Set List from 12/11/2011
Set list for worship on December 11, 2011 at Living Stones.
Happy Day — You Love Never Fails, Jesus Culture
King of Wonders — Here is Love, Bethel
How He Loves — We Cry Out, Jesus Culture
Glory in the Highest — Glory in the Highest, Chris Tomlin
Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) — Glory in the Highest, Chris Tomlin
Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) — Glory in the Highest, Chris Tomlin
Set List from 12/4/2011
I always have people ask me about songs we do on a regular basis and what album they come from. So, I've decided to post my setlist each week including the album artist that we adapted the song from. Hope this is helpful!
Set list for worship on December 4, 2011 at Living Stones.
New Song Suggestions
I just made a quick post to Facebook and Twitter this morning that said the following:
"Hey Worshiping Friends . . . what's a new worship song that you have secretly been keeping from me that you would like us to sing at Living Stones Church. Add your suggestions to the comments section."
Right away I started to get responses from individuals with their favorite song selections. I'll be taking a listen to everyone's suggestions and then blogging my thoughts and philosophy for worship leaders on how to select good songs. Bring on the suggestions by adding your your favorites to the comments section below.
New Music and Worship Teams
My most recent blogs have been pretty general in nature, but this one is going to be a little more focused on my worship leading friends. Today's blog post is the result of the ongoing question about introducing new music to your congregation. Most of this I've learned over the years from doing it wrong. Sometimes the most valuable lessons we learn in life are the lessons we learn from our mistakes.
So, how many new songs is too many?
I've heard it said in several places that most people can only handle 2, at the most 3, news songs per month. There are obviously a lot of variables that go into this, but this is a general rule to follow.
In our context at Living Stones, I often introduce new songs during our communion or offering times instead of in the middle of the list. If you don't have this luxury because of the components or order of your service, just make sure that you don't have too much new material in one list. Have a good balance of familiar in there to keep people connected.
Don't move on too quickly.
Don't stop singing a new song too quickly. Worship leaders and worship teams are never the best judge of when a song has been used too much. I have often heard worship leaders or musicians make comments about "riding a song to death." Most worship leaders will probably never do that. You have to remember that you, as worship team members, have heard the song several times during the week for your own rehearsal, have rehearsed it at least once with the worship team, and may be leading it in multiple services on any given weekend. For every time the average congregation member has heard the song, you've heard it five times. By the time you're ready to move on to another song, your congregation is just getting comfortable with it.
Make sure you know your people.
In all of this, the key is to truly know the people you are leading for. Some congregations will respond differently to different songs, new songs, etc. One of the major responsibilities of any worship leader is to know the congregation you are leading worship for.
Worship leaders: any thoughts or personal lessons you've learned?
Closing the Gap
Recently I gathered a group of worship leaders from Living Stones together on a Friday evening. My purpose in doing so was simple. I wanted our hearts to be united together and focus on what God has called us to do which is to lead others in worship. I've often said this and heard it repeated with different variations; yet, the theme is the same - "you can't lead someone to a place you've not gone to on your own." The principle is simple. As worship leaders, we must learn to enter and remain in His presence before we can lead others there.
As I prepared for everyone to gather at my house that evening, I viewed a video that impacted me in many ways. There were a lot of great stories, but the following message stuck out to me and is still impacting me. Often times in worship we experience a "space" in worship. We've all experienced it. There are times when we do everything humanly possible in order to experience the closeness of God. Yet, try as we may, there is a space. The revelation for me was that this space isn't created by God but is created by us. God hasn't grown distant even though we feel as though He has. We have stepped back because of our own sin. It was our stepping away that created the space. He didn't move. We did.
So, how do we close the gap? The answer is simple and is found in the amazing gift of repentance. The key to closing the space is our repentance. Repentance is simply saying that my sin has caused a space between God and me, and I desire Him to come near again. The cry of my heart right now in worship is for a Him to come closer. No matter how near or far He may seem to you or me right now, He longs to come closer. Why not ask Him as you worship, "Jesus, would you come a little closer?" And remember when you think He's moving, it's actually your repentance and brokenness that narrows that space just a little more.
Subscribe
Twitter Updates
- @CharlenePlotner is explaining roman numerals and XLVI. I'm confused so how in the heck are 5th and 6th graders supposed to get it. #fb 4 hours ago
- RT @BobSorge: When you know that you possess all things, you can give away everything. 21 hours ago
- "Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself." - A. H. Weiler #fb 23 hours ago
- "Don't let the pain of losing keep you from loving." - @brock_meyer #fb 1 day ago
- Brock Meyer http://t.co/V31cfygn 1 day ago
Tags
Download Music
