Songs
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name (1779, Edward Parronet, Tomlin)
Only the power of Jesus is Redemptive
History Maker // Martin Smith
How big is our view of God?
Come Thou Fount (1758, Robert Robinson)
We are only strong through Him, this song is about a longing to be dependent on God.
Hungry // Kathryn Scott
When we are broken and empty we need to learn to turn to God alone for restoration.
Sunday Morning Prayers...
God I pray that you would challenge our view of You this morning. That we would put our trust in Your strength and not our own.
Worship thoughts...
Nehemiah knew where His strength came from, “The God of heaven will give us success.” (Neh. 2:20a). When we trust our own strength is how we are ‘prone to wander’ as it says in Come Thou Fount. There is a definite progression here.
Verse Integration...
Acts 17:28, “For in him we live and move and have our being...”
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Service Reflection
Song Set:
Blessed Be Your Name // Redman
Indescribable // Laura Story
King of Glory // Chris Tomlin
Shout to the North // Martin Smith
It always encourages me to see God use the songs in a mighty way. This reminds me more and more that Christ is the worship leader, and that our role as a band is to simply be a vessel for His use.
Message integration...
Nehemiah 1:5, “Lord the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”
These songs represented this verse very well. Indescribable speaks of our awesome God and how we are to respond in humble worship to Him. In verse 5, Nehemiah prays scripture and gives God praise for who He is. He trusts that God will keep His promises. In verse 10 we read, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” This connects so well to King of Glory, when we sing that the redeemed are called to “declare the love” of God. This song also speaks about the King of Glory and about His strength and might. It comes directly out of Psalms 24:8-10.
Nehemiah’s prayer is also acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. Through His prayer we can see that he does not tell God how to do it and is unsure of how God will do it. He simply prays that God will open the door and God does. Understanding the Sovereignty of God has to do with trusting God, but it also starts with the understanding that as Christians we are called to something greater than ourselves. Nehemiah’s heart was turned towards God and God gave him the desire to see the walls built. In response we need to be open to God’s work in our lives as we are continually being transformed in to the likeness of His son.
Special Music...
I also loved the special testimonial song by Rebekah Yoon. In talking with and sharing her testimony it is easy to see her openness to God. To give up the big career in music to devote her life to the glory of God shows Christ work in her. I loved the fact that we could hear this come out in the music; that the way she expressed her love to God was evident in the music. This was a moving example of a non-verbal communication to God.
Blessed Be Your Name // Redman
Indescribable // Laura Story
King of Glory // Chris Tomlin
Shout to the North // Martin Smith
It always encourages me to see God use the songs in a mighty way. This reminds me more and more that Christ is the worship leader, and that our role as a band is to simply be a vessel for His use.
Message integration...
Nehemiah 1:5, “Lord the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”
These songs represented this verse very well. Indescribable speaks of our awesome God and how we are to respond in humble worship to Him. In verse 5, Nehemiah prays scripture and gives God praise for who He is. He trusts that God will keep His promises. In verse 10 we read, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” This connects so well to King of Glory, when we sing that the redeemed are called to “declare the love” of God. This song also speaks about the King of Glory and about His strength and might. It comes directly out of Psalms 24:8-10.
Nehemiah’s prayer is also acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. Through His prayer we can see that he does not tell God how to do it and is unsure of how God will do it. He simply prays that God will open the door and God does. Understanding the Sovereignty of God has to do with trusting God, but it also starts with the understanding that as Christians we are called to something greater than ourselves. Nehemiah’s heart was turned towards God and God gave him the desire to see the walls built. In response we need to be open to God’s work in our lives as we are continually being transformed in to the likeness of His son.
Special Music...
I also loved the special testimonial song by Rebekah Yoon. In talking with and sharing her testimony it is easy to see her openness to God. To give up the big career in music to devote her life to the glory of God shows Christ work in her. I loved the fact that we could hear this come out in the music; that the way she expressed her love to God was evident in the music. This was a moving example of a non-verbal communication to God.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
June 8 Worship Service Reflection
Set List:
The theme of strength seemed to ring through the songs as I sang through them this Sunday. There is trust and strength found in waiting on the Lord in Everlasting God. This songs comes out of last part of Isaiah 40 to encourage the people of Israel. Then this theme was in the line, “For the joy of the Lord is our strength”. I love how God orchestrates themes that I did not think of during my preparation time.
