Grasping for Lent

1 Comment » Written on March 8th, 2013     
Filed under: Church Year, Lent

Today’s post is written by Geoff Twigg, Adjunct Professor at North Park University in Chicago. Geoff is a pastor, singer/songwriter, worship leader and ministry consultant, and serves the ECC as a member of the denomination’s Commission on Worship.

In reading this, you may find me being uncomfortably honest. I’m writing for myself, in the hope that it may be useful to others who have a similar experience. I’m also trying to ‘speak out loud’ so that I can gain an objective reality of an idea that tends to dance at the edge of my mind’s eye.

Christmas poses no problem for me. I know what we’re celebrating, and I can choose to focus on any of the classic approaches; the prophecies, the characters and attitudes of Mary, Joseph and the others. The figure of the Messiah, and how some people were expecting a political Savior rather than a suffering servant.

Advent can be tricky, because sometimes I want to move ahead too soon, and sometimes I just want to cry out against the commerciality and materialism. These are easy targets and efficient distractions; but it’s relatively simple to get back to the first and second comings of Christ and trying not to sing ‘Noel’ too soon.

Easter’s easy, too. It’s resurrection, empty tombs and chocolate eggs. I have the idea that if I focus on darkness the week before, the brightness of Easter is greater and my joy is somehow heightened; I can do that.

But Lent? You will tell me that it’s the ancient period when those to be baptized on Easter were fasting and preparing. You might encourage me to give something up, avoid saying Hallelujah and attend a weekly Bible Study. Check, check and… check. And where has it got me? There’s two weeks to go before Palm Sunday and frankly, I don’t feel much different than I do on any of the interminable Ordinary weeks between Pentecost and Thanksgiving.

That’s the challenge; can I try a little harder, ‘dig in’ a little more to the Liturgical Calendar and get more devotional focus? Can I draw closer to God, gain a little more discipline and invite the power of the Spirit to sanctify this moment?

I’m realizing that, if this dimension of the Liturgical Year is going to work for me at all, I have to start sooner and go deeper at every opportunity. I need to constantly re-commit and re-focus; I need to renew my interior Covenant more frequently..

These days Holy Week, for me, is a little like the 24/7 news coverage of any disaster. Yes, I’ll be meditating on the disciple’s last meal together on Thursday, following the trial on Friday; I’ll experience the darkness and stillness. But if I’m not careful, in my mind (by Saturday morning at the latest) I’ll be running towards the tomb.

I’m going to work hard on making Lent a little longer this year.




Kingdom Work

12 comments Written on March 2nd, 2013     
Filed under: Better Together, Culture, Gender, Multicultural, Music
Tags: , , , ,

Today’s post is written by Jo Anne Taylor, Worship Pastor at Bethlehem Covenant Church, Minneapolis, MN.

It started off innocently enough. Someone mentioned enjoying a particular Christian artist’s latest CD, and wondered which tracks others might be using in their own worship contexts. After a dozen or so responses, an issue was raised that turned the discussion in a new direction. Describing the inclusion of a prominent hip-hop artist on one track of the recording, the commenter wrote: “This song, though catchy and well-written within its genre, is another example of a person in power representing a dominant culture unintentionally sending the message that the only way for outsiders to get respect and recognition from that dominant culture is to acquiesce to and subsume one’s self within it.”

Nearly  - oops – Over a hundred comments later, covering a number of tangential topics, that early comment about the messages outsiders get from the dominant culture still convicts me, and I ponder the part I play in perpetuating a system that excludes more than it embraces.

Jelani Greenidge explains, “Because when it comes to Christian music, if you want into the upper echelon of recognition and stardom, people of color MUST learn to do the kind of music that White people appreciate, but White musicians are NOT required to do the same.” Jelani sees this as “blatant indication of the injustice inherent in the power structures that support Christian music, and it’s difficult for me to watch others support that success without also attacking the inequity of those structures. It is passive acquiescence of racism that allows it to continue to perpetuate.”

