What's more, guests who book an overnight stay can score lift tickets for free.

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

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A Tufts professor reportedly said they would no longer send students to Moulton's office for internships, but the university refuted the report.

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In a flurry of announcements, Trump also named Bill McGinley, his Cabinet secretary in his first administration, as his White House counsel.

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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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Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.

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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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As homeland security secretary, Noem would lead a sprawling federal bureaucracy with a $60 billion budget and more than 230,000 employees.

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

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In This thread , lets try to get all results and goal scorer for upcoming Exposure tour before world cup 

Will get second goal
Will India register  first win
Will we get to play 1 more match in the world cup

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b>Pune FC decry format change by AIFF for under-15 event</b></font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="5"><b><br></b></font></div><div><span name="advenueINTEXT" id="advenueINTEXT" style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="storydiv" id="storydiv" style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); line-height: 17px; float: left; margin-right: 20px; "><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">MUMBAI: The <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pune-FC&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Pune FC</a> Under-15 squad would not figure in this year's <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Manchester-United-Premier-Cup&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Manchester United Premier Cup</a> (MUPC) following a change in its format by the All India Football Federation. <br><br>The AIFF has restricted the tournament to one club per state. <br><br>"In a shocking development, the <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/All-India-Football-Federation&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">All India Football Federation</a> (AIFF) and the sponsors of the tournament - leading sports apparel manufacturer <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Nike&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Nike</a> - decided to restrict the tournament to one club per state," a media release from Pune FC said, adding that the club to represent Maharashtra was chosen by a draw of lots in which <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Premier-International-Football-Academy&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Premier International Football Academy</a> of Mumbai got lucky. <br><br>"In the past editions of this one-of-a-kind tournament, all <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/I-League&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">I-League</a> clubs received invitations in lieu of the tournament, national body and sponsors objective of promoting grassroot talent (particularly Under-15s) of I-League clubs," said the club which added the change in format was not communicated to the I-League clubs by AIFF. <br><br>"The change was not informed to clubs. At least we (Pune FC) did not receive any intimation and came to know about the change late Thursday evening. It's very disappointing on the part of the National body," said Pune FC's Head Operations, Chirag Tanna. <br><br>This year's MUPC is to be held at Jamshedpur in the last week of this month. <br><br>"As if changing the format is not enough, the selection process for Maharashtra by the state body<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Western-India-Football-Association&quot; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; ">Western India Football Association</a> (WIFA) was conducted by a lucky draw! Premier International Football Academy (PIFA), Mumbai got lucky and will represent the state as per the 'one-club-per-state' format," the club said, adding it had used the tournament to promote Pune city players in the last four years of MUFC. <br><br>"The tournament provided players their first touch of professionalism. Moreover, it attracted a lot many to the game with the hope of performing and showcasing talent on a national-level platform early," Tanna said. <br><br>"I can only imagine how disappointed the players feel. They have been training regularly since July 2011 and these whimsical decisions taken will only hurt the popularity of the sport," he added.</div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><br></div><div class="Normal" style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; ">________________________________________________________________</div><div class="Normal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 20px; "><font face="'Arial Black'">What bull****. Yet another reason why youth football will never do well. We can say "Oh we have these FIFA Academies" but what about at Indian club youth level. This tournament should be for any team that meets a criteria. No matter how many teams from each state.</font></div><div style="font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; "><br></div></div></span></div>

Warning, bubble bursting, thoroughly raw post commencing now...read no further if you by some chance hold us Farrens in some undeserved place of sainthood. (Which if you do, this should help adjust that a bit).

My truly amazing daughter Madison and I got into a spectacular fight this last Saturday. And If you know the Farrens at all, you know that we are a very passionate clan...we love big, and we fight big. And to be fair, this test of wills did not ensue over some small frivolous matter. No, this “ruin a whole day miserable” episode was wrapped around the intricacies and responsibilities of adulthood, or more to my very loudly made point, the lack thereof. 

The reality is I could not be more proud of Madison, who is 21 this July, and lives almost an hour away about to start her Senior year of college. She's a bonafide rockstar in my book, but even still, some things just need to be said right?!

Of course as with any epic fight, it escalated quickly, and lasted longer than it should have. I was right, (yep, still sticking to my guns on that) but my delivery was less than desirable. There may or may not have been some slamming of fist on tables, and through a litany of now regretted words I finally had the last word…but at a heavy emotional cost to us both.

But here is the real kicker, of all the weekends for this to happen, it just so happens that this was the weekend Madison and I were scheduled to lead worship together the following Sunday morning...oh the maddening mystery of Divine timing. 

We did not speak the rest of the day after this episode, and due to a party we were both attending that evening she ended up spending the night and riding with me to church. It was a somber start of a morning to say the least. 

As we were walking across the parking lot into the church, I asked Madison why we would still show up to lead worship even after having such a crappy weekend, and she replied quickly, "Because He is still worthy of our worship". Well said daughter, well said.

But as we continued into the building, her response got me thinking about something in a completely different way. Even after all my years of leading worship, knowing full well that it has nothing to do with my worth or perfection, I will admit to still wrestling the question of hypocrisy every time I step onto the stage in a broken or messy state of being. 

But it's not just a worship pastor problem. I would make a very unscientific yet experienced observation that roughly half of all attendees walk into church on any given Sunday feeling more or less hypocritical. But prompted by the Holy Spirit, just before the second service started I actually read for maybe the first time the actual Webster's definition of a hypocrite. Here goes...Hypocrite: "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs". And just like that, for the first time I truly got it. 

