Holiness

Want to see God in worship? In the sermon on the mount, Jesus says that happens for those whose hearts are pure.

I am fascinated by the word “holiness.”

There’s a denomination that bears that name. I have a stereotype in my mind that probably isn’t fair. Or kind. And it may color my thinking about the concept of holiness to have such an unfavorable bias. I regret this.

There’s a Puritan association with the word. It seems antiquated, oppressive, and unwelcome. But how can that be helpful? Holiness is a substantial biblical concept. Few passages are as clear, convicting, or intimidating as 1 Peter 1:15 and 16:

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 

For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Peter is referencing three different passages from Leviticus. In other words, this isn’t a one-off comment. 

So if holiness--being like God who is holy--is such a priority for us, what do we do with those negative associations?

First, I like to think of holiness in two ways, things we enter and things we exit.

ENTER

We choose to care for the poor. We love (that’s a verb) our enemies. We give the benefit of the doubt. We face difficult circumstances with faith—not in ourselves, but in the Christ-in-us. We engage in generosity. We are creative, especially toward beauty. We embrace those far from God. In short, we try to look like the active side of God who came for us.

EXIT

We choose to leave behind the things of the world. This is the more familiar side of holiness. It’s the side that seems judgmental and puritanical. But the teachings of scripture here are clear too. Perhaps even clearer. Wasn’t it Mark Twain who said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand.” 

Examples of this exit?

Colossians 3:8 — “Get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.”

Ephesians 5:3-4 — “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you.”

There are just as many, if not more examples of the kind of Godliness we should enter:

Galatians 6:2 — “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”

Romans 12:9-11 — “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

A beautiful summary verse comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “you have been called to live in freedom… But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

Sounds like holiness to me. And if you want to see God, seems holiness is the way to get there.

Be holy, even as He is holy.

7 Ways I CRUSHED IT as a Worship Pastor Dad

A couple of months ago I shared a blog called 10 Ways I BLEW IT as a Worship Pastor Dad. I heard from a few folks who were helped. I also heard from a few who thought I was unfairly hard on myself. But it was honest. I still wish I'd done those things differently. 

Still, there are a few things I am happy I did. None of the seven were original with me, but I am so very grateful for the memories; the results.

I believe my stunning daughters, Catherine and Emily, would agree with both lists. Importantly, they would say that not all of the ones in this list seemed like good ideas to them at the time. But they were formative in the right ways.

Here goes...

1) We taught them who they are. We used scripture verses and conversations to remind them that they are made in the image of God. They are adopted daughters--Princesses of the Most High King. Their feelings of insufficiency were always lies with smoke on them. (From the fiery pit of hell.) One of the ways we did this was to find supporting verses of scripture and write them on their bathroom mirrors with EXPO markers. They really thought it was stupid. Until they discovered it was priceless. 

2) We supported their dreams. Catherine found "her thing" quickly--and it was dance. She was a member of the Champions Elite All-Star Dance Team. (And part of a dance studio, and later, the high school dance team). She danced hip-hop and pom. The Champions coach (Andrea Masters, now Andrea Oney) assured us that the dancing would be age-appropriate and that as a pastor I would not be ashamed or embarrassed by the dancing. She was right. I was, instead, often moved to tears seeing Catherine's team excel at precision, at bringing each other along, and at winning well. Oh, and losing well, too.

Emily was more diverse in her interests. She loved horses, so she got a horse one Christmas. (Thanks to a great bonus my wife got at work!) But we made sure she REALLY loved horses first. So she spent months mucking stalls. She told us she kind of liked the smell. (Yuck!) That lasted a few years. And she loved art, so we went to art museums. Then there was tennis. I'd try to play with her some, but I was horribly out of shape. (See the aforementioned BLEW IT blog.) Emily moved on to photography, something she still loves to do. Oh, and both girls loved movies. We spent a lot of time at theaters and bought a bazillion Disney DVDs. Whatever their dream (one at a time, by the way), we supported it with everything we had.

3) Daddy / Daughter Overnights. This is one of my favorite things we did. I totally stole the idea from a choir member in my first full-time church. Each daughter got 2 days and 1 night with me. Just me and one girl. Every summer. They'd pick the city (within an hour or two of us) and they'd plan the trip with me. What would we do? They picked. (Always included going to see a movie. Sometimes 2 or 3!) Where would eat? They picked. (IHOP, Don Pablos Mexican Kitchen, and pizza were all givens.) The hotel had to have a pool so we could swim. And the other things were often around those dreams I mentioned above. This overnight trip was where quality time got a boost. It's where we talked about boys and what parts of their bodies they'd be gawking at. It's where we dreamed. We laughed. And we remembered that we would always be daddy and daughter.

4) Chaperoned Field Trips. Because of the flexible nature of a minister's schedule, I could go on just about every trip they took, whether it was a half-day or 3 days. I got to learn alongside them. I got to be the biggest/best pool toy at the hotel at Space Camp. I got to know their friends. I got to see them growing. I got to be a "normal dad," not a ministry dad. I got to know other parents. This was a blast. 

5) Drove them to / from school. One of the saddest parts of parenting is one of Catherine's happiest. When she could drive to school, the nest started emptying. Even though we never had a long drive--10 minutes or so--those minutes to anticipate and debrief the school day were precious. Until the last time I dropped them off, the last words before they exited the car were always an out-loud prayer. If there was a big test, either academically or socially, the prayer might have been a few seconds longer and a good bit more intense. But we always ended the drive and started the school day with prayer. 

6) Established wide, solid boundaries. This is more of a philosophy than an activity, but I believe it is worth passing along. When I get to have conversations with young parents, this comes up a lot. The boundaries we established were VERY difficult to move. They were not soft. They were rock solid. And because we were so familiar with the number of PKs (Pastor's Kids) that rebel, we tried to give them boundaries as wide as we could. So when Catherine was 14 and wanted to get her belly button pierced, I took her and held her hand. I could have been hard-nosed about it and told her it wasn't appropriate for a ministry family. But by allowing her to stretch into a barely on-the-edge activity, one that we didn't find prohibited in Scripture, I was the cool dad. The boundary was wide. On the other hand, when they bumped into the boundary, the result was discipline. Always. I told both daughters countless times: the more we trust you, the wider the boundary. When you violate the boundary, you lose trust. So be trustworthy and you will have a giant playground. Disobey, lie, deceive us and you will have a tiny sandbox. 

