My Thanksgiving List…

Just wanted to mention a few things that I am grateful to God for today:

• My beautiful fiancee, Emily. This is our first Thanksgiving together. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.
• The release of my first album. The main reason I am grateful for this is because a couple years ago I never thought it would happen. I was sick and unable to do any of it – other than pray and allow God to impress His truth on my heart. Thank you Jesus. You are faithful.
• My Allison Park Church family. What a great place to be. Working with a staff that you are friends with, the privilege of leading an amazing group of young adults, a passionate worship team, and being able to make a difference in the world.
• My family. Mom and Dad who are the most caring people on the planet. My brother Mike is leading a growing church in Ambridge, Mark is studying his brains out at VFCC, Mary is going to be a great nurse. Shayla is funny. Wilson is awesome. I love my family.
• Jesus, there are an infinite number of things to be thankful to you for. This Thanksgiving I want to thank you for the power of Your cross, once again. I never want to lose the wonder as the years go by. More than a sentimental thought, the victory of the cross is the sustaining grace of my life.

Compassion Art E-card

Last year some great songwriters got together to write some songs, raising money for impoverished people. Check out this ecard to listen to songs, download a free track, and read all about it.

Practical Pointers for Drummers

I cannot think of a more important instrument in a band than the drums. Drumming with a band poses a whole new set of challenges besides playing rudiments and reading grooves. Outlined here are a few pointers to keep in mind, that if followed, could save your band from destruction  – and your leader will love you for it!

LESS IS MORE – I think a general fact about musicians is that we are overly impressed with ourselves. As drummers, our minds are preoccupied with how to impress the audience with as many fills as is humanly possible. Though cool fills are awesome in their place, they can destroy good music. Play in such a way that you don’t draw too much attention to yourself. Realize you are a part of the whole – there is more going on that just your beat. Play in such a way that the bass player can follow your patterns. This will cause your drumming to speak. I always tell drummers – play the simplest groove as if it’s the coolest sound the world has ever heard. Delight in the simplicity of a straight hi-hat pattern. Revel in playing the kick drum just on beat one. Listen to the pros – they do some crazy stuff, but it’s timely. They play basics extremely well. Drums are the foundation. If you are difficult to follow the music will sound terrible; but play the simple stuff really well and you may be in Nashville before you know it.

TEMPO IS KEY – This is probably the most important quality of a good drummer – they keep a solid tempo. They practice. They practice with a metronome. No matter how good you think you are, don’t assume you have solid tempo. It comes through hard work and practice with a click track. Drummers have many tendencies I’ve noticed: rushing or dragging the beat with outrageous, inconsistent kick patterns, too many fills, and a lack of listening to the other musicians. Your job is to create a pocket that the other musicians can lock into. Don’t you love that responsibility?

FROM THE HEART – A personal goal and pursuit of my life is to bring everything I do into the focus of worship. I challenge you, make it a focus of yours to worship in what you play. Mentally engage yourself with God in every groove, fill, and play with passion. Some guys have all the techniques mastered, but lack passion and it is lifeless. This may sound hyper-spiritual to you, but how else do we “acknowledge God in all our ways”? Let your love for God be what drives your drumming. Let God “speak” through your playing to a broken heart that needs to know Jesus. This stuff is possible with God. It is not with you, but within the Holy Spirit, who has anointed you. Rock on.

Practical Pointers for Worship Teams

Over the next couple weeks I am going to post some practical pointers for worship teams. I am going to speak to drummers, guitarists, vocalists, keyboardists, strings, horns, and you get the point. My desire here is to challenge you – whether you are a worship leader or a musician in the band – to take your craft to the next level. One of my favorite quotes is one I heard from worship leader Don Potter:

“The reason we practice our instruments is so when the Holy Spirit decides to use us, there is less resistance.”

That encapsulates my vision for hard work and practice. The ministry of worship is so important – from the worship leader to the violinist who plays one lick on one song.

Stay tuned for my first post, directed towards the troublemakers: Drummers!

What are you looking at?

It is way too easy to be overly mindful of the devil’s work. In your own journey with Christ, consider this wisdom:

“Let us not look so much at who our enemies are as to who our judge and captain is, nor at what they threaten, but what he promises.”

- Richard Sibbes

Wide Awake Study Guide

This past Tuesday night in our APEX Young Adult group, we finished studying the book Wide Awake, by Erwin McManus. This was a very fruitful and challenging study for us. We closed our small groups last night, meditating on this verse of Scripture:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

I’m believing God to do far more abundantly than each young adult at APEX can ask or think, as they step out and fulfill their dreams.

Here on my blog you can access all the study guide notes for the book.

What are your tribes?

I recently began reading Seth Godin’s new book, Tribes. So far it is a compelling read. Here is Seth’s definition of a tribe:

“A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea” (1).

This past Sunday I had the privilege of attending the Steeler game at Heinz Field with some great friends. If I’ve ever seen a tribe, it was on Sunday. I felt like I was in a foreign country as we waded through the thousands of tailgaters drinking beer, playing bean-bag-toss, wearing steeler jerseys, and grilling their bratwurst.

Though I have not finished Seth’s book, I realized something about tribes that day:

NOTHING IS A SACRIFICE FOR A TRIBE.

Forking out hundreds of dollars for tickets. Paying nearly the same amount for beer and food. Sitting in freezing weather while the snow melts and soaks your jeans. Some even going shirtless. Walking miles from where you parked. This is a dedicated tribe. In the end, this is not even considered a sacrifice for the team they love.

How much more should our sacrifice for Christ be as nothing for the privilege that it is?

What are your tribes?

Wide Awake Study Guide: Final Chapter!

IMAGINE: The Human

•    What is the most memorable insight you gleaned from reading this book?

•    On page 235, what does Erwin say humanity ultimately needs? Do you agree? Why or why not? Record the answer below.

•    Do you need to rethink who you are and who you will become? After reading this book, what steps are you going to take?

“The imagination is the soil from which we grow our lives.”

•    Read Jeremiah 33:3 and 4:48. Stuck in a prison cell, do you think it was easy for Jeremiah to believe what God said?

•    Read Ephesians 3:20. As we finish this study, let’s make this a life verse and never stop believing that God will blow our minds as we dream and act according to His will.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”

When a Worship Leader is Tired

Does week to week ministry ever wear on you? Do you ever wish Sunday didn’t come so fast? What is the answer when you are tired and feel you just need a break? In all honesty, there are a couple observations we must make:

• Ministry cannot be maintained simply on our energy level. It is the Holy Spirit’s work and we are His instruments. We cannot stop what God has called us to do because we are tired.
• There is more to God’s mission strategy than just you…or me. Humbly accept the truth that God is moving across the world, working great wonders for His glory.

So what do we do to stay fresh?

• Develop a disciplined habit of daily time in the presence of God. Worship Him for who he is and not simply for programming direction. Grow in your love for Jesus. I cannot stress the importance of this.
• Listen to other worship leaders and glean from their experience.
• Study the Word of God. When I am worn out, the Word of God gives me strength like nothing else.
• Spend time with people. Ministry can keep us at our computers (like now!) and in the office for long periods of time. Quality time investing in people gives vision to worship ministry. Worship leading is more about people than tight music and good songs – it is about serving the body of Christ with what leads them to Jesus.

Any other thoughts?

“Near” CDs are now available on CD Baby

My new CD is now available on CD Baby as a CD or a digital download. Spread the word. Tell your friends. Buy it as a Christmas gift. Join me in spreading the message.

Thanks for listening!