Tag Archives: worship

Post Summer – Pre Fall New Music List

Posted on by
Reply

The title says it all

Life’s a little crazy right now but one of the things that’s keeping me trucking is the continual discovery of some great new music.  Here are some things that are inspiring me for congregational music as I look at the fall.

(click picture for link to the songs)

I’ve been a fan of Dustin Kensrue for a few years.  It’s even easier for me to be a fan of his new sound with his worship band, Modern Post, based out of Mars Hill O.C.  Check out their brilliant versions of “Before the Throne” and “Amazing Grace”.

 

 

I have not heard a song, any song, that has grabbed me like this since I first popped in Jonsi’s album “Go” 2 years ago.  Kenosis’ version of “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us” is not necessarily the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s probably the most exciting hymn rearrangement I’ve ever heard.  Love it!  Absolutely love it!

 

The Royal Royal came on the scene last year when they toured the U.S. with Hillsong United.  As soon as I heard their song “Praise Him” I was hooked.  It was what I wanted to hear from the worship music genre, because it didn’t sound like the genre.  And yet, while having a fresh sound that gives some nods to the influence of bands like Passion Pit the songs are still totally congregationally singable.  Great stuff.

 

I haven’t tried incorporating any Bellarive tunes into a worship set yet, but it’s only a matter of time.  I love their sound.  I’ll never be able to sing as high as this dude but their approach to worship music resonates with me.  I’m a fan.

 

 

This last one is something a little different, yet totally familiar.  Imagine some of the popular worship songs from the last few years…with a Punk Rock sound.  That’s what my buddy, Ryan Gartner from my home church has been working on.  Because fist pumps and praising Jesus just belong together.

 

 

What are you guys listening to?

There’s Always Someone Better

Posted on by
10

(if you can’t see the above video watch it HERE)

an iPhone

iMovie

and a song from my iTunes library

On its own this video is very unremarkable.  The frame is all wrong.  The quality is poor.  I’m filming with the phone sticking out of my shirt pocket as I drive.

A professional or even someone who makes videos as a hobby would have captured, edited, and produced something much better than I did.  But if I had contracted someone to make this video then it wouldn’t have been mine.  It wouldn’t have been my story.

There will always be someone better than you.  Everywhere I go I find better worship leaders, better musicians, and better artists than myself.  This isn’t self deprecation, it’s just  the truth and I’m ok with it.  But imagine if I allowed that to affect me so much that I stopped creating my art?  Stopped leading worship?  Or stopped telling my story?  I would be in danger of hiding God from others.  If God’s fingerprints are all over my life (which I believe they are, and yours too) and I neglect to share my story or my art with the world then what witness would I have?

Tell the God story that is in you

Tell it to everyone and anyone that will listen

Tell it with your personality, with your gifts

Tell it through your actions, tell it through your words

Tell it through your songs, your paintings, your photos, your videos, your anything and everything

Because His fingerprints are on you, and He has given you a story to tell

 

My story that goes along with this video is from August 12, 2012 and I will never forget that night now for as long as I live.  My family threw me a belated birthday party.  What started out as pulling out photo albums to compare my Dad’s gray hair level to mine at age 27 (I have more gray hair) turned into my brothers, my Dad and I telling our wives the stories that went along with the pictures in those albums.

Pictures of me as a chubby 1 year old in Germany – The story of a young family following the call of God to a country they didn’t know to serve people and tell them the God story.

Pictures of 2 small premature babies in incubators – The story of my twin brothers, clinging to new life, sustained by the one who created them, covered in the prayers of hundreds if not thousands.  A new brother reaches in to touch them, the beginning of an amazing friendship.  They are the miracle babies.  The babies who survived in a body that was simultaneously battling cancer.  The babies that gave a stranger, a mother in Sweden, hope for her own unborn twins coming into the world with the same odds against them.  They were with me to tell the story.

Pictures of me imitating my Dad as he plays the bass – The story of a boy who would grow up to tell the God story through music.  The story of a father who in the midst of the chaos and the uncertainty of a wife with cancer and two premature babies clinging to life took the time to be with his eldest son and share with him a moment of joy.  A God moment.