7) Cultivated Independence. I was surprised when Emily shared this one with me. Not because they aren't independent, but because she recognized it as a "win" for us as parents. As she texted me, "you made us do stuff on our own (which was super annoying as a kid, but I guess it made us more independent or whatever)". Like a mommy bird has to push the baby bird out of the nest, parents have to nudge their kids to do stuff they don't think they're ready for. My goal was to develop them into fully independent, confident, competent young women. They are both so severely independent that I sometimes I feel like I overdid it!

Well, there you go. It would be fun to see some of the things YOU did if you're old enough to have parented well. Or that you are glad your parents did if you're too young to be "mostly finished" raising your kids. Please share with the rest of us so we can learn too!

10 Songs That "Made Me" as a Worship Leader (requested topic)

My friend, pastor Aaron Frasier, responded to my plea for blog ideas that might help readers. At first it sounded -- because I'm still plagued by pride -- like a self-centered subject. But then I sought some input from Aaron, and came up with some of the reasons behind what these songs taught me. These are 10 songs that made me a better worship leader. There are a few sentences with each, talking about what I learned that has been helpful to me... and which I believe has helped me lead others well in worship.

[Click title to hear see/hear songs.]

1. In the Garden -- This was my grandmother's favorite hymn. When I plan worship, I remember that someone's grandma is in the room hoping we sing their favorite hymn too. I'm also deeply grateful for the heritage of worshipers that have gone before me.

2. Victory in Jesus -- The first solo I sang in church. I was in middle school, and as part of "Youth Week" I got to shadow our worship pastor (Barry Cavin) and then stand in his shoes on a Sunday morning. I sang this great hymn of our faith in that role. I'm thankful for a church that risked giving leadership opportunities to 7th-12th graders.

3. It Is Well with My Soul -- Every song has a story. Some of them are stunning, even transforming. This is one of those stories. I learned from this great hymn the power of knowing what is behind the lyric, and the power of sharing it with those we lead. To learn more about the story, watch THIS.

4. In Christ Alone -- Unlike any congregational piece I'd known before the year 2000, this magnificent modern hymn introduced me to the idea of unleashing the drama of the gospel through lyrics. Using the third verse to "paint" the resurrection is one of my favorite tools. And it has helped me look for other opportunities to let the music make the lyric come alive.

5. Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer -- It is so fitting to have two Getty songs in this post. Keith has influenced me greatly. This particular song, less popular than many of his, taught me two things: to make songs "my own" and to seek songs that connect with every generation. (It IS possible!) I wrote an arrangement of this modern hymn, and that gives it unique power in my ministry. I know it deeply.

6. 10,000 Reasons -- Matt Redman has challenged me in many ways over the years. The line in this lyric, "sing like never before" gave me pause. At first blush it sounded to me like this meant every time had to out-do every time before. But after reflecting on it further, I decided the brilliance of that phrase is to remember that we are never entering the presence of God in the same way twice. So we sing like we are coming to God THIS time, not like we were last time or wish we were next time. It joins the timeless and the timely. 

7. Who You Say I Am -- My pastor seldom, VERY seldom, suggests a song to me. But he made an off-hand comment to me about how he thought our congregation would embrace this worship song. I wish I'd listened faster. He was right. Good pastors know their congregations well. Worship leaders are wise to listen to their pastors when it comes to song selection.

8. King Forevermore (God the Uncreated One) -- I first encountered this song at the SING! Conference, led by it's writer, Aaron Keyes. I was one of the older people in the room, and this modern hymn--which few of us had heard before--immediately connected with the overwhelming majority of people there. A new song can connect with young people even if it's written in an older form. 

9. Is He Worthy -- This is one of my favorite songs of the last decade or more. It is based strongly on Revelation 5. It is antiphonal, a worship style that I thought had gone the way of the Ford Pinto. My friend Martha Christian introduced it to me at a local worship event and I was UNDONE! It is honest. It is unusual. The new song can employ the old thing and connect in new ways. This is important for us to remember as we walk into coming days.

10. The Blessing -- This is the newest song on the list. In many ways, there are elements of what I learned in the first nine songs wrapped up in this one. It's scripture set to music. It's power is undeniable. Listening to an interview with the writers, they said that when they wrote it, it was like heaven gave them a peek into what was happening there and gave them a taste for us to use on earth. Interestingly, this is very much like what G. F. Handel said when he was writing the "Hallelujah Chorus." God is so generous to give generation and generation a peek into the worship of heaven so we can get a taste of it on earth.

I'd love to know one of the songs that made you as a worshiper or worship leader. Leave a comment!

Forgiveness and Leadership

If you're a Christ-follower, you are a forgiver. It's in our redeemed DNA. Scriptural evidence is overwhelming. We are instructed and empowered to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32 is a great example: "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." 

For the Christian leader, forgiveness has an added dimension. We must keep "short accounts." If someone has offended you, don't let the offenses add up. Release or confront. Don't store up.

Why is this different for leaders? Because we bear responsibility for those we shepherd. Remember Hebrews 13:17? Our work is "to watch over their souls" because we are "accountable to God."

Is the picture clear so far? 

Christians forgive.

Leaders forgive bigger.

Why?

This is where God showed me something new. One more verse of scripture, this time from 2 Corinthians 2:7-8. It seems one of the folks in the church at Corinth had done something terrible. His actions hurt a lot of people. And Paul says to forgive. Why? Because "otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement."

Oh. My. Goodness.

This is SO much the way of Jesus! And it is SO unlike the way of the world. We forgive people because of what it does for THEM. We forgive because of the benefits it gives THEM. 

And because Christianity is so amazing, when we forgive THEM, we too are set free. What an amazing byproduct of our obedience.

It's been a long a long time since I've written about this, but let me remind you that we are for one another. If Christ is for us, who can be against us, right? And according to the Apostle Paul, Christ is in me. And Christ is in you. So "Christ in you" is for me. And "Christ in me" is for you. 

So OF COURSE this is why we forgive. Because we are FOR one another. And we don't want our brothers and sisters to be overcome by discouragement. We forgive people because we are for people.