Week after week I stand and declare that God is great and worthy of all of my adoration and praise. Sunday after Sunday, I passionately exhort almost 600 other people to join me in that refrain. And showing up and continuing to sing about His greatness even after a really rough weekend is the one thing keeping me from being a hypocrite...because for me to keep silent or stay away would most certainly classify me by the definition of "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs". If He was worthy of praise last Sunday, He's still worthy of it this Sunday, in spite of me. His love and affection for me has never wavered, and so neither should my response to it. My belief in who He is remains the same. Declaring the greatness of our God in our times of greatest brokenness and mess does not make us hypocrites...it makes us believers!

Harsh as it may sound, for the first time ever I now see that there are way more hypocrites at home on Sunday than are sitting in the pews. And I'd rather stand with my hands raised next to messy, broken, yet hope filled people, than become a hypocrite. I refuse to let the enemy blackmail me with his lies and accusations...if we have placed our belief in the goodness and kindness of the one true God, let's stop behaving in a way that disagrees with that belief.

Show up. And not just on Sunday, but every day. Make the enemy eat his words. Take back your God given righteousness. Stand on your brokenness and lift an even louder praise...no longer bridled by guilt or shame...we are hypocrites no more!

It may not feel or look anything remotely close to Christmas outside, but there is something in the air that brings back that ol’ “It’s after Labor Day, better get ready for Christmas” feeling. A season enjoyed by some, dreaded by others, but necessary for any who are involved with music in the life of a Church. At All About Worship we are here to help you navigate your way through the challenges and on to a successful season of Christmas cheer and high fives from your Pastor.

First up is how and why you should recruit a choir. So let’s begin with why.

1. It looks, sounds, and feels like Christmas: Blame it on Hollywood Producers if you want, but we all have an iconic image of choirs at Christmas lodged into our brain that actually began at the birth of Jesus with choirs of angels. It’s Biblical and it satisfies the itch.
    
2. It gets people involved…at a temporary level: Pastors are supernaturally driven to see the gifts of their people developed. Most worship leaders are concerned about letting people on the team who are may not be the best at singing or those whose abilities are an unknown. The solution is a Christmas Choir. A chance to let people be a part of something in a group setting where voices are blended and there is no promise of further involvement. A win-win situation.
    
3. Talent scouting: Through the process of rehearsals you will have an opportunity to audition people without having an audition. While you may find some who don’t sing very well, you will also find some diamonds in the rough. People who you didn’t know could sing. Once identified, if you want, ask them to be a part of the regular team.
    
4. It Boosts Attendance: More people involved means more people will show up for the special service. (Also a great reason to include a Children’s choir in your plans as well)
    
5. It’s Fun: Gatherings are a big part of Christmas and it can be a lot of fun. Have people bring snacks and let there be an element of social time.

Ok so now you’re motivated to do it. But now ‘the how’ comes to the forefront so here are some tips:

1. Decide if you’re a recruit/plan or a plan/recruit: If you have a specific piece of music you want to do, it might determine the kind of voices that you are looking for. Thus changing how you will recruit. For example a men’s number will obviously not include the ladies. It might also be that the piece is complicated or that you only have sheet music so a certain level of knowledge or skill is required to participate. However you can also recruit and see whom you get. Then adjust your plan accordingly.
    
2. Determine the Qualifications and Commitment: Make a list of the requirements for participation. Make sure to think about Age, Gender, Ability, Part they Sing, and whether they need to attend your church. You will also want to be able to communicate when rehearsals and events are.
    
3. Ask the Traditional Ways: When it comes to asking for participation most people immediately turn to the bulletin or ask for time during the announcements. A sign up table in foyer or/and a web based sign up form can add some names.
    
4. Ask the Non-Traditional Ways: Have your pastor or announcement person ask the congregation for a show of hands of who has ever been in choir.  Take a moment and look around as these are prime targets for recruitment. If you feel comfortable in doing so, put a little social pressure on these people from the stage to participate.
   
   While the above mentioned methods are good, hands down the best way to recruit is to ask personally. But who to ask? And more specifically what to ask? The best way is to ask anyone, “Do you know anyone who sings?” or “Do you know anyone who was ever in choir?” That’s when people will tell on their friends and neighbors. Giving you the opportunity to approach that person and say, “I heard you used to be in choir?” and then ask them to be a part of the group.
    
5. Have the next step determined: Make it easy to do and clear to understand what to do next. Do they need to fill out a form or just show up at this place on this date?
   
   I would recommend getting people to put their name to something as it can have a higher level of cementing their decision. People are more likely to come if they have signed up rather than if they can decide later if they are coming or not.
    

Hopefully you have inspiration and motivation surging through your veins at this very moment for an amazing Christmas season. In the coming weeks through articles and podcasts we will be discussing what to sing, how to teach people their parts even if they can’t read music, and where to find those resources. But for now, get started because it’s almost the middle of September and time is running out.

To say that Michael Farren is one of today’s top songwriters is a bit of an understatement. Besides penning “Let It Rain” which has sold a mere 2 million copies, been translated into multiple languages, and is impacting worshipers across the globe, Michael has written and is writing many of today's top songs for Christian Artists and churches. As a signed staff writer for Integrity Music he often writes and delivers as many as 100 songs a year. So how does he keep inspiration fresh? Here are some things I’ve observed: 

1. Gear is Ready to Go: Just like most of us Michael is always busy with something. Business, Church, Family, and just…life has its demands but he is always ready to record the moment inspiration does strike. Guitars are set out, keyboards are on, and the microphones are hot, just yearning for him to push the big red record button. Which he does, even if he only has 5 minutes before his next meeting.

2. Sounds that Inspire: The right sound can make all the difference. It can bend your ear towards a melody or strike your imagination. When he finds those products that do that, he buys them. Two of them are “The Giant” plugin by Native Instruments and a logic/mainstage instrument preset from Abel Mendoza’s company ‘That Worship Sound’.