Some time ago, Jelani joined me on this blog to initiate a discussion about multicultural worship, and what that might look like. It was a polite exchange, and comments supported such a discussion – but they didn’t really engage in it.  This past week, the discussion has gone deep, and I want to share a few anonymous excerpts to get you thinking about what it means to be part of the Body of Christ, to honor and celebrate the many cultures that contribute to our corporate worship, and what it means to stand up to a music industry that marginalizes many of our most talented brothers and sisters because they aren’t white, aren’t male, or aren’t younger than 35. Ponder these thoughts prayerfully. Consider the part you play in this unjust system, and also consider what you might do to become part of that system’s redemption. Because this is Kingdom work. Continue Reading »




Connect

8 comments Written on February 22nd, 2013     
Filed under: Culture, Dangerous Worship, Formation, Liturgy

Today’s post is written by Chris Logan, Pastor of Worship Arts at Community Covenant Church in Lenexa, KS.

Have you ever considered how worship gatherings fit into the context of discipleship?

The connection is actually quite strong. To be honest, I had never really thought about it much until I was at a conference a few months ago, and Mindy Caliguire spent a great deal of time talking about discipleship (it turns out that’s what she does at Willow Creek). One of the things she mentioned was that discipleship, while it’s often looked at as a small group or one-on-one sort of responsibility, can be a large group practice. We learn and grow together not only as we read or have conversations, but also as we engage corporately, as the combined voices and minds and hearts of many.

It’s a perspective that should change the way we approach crafting worship gatherings.

For one, the music takes on a new significance; it’s a part of the process of forming all of us into the image of Jesus. These are not a random assortment of songs we enjoy singing; they must be carefully chosen and rehearsed. Furthermore, every part of the music – not just the words – must be carefully thought through; lyrics incorrectly paired with style or flavor changes the way we tell the story. The order of music – and of the whole gathering, from music to liturgy to message, even to the announcements – matters because in the environment that we choose to create people will have a better chance (or not) of connecting with the Creator.

Connections.

What we are doing is helping people make connections, because that’s what a good story does. In the process of crafting a worship gathering as story, we can help our congregations connect what they learned last week to the next week; we can help them connect to creation and to each other; we can help them connect to their Maker and Redeemer.

The thing about connections is that they don’t happen to us; we have to participate in them. Nobody can connect me to God without my permission and conscious engagement – nor to my neighbor. Connections – true, meaningful, lasting, deep connections – happen in the midst of discovery. On some fundamental level, we do not own those connections unless we discover them for ourselves.

Which begs a question: what story are we telling?

Does the story we are telling in and with our gatherings help make those connections, that discovery? To help others to make discoveries, should we be giving answers, or asking more questions? Is it possible that by providing simple answers (how complex could those answers possibly be with only an hour or less to give them?) we’re robbing those in our care of the joy of discovery?

More to the point, what is the nature of the content? If the gospel we preach is so revolutionary and could change the world, it’s a dangerous story to tell. Do we tell dangerous stories or sing dangerous songs? Since God is always advancing towards us – the gospel is always advancing – our gatherings are one of the places that heaven and earth can intersect, overlap, collide.

Connect …

… if we let them.




Midwinter Worship Connection 2013

Post a Comment » Written on February 15th, 2013     
Filed under: Better Together, Midwinter, Worship Connection 2013

Today’s post is written by Matt Nightingale, Director of Worship Ministries at Redeemer Covenant Church in Tulsa, OK, along with many friends from the Better Together group on Facebook.

One week ago today, the Covenant’s annual Midwinter Conference ended. I’ve been attending for twelve years now, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity I have to connect with friends and colleagues from all over the country. In 2001, I was new to full-time ministry and new to the Covenant. I had inexplicably booked my flight to land at Midway Airport, so – not realizing what a distance I had to go – I dragged my luggage onto the nearest train and rode for what seemed like hours all the way up to O’Hare. By the time I (literally) walked across the highway and into the conference center, I was late to the first worship service. But even before I went to my room I stepped into the back of the room and what I saw was wondrous to me: a vibrant tapestry of people  from many different ethnic backgrounds, worshiping in different styles and languages. And while it took a few more years for me to feel fully “part of the family,” I was immediately drawn into this wonderful family of believers.

Today I’m a commissioned Covenant pastor, and one of my favorite things to do is connect with other worship leaders at Midwinter. I’m an extreme extrovert, and for me, almost every minute is spent talking, running, laughing, crying, sharing, making music, worshiping and – of course – eating with my friends. This last week was no exception. I came home physically exhausted but so emotionally full.