So leader... forgive today. If you're not sure how you can do it, ask Jesus. He's in you. And He is the very best at forgiving. After all, he forgives you.

Why Would They Follow You?

I recently had a Sunday off.

If you're in full-time ministry, you know that doesn't happen a lot.

My bride and I were visiting some family members in the greater Cincinnati area, and I wondered where we would worship.

...we could go to the church I grew up in. But COVID-19 meant my my couldn't go. Nah.

...we could go to one of the prevailing large churches in the area. There are several. Nah.

...we could go to a little local church where we didn't now anyone. Nah.

...we could go to a very small church in the middle of nowhere, about 30 minutes away.

YES! THAT ONE!

Why? Because my friend David was preaching there. I know and love my buddy David. His heart is Christ-like. His mind is sharp. His disposition is for people. And he's my friend.

I got to thinking a little more about why that was my decision. And I got all challenged.

Would the folks I lead every week--and remember, I'm not the preacher--would they come to my church instead of the church they grew up in, a prevailing large church in our area, or a little church near their house because I'm the one leading them in worship?

Honestly, I sort of doubt it. But I'd sure like to be that guy.

Here are some things that may help me get there:  

 1) Connect with the people more than the music, or the scripture, or the song story, or the technology.  

 2) Connect with people more when I'm off the stage than when I'm on it.    

3) Don't worry about whether they like me or not. Just like them! (Who are the 5 people you most like to be around? Be yourself, but more like that.)  

 4) From the wisdom of Louie Giglio, "Lead from love and acceptance, not for love and acceptance." Chances are, people won't want to follow a needy leader.    

5) Be authentic. Don't whine. Don't brag. But be real. As Craig Groeschel says at the end of all of his podcasts, "People would rather follow a leader who is always real than one who is always right."    

6) Be you. God made you a masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10) One more influencer, Ian Morgan Cron, always closes his podcast with the words of Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."    

7) Love them well. Always. Unconditionally.

What would you add to my list?

Supernatural Tricks of the Trade?

These aren't really tricks. They're more like keys. But they are definitely supernatural.

1) Thanksgiving. It may be impossible to be filled with thanksgiving and not have it overflow into worship. If you will cultivate gratitude in your heart, you will worship more. And if we cultivate it in the hearts of our people, they will worship more. Why in the world do we "reserve" our thanksgiving texts and songs for mid and late November? "Enter His gates with thanksgiving" should be the mantra of the worship leader!

2) Awe. Seldom are we more moved to worship than in moments of awe. Seeing the ocean for the first time... or the hundredth. Glimpsing the grand canyon. Seeing beauty of any kind that is greater than you can imagine. Or remember. I remember the intense feeling of sacred-ness when entering the old National Cathedral of Canada. And seeing the expansive countryside in east Africa. Awe evokes worship. Psalm 65:8 helps so much...

Those who live at the ends of the earth
stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets,
you inspire shouts of joy.
And remember, the early church was characterized by this: "A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders." (Acts 2:43)

3) Spirit. Nothing trumps the Spirit. He's like the Ace of spades in a game of spades. Time a bazillion. We learn by the Spirit. We lead by the Spirit. We lead in the Spirit. We welcome the Spirit. We love by the Spirit. If you were going to study only one "topic" in the New Testament to empower your worship leading, Spirit would be the best focus I know. After all, the Father is seeking those who will worship in Spirit and in Truth.

I recognize “tricks” is a terrible moniker. These are not tricks. God doesn’t play tricks on us, and heaven help us if we play tricks on one another. But they are supernatural… above the natural…keys. These are the things God has given us to ensure that our worldly worship has a heavenly dynamic.


What would you add?

Why would they come Back?

Those of us who have been having in-person gatherings again after our churches were shut down for COVID-19 have been wondering... will they come back?

How many?

When?

Who won't?

It seems wise, in these days, to ask what could bring them back?

Two generations ago it would've been a sense of commitment. The nature of that word has certainly changed.

A generation ago it might have been great preaching and great music. But now that's all available online.

For this generation, I'm convinced the only reason they will come back is for the Presence.

The word Presence makes me think of the Bread of Presence in the Tabernacle. It makes me think of the incarnation, where Jesus left heaven to be present with humanity. It makes me think of the Holy Spirit who is always fully present within us.

So... how do we do our part in our worship gatherings that will make room for God to do His part?

First, let's remember just how important this question is. We are not the Holy Spirit. It isn't our job to make people feel something. To make people do something.

Second, let's remember that the question still leaves us stuff to do. Nearly every time God does something, He does it through people. People like you. Like me.

So we do at least three things:

1) Pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray for the Spirit to manifest His Presence.

2) Plan. Choose songs prayerfully. Since God inhabits the praise of His people, plan services so praise can happen. Be sure to include lyrics that are directed from the hearts of worshipers to the heart of God.

3) Evoke. This word simply means to draw out. So do that. Don't provoke--that's pushing. Evoke--that's leading. Draw out of your people what is already in them--praise for their Savior.

One more giant thing--lead in and by the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul talks about praying and singing with the SPIRIT and with the MIND. You're already giving thought to your leadership or you wouldn't be reading this. Now surrender your heart to the Spirit and let Him "fill and thrill" you. Let Him guide you. Let Him love you. Let Him rule in your heart. And encourage others to do the same.

Worship on the other side of this Coronavirus epidemic may actually be better if we do these things faithfully. Can you imagine?!

10 Ways I BLEW IT as a Worship-Pastor Dad

I think have been a pretty good dad. Maybe some day I'll share a post about 10 Ways I CRUSHED IT as a Worship-Pastor Dad. But for today, I'd really like some of you who are still parenting children in your home to learn from my mistakes. My regrets. So let me steady myself for the beating you're about to give me in your mind as you read... Ok. I'm ready.

10 Ways I Blew it As a Worship Pastor-Dad (in no particular order):

1. Self care - I regret that I didn’t take care of myself. I was morbidly obese and largely inactive. The consequences of that ranged from as minor as... not being able to ride a roller coaster with my girls to as major as... poorly modeling what it looks like to be a healthy human.

2. Modeling time with Jesus every day - I wish y daughters would have “caught” me with my Bible open or my head bowed. I spent time with Jesus more days than not--most years. But seldom in front of them.