3. Instruments That Have Songs In Them: How do you buy a guitar as a songwriter?  It’s not the best one or the most expensive. But You pick the one that has the most songs in it. Sounds dumb but it’s true. You play a bunch of them and see which one makes you want to sing a new song and which ones make you want to play an old tune. Then purchase accordingly.

4. Alternative Instruments That Play the Same as a Guitar: Don’t play the banjo or the Mandolin? No problem. As mentioned before the right sound bends your creativity in new directions but sometimes we are hampered by our playing abilities. A few easy solutions are two instruments that Michael keeps close by. The first is a Ganjo – a banjo that has the neck of a guitar. The second is a ‘Nashville Strung’ guitar – accomplished by taking a pack of 12 string guitar strings and then only using the higher string for each note. (hint: use the other strings for your regular guitar)

5. Listen to People's Prayers: If worship songs are supposed to communicate a person's heart to God, then it stands to reason we should be listening to more than just our own heart. When people pray, add your agreement and pay attention.

I’m sure I’ll have more nuggets of wisdom to share as I spend more time around the All About Worship offices and studio. Will pass them along as we go.

April sixth through eighth of this year marked the beginning and bitter-sweet ending of yet another All About Worship “Kingdom Songs” retreat. Another group of talented writers passionately chasing their calling filed in and out of life-giving workshops with seasoned “pro-writers” like James Tealy (songwriting professor at Belmont University and writer of “Light of the World” recorded by Kari Jobe), co-writes with peers and pros like Krissy Nordhoff (writer of “Your Great Name” recorded by Natalie Grant) and Michael Farren (lead singer of Pocket Full of Rocks, writer of “Let It Rain” recorded by Michael W. Smith and number #1 Lauren Daigle cut “Trust In You”), worship sessions, Q&As, song critiques, and so many more activities featured in the packed schedule of education and encouragement.

Writers come from every corner of the country, the world even, to spend a weekend equipping themselves with tools and knowledge to cultivate their calling to write what the body of Christ needs to hear, to better capture the heart of God through song. The end of every conference is genuinely a bitter-sweet moment, traditionally marked with a prayer by the staff over the writers to strengthen, encourage, and protect them as they set out to pursue their gifts. The bitterness is found in having to say goodbye to newfound friends, fellow writers who share your struggles, your triumphs, your worries, and your unique joys. But the sweet is in knowing that right now, there are empowered songwriters with renewed confidence, sharpened skills, and rejuvenated spirits conquering fears and fighting for songs that will change this world and bring about the kingdom of God. The desire of All About Worship in putting on this event is fulfilled in writers taking what they gain from this conference and bringing new life into their homes and congregations (some even literally, congratulations Rezwana!). Dustin Smith (staff writer at Integrity Music, author of “Miracles” recorded by Jesus Culture) has been known to say on more than one occasion that, in writing songs for the Kingdom, we “put words on the lips of the most powerful force on earth - the church”, and as they settle back into their homes with new contacts, revitalized hearts, Skype co-writes brewing, and minds creating, they pick up their weapons and prepare to do just that.

“God is using music and praise to Him as weapons to tear down strongholds and I am in awe of how He goes about it all. His voice is ringing clear and the air is trembling with His spirit” – Rezwana Derbyshire, Kingdom Songs attendee.

To be able to continue an ancient practice of crafting songs to lift up to the one true God is an awesome, in the truest sense of an underappreciated word, responsibility and privilege. Kingdom Songs and the entire staff and crew are proud and humbled by the opportunity to come alongside songwriters, link arms with them, and walk out this journey together.

From the ancient psalmists, in every language, from edge to edge of this earth, the people of the most high God will praise His name. Because if we do not cry out, the rocks will. 

It makes perfect sense to all who know Sarah Reeves that she is where she is and doing what she is doing. But the journey it took to get her here has not been an easy or uneventful one. I got the chance to visit with Sarah about her recent single release, Nowhere, and God’s ongoing story in her life.

Having been raised in the church and music industry by her record producer father and mother, a nurse, at the age of 15 Sarah encountered the presence of God in a way she never had before. She knew at that moment that He was calling her into a life of music and ministry. She dove head first into leading worship within her local church and by 18 was signed to a label and touring the country leading worship. After some time, she met and married her husband, Philip Kothlow, and decided for a season to step out of music and sort of discover herself and “live some real life . . . away from music”. She took a job working as a preschool teacher and Philip was an electrician at the time. A couple of years into marriage, she found herself in a place she never thought she’d be.

“About three years ago . . . I remember us just reaching this point in our marriage where we were facing wall after wall, and struggle after struggle. We came to this place where we found ourselves on the verge of divorce and we knew at that point we had to make a drastic change. We were both working full-time jobs . . . and we decided to step away from those. We went away and really just kind of started over. Focused on each other. Focused on God and putting Him at the center of our marriage. We learned how to be married and fell in love all over again. During that time . . . I started putting out YouTube covers and slowly God started to open up doors again into music. Things were really starting to happen. He had redeemed our marriage and now he was redeeming my artistry again. What I thought was over was just beginning.”

Today, Philip is Sarah’s manager and together they are storming back with a fresh perspective on music and a renewed passion for worship.  Nowhere dropped April 7th in anticipation of her full album release with Word Records in the fall.

When talking about the direction of this new project Sarah said, “God has given me this specific sound . . . but there’s always been this inner battle between being a worship leader and being an artist. There’s this style that I love but I felt the pressure to always keep it straight down the middle if I wanted to be a worship leader. About a year and a half ago, a friend sent me a track . . . and I wrote this song to it that I just loved and something in me came alive in that moment. Through that song I found so much clarity as if God said, ‘Sarah, I’ve given you this sound and you don’t have to choose . . . I’ve given you this gift for you to merge the two together.’

The production is very electronic and pop and hopefully will push the limits of worship leaders to write and produce outside of the box.”

