martin reardon

Three albums I have been enjoying lately.

2011-05-04T13:58:00.004-04:00

Advent - A Trinity Worship Project

2010-11-04T10:16:00.003-04:00

...will be out soon!

Click HERE to sample the tracks.

Ouch!

2010-11-04T10:13:00.002-04:00

"To enjoy worship (music) for its own sake, or simply out of a cultural appreciation of the 'performance'... would be like Moses coming upon the burning bush and deciding to cook his lunch on it".

-N.T. Wright from For All God's Worth

Collect for Purity

2010-07-13T10:41:00.001-04:00

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer 1662

Even silly prayers are answered...sometimes.

2010-07-07T12:06:00.003-04:00

My wife absolutely loves the cello. She kicks herself to this day for choosing the flute over the cello when she joined the band in middle school. She is a wonderful flutist though.

A couple of weeks ago she asked God to simply plop someone in front of her with a cello that would bust into Bach's Prelude in G. A silly prayer, I know. Those things don't happen.

Well, it happened. A wonderful man named Jules Polachek (along with his wife, Dawna) were at the recent AMiA Worship Leader's Retreat. While talking with them in the lobby I told my wife that Jules played the cello and how beautiful it sounded the previous night during the worship set. Immediately, he went to his room, brought it down to the hotel lobby, sat in front of us and busted in to Bach's Prelude in G.

I am sure to him it was simple and no thought was given to it. But to my wife (and to me) it let her know that God hears even our silly prayers and grants them just to make sure we are certain of his love for us. He is a good father.

I laughed so hard I cried...

2010-06-22T21:43:00.002-04:00

...when I read this article. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

How To Write A Really Mediocre Song

By Bob Kilpatrick

In most cases, one can use these three qualitative judgments- good, mediocre, bad- in descending orders. Good is better than mediocre. Mediocre is better than bad. But, in my humble opinion, it’s different in song writing; good is best, bad is good and mediocre is bad. As an example of proof I would reference the Shaggs “Philosophy of the World” album. Recorded (I believe) in the late Sixties by three sisters who (from what I have read) were forced into it by their father, this is one of the truly bad records of all time. It sounds like they could see each other but couldn’t hear each other while they played their instruments. And the songs! – Yikes! What terrible songs! Listening to this album is like watching as a minor traffic accident unfolds in front of you; not too hurtful and immensely enjoyable to have experienced. It is so bad; it ranks right up there just under good. Mediocrity, on the other hand, is excruciating. It has the desire for excellence without the talent to make it happen. It’s the loser of the playoff game, the billiard ball that almost went into the corner pocket, the salutatorian of the graduating class.

Having written hundreds of mediocre songs, I consider myself an expert. Consequently, I have deigned to share with you my tips on how to write a really mediocre song. These are road tested and guaranteed to work.

Number One – Start with a melody that sounds like another melody. This is especially effective if you model it after another mediocre melody. Make your melody only different enough to keep you out of a copyright infringement suit. Otherwise, hew as close as possible to what has been done before. “My Sweet Lord” was a good example of this at one time.

Number Two – To make up for the derivative melody; wrap it around some very odd chords. If you’re in the key of C, say, try throwing in a C, G#maj7, B6, F#m combination. This is what I call the “search for the lost chord” and is popular among high school boys working on their first songs.

Number Three – Free yourself from the restrictive song structures of the past. Move away from the verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, and chorus form into something that wanders without repeating itself. If you must have a chorus, change the words or the timing every time you repeat it.

Number Four – Say something in the lyric that others have said many times before and better. Borrow lyric ideas, if you can. Songs that refer to “amazing grace” or “the king in majesty” are especially good starting points. Reading through hymnals and chorus books will help you cull/steal ideas from other writers that you can dull down and repeat mindlessly.

Number Five – Use Christian phrases in common usage in the English-speaking world. Don’t change them (millions of happy Christian can’t be wrong.) Here’s a list to get you started; – washed my sins away – He lifts me up – I just came to praise the Lord – saved – born again – glory

Number Six – the reverse of Number Five- Don’t use any phrases that Christians would recognize. Make your metaphors so esoteric that only you and your closest friend from junior high get the meaning. This approach also helps if you want to reach a wider audience with your song. The less your lyrics can be construed to talk explicitly about God the better.

Number Seven – Don’t say just one thing in a song. Say two, or three, or even four things. Wander from idea to idea. Start by singing about your past sinful life, then move on to how wonderful nature is, then sing about the people of God and end up at the Second Coming. If you can make it all sound like it could be either, a) a worship song or, b) a love song, even better.