Today in the Better Together forum, I asked Midwinter participants to share about their experiences, and with their permission I’m sharing some of their responses:

Jeanette Conver: “Being directed by Sid and singing Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land was a highlight! It truly felt like we were embodying the message as we sang!”

Rick Lindholtz: “ANY time Sid is directing a choir at a Covenant gathering, I will be in the bass section… the worship and the preaching at Midwinter set a new standard for excellence…”

Jen McDonald: “The choir piece was fantastic and deeply moving. You all did an awesome job.”

Sarah Monson: “That there are many, many fantastically gifted, talented, passionate and gracious people in our denomination. Just love serving with you all!”

Andrew Thompson: “Thanking God for the creativity, colleagues and shared mission.”

Scott Austin: “I came away glowing with joy at being part of the Covenant. What a wonderful group of people.”

Julie Chamberlain: “Biblical and anointed preaching by Mark Labberton (Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning), Kanyare Eaton and Sameh Maurice was the highlight for me. In fact, Sameh’s been preaching to me all week — just can’t shake that one! I am praying in a whole new way because of his message. And the open-mic night…just blown away. Such a great night of glorifying God through the gifts of His people. So many incredible songs — songs I would do in my church THIS Sunday or download from iTunes in a heartbeat — and they were written and performed by my Better Together friends! You guys are amazing!! And then, yeah – just being together. I’m with Scott Austin – glowing with joy at being part of the Covenant!”

Susan Gillespie: “I choose the music for worship in my church… I don’t have the kinds of gifts that are so fulsome in this group, but I learn so much just being around you all, about the kinds of things that motivate ‘music people’ and how you all like to work, and to see things in new ways from the point of view of a very different gift set. I am thankful!”

Elizabeth McColl: “Very much enjoyed playing this year. We all know what it takes to put the worship sessions together and it was so good to be part of a team of all worship leaders.”

Chris Logan: “We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention open mic night … Amazing evening of diverse talents!”

Dru McLeland: “ I appreciated looking at the book of Ruth through the hermeneutic lens of the immigrant. Oh, and more rap music! Loved it at the open mic.”

Melchizedek Lockwood: “I enjoyed Glenn (Kaiser) very much, very inspiring experience at workshops & open mic…meeting you guys was great, came home refreshed…overall awesome.”

Dan Whitmarsh: “I was glad to see our president encouraging the reintroduction of liturgical dance into our worship repertoire.”

Chad Benkert: “I think all of Thursday night was a highlight, great message, amazing choir piece and communion. Then after all that was open mic night. It was great to hear the music that God put on different people’s hearts. I could easily say that was one of my top highlights. (It even beat out the amazing sushi we had!)

Danny Martinez: “The Midwinter band was excellent, the preaching was outstanding, the worship seminar was awesome, and of course, the fellowship! Glenn Kaiser, Jenny McDonald, Jay Phelan, Geoff Twigg, just awesome.”

Jen Lowe: “Gary’s reminder that there’s a reason ministry is a call not a preference hit home for me this year. I appreciated the abundance and variety of instruments during worship, including the vocal gifts of the choir. All the speakers were incredible and touched my heart in different ways. And it’s always so life-giving to see my friends and meet new ones.”

Tabatha Mason: “Sameh Maurice’s word to pray like crazy and story of the man who had seen Jesus when asked before baptism if he was ready to give his life for Jesus if that’s what it took, “If you had seen Him, you never would have asked me that question.” So beautiful.”

Daniel Johnson: “Mark Labberton’s unpacking of Daniel, putting it into our context in the church today, and how we tend to follow the “mesmerizing rhythms” of the culture around us rather than stay true to God, as Daniel and his friends did, even as they served in the highest levels of Babylonian government. Also Sameh Maurice’s three points: Begin with love, pray like crazy, and THEN share the truth of Jesus. Too often we tend to operate in reverse in our Evangelical fervor to get people to “go to heaven” if they die tonight…”

Tim Coyer: “Tuesday night, hearing the strings with ‘All the Poor and Powerless’ was one of my favorite moments.“

Glenn Kaiser: “The worship leader’s lunch gatherings as well as Jay & Geoff & Jen’s teaching/sharing were excellent. Amazing, cool open mic night too! Worship team sweet right through MW. Kudos!”