When it comes to songwriting, Sarah always tries to “write songs that come from a place of things (she’s) walked through or that would encourage other people.” Her hope is to stretch stylistically and for people to not put the stereotypical worship mindset on this project, but rather to think bigger and more creatively.

A lot of her musical style and depth of worship comes from influences such as Jeff Deyo (former lead singer of Sonic Flood who, funnily enough, introduced Sarah to her now husband), Bethel Music, Glades, Ellie Goulding, and Coldplay. Personally, some of the people who have helped shape and mold her into the person she is today are her mother, who has been a huge prayer warrior, her husband, who knows how to encourage and challenge her to be a better person and artist, and her pastors Henry and Alex Seeley from The Belonging, a church that meets in Nashville.

Given the journey that it’s taken to get where she is today, we asked Sarah what words of encouragement she would give to those coming up as artists and worship leaders now who might be growing weary of the grind.

“One thing that I’ve learned came from a message that Alex Seeley preached a while back called Surrender To The Process, and it’s just been something that I’ve clung to and have had to learn how to do. I had to let my dreams die and had to come to a place where I had completely surrendered my heart, my dreams, my career, everything that I wanted . . . and once I came to that point, He finally was enough for me. I think when we get to that point, it just doesn’t matter . . . our craft, our music, everything that we can see . . . it’s amazing. And if it happens, awesome, but if it doesn’t happen, it’s okay. Our purpose is eternity and to build the Kingdom of God with whatever He’s given us in the moment. Be faithful in those little things and surrender to whatever process He wants to take you through.”

Make sure to check out Sarah’s single, Nowhere, available anywhere music is sold. And make sure to keep an eye out for other singles she will release as her full project date this fall gets closer.

This is the first of a three-part series on team building. The ideas are simple, but the why behind the what is the secret sauce to growing a solid team. Like most people reading this, I’ve made mistakes. And those disasters have forged the conviction that we can’t be in ministry without being radically committed to loving Jesus and his church more, and on a daily basis.

Keep Jesus close, make sure that your family always takes the right priority (more on that in the future) and be willing to make your church better.  Notice I said better, not different. 

Better, Not Different

One of the biggest complaints I hear from worship pastors/leaders is that somehow, they have found themselves in a church that they really don’t like. 

They don’t feel appreciated by their lead pastors. 

They don’t like the weekend worship experience. 

They don’t like the people. 

At the end of the day, there is so much complaining that I am left scratching my head wondering if they even love Jesus.  If this is you, take some time to pray if you can make your lead pastors vision for your church come alive. If you aren’t in agreement, you may be in the wrong place.  Do yourself, your family and your people a favor and get connected with someone or something that is complimenting to your convictions and your philosophy.  God created you to be you, but we are servants before leading anything. Some of us carry the responsibility to make things different.  Most of us don’t.  Know your place.  Is it your burden to change things? …or is it your job to make things better.  Talk to your teams about this.  This is a fantastic “clarity” question that will free up your bandwidth.

Is it your burden to change things? …or is it your job to make things better.

OK, that is my soap box! ☺  As I give you these three helpful tips, it’s important for you to know that these are just tools.  You can’t fake or replace strong spiritual foundations of ministry leadership.  Love Jesus and use tools and resources to LOVE His PEOPLE better.  We try to change people or churches.  But what I’ve found is that when you develop people, things change. 

But what I’ve found is that when you develop people, things change. 

So, if it’s our job to make things better, what are some ideas that we can do to commit to improving? 

1. Develop a leadership pipeline

Developing a leadership pipeline is a helpful tool to bring clarity to “who’s responsible for who and who’s responsible for what”.  It’s really difficult for a worship pastor to carry the burden of a ministry on their shoulders alone…and they shouldn’t. I don’t have to tell you that the apostle Paul makes it clear that we are called to empower people to do the work of the Kingdom, not do it all on our own! (Ephesians 4:11-13) We also get a peek into Moses' anxiety in Numbers chapter 11, where he's at his wit’s end and well over his capacity. The Lord tells him to gather 70 of his most trusted and responsible people. Moses brings them to the "tent of meetings" and the Spirit of the Lord pours over them.

God helped Moses build his team. He will help you build yours.

A leadership pipeline helps you identify your 70 (or even 7 figuratively speaking). This is the pipeline our church utilizes.  

How this works:

In this chart, we document how responsibility falls within a team.

• An assistant is the first place in which we invite someone to be developed as a leader.
• A leader is the first level in which a person is responsible for a team.
• A coach is the first level in which a leader is overseeing other leaders.
• A director is responsible for directing a particular team.
• A pastor is responsible for care, culture and vision.

My favorite area to develop is our coaches. In worship ministry, I am so lucky to have some of the best coaches.

Here's how this role works:

Jordan Hicks is my guitar coach. He is responsible for developing all guitar leaders, recruitment and assimilating guitarists for all of our campuses, adult, youth and kids’ teams. He's responsible for all communication and administration for this group as well. Because Jordan is the leader I've poured into, he completely understands my values, our church’s values and culture, and our end goal. He's a volunteer, but he brings a priceless value of leadership and excellence to our church. Our worship leaders never should worry about who they are leading with. We are spoiled because of warriors like Jordan. He's just one example of Ephesians 4 coming to life in our ministry.

I grew up as a jazz musician—tenor sax. I loved John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk. C’mon somebody!  I was in high school when I first played in combos with some older pro musicians in our city. We started playing a blues tune when one of the guys stopped me and said, “In the words of Miles Davis, man…you can’t play blues because you haven’t hurt enough yet.”  Apparently, I lacked any sense of emotive playing ability as a teenager. And I hadn’t hurt enough yet. 

