The call to full-time ministry often begins as a conviction that we cannot shake. It’s an odd thing, often described as a “knowing” that can’t quite be articulated, merely discerned. For many people who are now in full-time ministry there was, at some point early on in their journey, an encounter with God that …
How to Not Lose Your Passion for Worship (Sustaining the Long Haul) Read More »
Contemporary worship as we know it is a fairly new phenomena. Worshiping with song has been part of Christian worship from the beginning, but the current shape – a collection of songs strung together at the onset of the liturgy – is new. Even so, “contemporary worship” has continued to evolve over the ~60ish years …
Almost a year ago I wrote a post called “Worship Leader” or “Worship Pastor”? Our Language Tells on Us… In it I argue that we should aim to be worship pastors and not just worship leaders. Our function – making theological and spiritual decisions on behalf of the congregation – is pastoral, and even if …
Top 5 Books for Worship Leaders on Pastoring in 2022 Read More »
I loathe becoming a snobby curmudgeon who harkens back to the “good ole days” of church music. But it’s not a stretch to suggest that the “piano” is less of a fundamental church instrument than it was twenty years ago and has nearly been replaced by pads and synths as the backbone of much contemporary …
3 Ways to Become a Better Piano Player (No Matter Your Skill Level) Read More »
Now more than ever, we have access to resources that will make us better Worship Leaders. Never before in history has so much information been available to so many people so quickly for so little money. This blog (and the website it’s posted on) witness to the plethora of resources available to anyone with internet …
A few weeks ago I wrote about the difficulties that can impede a healthy senior pastor / worship pastor relationship. In my career (and as a bystander of my dad’s career) as a worship pastor I’ve experienced deep and healthy relationships with some senior pastors as well as tenuous relationships with others. I’ve …
What Worship Leaders Need from Their Senior Pastors Read More »
The relationship between Senior Pastors and Worship Leaders can be one of the most difficult to manage. Though they are both called to shepherd the sheep, they have very little overlap in their function. Of course, some senior pastors were previously worship pastors, but very few worship pastors have been the lead pastor of …
What Senior Pastors Really Want from their Worship Leaders Read More »
It is both beautiful and difficult to truly love people who are different from yourself. If you serve in the Church long enough you will discover this for yourself. It’s even more difficult to lead them – together – into discipleship to Jesus. Yet that is what it is to pastor. Each variation of …
A month or so ago a friend of mine posed this question on Facebook: “Is it possible for a church to completely avoid hurting someone? If so, how?” As you can imagine, smack dab in the middle of “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” season the post elicited well over 100 comments, many …
One of the more exciting Christmas songs I remember as a child was the 12 Days of Christmas. It’s unmistakably cheesy and who in their right mind would want all those birds for gifts? But what kid wouldn’t be excited about 12 days of Christmas?! So here are two questions: First, why don’t we …