Shout to the North was the focus song for the week. It is a song of restoration of a returning to who God has called us to be. This is a returning to our true identity in Christ. In this identity we can join God in His redemptive work. This connected well with the theme that our days are ordained by God our creator in You are the One.
After the songs, during our prayer Chris mention new insight on the line “all Your thoughts towards me are holy” from You Are the One. She mentioned that sometimes our thoughts are not holy towards others, but we can trust that all of the thoughts from God are holy towards us.
Sermon Notes:
The introduction into Nehemiah was great. The theme of the book teaches the art of leading reform. Reform means to go back to the ancient truths of God. The question then is are we concerned about what God is concerned about? This is a questions that has come up often when we talk about church vision. I am excited to see how God will shape our community to be more concerned about these things. On an individual basis, the question is; how does this translate to our 8-15 Oikos family God has provided?
Truth is a great theme to sing about. Shout to the North is a song that encourages us to be ministers of that truth. In the first verse, men are encouraged to be strenghtened and see that in their brokenness they are made complete in Christ. The second verse exhorts “women of the truth” to “sing to broken hearts”. Finally in the third verse together as the body of Christ we are called to sing again the songs of grace.
Possible future songs:
History Maker - Martin Smith
Blessing - John Waller
- Everlasting God - Brenton Brown
- Holy is the Lord - Tomlin, arr. by Bethany Dillon
- Shout to the North - Martin Smith from Delirious
- You are the One - Lincoln Brewster
The theme of strength seemed to ring through the songs as I sang through them this Sunday. There is trust and strength found in waiting on the Lord in Everlasting God. This songs comes out of last part of Isaiah 40 to encourage the people of Israel. Then this theme was in the line, “For the joy of the Lord is our strength”. I love how God orchestrates themes that I did not think of during my preparation time.
Shout to the North was the focus song for the week. It is a song of restoration of a returning to who God has called us to be. This is a returning to our true identity in Christ. In this identity we can join God in His redemptive work. This connected well with the theme that our days are ordained by God our creator in You are the One.
After the songs, during our prayer Chris mention new insight on the line “all Your thoughts towards me are holy” from You Are the One. She mentioned that sometimes our thoughts are not holy towards others, but we can trust that all of the thoughts from God are holy towards us.
Sermon Notes:
The introduction into Nehemiah was great. The theme of the book teaches the art of leading reform. Reform means to go back to the ancient truths of God. The question then is are we concerned about what God is concerned about? This is a questions that has come up often when we talk about church vision. I am excited to see how God will shape our community to be more concerned about these things. On an individual basis, the question is; how does this translate to our 8-15 Oikos family God has provided?
Truth is a great theme to sing about. Shout to the North is a song that encourages us to be ministers of that truth. In the first verse, men are encouraged to be strenghtened and see that in their brokenness they are made complete in Christ. The second verse exhorts “women of the truth” to “sing to broken hearts”. Finally in the third verse together as the body of Christ we are called to sing again the songs of grace.
Possible future songs:
History Maker - Martin Smith
Blessing - John Waller
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Stones of Remembrance
“So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” (Josh. 4:4-7, tNIV).
This last Sunday we had the chance to get together as a team and remember what God has done in the music ministry since September. Coming together as a multi-generational church has not been easy, but the benefit has been great. Some our pile of stones have come from this hard road, but in general as we listened to everyones comments we could see that God was definitely moving among us. This is his ministry and I am so glad that I have the chance to be apart of it.
Here is our pile of stones form our worship team family. I pray that we can remember what God has done as we look forward to what he will do through this ministry.
Soundboard gift...
"The cash gift came in just as we were choosing a sound board."
Together...
"We play better together more and more. Takes less joint practice. Much more confident together." This shows our growth as a band, that it does not take as long to learn a new song.
Daily Dedication to Worship...
"I have appreciated regular Sunday reminder to dedicate worship to God... and seen how that has helped lead to daily dedication of my work day, interaction with others, and relationships, all I do as worship to God"
Musical Growth...
"Nice to have JR sit down and go over a little of the theory or give me a CD to study."