Pictures of a 3 year old me grinning from ear to ear wearing Mom’s wig – The story of a boy who loved his mother with all his heart.  The story of a mother who was strong for her family.  The story of a God who sustained life in a brittle body for much longer than any doctor would have believed possible so that she could build into her sons what it means to trust God in any circumstance.  The story that continues today where Mom is in heaven and I am here with a story to tell.

The video is what I captured on our way home from that night.  Lights in the sky.  Lights on the road.  Lights in the buildings.  Lights that to me in that very moment reminded me that the God story is all around us.

 

God has given you a story to tell.  You will be faced with moments in your life when you want to shy away from it.  You will feel like you should maybe just leave it to the “professionals” or the “experts”.  But it is your story.

There is a God story inside of you that needs to be told.

 

what is your story?

Preaching in the Mirror: Satan is Real

Posted on by
10

Well hello again!

I’ve been away from the blog for over 2 months and this is the post I come back with???

Not sure what I’m thinking, this might get a little crazy. I won’t blame you if you decide to go surf youtube videos instead of reading this post.

To quickly bring you up to speed…since my last post I have been on vacation in Germany with my wife, sold the first house I ever owned, moved in with my in-laws for 3 weeks, then moved into an overpriced rental in downtown Calgary, and started a new job under bumpy circumstances.

All of these things are of the physical world. I can, to some extent, control them. Some of these things were awesome, some of them in the middle, and some of them have made this recent transition a lot more difficult than I expected.

And then there’s the spiritual world. It’s throwing me curveballs that I did not expect.

And so I bring you Part 3 of the Preaching in the Mirror series – “Satan is Real”

disclaimer: you might think I’m psycho and I’m ok with that

The word “coincidence” keeps coming to mind. I don’t know if I believe in it or not. I lean towards not, but somehow the word keeps creeping in to my vocabulary. (Please forgive a few long sentences here. Also, the following is just to provide you with context. Insert your our circumstances in place of mine)

Is it a coincidence that I face spiritual attack in my personal life that I’ve never faced before right as I start out as Creative Pastor of a worship service that I believe God wants to use in huge ways to draw people in the city of Calgary to Himself?

I don’t know…

Is it a coincidence that at the same time the church faces a difficult issue that has a lot of emotions and layers attached to it and could potentially be devastating to a lot of relationships if Satan has his way?

I don’t know…

Is it a coincidence that these spiritual attacks come in a church that has grown by over 1,000 people (many of those new believers) in 3 years in a city that has plenty of comfortable, wealthy people who would tell you they have no need for God?

I don’t know…

I can’t say for certain. But I do know that I believe it is NOT a coincidence at all. I believe that when God is moving powerfully Satan pulls overtime to try and put a stop to it. He attacks the individual with gossip, jealousy, anger, bitterness, self-righteousness, greed. He brings out the big guns of depression, substance abuse, and pornography. He knows all the tricks.

Satan is real, and he wants to destroy you. This isn’t a story in a movie. This is real. This is happening.

If God has placed you in a position of influence over other believers you can be sure that attack will come hard and fierce, especially if you’re seeing fruit in your ministry. Pastors, worship leaders, small group leaders, parents, teachers, CEOs, you name it. It will come. It will appear in ways you do not expect.

Personally I’d like to ignore everything I’ve just previously said. I would much rather live my life, have my 3 weeks vacation, collect my pay check, and feel good about my contribution to society than admit there is a battle raging for my soul.

Except I can’t.

I can’t because I know that will lead me to destruction. I can’t because imprinted in the very fibre of my being is a desire for relationship with the God who has something far greater for me than pay checks and feeling good about myself. This God gives us a purpose. This God reaches out to us and says, “I have something far better for you than anything you could hope to attain on your own.” This God gives us victory in the battle. This God has provided a way out.