If playing jazz and blues is an expression of pain and hurt that we’ve experienced, then singing worship music is an expression of the HOPE we know. We can’t and shouldn’t do this alone. Lean on your team. Empower them. 

I am excited to share with you the next two tips over the next few months. You’ll be able to find them right here at allaboutworship.com.  If you have questions about developing your leadership pipeline, you can email me at mike@worship.coach.

For free development resources, check out www.worship.coach.

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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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

Our brand new host, Michael King, makes his introduction into the AllAboutWorship Community!  He's spoken at the conferences, but now you'll get to hang out a few times a month on the podcast!

On this episode, you'll hear from a familiar face, Dustin Smith.  You'll hear them chat about the new focus of AAW and some of the vision for the future.  We're majoring on the core values, the power of God's Presence, the power of His People, and the power of a Sound.

We want to continue the practical teaching, new music, artist interviews and worship teaching & coaching moments.  Come along as AAW takes off into a brand new season - it's gonna be great and we are excited to be on this journey with YOU!  We're back!!!! 

Stay connected with us

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instagram.com/allaboutworship
podcast[at]allaboutworship.com

We continue the values conversation with Michael King and Dustin Smith.

This week, we recap the power of HIS presence, the power of his people and the power of the sound. We spend a significant amount of time on the POWER OF HIS PRESENCE, because that’s what defines us. We are really excited for you to hear this conversation. And to James, the Uber driver … thank you for the lyric contribution

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.

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!

We have such a tendency to water down words. Lessening their impact through casual use: awesome, love, and worship were the three that came to mind. 

Worship? You might ask, “How has worship been watered down?” As I took time to think about the word, I began to realize something. Just as we have lessened the impact of words such as awesome and love through overuse, we have done much the same with the word worship through underuse.

We have so narrowed its scope until – in our current Christian culture – we often relegate it to just another music genre or a segment of time in our church services. Though from the first welcome to the benediction our services are designed to engage our congregations in worship; worship is so much more. Worship is an attitude, an action, a way of life.

As I reflected on the hundreds and hundreds of times I have had the privilege of leading congregations in worship through music, James 1:27 came to mind. 

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

I began to recall several settings in which I have lead worship; large churches, small churches, conferences, and festivals, in many states and denominational traditions. However, the two venues which most stood out were not of leading large congregations in worship, but they were found in the small church basement where I first lead worship with children from 2-10 years old, and the nursing homes where I, and often my family have lead these old dear saints in the singing of hymns and praise choruses. Each representing the opposite end of the age spectrum and both reflecting the childlike faith Jesus referred to in Matthew 18:3. 

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

I believe we refuse to let the world corrupt us when we use our gifts to serve others including those who have nothing to give us in return – the children, the elderly, the sick. Yes, as I look back the most impactful worship experiences I have had are seeing these little children sing with reckless abandon, and the elderly – whom often could not even accurately communicate where they were or what day it was – with tears streaming down their face singing every word to every hymn along with me. 

For vocational artists it is certainly necessary that we are able to pay our bills. However, I am realizing more and more that our church salary or concert honorarium is not payment for services rendered, but rather an effort by those who write the checks to redeem the time we would otherwise need to use provide for ourselves and our families so that we can fully use our gift of music to freely serve the body, no matter whether it gathers in church basements, nursing homes, living rooms, soup kitchens, or auditoriums.

I was climbing another mountain. I was near the top, sure I’d reach it soon, but this time I wasn’t making any progress...

Hello, worship leader! My name is Amanda Blankenship. I could put Pastor in front of my name or send you a whole list of job titles that have included everything from Worship Director to Songwriting Pastor as part of some really awesome ministries and churches. But really I’m just a woman on a journey, finding purpose and authority by discovering my Godly identity. So although we could discuss team building and leadership or continue debating what type of songs we should be leading, I’d much rather just talk to you today about identity. Not the worship leader or the worship pastor...just you.

I might not be that old..at least I don’t think I’m that old - haha, but I have spent a lifetime working in and for the church. I’m a preacher’s kid who has seen the beauty and ugliness of church life. And although there have been seasons of hurt and confusion, I could never shake the love I had for God’s people and the desire in my heart to serve her.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.   - Psalm 27:4

To answer the call to serve God’s people, I obtained my local license, a Masters Degree in Ministry, and district licensing within a crazy two years, and all while serving my local church. And when I had to chance to head out and start my own worship team as the lead Worship Pastor, I went for it!  It was a start up and I had to build the entire department from the ground up: AV, Vocalists, Band, everything. We started small, but grew quickly and before I knew it, I had a full team of wonderful people to minister with. I absolutely loved it. I love leading. I love learning. I love building teams, equipping people. And yes, I even love the planning and organization of the ministry and the services. It was perfect! Everything made sense. I had answered God’s call. I had worked to achieve the position of worship pastor and I wasn’t too bad at it either.

Back to that mountain I mentioned earlier.

God has always shown me stages of life in visions of a journey. They are often vague and far off, but they are enough to light the way, enough to keep me on the right path. Well, every time God took me back to this particular mountain, I was still standing in the same place, looking at the top, but no closer to its summit.

God began speaking to me and my husband telling us that it was time for me to step down as worship pastor of the church.  I had built the team he needed me to build and it was time for them to do it without me, time for me to move on. I wasn’t surprised, for He had told me from the beginning of the startup that I would not be there long, but I didn’t expect it so soon.  And I had absolutely no next step. I selfishly worried about everything I would lose if I quit. In a prayer I wrote to God at the time, I remember talking to him about it and saying, “God, you know I love to lead worship and equip people and build teams and ...etc...why would you take this from me now? I won’t have anywhere to fulfill my calling!”

Can you imagine saying this to God? Let me tell you, He was quick to remind me who owns all the resources and who put those desires and passions in my heart in the first place.

