Are you looking for some great new music to add to your collection or broaden your set list possibilities at church? Adam Farrell’s new album, To Know You More, is well worth more than the $8.91 it costs on iTunes. You can find it on Amazon too if you want a physical CD. The track list flows from the pop sounds of “Faithful One” through the intimate worship attitude of “Breathe Life” and “Sing Into My Heart” into an updated folk version of Doxology. Farrell takes it up a notch with “Find Me” before going into “King of All” (which can also be found on North Way’s worship album, Follow After You) and “The Light That Shines”. Continue Reading…

It’s another installment of #MusicMonday! I led worship for our high school student ministry last night and afterwards felt like I didn’t do a very good job. I had a hard time engaging the students and I couldn’t find the melody of the last song for the whole first half of it. There’s not much that feels more awkward to a worship leader than singing a weird harmony to the first half of a song without anyone singing the melody. As I reflect on the whole experience this morning, I am drawn back to another song that we sang last night and I’m reminded of the love of God in spite of my shortcomings. Continue Reading…

Ratatat

Sometimes you just want some instrumental music to work to. For me it’s stuff like Ratatat. Put put their entire catalog on shuffle-repeat and a day of productivity ensues. I linked to their self-titled album, but they’ve got a lot more to offer. Click the picture to find them in iTunes.

Every time I lead worship, I feel more and more like it’s something I should continue to do as often as possible. I may not have the best voice in the world, or the trendiest clothes, but I do have a heart for helping people engage in worship. I long for God to reveal Himself to people, and I get to see that happen through worship.

I led an acoustic worship set for Blitz (our high school ministry at church) last night, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard students pour themselves out through song quite like that. I think worship leaders sometimes want to go over the top, using every instrument possible, making it as loud as comfortably possible, and really just perform some songs that they like rather than help people engage. There’s nothing wrong with these things, but none of them necessarily cause people to focus on their Creator in worship. None of these things are necessary for people to recognize the presence of The Holy Spirit in and around them.

Continue Reading…

It’s #MusicMonday again, and I thought I’d dive back into the hymns this week. Like many hymns that we know today, the version of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing that we sing today is the result of multiple adaptations from the original text by Robert Robinson found below. Continue Reading…

It’s Valentine’s Day and guys across the nation are trying to fit the mold that the media sets out as how men should act once a year. My friend Bryan writes about his take on this media-driven image of men here, and I totally agree with him. As a husband, I should be romancing my wife through out the year and when she least expects it, not just on V-Day. The lyrics from this song by Sanctus Real are a reminder of how I should be leading my life and asking God to lead through me. Continue Reading…

The discusion this week on the Journeymen Podcast is about hearing from God and whether or not He still speaks to His people today. To me the question isn’t whether He still speaks, but whether we are listening. Sometimes it’s hard to get through the distractions in life to hear what He is saying, so it is important to specifically seek out His voice in your life. To do that, the Journeymen have made a commitment to seek out the voice of God. Continue Reading…

The Only Way To Play Christian Music...

Is there such a thing as Christian music? This is one of the questions that was posed on the Journeymen Podcast this week.

I personally don’t think that music should be labeled Christian. People are Christians. Christians make up the church. Christians play music and worship God. The music itself does not have the power to follow Christ, but it is the writers and singers of that music that follow Him. As I mention on the podcast, there are a lot of people who would listen to Christian music if it didn’t have the label “Christian music”. The point of being a Christian is to make disciples. The point of making music as a band is to have as many people as possible listen to your music. As a Christian in a band, wouldn’t your goal be to make as many disciples through your music? I get it that there are Christian bands out there doing this, but just imagine how many more people would hear their message if there wasn’t this Christian music stigma that is ingrained in the minds of so many.
Continue Reading…

David Crowder Band - Illuminate

This has to be one of my favorite songs of all time, as well as one of my bands.  The simple melody carries me into an attitude of laying down my pride, selfishness, insecurity, and anything else that I am allowing to burden me.  It doesn’t matter if I’m listening to this song on my iPod when I’m all alone or leading a congregation through it, I am humbled every time.

Continue Reading…