Archives for October 2013

Oct 29 2013

#20: A Behind the Scenes Look at Leading a Creative Department: an Interview with Stephen Brewster

8f333eece399fe4452b997157d985a7f Creativity – that may be the easy part.

But what if you’re responsible for leading, managing, and advancing a creative department in your church?

I had the honor talking with Stephen Brewster about this very thing. Stephen is the Creative Arts Pastor at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN. He leads the creative team for a church of 5 campuses.

I’m not going to lie, but this is one of my favorite interviews so far on the podcast. So practical, down to earth, and close to what we all experience as local church worship leaders.

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Oct 28 2013

How to Advance Your Worship Keyboard Playing From Average to Awesome

If you’ve played worship music for any length of time, you know how important the keyboard is.

The keyboard is the carrier of the anointing, the sound of heaven. Matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a keyboard, soft pad-playing angel in heaven.

Of course, I kid ever so slightly. What is true is how a keyboard can help create an atmosphere for worship music.

But what if you just don’t know how?

Maybe you’re a classically trained pianist and you’re the only qualified person at your church.

Or maybe you’re the worship leader and your keyboard player doesn’t know how to play like this. What do you do?

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Oct 25 2013

What Young Worship Musicians Need to Hear from the Older Generation

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Dear Young Worship Musician,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing your gift into the local church.

Though it’s popular to avoid putting roots down in a church and getting connected, thank you for going against the tide.

We love you, pray for you, and enjoy watching God launch you into your destiny.

Your creativity helps us see a new shades and colors of God’s glory.

Your heart inspires us to love Jesus.

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Oct 22 2013

#19: Creating A Culture Of Collaboration: An Interview With Vertical Church Band [Podcast]

Local church ministry is all about working with and through others.

Whether you’re on staff at a large church with multiple worship staff or you’re the lone volunteer worship leader at a smaller church, collaboration is the name of the game.

I had the honor of chatting with a few guys from Vertical Church Band. Vertical Church Band is a worship ministry from Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago.

These guys may write songs and make records (get their new album The Rock Won’t Move on iTunes), but they are local church worship leaders who are “all in” at their church.

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Oct 21 2013

How Do You Introduce Change Without Alienating People?

If I took a poll and asked you whether you’d like to introduce some sort of change in your worship ministry, I doubt there would be any silence.

We all want to change something. We have friends who are doing this or that. Hillsong United is using this fresh, new instrument. Jesus Culture is leading this song and that song.

We are surrounded by change. If we were the only people attending your church, change would be easy. But how do we make changes without alienating our churches and creating a monster?

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