Karen Galdamez: “ I came to the Covenant 21 years ago when my dad was called to pastor a Hispanic church in Turlock and I fall in love over and over again with the Covenant. I love the open table to all cultures and all walks of life, the invitation to walk the Jesus life.”

I’m grateful for the testimony of so many who were blessed by our time in San Diego. I’ve saved two for last, because I think they have special significance. First, for those who couldn’t be with us physically:

Betty Fitzgerald: “This was my first MidWinter and I attended through Covchurch.tv. I must confess after viewing the opening Worship service I became a CovTV junkie! I would watch the clock waiting for the next broadcast. I was most touched by Danny Carroll’s message and honestly that surprised me because in our little corner of the world there are no immigrants to speak of. But God spoke to my heart through that message when Dr. Carroll said people move because they are hungry. At that moment I understood that those walking through the doors of of our church for the first time are Spiritually hungry. From that point forward I listened with attentiveness through that filter. And then Glenn Kaiser! Just so much fun! “Live your life for a change, you’re not taking it with you anyhow”. Ah, words to live by for sure.”

And finally, I love these words from a long-time attender of Midwinter. And I’m so grateful for the growing community of worship leaders.

Dan Schuttler: ”Midwinter used to be a dreaded rite-of-passage for church musicians, hunting and pecking our way through the mass of senior and associate pastors to see a familiar face and/or sympathetic ear of the few fellow worship pastors who dared to also attend. Maybe we’d get lucky and a workshop might be related to worship and the arts. Now, it’s almost 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Full and engaging worship led by a diverse groups of people, reflecting how God is changing us as a denomination. Workshops, open mics, classes and the wonderful connecting times….Wow!! I dread it no more (even when it’s in Chicago…Ha!)”

Hope to see all of you next year in Chicago, and until then, we’ll see you on Facebook! Please feel free to share more favorite Midwinter Moments in the comments.

 

 




Dorris the Worshipper

Post a Comment » Written on February 1st, 2013     
Filed under: Guest Post, Intergenerational, Music, Stories

Today’s post was written by Nathan Albert. It was originally published in two parts (here and here) on his blog, it seems to me… Nathan is the Pastor of Student Ministries at Christ Church in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Previously, he was the collegelife coordinator with University Ministries at North Park University in Chicago, IL and has also worked as the Director of Pastoral Care with The Marin Foundation. Nathan earned his Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary where he focused his thesis on the biblical scholarship pertaining to homosexuality. He is a licensed minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church, an avid thumb wrestler, and excited to spend the rest of his life with his lovely fiancee Kate. Follow him on Twitter at @nathanalbert.

Last spring, I attended a church on the East Coast. It was a beautiful, sunny morning, and I arrived to the church service a little late. It’s inside a school, and there were hundreds of people singing along to songs as I entered.

The church service was by no means a Pentecostal service, but people occasionally clapped, raised their arms, and swayed to the tunes. It’s a place where you felt safe and welcomed.

In the front row was an elderly woman. (If you don’t know, I have an affinity to cute old people. They warm my heart.) I later learned her name was Dorris, and she was a survivor of the Holocaust. She was dressed to the nines in a red dress. Next to her was her cane and, on each side of her, a friend.

As the final song was being sung, Dorris happened to catch my eye. There was her cane leaning on the chair next to her. Dorris was standing with arms raised completely above her head in worship. And around Dorris’ waist was her friend’s arm, willingly holding her up to worship.

It brought me to tears.

Here was an elderly woman so in love with God that she risked falling in order that she could worship the God that saved her. In that moment, nothing else mattered to her but worshiping her God. And there was a woman next to her who loved Dorris so much that she would do anything so that her friend Dorris might be able to worship the God who saved her. In that moment, nothing else mattered but holding her friend up so she might worship.

It was beautiful. And a blog post may not adequately explain what I saw in that moment. But it was beautiful. I promise.

I hope I become a person who will do whatever it takes so that my loved ones can freely worship God. And I hope that I will have people in my life that will do whatever it takes so that I can freely worship God. Even if that means holding me up so I can worship like Dorris.

