Planned the whole set in the key of A with no breaks. So smooth. Powerful songs. Great set.

I gave Derek, our lead guitar player, the night off and moved our rhythm player to bass. I covered guitar, along with Emily on acoustic. We were excited to have Ben Harrell leading with us on keys. There’s that flexibility thing again. I’d love to have a fixed “A-Team,” but I also love being able to change the experience for the team weekly. Plus, it keeps our tribe guessing what’s coming up.

Songlist:

• My Savior Lives – Desperation Band
• Everlasting God – Chris Tomlin
• Open Up the Sky – Deluge Band
• Overcome – Desperation Band/New Life

I am participating in The Worship Community’s Sunday Setlists but, since we meet on Tuesday night, this post is really about Tuesday, see?

To fully experience this set, I suggest you obtain a copy of said songs, turn the stereo up loud, close your eyes, and lift up your hands…unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a moving car. That could be dangerous.

What says you?

We had a smooth rehearsal Monday night, but I went home feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I ultimately had to make the decision to scrap the ‘Selah’ break between The Stand and Hallelujah. We usually do our best to build up a wall of noise a la Radiohead like the United album version. It just wasn’t going to happen.

I swallowed my rock-n-roll pride and planned the set without the break Tuesday. I was amazed at how well the song transitioned into the chorus without the ‘Selah’ and I can tell the group didn’t let go of the momentum like typically happens. Some folks look as that break as a self-indulgent solo unless there is open worship and full engagement. I suppose that we would have to prepare to go there and not put the breaks on it if need be, though. Be flexible. I’m learning.

Songlist:

• Song of Hope – RSB
• In Your Presence – Charity Von
• Mighty to Save – Hillsong United
• The Stand – Hillsong United

I am participating in The Worship Community’s Sunday Setlists but, since we meet on Tuesday night, this post is really about Tuesday, see?

To fully experience this set, I suggest you obtain a copy of said songs, turn the stereo up loud, close your eyes, and lift up your hands…unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a moving car. That could be dangerous.

What says you?

Right click here to download the message.

John 20:19-23 -
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-12
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Right click here to download the message.

Micah 6:6-8 -
With what shall I come before the LORD
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 25:35-40 -
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

James 1:27 -
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

We have a local Christian radio station that becomes the butt of many jokes. I’m sure you have a station like that too. You know the type…”next up we have a rockin’ new tune from Michael W. Smith..” and they go on to play something off Live the Life. Old stuff. After finishing up rehearsal last night, a church staff member pointed out to me that our first song from Robbie Seay Band is in regular rotation on said radio station.

Wow. My first reaction was to come up with a new song. The worship leader snob part of me wrestles with wanting to play the cutting edge material that no one has heard. In reality though, I believe that most of the folks in our community, especially those that listen to the local radio station, look forward to congregational worship using songs that we all know well. I’m not exactly doing my job when I try my best to avoid the top 25 list at CCLI.

Songlist:

• Song of Hope – RSB
• I Adore You – Phil Wickham
• Burning Ones – Jesus Culture
• How He Loves – John Mark McMillan

I am participating in The Worship Community’s Sunday Setlists but, since we meet on Tuesday night, this post is really about Tuesday, see?

To fully experience this set, I suggest you obtain a copy of said songs, turn the stereo up loud, close your eyes, and lift up your hands…unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a moving car. That could be dangerous.

What says you?

Right click here to download the message.

Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Just before the worship service began, I had a chance to say hello to some visiting past members of our team, Alex and Alvin Fernando. I miss them greatly since they moved to Virginia last year. I couldn’t help feeling that familiar pressure of impressing them with our present team, as they always raised the bar when they played with us.

If you’re reading this, Alex, notice the lack of keys?  Alvin, notice me struggling to lead on bass?
Songlist:

• Heaven Is Here – Jesus Culture
• Shining – Phil Wickham
• In Your Presence – Charity Von
• Overcome – Desperation Band

I am participating in The Worship Community’s Sunday Setlists but, since we meet on Tuesday night, this post is really about Tuesday, see?

To fully experience this set, I suggest you obtain a copy of said songs, turn the stereo up loud, close your eyes, and lift up your hands…unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a moving car. That could be dangerous.

What says you?

Right click here to download the message.

Tonight, we introduced a new vocalist/acoustic guitarist, Emily Moran. She did a fine job in what I know has been her most challenging gig to date, having only been given access to the charts and songs late Saturday night. She has very little experience on stage but I hope she feels welcome to become a regular member of the team.

Monday night rehearsal was rough for us all, on account of my efforts to bring in loops for all the songs, despite the fact that I had no way to control the loops once they started. As we often change the arrangement on the fly, we dropped the loop idea until I can either buy the Ableton Live Ability foot controller or build one of my own.

Songlist:

• Rain Down – Good mixture of Jesus Culture and Delirious version
• Hosanna – Paul Baloche
• Ready Now – Desperation Band
• Healer – Hillsong version with original arrangement

I am participating in The Worship Community’s Sunday Setlists but, since we meet on Tuesday night, this post is really about Tuesday, see?

To fully experience this set, I suggest you obtain a copy of said songs, turn the stereo up loud, close your eyes, and lift up your hands…unless, of course, you are behind the wheel of a moving car. That could be dangerous.

What says you?

Right click here to download the message.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.