Number Eight – Mix and match your metaphors. Let rivers run over mountains in your song. Let the hand of God rain down on you. Stand before the throne on your knees. If you find this mixing and matching difficult to do, reading through modern chorus books or many recent Christian novels will help.

Number Nine – If you’re writing a worship song, talk TO God sometimes and ABOUT God at other times. If you can squeeze them both into the same line, especially in the chorus (if you must have one), all the more mediocre.

Number Ten – Never; ever rewrite your song after the first draft. If you hit a lyrical block, you can use the words “really” or hallelujah” or “to the Lord” very effectively to keep the song moving. If you must rewrite, do it when you’re tired, depressed or angry. Don’t throw away the first draft, just in case the song inadvertently improves.

Number Eleven – Give the song a title that never appears in the lyric. Make it obtuse or completely meaningless in relation to the song. One-word titles patterned after concepts or naturally occurring phenomenon are good. Some ideas are; – Rainy Day Worship Song #19 – Sun – The Three Of Us – Wind – Mountains And Sea – anything about shouting – You – Before The Throne.

There you have it. I’ve topped David Letterman’s list and, like Spinal Tap, have gone “one more higher.” If these guidelines don’t help you write truly, remarkably mediocre songs, then you should consider giving the effort up. Be careful, too, that you stay away from the reverse of these simple rules. If you don’t, you might start writing bad songs, or even good ones.

Thad Cockrell - To Be Loved

2010-06-01T21:26:00.003-04:00

You should buy this on iTunes. It will become one of your top 5 of 2010...and beyond.

New Music

2010-04-27T11:49:00.008-04:00

.

This is becoming not only one of my favorite albums of 2010, but of all time. I know that is a grand statement, but hey I am a passionate person who makes such statements. I encourage you to check it out.

iTunes

Oh yeah, be careful listening to Little Lion Man with the kids. It has a little language.

Worship Leader Summer Internship at Trinity

2010-03-10T09:06:00.000-05:00

We will be offering a Worship Leader internship this summer at Trinity. If you are interested or know anyone who might be feel free to give me a shout.

Peace,

Marty

worship@trinityanglicanmission.org

Piano!

2010-02-27T18:28:00.004-05:00

I just bought one for our daughter's 6th birthday! It's perfectly simple in style and it's tuned to 440 which I found to be rare with older pianos. This piano is already replacing the sad memories I have of our family piano getting repossessed when I was 7.

Here's to redemption.

How to play Confession

2010-02-23T18:14:00.001-05:00

How to play Psalm 51 - Whiter Than Snow

2010-02-23T18:12:00.002-05:00

How to play Agnus Dei

2010-02-23T17:59:00.005-05:00

Beyond Pornography - Dallas Willard

2010-02-04T14:52:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are not familiar with him, Dallas Willard is a Professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

This article is a must read.

Beyond Pornography:
Spiritual Formation Studied in a Particular Case

Trinity Psalms

2009-10-30T12:26:00.004-04:00

I have been talking and scheming about a new worship project for a while. Well, enough talk. We will go into the studio this coming Wednesday.

This will be our most collaborative, writing effort yet. Which is very exciting to me.

The track list (for now) looks like this:

Psalm 66 - Song Of Deliverance by M.Reardon
Psalm 34 - Taste And See - K.Cown
Psalm 103 - Bless The Lord - C.Lawrence
Psalm 118 - Proclamation - K.Johnson
Psalm 139 - Lead Me - M.Reardon
Psalm 139 - Thoughts Of You - M.Reardon
Psalm 51 - Whiter Than Snow - M.DiCristina
Hallelujah (Help Us Pray) - M.Reardon

Piano? Who needs one?

2009-10-16T16:39:00.002-04:00

OK. I do. Or at least I want one. When I was 5 years old we had one and I remember my mother giving my brother and sister and I lessons. I made it all the way through my beginner's book and then one day I came home from school and there was a blank wall where our piano used to be. I grew up thinking that everyone had things that one day would go away. You see the same thing happened to a few cars we had as well.

Now that I am older I completely get what happened. You probably guessed it within two sentences. The Repo-Man paid us a visit that day and took our piano away. It makes me want to cry and laugh at the same time when I think about it. I say laugh because the Repo-Man may have taken away our only family instrument, but he did not take away my passion for music.

So, now my search is on for an old, beautiful and fully-functional upright piano to grace my own family's home...for keeps.