Recently, I was fortunate to have a short conversation with Dorris the Worshiper. Although brief, it was packed with wisdom. Although introductory, it was full of experience. And although a conversation in passing, it was one I shall not forget.

After simple greetings, I asked her how long she had been a part of the church and how long she had been a Christian. Through her accent, she reminisced about how her parents raised her Catholic and allowed her to partake in the Eucharist as a child. She went on to mention how she attended this particular church and had been hooked from day one. She comes to worship and always sits in the front rows because she loves the music.

With a smile upon her face, she concluded the conversation by saying that she comes to church in order “to see my Jesus.”

“I want to see my Jesus,” said Dorris.

As I stood in the back of the sanctuary, I watched Dorris the Worshiper in the front row enjoy the music.

I watched Dorris the Worshiper as she saw her Jesus.

In that moment, I think I saw Jesus too.  And it was pretty cool.

 




Still

1 Comment » Written on January 25th, 2013     
Filed under: Culture, Leadership, Missional, Order of Worship

Today’s post is written by Chris Logan, Pastor of Worship Arts at Community Covenant Church in Lenexa, KS.

Over the last few months I’ve been part of a “cohort” (whatever that means) of other pastors around Kansas City Metro, led by Brad Brisco and Lance Ford of the FORGE:America Mission Network. We’ve been discussing what it means to be “missional,” the sent people of God. The missional church movement, with its roots in the emerging church movement (which was soooo ’90’s) has been a strong critic of Consumer Christianity; we are not here for ourselves, we have been “called out” to be a blessing to the world. It’s all very biblical stuff, it’s a message our churches desperately need to hear, and it’s a message we desperately need to enact because it is a call to return to the roots of our faith.

In and amongst the large questions of “missional,” however, we worship pastors can often feel lost. It’s all very senior-pastory stuff, very big-vision, very theological and in some ways, very abstract. But when the rubber meets the road, it also calls into question one of our fundamental reasons for being worship pastors: the worship gathering. It’s why we were hired in the first place: the (usually) Sunday morning gathering has long been a staple of Christian practice in the West – in one form or another – for more than a thousand years. So long, in fact, that many of us tend to forget why we do this; “we’ve always done it that way”; “we have to gather, that’s when we worship”; “Jesus said to do it that way;” and other such nonsense.

The gathering tends to take the brunt of the critique because, in many minds, the gathering IS church. A whole generation of pastors preached this; we still often call the buildings in which we gather “churches,” as if they can be that apart from the group of people who gather there. I still find myself slipping into that talk when I talk about it with my kids; we have no other word for it!

Now, most of us can agree that worship is first and foremost a way of life; to live oriented towards God is to worship. The two can be equated, I think. Mark Labberton makes a case for this in his book, “Dangerous Worship”, to which I hope he makes reference at Midwinter this year (and everyone going gave a shoutout). In Romans, Paul makes a good case for this too: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is true worship.” There are good reasons to gather together weekly. Scripture DOES say we shouldn’t forsake gathering together. Jesus spent large amounts of time teaching his disciples apart from the crowds.

But Jesus also said, “go.”

Jesus also said “make disciples of ALL nations.”

Jesus said we were to go to the very ends of the earth.

And how we emphasize this in our gatherings is important. It’s not an either/or, but a both/and: we gather, and we are sent, gather, and send. We worship pastors are discipleship pastors too, but for us, it means discipling a whole congregation all at once through our art, through music, and through the liturgy we write. How we choose to lead can emphasize this rhythm of gather and send. A benediction, literally a “good word,” is a time for us to remind ourselves of our sent-ness. The good word is that we do not cease to be this gathered people when the doors swing shut on our way to the parking lot, because being sent is a part of offering ourselves. It means that, when Monday comes, we’re still the Church.

When we’re cut off in traffic, we’re still the Church.

When our coworkers invite us to the suspicious wing joint next door, we’re still the Church.

When our kids do that one thing that always makes us angry, we’re still the Church.

When we know that it’s time to study – but Facebook sits there beckoning – we’re still the Church.

And how we respond is worship too.




WARNING: Contents Under Pressure

1 Comment » Written on January 18th, 2013     
Filed under: Better Together, Leadership, Local Church
Tags: , , , ,

 

Today’s post is written by Jo Anne Taylor, Music and Worship Pastor at Bethlehem Covenant Church, Minneapolis, MN.

