Looking like a worship leader

Last night I was reading Luke. I came accross somthig, amoung others things, that has really had me thinking about the way we all do worship.

So what is a worship leader, or a musician at church, supposed to look like? I think if God had something to say about it, he wouldn’t really care what we do on stage-the style or any of that- I think God would really care how we live. He has a history of only caring about how we live.

But in Luke a group of people come up to John claiming righteousness because they were  ’children of Abraham.’ But he tells them to repent, and they ask him what to do. John the baptist says:

“Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same” (Luke 3:11).

This should hit us all to the core. So many times we forget the sin of coveting and greed. I do. I think as worship leaders we have flipped it; I think we have missed it sometimes. It is not about looking supper cool so that people will come watch us. It’s about ”living our lives as a living sacrifice, for this is our spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).  John goes on to say that one day someone will come to help us with this, and he will baptize us in the Holy Spirit, and change us from the inside out. We sing that all the time, it’s a lot harder to live it.

Applying this is challenging. Recently I have been convicted by numorous verses that show how the  early Christians kept what they needed and gave in their excess – this is very contrary to the American culture. But specifically with clothes, in order to attempt to live my life for true worship leading, I have made a commitment to only buy clothes from thrift stores, and hopefully buy no clothes at all. So just to let everyone know, if I don’t look as “trendy” anymore, that’s why – if I ever even did at all.  

But a good example is my best friend Darren. He has walked around for the past 2 months in a pair of Levi’s with a patch on the back. That’s awesome. Clothes are clothes, and there are some people without them; and when we clothe them, we clothe Jesus (Matthew 25). 

 This idea of giving is a lot deeper than just clothes, but hopefully this is a step in the right direction. But I just need everyone to keep me accountable on this, that is why I write about it, and I need pray that I wouldn’t make this a legalestic issue, but that it would just be another way to obey Jesus command to love our neighbors as ourselves.  

 

It’s better to give than to receive. It’s better to give, than look like Journey. 

Also, I found this quiz bellow online, which I found very funny. Take the quiz to see if your a metro worship leader.

1. Has a faux hawk hair style = +1

2. Has more product in his hair than your wife = +1

3. Has Rob Bell, black rimmed glasses = +1

4. They are not prescription, but just for effect = +2

5. Attends the Catalyst Conference = +3

6. Performs at the Catalyst Conference = +10

7. Owns Puma, Vans or Diesel sneakers = +2 per each pair

8. Wears jeans on stage = +1

9. Wears designer jeans on stage = +2

10. Wears Wrangler or Rustler jeans on stage = -3

11. Has a goatee = +2

12. Wears one of those Castro revolution looking hats = +2

13. Drinks coffee on stage = +1

14. Drinks some kind of coffee you did not know existed = +2

15. Brings a French Press on stage and makes his own coffee during service = +5

16. Has a handlebar mustache = -3

17. Good at Frisbee but hates getting all “sweaty” = +1

18. Has a haircut that covers one of his eyes while singing = +1

19. Owns a white belt = +2

20. Owns suspenders = -3

21. Wears a scarf with a t-shirt = +1

22. Wears a winter knit hat even in the summer = +2

23. You think he covered a My Chemical Romance song last week = +3

24. Drives an Audi or VW, silver of course = +2

25. Uses the words, “postmodern, relevant” or “emergent” nonstop = +2

26. Cringes a little when people say the “H word.” (Hymnal) = +3

27. Has ever said some form of the phrase, “That song is so 1990s” = +1

28. Owns a Grizzly Adams red and black flannel shirt = -2

29. Named his kid after a color or a number = +2

30. References Norwegian punk bands you’ve never heard of = +2

31. Wears a tie = -1

32. Wears a tie as a belt = +2

33. Looks as if he might exfoliate = +2

34. Has a man bag or European Carry All = +2

35. Brings said bag on stage with him = +2

36. Has a tattoo = +2

37. Has a visible tattoo = +4

38. Wife accompanies him on stage and plays tambourine = -4

39. Was formerly in a punk new wave band = +2

40. Knows the names of all the people on the scripted MTV show, “the Hills” = +3

41. Refuses to drink anything but Vitamin Water = +2

42. Your wife ever says, “he needs a barrette for his hair.” = +2

43. Has a nickname with “the” in it, as in “the edge,” = +2

44. Owns every Nooma video = +2

45. Has a soul patch = +3

46. Won’t play barefoot on stage until he gets a pedicure = +2

47. Refers to California as “the left coast” = +2

48. Currently subscribes to Dwell or Details magazine = +2

49. Owns a pair of lady jeans = +2

50. Twitters you from his iPhone = +2

51. His toddler dresses cooler than you = +2

52. He wears graphic t-shirts over button down, long sleeve shirts = +2

53. Ever says “we got a hot mic here” = -4

54. Shops at the Gap = 0

55. Shops at Urban Outfitters = +2

Grace

God is telling me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”

So I will be proud of the fact that I’m a weak, because Jesus power is made perfect in weakness, and  his power  will make  me like Christ if I only believe He can do it – and I do.

The words we speak

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for EVERY CARELESS WORD they have spoken” Matthew 12:36

Our words mean so much to God.

Every mean word, hateful word, frustrated word, angry word, sarcastic word, irritable word, prideful word, rude word, judging word, gossiping word we say, we are accountable for it… Whether we are alone or with others, our words are important, and what we say is important to God.

Let us encourage, love, and build-up every person we talk to.

Let us be patient, kind, caring, thoughtful, and merciful with our words.

Let us not taunt others with irony, or make fun of them to make ourselves feel better.

Let us not talk to people with raised voices or argue to try to prove our points.

We are accountable for every word that leaves our mouths. I think I’ll start to choose my words more wisely.

The Noise of our Music

This will blow your mind:

“I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, ^[a]
I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:20-24

This is crazy.. How about a modern day translation?

1-24“I can’t stand your religious meetings.
I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
That’s what I want. That’s all I want” The message.

Crazy. God wants justice, love, fairness, and righteousness in each one of our lives more than anything else.

I often fall SOOO short of this, but I just pray that I will be a light of fairness, love, and justice, in the world of worship music!

Following God in Marriage

Hey guys, this is my first blog here on wordpress.

Anyway I have some big things happening in my life. As some of you may know, I will be a married man in less than a month! I am very excited about that, but just getting married is not what I’m most excited about. This is what I am most excited about:

In less than a month, I will be joined in a covenant of two people who are following God with all of their heart. That is what I am most excited about; I am most excited about God – my Savior – and the huge plans He has for us in this story of redemption for the world. Marriage is going to be great, but I think Megan and I both know that God is the greatest! I’m so lucky to be joined with a girl that is sold out for the cause Jesus Christ. I’m so lucky to spend my life perusing God with a girl who I know will trust me, and God!

The world thinks of marriage as settling down, I think of it as an opportunity to become more radical for God.

The world sees a wife as a ball and chain, I see a wife as a partner in the pursuit of God’s kingdom.

For us, we will not stop following God because we are married, and we will not give into the lukewarm norm of our culture. We will make hard decisions. We will go places we do not want to go. We will love people we do not want to love. We will forgive people we don’t want to forgive. We will step out in faith even when the goal looks impossible. We will radically follow Jesus Christ, and radically be set-apart for the cause of our God.

I’m a lucky man. I have been forgiven, set free, and made alive by God, and He has given me a partner that can’t be matched.