3. I was afraid of my kids - this may only apply to us people pleasers, but I really struggled with push back. There were often times when I would hold back what I felt was right because I was afraid our girls wouldn't like me. Wouldn't want to be with me. For a few months, for example, I would use an EXPO marker to write verses of scripture about our identity in Christ on their bathroom mirror. They thought it was dumb. I stopped.

4. Family devotionals / Scripture conversations and memorization - In my head this was always too grand, too complicated. In reality it could’ve been so simple. Share a thought I'd read that day in the Bible or in a book. Asking my sweet bride or our daughters what they had noticed about God that day. We could have had a memory verse for each week and repeated it when we ate together. I was overwhelmed at the the thought of doing something complicated.

5. Praying for them daily. About their future. For theIr husbands to be. I did pray. I still do. I wish I’d prayed more and more specifically.

6. Too much surviving the moments; not enough thinking long term. - This may be a byproduct of aging, but when I was younger, which means when our girls were little, I often just wanted to get through the day, the project, the event, or the weekend. I wish I knew then what I’ve learned in the last few years from Orange. We get 936 weeks. That’s it. Big picture first.

7. Money management - I said yes way too often, but more than that, I said yes without consulting the Father. I wish we'd prayed about our finances, prayerfully prepared a budget. And I wish we'd included our daughters in those conversations early on.

8. Loving their mom insufficiently - This deserves to be a book instead of a tiny chunk of a blog. I so wish I’d loved Jackie better. Moment by moment. Hour by hour. Week by week. Season by season. Year by year. In big ways, and in small ways. In faithfulness with my eyes. If I loved Jackie in the first 8 years of their lives as much—as well as—I have the last 8 years of our lives, I’d have been a better dad. The best thing a parent can do for their child, at least when it comes to teaching them about relationships, is to love their spouse well.

9. Talked about church more than Jesus - this sort of makes sense. I work at a church. Jesus does stuff at church. But I wish I’d done better at making our lives more about Jesus and keeping the distinction clear between the Bride and the Bridegroom.

10. Going to bed late and sleeping late - this is where it all could have started. I wish I’d started going to bed EVEN WHEN I WAS A CERTIFIED NIGHT OWL—at 9.30 and getting up at 5.30. The time I’ve had by myself in the early morning in recent months has been amazing. So much of what I already talked about might have been different if I’d been the first one up by an hour every day.

So that's my top 10. (There are more, but I can only take so much of a beating!) I'm curious, is there one you'd share too? Let's help young parents to better than we did!

Pace of Change in Church

I like to go fast.

I like to drive fast, think fast, eat fast, and lead fast. 

If I have what I sense is a God-sourced dream, I want it to come true now--if not sooner.

Churches move sssssllllllloooooowwwwww...

They like to drive cautiously, think thoroughly, extend the feast, and follow slowly.

If they hear a God-sourced dream, they want to savor it and work out all the kinks before diving in.

See a challenge here?

Maybe you're like me. Or maybe you are in a church with someone like me in leadership. 

I'm sorry.

Here's a phrase that I've found helpful in recent years, as I've tried to slow my leadership roll:

Change at the pace of pastoral care.

For example, there's an older couple in our church. I doubt seriously they'll ever read this post, but if they do--great! I didn't really know them at all. I'd been in this ministry role for about 3 years. She was having surgery. It was my turn to go to the hospital. We spent nearly a half-day together, the three of us. I heard their love story. I heard about their health struggles. I met two of their adult children. We laughed. We cried. We prayed. We hugged. It was a better-than-average hospital visit; we connected.

The next time I mentioned a need we had in the church, for something un-budgeted, they were very supportive. 

Change at the pace of pastoral care.

Now, let's check our motives here. I did not go see these folks in the hospital so they would vote for a need in my ministry. That's manipulative. In fact, I'd say it's downright gross. And they didn't support me because they were indebted to me for simply doing my job. That's scorekeeping, something 1 Corinthians 13 says love doesn't do.

I extended pastoral care. They received it. There was a connection at the heart level, experientially. It's simply what is supposed to happen when we pastor people well. 

And the more our hearts are knit together in this way, the more I want to slow down--because my heart is for them. And the more they want to help out--because their heart is for me.

And so if you are struggling with the pace of change in your ministry, maybe the key is to focus on pastoral care instead of change. Find yourself face to face in spiritual care so you can be shoulder to shoulder in spiritual work.

I am so grateful for the ways my pastor, Tim Harris, has taught me this. I sure wish I had been able to learn it 30 years ago!

Is Intimacy a Dirty Word?

I wouldn't call "intimacy" a dirty word, but I'd call it dangerous.

Still we need it.

I maintain there are (at least) 3 different kinds of intimacy, and keeping the borders strong between them can revolutionize your church-life: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

First, there's physical intimacy. This is reserved for romantic relationships. It is in degree, of course, from the brush of a shoulder to the marriage bed. When you're single, dating, exploring... you should experience some--but not all--physical intimacy. When you're married, still dating your spouse, and still exploring that one relationship... you should experience all physical intimacy. Keep the boundary strong between single and married rock solid. And if you're single, keep the boundary for yourself and your future spouse. (Hebrews 13:4)

Second, there's emotional intimacy. This exists at some level in all relationships, of course. This is a "feelings only" sort of intimacy. Those feelings can be platonic, like between siblings or parents and children. It can also be blazing fire, like between newlyweds or fighting friends. (Fighting is one of the most intimate things we do.) Emotional intimacy is powerful and, yes, dangerous. If you're married, keep emotional intimacy in check between you and anyone and everyone of the opposite sex. This doesn't mean you can't feel for someone, it just means that those feelings must continue to be defined by the relationship. You and I have feelings of compassion and care for friends who are women. But the boundary must be strong to keep the feelings there. When we sense that those feelings may be trying to test the boundaries... that's a red flag, waving strong. We have to be careful. Stir our affections for our wives again. Recognize that the spiritual attack of the enemy is involved. God has made a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13), and we MUST find it. 