We have barely made it through Christmas, but planning for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter is already underway. Meanwhile, there’s a plumbing leak (that no one can locate) pouring water into the child care center downstairs, the photocopier we bought less than a year ago is inoperable again, and there aren’t enough volunteers to fill all the volunteer assignments for this weekend. The flu outbreak has us rethinking the way we greet one another. No one can find the projector for the contemporary worship, and no one can remember if the person who was supposed to run it was ever actually asked to do so. A member of the congregation becomes ill after arriving at church, and the ambulance arrives minutes before worship is to begin, blocking the entrance to the building.

Just a typical Sunday at XYZ Covenant Church in Your Town, USA, right? One emergency after another interrupts our plans. The pressure becomes intense for pastors and congregational leaders who find themselves bouncing from one crisis to the next, barely catching a breath in between.

The pressure builds as we are faced not only with problems we could avoid if we planned better, but real catastrophes like death and sickness and job loss and power outages and other events beyond our control. We become so accustomed to operating in “crisis mode” that we forget this might not be what Jesus had in mind when he said, “Abide in me.”

Our English word “crisis” comes from the Greek word that means “judgment” or “decision.” A true crisis is a turning point, a moment of decision. The decisions we make may be life-or-death, or they may have less dire consequences. Some decisions must be made on the spur of the moment, while others can be pondered and made at leisure. How we react to these crises tells the world a great deal about our faith and our willingness to practice what we preach: that God loves us, that we belong to Him, and grace abounds.

Does your church have a plan for dealing with unavoidable emergencies when they arise? How do your leaders and pastors avoid the burnout that so often accompanies living in crisis mode? What can you do to support your church’s leaders through the stress that comes with a true crisis?




Devotional for a pilgrimage…

1 Comment » Written on January 12th, 2013     
Filed under: Better Together, Bible, Event Worship Resources, Events, NPTS, Resources for Worship, Scripture, Songwriting

Today’s post is written by Geoff Twigg, Adjunct Professor at North Park University in Chicago. Geoff is a pastor, singer/songwriter, worship leader and ministry consultant, and serves the ECC as a member of the denomination’s Commission on Worship.

As we leave the Holidays behind and focus on a new calendar year, Covenanters everywhere across North America see another milestone in the near future; the Midwinter Conference. I’ve had a lot of preparation to do before the Conference this time, and so I have an even greater sense of anticipation than in previous years.

I’m reminded of a great Hebrew tradition, honed by many years of repetition, a tradition that can inspire us as we approach this new year, and particularly if we’re planning to gather together in San Diego. The practice leads us to focus on a subset of the book of Psalms, called the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) which form useful devotional guidelines as we consider our pilgrimage.

No, dear reader, don’t worry; I’m not misinterpreting the Midwinter Conference as being more than it is. However, it can be a time when we seek the Lord for new revelations about our practice, or a time of refreshment and renewed spiritual vitality. In fact, I am praying that’s true for each of us, even those pastors and staff who have to stay home so that others can go.

I should, however, mention here that there is a rich offering this year for those involved in worship ministry. We have workshops, conversations planned over lunch, the opportunity to record your own song ideas or talk over how best to approach recording, a full class on worship and the Bible, an open-mic night, a hymn-sing… the list goes on and on. You can sing in the choir, or just ‘chill’ in sunny San Diego.

Meanwhile, back to the point; getting ready to let God re-focus your vision. In this devotional for a pilgrimage, we find a wide range of subjects covered. Be open; any or all of them might have special meaning for you. Here is a cursory analysis of the topics covered, roughly in order. You might care to hear them spoken by a variety of voices:

“It is God who protects and helps us” (I lift my eyes to the hills…), “it’s good to get together to worship God!” (and we pray for peace of our city and our Kingdom).

God shelters us and we’re devoted to God; “we thank God for constant help and protection”, (remember how God helped us in history?). There are reminders that unless the work is established by God it’s all in vain; that despite opposition I’m flourishing through God’s help…

I’m desperate for God, “I trust God as a child trusts”, (remember how David established this special place, and was rewarded?), and a reminder that working together in unity brings a special blessing. We end with a final song of praise in celebration.