He then took me back to that mountain but this time he widened my view. I could not only see the top of the mountain, but I could also see myself standing on the mountain. I was surprised by what I saw. I was standing on side of that mountain with my arms stretched wide, trying to push all kinds of stuff up the mountain with me: people, job titles, resources, education.... everything I had worked so hard to accomplish and obtain.

And God said, “Let them go.”

“Let them go?", I asked,  "All of it? Let it ALL go?”

“Yes," He replied, "All I want is you.”

Tears filled my eyes. Panic gripped my heart. “But God, I’ve worked so hard. I’ve pushed them all this way... I can make it. I can get it ALL up there.”

“No you can’t. You aren’t supposed to. Let them go.”

As I stood there shaking and straining to keep it all balanced, I still begged for assurance. Would it all be lost? If I let them go, were they going to stay there or plummet to the bottom of the mountain and be destroyed?

“God, is it just for now or forever?” I asked.

He didn’t reply and I knew it was time for a decision.

How badly did I want what God had for me? Was I willing to strip myself of all the labels and titles and just be Amanda? “How could that be enough?” I thought.

I looked to the top of the mountain once more, but this time I didn’t look back down at the things in my arms. Instead, I took a deep breath and slowly released them. Every. Single. One.  Until nothing was left.

I finished the climb to the top and stood before God with nothing to offer but my love and my heart. No fancy titles, degrees or accolades, just me, imperfect, vulnerable, but absolutely loved and absolutely known. I heard His voice one last time. And this time he said, “You are enough.”

Saint Francis of Assisi, AD 1181-1226, Assisi, Italy, was the founder of the Franciscan Order. Early in life, his own father took him to court over money that he had used to serve the church. And on the day of the trial, Francis not only handed back his father every dime, but he also removed all of his clothes and placed them in his father’s hands and said: “From now on I can freely say ‘Our Father who art in heaven’, not father Pietro di Bernardone, to whom, behold, I give up, not only the money, but all my clothes too”. A bishop who witnessed the dialogue was so moved by Francis’s willingness to give everything he had, he took off his mantle and put it around the young Francis, “while physically clothing his nakedness, [it] also symbolized a transfer of dignity and respect.” (Poets and Saints, p.170-171)

Worship leader, I’m not sure where you are on the journey up the mountain, whether you’ve just begun or you’ve made it to the top, but know this. There will never be a time that you empty yourself and stand naked before the Lord that He won’t CLOTHE YOU with grace, DIGNIFY what you feel is worthless, and bestow AUTHORITY for you to fulfill the calling on your life! Don’t be afraid to follow Him into the unknown and don’t hold to titles and position more than you do your calling. Your calling is to the people of God and your responsibility is first and foremost to the Lord Himself!

So although I don’t go by Pastor Amanda anymore, God has given me more people to pastor outside of the church than He ever did in. He is using my songwriting, my worship leading, my love for building teams, everything! Maybe one day it will have a name or a title again, but I’m okay if it doesn’t. I will be content to be Amanda. I will worship. I will lead others to worship and follow after God with fierceness. To faithfully follow even when it doesn’t make sense. I will be free and when the next mountain comes, because it will, I will know that I am enough!

James & Dustin had a chance to sit down with Jonathan Brown - President of Integrity Music - to discuss unity and division among the people of God, and among worshipers in the church.

JB (Jonathan Brown) and Dustin both had the chance to be part of a tour with WeAreWorship, where they visited multiple church leaders in multiple cities.  There were so many great things experienced and along with that, there were so many things learned.  At the end of the day, we want unity in the the people of God and especially among the leaders of God's Church, and we need to have inspired conversation on this topic. 

Enjoy!

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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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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.  

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 

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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.

Worship in a vibrant Christian community was not anything new to me. I grew up in a church that had powerful worship experiences. I started leading worship when I was 15 years old.  I always had a passion and a love for worship but when I was 17 years old I had an experience that changed everything for me. 

I was at a conference that had extremely powerful worship. I was standing right in front of the platform. One of the worship leaders was a young woman close in age to me who was cute, passionate in worship and had a beautiful voice. For a young single Christian man, that was a huge catch. 

I was standing right in front of her during the worship time singing songs to Jesus and about Jesus but found myself gazing at her. My attention was clearly not on worshipping the God of the universe. In this moment I was more interested in His creation. It was pretty early on during the worship time that I had a nudge from the Holy Spirit to dance before Him. 

My response was an immediate “no way.” I may be a musician but I am a musician with 2 left feet.  The only dancing I knew how to do was jump up and down. I knew the Lord was drawing me to more. He was drawing me to something undignified. He was drawing me to Himself. He was trying to lead me to a place of freedom. How could I dance undignified when there was a cute girl in front of me? The truth is most don’t want to be undignified whether someone is around or not for the sake of feeling awkward. 

I kept superficially worshipping the Lord with words but not in obedience. As the worship time kept going, my nudge to dance before the Lord got stronger and stronger until it got to a point of such clarity that it was as if the Holy Spirit was standing face to face talking to me. I knew He was wanting my attention. By now the worship set had moved from fast songs to intimate songs, but my disobedience to the Spirit’s prompting was deeply bothering to me. 

Partial obedience is still disobedience!

I had always believed and been taught that anything but complete obedience was disobedience. So in the midst of a slow intimate worship song I finally submitted and danced before the Lord with full abandon. The best way I can describe it was I danced like a ballerina twirling before the Lord with full abandonment. I’m sure if there was a video camera on me at the time it would have made for a viral social media craze. Even right now I am sure you have a picture of this that is somewhat disturbing. The truth is nobody probably even noticed but what happened in me changed my life. 