Jesus, the God-man. The only one who has defeated all of the things that Satan uses to destroy us. He has defeated Satan and death. He is our rescue. He is the God who saves us. He is the atonement. He is the grace giver. He is the restorer. He is the victorious one.

Do Battle

Worship Your Face Off

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:12

;

I am sick of trying to ignore the battle. I am sick of seeing the destruction around me and in me. I am sick of my own excuses. I am sick of my lack of faith, lack of prayer, lack of courage, lack of perseverance in the fight. I am sick of fighting alone.

I will do battle. Worship is my weapon of choice.

;

Bring it

The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf. – Deuteronomy 1:30

;

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. – Deuteronomy 7:9

This Is Worship Victoria

Posted on by
3

Saturday, April 21st, 2012 is going to be an amazing day.  It’s the culmination and celebration of something that I never thought I would be a part of.  Over the past year I have been part of an idea called Worship Victoria.  We are about to release our first album, but it’s so much more than a worship compilation CD.  It’s the start of something that I believe will change the face of the local church in Victoria, BC forever.  

Today I want to share the story of Worship Victoria with you.

____________________________

(from the Worship Victoria website)

Worship Victoria was formed out of community, with worship leaders from different churches across our city spending time together. Over hash browns and morning coffee we would chat about our roles, challenges, lives as leaders, and our interests, passions, and discoveries as worshippers and musicians. On one of those mornings, Fraser Campbell brought to the table the idea of a city compilation album. Our churches were already singing original songs, and the prospect of compiling music from worship leaders and writers around Victoria was instantly exciting.

Thus began the long journey of creating a worship album that represented the churches and worship communities of Victoria. From early on in the process it was apparent that a theme was developing – a collection of songs was being formed that, whether through sacred liturgy or charismatic celebration, spoke of our need to see God move in our City. “Kingdom Come” would eventually become the title of the album.

The leaders of the project decided early on that all proceeds from the project should go towards a cause that aids in the advancement of God’s Kingdom. The Church of Victoria has long admired the faithful work of Rob Trepanier and has seen the positive impact of Sanctuary Youth Centre; partnering with Sanctuary was a natural fit for this project. These songs echo the heart of Sanctuary’s ministry: to see the lost found, the hurting healed and the broken restored in Christ. His kingdom come and His will be done on Earth, in our time, and in our city.

This is the prayer of Worship Victoria.

______________________________

If you’re wondering how you’ll be able to get the CD online it might be a while before we figure out how that will work.  Since this is a fundraiser for the Sanctuary Youth Centre we want to try our best to make sure all the funds go directly to them without too much administrative hassle.  But if you’d like a CD then leave a comment and we’ll try to figure something out.

 

For More on Worship Victoria check out…

 

Transition Time

Posted on by
9

That’s a snap shot that was texted to me by my little brother from this weekend’s bulletin at First Alliance Church in Calgary, AB.

Yes, it’s true.  I’m excited to be re-joining the staff at this fantastic church.  I got my start in ministry at FAC back in 2005 and my wife and I have some deep roots there.  We love the church, we love Calgary, and we’re excited to see how God will use us there.

My role will be primarily focused on leading worship and providing direction to a new worship service on Sunday nights.  I’m excited about this new opportunity.  My heart beat will be the same as it has been for the past number of years.  1 Corinthians 14 inspires my desire to create powerful and intentional worship environments where the Holy Spirit is invited to transform lives and draw us into a deeper relationship with Jesus.  I want to encourage, equip, and empower everyone to be on mission for Jesus through creative communication methods that break us out of the mundane and remind us of our true purpose.

I’m stoked!

Over the next 2 months my focus is on having my best 2 months of ministry ever at Saanich Baptist Church.  God is doing amazing things there right now and I’m so grateful that I’ve been a part of it in this season.  I love SBC and the people I’ve had the chance to serve with.  God has used this church to build into me in a lasting way.  My last Sunday at SBC will be May 20th.  Until then there are a lot of exciting things coming including Easter weekend, Serve the City in May and the release of our Worship Victoria project  in April.

God is building His church.  I’m humbled and thankful that I get a front row seat.