This year, when we’re finally at Midwinter, our thoughts will be guided towards God’s preparation of his servants (Ps.139), God’s protection (Ps.46) and the provision of everything we need to do God’s work (Ps.126).

Before we get there, however, would you care to join me as we consider the themes that formed the thinking of believers on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, for many centuries past?




Looking forward, looking back.

4 comments Written on January 4th, 2013     
Filed under: Better Together, Resources for Worship, Stories

Today’s post is written by Matt Nightingale, Director of Worship Ministries at Redeemer Covenant Church in Tulsa, OK.

We’re four days in. Welcome to 2013. Let’s have a little interactivity this week:

1) Looking back at 2012, describe one or two sweet moments of worship for you and/or your congregation.

2) Looking back at 2012, what’s one book or other resource that you found helpful in your worship leading ministry?

3) Looking back at 2012, name some musicians/songwriters who helped you and/or your congregations worship in song. Be specific with artist names and songs/albums.

4) Looking forward to 2013, name one or two dreams that you have for the worship life of your congregation.

I look forward to your responses!

 




Nova

3 comments Written on December 28th, 2012     
Filed under: Culture, Liturgy, Style of Worship

Today’s post is written by Chris Logan, Pastor of Worship Arts at Community Covenant Church in Lenexa, KS.

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’“ [Revelation 21:5]

Tradition and Novelty have, at best, a tenuous relationship in the Church, especially at Christmas (yes, it’s still Christmas, liturgically speaking). It’s a stress point for many creative-types, myself included. The sentimentality of “what we’ve always done” (a stark contrast to the rest of the year in our culture, by the way) tends to dominate our lives for at least the four-ish weeks of Advent; we are judged by the way we can keep to the traditions of the season, and if we lament this at all, we’re called a “scrooge.” While some of the traditions have lost any meaning for us beyond sentimentality (insert the one that annoys you most), some of these traditions continue to inspire most of us towards worship of the Creator (even the most “scrooge-ish” person will have a hard time arguing with candles in a dark room singing … well, anything, really).

It’s a matter of perspective.

Most years, I’m the guy who can’t wait for Christmas to be over; I couldn’t stand the same music in the same way, couldn’t stand the extra work, and couldn’t stand the materialism, consumerism, all the ‘isms. Bah humbug for me. This year, however, I decided at the beginning to try and experience it in a way that might lead me to grow. It changed a lot; many of the songs still annoyed me (though I did change a few chord progressions to make them more interesting), but I found that going into it with the question, “Where is Jesus here?” brought new meaning to things that had, in my mind, become zombies. “O Holy Night,” for example, suddenly came alive, when before, all I could hear was a terrible recording I heard in college of a guy who couldn’t hit the high G.

One of the traditions of our church at Advent is to have a new(er) church family light the candle for us, read the scripture for the week, and share some of their own family traditions with the church. This year, the guide I created for one particular Sunday asked the question, “Share with us: what are you doing this Christmas that’s new? Have there been changes in your family that have prompted a new approach to an otherwise familiar holiday? Have these been easy or difficult to adopt?” The family’s response has stuck with me the last few weeks and, though this is a clumsy paraphrase, I thought I’d share it.

They described how one little trip they didn’t usually take took the whole season and threw all of their traditions off, and yet, in the midst of all the change, they discovered through their kids that this might not have been a bad thing. Instead of relying on their family traditions to get them “into the spirit of the season,” they had to focus instead on the story itself – the Savior Himself. Over time, the traditions had clouded that for them. But the kids got it; for them, Jesus was still the center of the story. Jen said,

“I realized that this is what we are constantly trying to teach our children, and through the hurriedness of life, I was the one who had lost perspective. I simply needed to see Christmas through the eyes of my children. So when you ask, ‘What are you doing new this season,’ our answer is ‘Everything, and maybe that’s just what we needed.’”

What do we really need?

God is a God of faithfulness to His promises, to His traditions as it were. He is true to His character, and works within the flesh of a culture to make Himself known. But so too, God is a God of creativity – He is the Creator; He makes everything new.

With God, there are but constant beginnings, even for tradition.

With God, the old is given new life, every time.

With God, the ancient of days becomes a newborn baby.

With God, even death gives way to resurrection.

What are you doing new this year?




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