Third, there's spiritual intimacy. Sometimes this one feels like emotional intimacy. But never must it cross into physical intimacy. Spiritual intimacy is the only one of these three that can be shared between members of the same sex. In fact, it's often better that way! If I cultivate a spiritual friendship with another guy, like my friend Tog Goodson for example, it is easier to disclose battles, sins, victories, and discoveries without risking an emotional affair, or obviously, a physical one.

All three require vulnerability. And the vulnerability you demonstrate must be appropriate to the definition of the relationship. Be vulnerable with your friends... your fellow believers. But beware of how vulnerable you are with members of the opposite sex. It's a minefield. The mines are real. They can blow your life up. Your enemy hopes they will.

Here's the giant challenge: every time we avoid intimacy we invite distance. And so our spiritual connections remain minimal, which stunts our spiritual growth. The testimony of scripture, especially the New Testament, is overwhelming. We grow up into Christ better together. We wither spiritually when we are alone. (Hebrew 10:24-25) And loneliness is one of the greatest epidemics of our day. 

And here's the giant hope. When God was far away, He came near in the person of Jesus Christ. And that Christ lives in you! (Colossians 1:27) There is hope. The one who demonstrated intimacy in astounding ways--in clear boundaries and self-giving love--is living Christ's life through you. You can trust others like Jesus trusted Peter, James, and John. And if you are betrayed by someone you trust, Jesus knows how that feels too. Judas was, after all, one of his twelve closest friends.

My encouragement to you today is two-fold. First, clarify and strengthen your boundaries. Second, pursue the right kind of intimacy within the right kind of relationships. You will be more like Jesus when you do. And your life will have a Jesus-shaped impact.

Intimacy isn't a dirty word at all. It's one of the most beautiful in the world!

Call a meeting with 25 year-old me!

I'm seeing more and more people writing/talking about this sort of thing. Now that I'm about to be 55 (WHAT!?!) years old, what would I go back and tell 25 year old me?

So, so much.

But where it concerns worship and Christian living, I think these seven would top the list:

1) Find a mentor. No.. find 6 mentors. And do it now. Meet with them every month or two. Walk into those conversations prepared, with a list of at least 3-5 open-ended questions. Also have handy any frustrations, tensions, or struggles you're having. And then ask your questions. Use as few words as possible. And then listen. Take notes. These guys don't have to be spiritual giants, but they do need to be ahead of you on the journey. Every year, compile your notes and review them annually. By the time you've done this 25 times you will have a PhD in practical living and ministry! (And potentially one whale of a book project.)

2) Get a journaling Bible and write in it. Daily. Don't just read the Bible, interact with it. Imagine yourself in the stories... in God's story. If it is a parable, identify which character you are. Write until the journaling space is full and then get another Bible and do it again. Your goal is not to get into the Bible, but to get the Bible into you. 

3) Shape your ministry by helping everyone else fulfill their God-dreams. If someone dreams of being a great worship leader, do all you can to help. If they want to be a Hollywood film-maker, give them lots of opportunities to make films for the church. If they "only" want to be a faithful choir member, that's okay. Don't make others into your image, help them live into the image of Christ on them.

4) Lead from a place of love and acceptance, not for the love and acceptance of others. (Thanks, Louie Giglio!) Seriously. If you aren't feeling loved and accepted, spend more time with God. If you have a sense of being 100% loved and accepted by your Heavenly Father, you will crave SO MUCH LESS the affirmation of those around you. Invite someone else into this tension so they can help you monitor it.

5) Make friends. Leadership is lonely, and perhaps leadership in the church is loneliest of all. Don't feel sorry for yourself about that, just find a way to make friends. Other guys are looking for friends too, but they're too afraid, too busy, or too distracted to go first. So ask a guy around your age to grab lunch. If it's easy to talk with them, do it again. And again. You will need people you can talk with about stuff at home and at church who don't have a "dog in that fight."

6) Love your wife more than anything or anyone except God. There's no Christmas pageant, Easter musical, Night of Worship, or choir retreat that's worth putting her aside. After salvation, she is God's greatest gift to you. Treat her like a Princess of the Most High God. Because she is. And when you do, your prayer life will be so much more powerful! (1 Peter 3:7) 

7) Oh yeah... your prayer life. It is your fuel line. If the tank is full and the engine is powerful, that's great. It's also useless unless gasoline can get to the engine. Pray like your marriage, your ministry, and your life depend on it. Because they do.

Gosh, y'all. I really want to go find the me of 30 years ago and give him this letter. What would you tell him? Better yet, what would you tell your young self?

Worship Learnings from East Africa

About this time 11 years ago I was returning from a trip to Tanzania. If you're like me, that isn't very easy to place on a map. Tanzania is a very large swath of land situated on the eastern coast of Africa, south of Kenya and north of Mozambique.

Swahili was the common language, though many people were multi-lingual. (Yes, multi. Swahili, English, French, and often a tribal dialect as well!)

The capital city, Dar es Salaam, was a study in third-world economic diversity. The vast majority were poorer than anything I'd ever seen. Cardboard huts so close together that a car--which no one could afford--wouldn't have fit down the "street." The smells were rancid. I think I described it to my sweet wife as a combination of burning trash and human waste. Yet not far away were neighborhoods with homes as nice as many in the nicer neighborhoods of my town, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Even the smell was faint there.

I traveled with my buddy, Steve Gray. We were both worship pastors, but were going to offer training to pastors. It was an amazing trip. ("Amazing" was the favorite word of our fantastic host, Moses Mboya.)

I saw beauty I'd never imagined, especially in creation and in the faces of children. I also sensed the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in ways I didn't know were possible. I am so grateful for my time there!

There were some uniqueness about the worship of locals that I found interesting enough to think you might enjoy them too. Here are my top 5:

5) Women were usually the ones "running the show." Don't let that language get in the way. While these women were definitely running things, they did more than emcee. They were spiritual authorities, and they wore that responsibility with grace and confidence. Reminds me of Jesus, who came "full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

4) Children were very active in the services. They sang. They danced. They acted out Bible stories. They were always thoroughly prepared and fully engaged. Below is a picture of a little girl (maybe 8?) who was weeping as part of her character in the play-song being brought to life for us. Her tears flowed generously. There was nothing merely "cute" about the role of these youngsters. They were empowered storytellers.



3) The simple buildings were adorned with beauty. Again, even in this third-world culture, the church found ways to make the worship space beautiful. Vibrant. Sacred.