It was in this moment of surrender that something broke in me. I had taken my eyes from a glance to gaze upon the King of Kings. This was not about a charismatic expression. This was about the Creator of the universe trying to get my attention and lead me into a place of complete freedom. I had moved from heart worship to all-in worship. It was no longer about my comforts, but about full obedience and a full gaze. What happened in me was freedom! It broke off fear of man, it broke off complacency, it broke off a partial worship mindset and moved me into a place of freedom! 

Freedom is not the absence of something but the presence of someone. Jesus! 

This moment of complete surrender in my worship lead me down a path that has forged the rest of my life. It moved me to deeper biblical study, to further intimacy with God and to walking in a place of freedom with the Lord that moved beyond my personality.  It led me to discover that my worship is more than a song, it’s a weapon. It led me to discover something special in the worship of King David that is meant for today. 

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but 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 (Message)

 Worship changes our view. In my case I moved from a glimpse to a gaze. I got my attention in the right place. 

Worship is so much more than a service. How many of us come for the singing and completely forget what the first part of our service is about? There can be 2 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 ok. The difference is what they are looking at. 

If you are not very interested, you will look somewhere else

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. - 2 Corinthians 3:18 

 The veil is taken off in Christ. When you look in a mirror, most of the time you look intently because you are trying to change the reflection of what you see to what you want to see. When we look at the Glory or manifest presence of God we literally will be changed. The Glory and the Word are a mirror. When you look intently at the word in worship you are changed.  

Pastor Jack Hayford states:

Worship changes you into the likeness of the one you are worshipping.

 Make sure your gaze is on Him!  

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).

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On this episode of The Worship Podcast, Dustin and James talk about their experience in revival movements, as well as lessons learned and things to consider for your worship experience.  What's the new sound?  Where is the sound of worship headed?  You might be surprised at their answer.

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

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When Igor Sikorsky was 12, his parents told him that competent authorities had already proved human flight impossible.  He went on to build the first helicopter. In his American plant, he posted this sign:

According to recognized aero-technical tests, the bumblebee cannot fly because of the shape and weight of his body in relation to the total wing area.  The bumblebee does not know this, so he goes ahead and flies anyway.

Have you ever had someone tell you that something you are trying to accomplish is impossible?  They name a dozen reasons why you won't be able to pull it off. Maybe you don't have the skills, or the tools, or the passion.  Maybe you are too small, too young, too prideful or too timid. Isn't it amazing how easily words slow us down in our progress towards the things we know God has called us to. It may be a friend, a family member, someone in leadership or even a stranger but no matter who it is the words seem to form like a wall in front of you and it tries to hinder forward movement.

David faced this type of opposition before he faced Goliath.  Here are the words his brother spoke to him when he inquired about fighting the giant.

But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”  - 1 Samuel 17:28

David’s own brother opposed him by calling him out in front of everyone. It could have been easy for David to be discouraged but scripture tells us that he continued to inquire about how to get into the fight.

Don't be surprised if some of your greatest opposition comes in the form of a brother or sister.  It may be flesh and blood or it may be a spiritual brother and sister but those closest to you may have the hardest time seeing the calling of God on your life.  Like Eliab, many brothers have revealed their own insecurities when they see their brother pursuing what God has called them to. Eliab said David just showed up to watch the battle but the truth was there was no battle to watch because Eliab refused to fight and he let Goliath rule the day.

David also encountered opposition from Saul.  The King was not so quick to send a boy out to fight Goliath until he heard of David’s accomplishments in the fields fighting a lion and a bear.  But even after hearing of those great feats Saul made David try on his armor. But if Saul’s armor was so great why didn't he go out and fight with it?  All it did was weigh David down and would have gotten in his way. Don't let people who are avoiding the fight tell you the best way to fight. If they knew the best way to fight they would already be standing in victory.  It's almost like an 800 hundred pound man trying to tell me the best way to diet. The proof is in the pudding...which he probably ate.

Everyone loves the story of David and Goliath but few people realize how much opposition David faced before taking on Goliath.  Just a reminder that sometimes on your way to fight the giant you may have to overcome opposition from some of those closest to you.  

If you’ve been attending a church with a contemporary bent for any length of time, then you’ve likely sung songs on a regular basis written by a gentleman named Jesse Reeves. Jesse has co-written on some of the most widely known worship songs of our generation such as How Great It Our God, Lord I Need You, and Our God - just to name a few. 

Growing up in the Bible Memory Association, Jesse’s spiritual life consisted mostly of rules and regulations, until September 23, 1990 when he met Jesus at the ages of 15 and his life was changed forever. A rancher’s son, his love for playing music left his father stumped, but he continued following his passion and played with a band all the way through college. Then in 1997, Jesse met a country boy from Grand Saline, TX named Chris Tomlin who asked him if he’d like to lead worship, to which Jesse responded in all sincerity that he didn’t know what that was. At this point in the contemporary worship movement, the term “worship leader” hadn’t really caught on. There were music ministers, and that definitely was not the route Jesse wanted to go. But the two had lunch and the rest was history. 

I, myself, was raised in the church as the daughter of a Baptist youth minister (or student pastor as they’re called these days), and I was finishing up my high school years in youth group right about the time all of this was taking place. In fact, much of the soundtrack to the season in my life when God called me to ministry and began shaping and forming my passion for leading worship was penned and recorded by these two Texas boys. So to find myself today sitting in an 8,000 sq. ft. mountain lodge at a writing camp with the likes of Jesse Reeves is a full-circle, what-even-is-my-life moment to say the least. 

Nevertheless, you better believe I took full advantage of the opportunity to sit down with Jesse and talk about his heart for worship, the worship leader, and this next generation that God is raising up. I asked him first about the role that worship has had in his life growing up and how it has evolved throughout his time in ministry. 

