence.

They live, not without, but above their emotions.

They are always warm, friendly and kind. They are approachable and relational.

They are loyal, reliable and faithful.

5.  THEY PRAY AND READ THEIR BIBLE

They have a devotional life of their own.

They prioritise their relationship with Jesus.

They are regularly in prayer and the word of God

They are a worshiper!

For more articles by Dan and the C3 staff, visit www.c3music.com/blog/. 

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

Christmas, a time for reflection and awe for the upcoming…PRESENTS!! Wait, what? Just kidding, its for Jesus. Right? Join James and Dustin as we talk about the stresses of the Christmas season and how best to overcome it.

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

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Welcome to 2019!!

Today we're talking about the top New Year's Resolutions!  And guess what?  They're very similar to 2018 :)  Which begs the question, are we doing ourselves any favors with making new resolutions?  But it is still good to set goals ... hmmm ...

Listen in and see where it all ends up!

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

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Dustin and James talk about the current worship culture. Big topic right? They talk through image and what the culture of worship looks like, and maybe what it should (and could) look like.

You won’t want to miss the insights here from some of the best worship leaders in the world. OK, that's highly debatable, but they’ve been around for ages, at least ...

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

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Managing creatives can be a tough job, throw in the element of youthfulness and it can be downright chaotic! So, how should we managing those wanting to be all they can for God without all the wild and crazy, or is the wild and crazy a good thing?

So many questions! Take a listen as James and Dustin tackle this important but needed topic.

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

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This is coming from a Cardinals fan...

Season ticket holders are getting a head start on their seats at Fenway as the Red Sox hosted Select a Seat Saturday.

Baseball always in season at the former home of Jack Barry

UNCASVILLE — Manny Ramirez turned to the man next to him, his former captain, and shared a little secret. “When I came to Boston, I watched you and I looked up to you,”: Ramirez told Jason Varitek. “When you went 4-for-4 or 0-for-4, you worked hard. It made me a better player.” It was a poignant moment during an evening of funny stories, fond reminiscences. “Man, I’ve never heard that before,” ...

It's hard to imagine Japanese ace Roki Sasaki wanting to come to the Red Sox based on their recent track record, writes John Tomase.

The Boston Red Sox have lost two of their three catchers to free agency this offseason. Reese McGuire and Danny Jansen will hit the market, and the Red Sox aren't expected to sign them back because the organization can do better. Boston's top catching prospect, Kyle Teel, may not be major-league-ready out of spring training. Like Jansen and McGuire, the Red Sox also need to hit the catching market.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America on Nov. 11 announced the finalists for its Rookie of the Year Awards. Many Boston Red Sox fans take issue with its American League selections. Red Sox rookie Wilyer Abreu was not selected among the three AL ROY finalists. Colton Cowser, Austin Wells and Luis Gil — all AL East rivals — are the three youngsters nominated for this season's title.

According to several reports this week, the Red Sox intend to be serious players in the Juan Soto Sweepstakes. Both the New York Post and ESPN reported that the Red Sox have plans to meet with Soto and his representatives in southern California this week. Both outlets reported that the Sox are among seven or eight bidders for the outfielder, with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays among others — including perhaps even the small-market Tampa Bay Rays — also in the running.

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 new research that shows we age dramatically at two key times in our lives, and they talk about how much water we need to […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how melatonin gummies may have a higher dose than what’s on the label, and they examine new research showing sedentary time may significantly enlarge […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss a new replacement proposed for BMI, and they talk about the effectiveness of statins for older people. Plus, they share a healthy recipe for […]

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 […]

This week Zorba and Karl discuss a new study that shows an alarming rise in cancer rates among people under 50, and they examine new research showing turmeric may be […]

This week Zorba and Karl look at research about what sleeping position is best, and they discuss a study that suggests people who exercise regularly have healthier belly fat. Plus, […]

If liberals thought 2016 was bad, wait until they get a load of President Trump in 2017. Interviews this week with a spokesman from the Presidential Inaugural Committee and a one-on-one with Lila Rose, a national pro-life leader who is expecting ...

By popular demand, there is now a new feature in the sitewide settings that allows hiding series in certain languages. Once you've selected the languages to ignore, shows in these language will be hidden from: the homepage (if "Include shows not in my watchlist when in their 1st season" is enabled) and the homepage discovery widget, recent, calendar, browse, the TV Schedule and the discovery charts - hot | upcoming | trending | top from my creators | recommended. Basically, ignoring a language hides all shows in it everywhere possible. Let me know how that works for you!

For active shows, the Previous Episode and Next Episode sections are now moved above Show Info. Also, on desktop - Next Episode is now on the left and Previous Episode is on the right (swapped them). It'll probably take some getting used to, but I think this arrangement makes more sense. Thoughts?

To help you navigate the messy world of streaming services availability, Next Episode has a few new features: All lists (search, browse, top/discovery charts, watchlist, track episodes) now also show streaming availability You can now filter by streaming services availability In addition, you can add the streaming services you use to My Services and filter through that as wellThis is not just for US - your country should've been automatically detected, but if not - you can easily switch it here. Basically, it should now be easier than ever to find out where your stuff is streaming and find new great shows on the streaming services you use. Our movies section will get the same treatment soon. Let me know your thoughts and as always - if you appreciate my efforts here - consider getting Premium. Thank you!

I mentioned movies will get the streaming services availability - and it's now done. Here's what's new:streaming services availability was added in all Movies lists (my movies, browse, hot, trending, search)you can now filter these lists by streaming services or "my streaming services" availabilityAlong with these specific updates regarding the Movies section, there are a few general improvements as well:when filtered by a streaming service, what you filter by is first and highlighted - the rest is grayed outmany new countries are now supported so if yours wasn't there before - check again - it most likely is nowPlease let me know how these work for you and if something looks weird on your device/browser. Next - I plan to focus on improving how My Movies looks and works (both on desktop and mobile)

Iran openly threatening to strike back against Israel for its attacks on Iranian military facilities over the weekend, as Hezbollah threatens Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but appears willing to accept a ceasefire, the new international ... ...

After his decisive victory, former and incoming President Trump says 'many people have told me God spared my life for a reason. to save our country;' and talks about 'the golden age of America,' after running on the problems with inflation and illega

Israelis and many others throughout the Middle East celebrate Donald Trump's election victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls Trump to congratulate him, and they discuss the threat from Iran; Chris Mitchell talks about the ... ...

Dealing with Iran: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he and incoming President Donald Trump are on the same page about the threats from Iran after phone calls since Trump's election victory, Iran's supreme leader and foreign ministry hin

Host Meg Wolitzerpresents works that reflect on the loss of love, creatively imagined by a quartet of thoughtful writers.  In “The Space,” by Christopher Boucher, a lost love is replaced by—her absence.  The reader is Rob Yang.  In Wendi Kaufman’s “Helen on Eighty-Sixth Street,” the loss is the backstory, as a lively ‘tween, voiced by Donna Lynne Champlin, finds ways to deflect the emotional fallout from her father’s absence.  Sharon Olds’ wrenching poem, “Last Look,” read by Jane Kaczmarek, is our palette clearer before we close with a Raymond Carver classic, “Why Don’t You Dance?”The couple idly roving a lawn sale don’t realize they are walking through the detritus of lost relationship.The reader is Corey Stoll.