2) Singing was vigorous. I can't find a better word. They sang hard. They worshiped hard. Whether it was "How Great Thou Art" (maybe Swahili was the original language for that song... not really, but they sang it like it was!) or a song I couldn't understand and had never heard--more tribal and drum-accompanied--their singing was not obligatory or contrived. It was gut deep. Soul deep.

1) Note taking was very different. In the U.S. we tend to jot down an insightful, pithy comment the preacher makes. In Tanzania, the only thing they wrote down was scripture. It's like they were listening to us ramble until we said something God said; that's what they'd want to remember. Seems wise.

I'm concerned that U.S. culture has made much of what I described nearly impossible. So now I'm curious, what do you wish we would learn from the believers in other countries, anything?

I miss the friends I made in those 16 days. Even more, I miss the freedom the Holy Spirit had to move, to act, and to lead. Maranatha.

Sin

Sin is a tricky subject for any believer.

Don't agree? Then you read 1 John 3 and tell me how it works.

Just 2 verses are enough to make any of us with hair left pull it out!

"But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil..."

Wait. What? Yep. That's verse 8.

I wish verse 9 helped, but it doesn't: "Those who have been born into god's family... can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God."

For the worship leader, these implications are magnified. And I'm not sure about your church, but everyone on our platform keeps on sinning. Perhaps me most of all.

So how do we lead worship for the Bride of Christ in the presence of a holy God?

I can only come up with one answer.

Repent into the righteous covering of Christ.

[Repentance is more than sorrow, not less. More than confession, not less. Repentance is to change the way we think so we change the way we behave. This only happens by the kindness of our loving-Father.]

When someone comes and says, "Why are you letting so-and-so be part of the team?" (which is a valid, even if judgy question) I respond with, I'm just glad I get to be part of the team.

None of us is worthy. Not one.

But God.

Yes, but God! In His outrageously generous grace, God covers us with the righteousness (right-ness) of Christ. Hallelujah!

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Col 5:21)

But we.

Yes, but we. There is still a responsibility we have. It is simple. It is hard. It is private. It is sensitive.

We repent. Not just the first time, when we become followers of Jesus and are covered with his righteousness. (HALLELUJAH!) But we continually repent.

We become aware of our sin. We confess it to God. We confess it to someone else, perhaps our worship pastor, or pastor, or counselor, or the person we wronged. And then we ask God to help us change the way we think so we can change the way we behave.

And so when the person pushes back to my initial response above, I share the phrase that has helped me navigate this phrase: "The only thing that disqualifies us (yes, me too) from serving in worship is unrepentant sin."

Indeed, I think this is what John the Beloved was writing about in 1 John 3. Repentant sinners crave holiness. Unrepentant ones crave their own way.

So how about you? How do you handle this? And do you have words of correction or clarification for me? I'd be delighted to read them in the comments!

Relational Rehearsing and M*A*S*H?

I was talking with a good friend this morning, a young worship leader. I told him about leaving my first full-time church job--being asked to leave, that is--because I was stream rolling people rather than listening and valuing.

While I still see the young Rod poke out on occasion even now, my general disposition in ministry has changed dramatically. (So yes, there's hope!)

One of the ways I've learned to lead more relationally is specifically connected to rehearsals. Here are three that have been very helpful:

1) Invite suggestions. Rather than walking in with a fixed vision for a song, a service, or a ministry, I try to start with a really good idea and then hold it loosely. When someone says, "what if we all sing there?" or "what if the drums wait and come in here?" and I listen, perhaps try it, and then--if it is mostly as good as what I envisioned in my head--I choose their idea... well you know already, don't you? They feel heard, valued, and appreciated. You would too. I do too!

2) Say things the way they hear them. I've had to learn to be multi-lingual. Not so much Spanish, or French, or Swahili. But I try to speak in the language each person in the room can resonate with. For the music readers: measure numbers and other markings in the music. For by ear musicians: 2nd chorus or turnaround or bridge. For choir members who don't read music: I use word pictures. For the analytic among us, I use numbers (10% louder) etc.

2a) Say things the way they say things. I sometimes talk like I'm from the city... maybe a university town. I don't try to; it just comes out. But I need to learn to speak the language of the people I serve in more rural setting. So I try to listen to their words. Their phrases. The way they express themselves is the way they can best hear. So I try to sound like the best version of themselves when I talk. I wouldn't say I'm great at this, by the way. But the longer I try, the better I get. It's sort of the difference, for those of you M*A*S*H fans, between Hawkeye and Winchester.

3) Balance clear direction with flexible responsiveness. We walk into rehearsals with a thoughtful, clear plan. I use song maps for the worship songs. I put a rehearsal schedule on the whiteboard for the choir. There is clear structure and direction. But seldom does the rehearsal end with the vision unaffected. I suppose you could say we structure the flow, spur on the flow, and go with the flow.

And the flow is the people, not the music. That's what makes the rehearsal, well, relational.

I'd love to hear from you! How do you enhance relationships in rehearsals?

(I wanna) Be Like Daryl

When I was 12, a family moved in a few houses away. I met Michelle first. She was my first big-time crush. I walked away from our first conversation across that chain-link fence convinced I was in love and going to marry her. (Oh, the whims of a 12 year old boy!)

Gradually I came to know Michelle's family. Her dad was in ministry. They joined our church. Her older brother, Mike, became my best friend, and was the best man in my wedding. There weren't many days between the fall of '78 and '83 that I wasn't at their house or they were at mine.

The mom and dad (Peggy and Wally) became my "other parents." Daryl, Yvonne, Mike and Michelle were my other siblings. I'm sure my memories are a bit idyllic, but honestly? Not much. They were, as Michelle said recently "our family, and we were theirs."

Daryl became best friends with my oldest brother, Rusty. When I was a senior in high school, they became interim youth co-pastors at our church. They were both involved in the music ministry. They sang in the Easter musical, playing the roles of Jesus (Daryl) and Peter (Rusty) in Joy Comes in the Morning. There's a scene near the end of that epic 80s cantata where the resurrected Jesus and ashamed Peter lock eyes and are reunited with a giant hug. I'll never forget seeing them become the characters and give all of us hope that we, too, can be fully reconciled with Jesus. Even after our sin.