God Being unfalling...
"God has always been unfailing, no matter what songs we do and no matter how well it goes musically."
Growing in Community and models for grace and patience.
“I have been so blessed by everyone on the worship eam and the great examples of patience, grace, humor, caring, etc....i.e. JR with the choir as it transitioned, Milo constant smile and joke.”
Freedom...
"Growing in freedom in worship because we are more comfortable together, the sound folks are providing awesome support, we don't have to worry about 'performing' and we know God is working."
Praise Songs...
"I did not like the 'praise music' because I love hymns. Now I'm use to them and enjoy the worship with another way to sing to our Lord." This takes strength to change musical style, but it is good when the focus in on worshipping God.
Song Selection...
"On paper the songs selection doesn't thrill me but its great - all things work together for good." Being apart of the team it is very easy to get tired of songs quickly, but when you add our congregation it becomes less about the music and more about drawing close to God.
Attention to Music...
"Every few weeks someone from the service asks that the volume be adjusted or the piano louder, ect. After awhile I realized it was really cool that people cared so much about our music." This is a tough lesson, thank you sound crew.
Here are a couple from my journal that I shared...
Journaling...
"Journaling about the songs and how they interact togethe each week has brought a lot of joy and is my act of worship."
Choir...
"I always have great joy when working with the choir, but the most exciting part is to see them become the lead worshippers in the congregation after the choir week."
Great is Thy Faithfulness...
"Our church came together in September with this song, and the truths found in this song are what makes haveing a multi-genreational church worth it.
We also prayed for Jonathan as he leaves our team. Jonathan, your heart for worship, and expression through music has encouraged us all. We will miss you dearly.
This last Sunday we had the chance to get together as a team and remember what God has done in the music ministry since September. Coming together as a multi-generational church has not been easy, but the benefit has been great. Some our pile of stones have come from this hard road, but in general as we listened to everyones comments we could see that God was definitely moving among us. This is his ministry and I am so glad that I have the chance to be apart of it.
Here is our pile of stones form our worship team family. I pray that we can remember what God has done as we look forward to what he will do through this ministry.
Soundboard gift...
"The cash gift came in just as we were choosing a sound board."
Together...
"We play better together more and more. Takes less joint practice. Much more confident together." This shows our growth as a band, that it does not take as long to learn a new song.
Daily Dedication to Worship...
"I have appreciated regular Sunday reminder to dedicate worship to God... and seen how that has helped lead to daily dedication of my work day, interaction with others, and relationships, all I do as worship to God"
Musical Growth...
"Nice to have JR sit down and go over a little of the theory or give me a CD to study."
God Being unfalling...
"God has always been unfailing, no matter what songs we do and no matter how well it goes musically."
Growing in Community and models for grace and patience.
“I have been so blessed by everyone on the worship eam and the great examples of patience, grace, humor, caring, etc....i.e. JR with the choir as it transitioned, Milo constant smile and joke.”
Freedom...
"Growing in freedom in worship because we are more comfortable together, the sound folks are providing awesome support, we don't have to worry about 'performing' and we know God is working."
Praise Songs...
"I did not like the 'praise music' because I love hymns. Now I'm use to them and enjoy the worship with another way to sing to our Lord." This takes strength to change musical style, but it is good when the focus in on worshipping God.
Song Selection...
"On paper the songs selection doesn't thrill me but its great - all things work together for good." Being apart of the team it is very easy to get tired of songs quickly, but when you add our congregation it becomes less about the music and more about drawing close to God.
Attention to Music...
"Every few weeks someone from the service asks that the volume be adjusted or the piano louder, ect. After awhile I realized it was really cool that people cared so much about our music." This is a tough lesson, thank you sound crew.
Here are a couple from my journal that I shared...
Journaling...
"Journaling about the songs and how they interact togethe each week has brought a lot of joy and is my act of worship."
Choir...
"I always have great joy when working with the choir, but the most exciting part is to see them become the lead worshippers in the congregation after the choir week."
Great is Thy Faithfulness...
"Our church came together in September with this song, and the truths found in this song are what makes haveing a multi-genreational church worth it.
We also prayed for Jonathan as he leaves our team. Jonathan, your heart for worship, and expression through music has encouraged us all. We will miss you dearly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)