“If you’re talking about the expression of worship through music, growing up it was just hymns and they didn’t mean anything to me. But now looking back, I have a huge appreciation for my childhood and learning those songs, because I learned what it means to teach theology through lyrics. It’s a lost art and so I’m very passionate about trying to revive some of that. And I’ve done this long enough to see that everything is on a pendulum. When I first started playing, everything sounded like U2, and then everything sounded like Coldplay, and then everything sounded like Mumford & Sons, and now it’s probably like Chainsmokers. And I just always come back to the question of ‘If the Spirit of the living God lives inside of us, why aren’t we creating things that are original and better than what the world is doing, instead of trying to chase what they’re doing?’ I do understand the context of being relevant and playing stuff that’s going to resonate with people, but I always want to come back to what the Spirit of the living God wants to hear, not what we want to play.”

Over his 20+ years in the worship leading world, Jesse has stood on every platform and stage imaginable and in front of every crowd size imaginable. I would venture to guess that making that mental shift from event to event and church to church had to require some form of finesse and adaptability. So I asked him what it looked like for him to make that adjustment, especially as it relates to transitioning out of touring and back into the local church setting.

“I would say that I’ve worked my way all the way to the bottom, and I think it’s kind of where I want to be. I didn’t always want to be there and it wasn’t an easy journey. I have been to the mountain top of Christian music and definitely want to honor that, but I very specifically was called out of that. It was through a sermon that I heard from Tommy Nelson. He was preaching on the anointing of David as king. If you go back and read 1 Samuel 16, they are looking to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel shows up and they have this parade of all of Jesse’s sons . . . this is Eliab, this is Abinadab, this is Shammah . . . they went through seven sons, to which Samuel’s response was that none of these are the king, do you have any others?  Jesse says that yes, he has one other son but that he was in the field tending the sheep. Now when I was listening to this sermon, I was on a run training for a marathon, so I was a good 15 miles from my house. Tommy Nelson said one statement and it was this. “What God is looking for in a man is a man that more concerned about the sheep than the parade.” And I don’t know why, but that’s when the Holy Spirit wrecked me and I literally started weeping. I was still running, but now I’m running with my hands in the air and I’m saying “Jesus, I’m listening.” On a public path by the way. People are passing me thinking that this guy has lost his mind. But that was a moment in my life when Jesus started trying to get my attention. Hear me say this, there is nothing wrong with the parade. God sent Samuel to the parade. There’s a time and a place for the parade. But our generation lives for the parade and there’s not enough people who care about the sheep. I feel like that’s my mission in life going forward, to simply care for sheep. The parade will take care of itself. So to bring it back around to the question, yes I’ve been in megachurches to now I have a house church of about 20 people that meets in my home and it’s awesome. And right now, my favorite worship leader on the planet is the girl who leads worship in my house, because she has an anointing on her, and to get 20 people to sing in a living room is actually way harder than getting 10,000 people to sing because it’s awkward, but it’s beautifully awkward. And she has an authority on her that she can pull this out of people and turn people’s eyes on Jesus in such a way that you forget there’s only 20 people in the room. That’s something I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Reeves has a strong passion for pouring into worship leaders and songwriters and has done so in different ways over the past several years since settling back down with his family in Austin, TX. We discussed the fact that it seems like every generation of worship leaders has something that really marks them. For our particular generation, we were a part of that group that sort of stepped in right as that transition from traditional to blended to contemporary was really gaining its momentum, and so maturing as a worship leader looked very different from what it does now. I asked Jesse what he thinks the “mark” is for this current generation of worship leaders taking up roles in the church and coming into their own as leaders, and what it might look like for them to reach their full potential. 

“While I don’t want to make a blanket statement about it, I do feel like we have a generation of people who looked at my generation and saw what we did and thought, “That’s really cool, I want to do that.” And so we have a large percent of churches with people filling the platform that wanted to do that because it was cool, instead of because they have a calling on their life from God. So honestly I think what’s marking this generation is that, but I’m also not a doomsday-er. I don’t think all is lost. I think what God is calling people to right now, and you can see it across the nation, God is calling people out who are authentic. And that is who is rising to the top. I read a book called The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch and he says that this next generation wants three things . . . they want authenticity, they want community, and they want social justice. And if they don’t find those things in the church, they’re just not going to go. My generation will go to church just to check a box. Not this next generation. I think what is going to have to mark this generation is for true worship leaders to figure out how to reach them because they’re not going to come to us. Which means we’re going to have to lead worship not with just songs. We’re going to have to lead worship with our actions. So maybe God is raising up a new generation of worship leaders that has very little to do with music. Look at Romans 12:1.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

That’s our definition. That definition doesn’t say anything about music, it doesn’t say anything about songs. We’ve had a whole generation that defines worship by our songs. God defines our worship by the degree to which we present our bodies as a living sacrifice. So what I pray is that the next generation will lead the charge in that. That’s something I would be willing to follow.”

As you can imagine, there’s not a whole lot to say after that, except this . . . where are you pouring out? Where are you investing your resources and energy? Is it into the parade or is it into the sheep? This is probably a question that we as worship leaders need to ask and re-ask ourselves on a regular basis. Like Jesse said, neither is right or wrong and there is a time and place for both. But it is always worth checking in periodically to make sure we are spending ourselves where He wants us spending ourselves. The alternatively will leave us simply exhausted. 

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/. 

Dustin and James answer YOUR most pressing questions. On this episode we cover everything from distractions to multiple services, being the authority to playing at the back of the church. You won’t want to miss these tips on living a better church life!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship in partnership with WeAreWorship providing weekly worship resources.

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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.

Subscribe to the podcast:
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linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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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.

Subscribe to the podcast:
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linktr.ee/theworshippodcast 

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The Dodgers and Padres have created the best rivalry in MLB through a willingness to spend on big-name players and be contenders every season.

Here are the top five MLB third basemen set to become free agents this offseason.