As I wrote in a Facebook post yesterday, I learned what friendship could be watching my brother and his best friend. I imagine the epic Biblical friendship between David and Jonathan was a foreshadowing of their relationship.

Daryl was taking out the trash a few days ago, had a heart-attack, and died suddenly. He was 64.
It has called to my memory a bunch of things that might encourage us all toward Christ-likeness. You see, Daryl didn't just play Jesus in a play at church, he modeled (imperfectly, of course) our Savior in the every daily-ness of his life.

Daryl knew I needed help with how to talk to girls, how to say things kindly, and and how to be okay with myself. Daryl was probably the first person who could correct me in a way that made me want to be corrected. When I was feeling like I was a loser, he would speak hope into my soul. And when I didn't see any way out of a hard spot, he gave me perspective. I know now he was teaching me against binary thinking, to look for a third option.

In other words, Daryl was generous with encouragement and hope. He spoke wise correction into the life of this (temporarily) fatherless teenager. And he helped me see the big picture when I was lost in the weeds. I really want to be like Daryl.

Finally, Daryl was a song writer. In fact, he wrote a song our youth group fell in love with called "Ribbons and Bows." When I did my first recording project in a basement in Cincinnati Ohio, I asked him if I could include that song. Not only did he say yes, he played guitar for the cassette recording. (Man, I'm old!) But he didn't just play. He taught me how to behave in a setting that was new to me.

He did what he always did. He helped me think, feel, and act like Jesus.

In the ways Daryl was so generous with others, I wonder if Jesus may be calling you and me to be more that way.

For my songwriting friends, here's a bit of Daryl's much loved song, inspired by his ministry with teenage girls, about his future daughter(s):
Ribbons and bows, diapers and dolls,
That's my baby girl.
She's my whole world.
Growin' up fast,
This childhood won't last.
Who'll watch over her
When she's not my baby girl?
Will I love her enough to show her
That he cried for her,
Even died for her?
When the pain of life
Gets too tough for her
He'll comfort her, 
Oh the comforter.
High school prom queen,
T-shirt and blue jeans.
We shared some tears
Through those teenage years.
Kids of her own, my how time has flown.
She's a woman now;
She survived somehow.
'Cause I loved her enough to show her
That he cried for her,
Even died for her.
And she can share 
That Truth with her own son;
She can share the love
Of the Perfect One.

Do it Anyway!

I live with the fallacy that I should only do things where I excel. In fact, I'd say I'm the poster-boy for this! If I can't figure it out in 15 minutes, I give up. But if it comes easily, I'll stay at it forever!

This is not good for me. Not for my development anyway.

And I dare say, it may not be good for you either. (Forgive me for being so blunt?)

Where is all of this coming from, and what it has to do with worship, with Christian living?

Oh, I am SO glad you asked!

I was thinking about the people who tell me they don't sing in worship because they aren't good singers. And then I got to thinking about whether or not they would use that rationale with other parts of the gathering.

I'm not good at giving, so I'm just going to keep my tithe.
I'm not good at praying, so I'll just sit quietly.
I'm not good at listening, so I'll just play a game on my phone during the sermon.

I can't imagine those excuses would be nearly as embraced by our church-goers as, "I'm not good at singing, so I just listen."

After all, we are commanded in scripture to give, to pray, to listen, but none of those as often as to sing!

Friend, we need your voice. We need you. So if you aren't good at singing, sing anyway!

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.
        --Psalm 95:1-2

But Do They BELIEVE You Love Them?

I find emotions a fascinating part of being human.

• The love of an infant for her mother.

• The delight of a toddler with his grandfather.

• The infatuation of a teenager for her classmate.

• The young love of newlyweds.

• The sense of uncertainty when marriage struggles.

• The deeper-than-friendship devotion of those married half a century.

Some of those feelings, I'm sure you can remember; the others you can imagine. But very few of them can you see.

And that's just one of the things that interests me about emotion. It can be forest-fire-hot on the inside, and frosty-ice-cold on the outside. At the same time.

+ + + + +

I love the folks in my ministry. I really do. I hurt when they hurt. I dance on the inside when they get good news. Joy resonates in my heart when a major life event goes well--salvation, marriage, first child, and more.

But I've learned something powerful. What I feel does nothing for them. What they see, what they receive, does everything for them.

So if I'm feeling frustration but communicate pleasure, I have essentially lied to them and damaged our relationship. If I'm feeling agape love but don't do anything, I have cheated us of the spiritual intimacy God intends for His people.

I think of David Johnson. David was a dear friend in ministry. We had a deepening friendship that lasted about 15 years. He had been to my church and I'd been to his. We shared lunches. More than that, we shared life.

David got sick a while back. Suddenly sick. And then he got better. And then he got really, really sick. And word came that he might not live. He was barely 60. Too young.

I walked into the hospital room in Nashville, after the 75 minute car ride. I had a really good visit with David and his wife, Pam. I prayed with them, I looked David in the eye and said--tears stinging my eyes--"I love you, my brother."

I'll never forget his response. I'd never experienced this before, but it was the catalyst for this blog post. With his characteristically soft smile and a weak voice he said, "I believe it."

I believe it.

How did my friend--and brother--know I loved him?

Because I showed him. I demonstrated my love.

Brothers and Sisters, so does Jesus. And so must we all.

"... God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Let's be more like Jesus.

Body Worship

Body Worship?

No, I don’t mean we should worship our bodies. I mean that the Body, the one Paul talks about in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, worships.

You may have heard the worship gathering referred to as “corporate worship.” And that word—corporate—may stir images of the corporate ladder, or corporate lawyers or corporations. But get this: our English word comes from the Latin “corpus,” which actually means… body.

That’s how we worship together…as a body

I remember vividly my time in East Africa just over a decade ago. One of the many striking things about the worship gatherings I attended was the interconnectedness of everything. The children and youth I saw lead in worship did so as groups, looking more like extended family than neighbors. The preaching was as conversational as any black preacher I’ve been around. And the singing… everybody sang from the gut. Everybody. Together. 

It was like seeing this passage lived out:

The human body has many parts,

but the many parts make up one whole body.

So it is with the body of Christ.

Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,”

that does not make it any less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,”

would that make it any less a part of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?

Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”

The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

...So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care

are given to those parts that have less dignity.

This makes for harmony among the members,

so that all the members care for each other.

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it,

and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Which brings me to one of the dangers I see in worship in our day, at least in the US. I hear it often. “I just want to close my eyes and imagine that I’m the only one in the room.” OR “I want the room to be dark so I don’t have to worry about people seeing me.” OR “I’m afraid of what other people will think if I show on the outside what I’m feeling on the inside.”

And so in our fear, we defy the images of 1 Corinthians 12 and withhold ourselves from each other. 

Lord, have mercy.

A priority of the faith community described throughout the New Testament is spiritual intimacy. When we close ourselves off from others we, well… close ourselves off from others. We forsake intimacy.

It’s like the eye is saying, I don’t need you. And like the the ear is saying, you don’t need me.

But God made us to need one another. 

I need you to worship on the outside like you feel on the inside. I want to see your joy. Your lament. I want to see you.

And I want you to see my delight. My sorrow. I want to be seen.

So let’s keep out eyes open. Let’s keep the lights on. And let’s worship like the body we are.

The Blessing

Have you seen it? At least heard it?

"The Blessing" by Kari Jobe and Chris Carnes has gone viral. The setting is mega-influencer Elevation Church, which helps. But honestly, if that song had been recorded in the middle of nowhere I still believe it would have taken the world by storm.

The original video has 12 million views in 2 months. There are other amazing versions, including The UK Blessing (2.6 million views) and The Symphonic Version from Passion City Church. I've seen a half dozen of these variations. Every one of them, well, blesses me.

I think there are some reasons for this, and as worshipers and worship leaders we can learn a few things from the craving this song seems to be satisfying.

1) People yearn to be blessed. I know, that's not rocket science. But still, we are often so busy producing that we forget to be a blessing. I wonder... could it be that those of us in leadership are leading so we can receive the blessing of people rather than be a blessing to people?

2) Good songs are good songs. The "amen" section of this song is as simple as can be. And as powerful. Listening to the writers on The Worship and Technology Podcast they described the song as if heaven just let a little bit of its song leak out for the earth. They talked about it with all humility, and I have to say... the song seems to me to have that kind of anointing. Still, they spent hours crafting the song. Several people. Many hours. Song writing is important.

3) Scripture speaks. The words of this song are saturated with words from the Bible and the two primary themes are blessing (from the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6) and passing that blessing from generation to generation. These twin themes make for a mighty combination. What parent doesn't want God to bless their kid? I dare say agnostics and maybe even a few atheists would even affirm that!

4) Scripture speaks in context. For most of my life I've heard "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." I've conducted three different settings of it for all kinds of choirs. It has always been beautiful, but not this powerful. (Although Peter Lutkin's amen section and John Rutter's anthem are stunning!) But those were different settings for different days. This fresh setting is here just in time.

5) God is generous. The song dropped at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The creation needed somewhere to go to reconnect with its Creator, and it was then that God gave this song to the writing team from Elevation... and to us all.

So my takeaways?
a) Be a blessing. Always and in all ways.
b) Use great songs.
c) Keep using the scriptures, and enculturate them.
d) Be thankful. We worship/serve an incredibly generous God!

So... what are your takeaways?

Serve the Distracted Worshipper

SQUIRREL!

My mind does that about 100 times an hour, and usually at about the same speed--in miles per hour.

I was never diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, but those weren't in vogue when I was in school. I can pay attention, it's just really hard for me. My mind spins.

While in East Africa a few years ago, I learned the Tanzanians refer to this as "the monkey in the mind."

I think I have a few monkeys, a dozen squirrels, and some other mammals running through my mind.

That must be why.

It's the only reason I can think of that I have worked for most of my ministry to serve the distracted worshiper. Reduce down time, change up the dynamics, adjust the pace, read with inflection, pray with clarity,

Minimize distractions.

A dear friend, Marshall Sanders, wrote an editorial for Creator Magazine when he was its owner/publisher. This was more than 25 years ago. He titled it "The Fragility of the Connectivity." Marshall is so creative! He talked about how important it is to remember that some people walk in to our worship gatherings hanging on by a thread. Worship planners and leaders serve them well when we make it easier for them to stay connected.

Get the room temperature right, he said. Declutter the platform. Eliminate typos.

Never have these encouragements meant so much as in this COVID-19 pandemic. People are worshiping from home. How can we remove distractions and maximize connection?

I've already mentioned a few. Here are 3 rather specific ones:

1) Vary what happens during the song/songs. This re-engages the listener/worshiper. You might do this by starting with just guitar or piano, adding other instruments, and then dropping them at the end. You could also share vocal leadership. Have different people lead different parts of the song. Certainly different songs can be led by different folks. Vary songs from quiet to epic. Use dynamics inside of songs. While streaming services, look into the camera as much as is appropriate. (Except when singing to our Triune God; he's not the eyes you're looking into on the other side of the camera.)

2) Consider the way things look. How tidy is the platform? Is it interesting but not cluttered? Make sure those leading are wearing clothes that don't call attention to themselves--modest, simple, muted colors. Pay attention to what the professionals wear--like TV newscasters. For the most part, they aren't trying to make a fashion statement. (Except for Derby Day, perhaps?) They want you to listen to their voice and watch their face. How much more important in our worship leading! This also has to do with the camera angle, or angles if you have more than one camera. Understand what lead room and head room mean.

3) If you are able to provide lyrics, ensure they make sense. If you don't have a compelling reason not to, include punctuation. It really reduces confusion. We use no more than 2 lines of text at a time. (Used to be 4.) The font should be sans serif. We really like the font created by the folks at CMG (Church Motion Graphics). It should be big enough to see but not big enough to intrude on the screen. If at all possible, the line breaks should coordinate with the music. (Remember, we're eliminating distractions.) And for the "page breaks" this is even more important.

Those are excruciatingly practical. I'd imagine some of you are wondering if it really matters.

It does. People you've never discipled as worshipers are now watching your services. Men, women, boys and girls that never paid much attention are now dialed in. Even more, those who have become estranged from the church or never gave Her a second thought are now clicking to see more. To see you.

How will you serve the distracted worshiper? I implore you to help them pay attention. It could be the way God uses you to reach them. Let's serve them well!