Here I come Craigslist!

"Music Man"

2009-10-08T10:03:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine began blogging for Atlanta Music Guide and I must say I love his honesty and candor when it comes to the music industry. I have personally seen my share of bands & musicians venture into this world wide-eyed and full of hope only to see them approach their thirties with little more than the beer-belly they acquired from "networking" at clubs every night. Maybe they just needed some perspective on things.

I think Jay Harren offers a realistic, but not hopeless perspective about how one should view and approach this difficult industry. You can (should) follow his posts here Music Man.

Thanks Jay and keep writing!

Musicians need a dose of reality...

2009-10-06T17:08:00.003-04:00

...and a job.

If you are a musician and hope to "make it" (even just a little bit) then this movie is a must see.

Visual Aids in Church

2009-09-10T12:45:00.005-04:00

Here is an interesting article arguing against the use, or over-use, of computer-aided technology in church worship settings. It is a short article, but says a great deal on the matter.

One quote that stuck with me is, Because PowerPoint has become central to worship in many churches, it is now common to find more technology experts than persons knowledgeable about liturgy involved in planning and leading worship. Ouch!

Article Link - PowerPointless

A Beautiful Picture of Faith

2009-06-25T08:09:00.003-04:00

"But faith is not necessarily, or not soon, a resting place. Faith puts you out on a wide river in a little boat, in the fog, in the dark. Even a man of faith knows that...we've all got to go through enough to kill us...

...A man of faith believes that (all) is not lost. He does not believe this easily or without pain, but he believes it. His belief is a kind of knowledge beyond any way of knowing."

-from Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

There is something in me (and probably in all of us) that simply wants to arrive at a "resting place" - a point in life that is a peaceful and pain-free existence. A place where we need not act, but "be". But this quote rebukes and reminds us that faith is an action and not a destination. Hard words.

American Idol vs. Lunch with Marty?

2009-06-18T11:21:00.004-04:00

I just received a phone call form one of our worship leaders that he was unable to meet me for our scheduled lunch appointment because his mother convinced him to audition today for the next season of American Idol. I will not tell you that the leader's first name, but his last name begins with the letter "F" and ends in "letcher".

Kyrie Eleison

2009-06-18T10:57:00.003-04:00

My friend, Cameron Lawrence, sent me this quote and I thought it was worth sharing.

Fr. Thomas Hopko on the prayer, “Lord, have mercy,” from his book The Lenten Spring:

"While it is true that all people have sinned and require the forgiveness of God, the prayer “Lord, have mercy” is hardly a simple plea for pardon and acquittal. It is much more than that. In its literal meaning, it is not even that at all. The very fact that the Church sings “Lord, have mercy” as a response to all of her prayers and petitions, including those for peace, health, and good weather, as well as those of praise and thanksgiving, should demonstrate this quite clearly. The fact that the Church continues to sing, “Lord, have mercy” on the most joyous and gracious accasions, like after Holy Communion and on Easter night, should also tell us something about this prayer.

It is the word “mercy” that leads to a wrong understanding of the Kyrie eleison. We tend today to think of mercy almost exclusively in terms of justice. The opposite of being justly judged and therefore condemned, is to receive mercy. So the “Lord, have mercy” gets interpreted as “Lord, grant us pardon!” Or, “Lord, let us off!” In the scriptures and tradition, however, mercy is not primarily the antonym of justice. It is rather a word for goodness, kindness, generosity and love. St. John the Merciful, for example, was not a just judge who showed mercy on criminals. He was a bishop who distinguished himself as a helper and servant of the poor, the lowly, the needy and the afflicted. The same man is sometimes called St. John the Almsgiver.

The word “mercy” in the English translation of Kyrie eleison is from the Greek word eleos, which is most often, it is true, translated as mercy. This word, however, comes from the Hebrew word hesed which may be translated into English in many different ways. Some Bibles say mercy. Others say steadfast love. Still others say tenderness or loving-kindness, or simply love. The word also bears the connotation of graciousness, generosity, bounty and compassion. In the prayer itself, of course, the original word is a verb and not a noun. So it way as well be translated as “Lord, be merciful, gracious, kind, generous, compassionate, bountiful, loving.” According to His self-revelation, God is all of these things, whether we pray to Him or not. So when we pray, “Lord, have mercy,” we are simply saying to God: Lord, be to us as You are! Lord, act toward us as You do! Lord, we want You to be with us and to do with us as You Yourself are and actually do!"

So next time we sing this at Trinity (or you sing a form of it at our church) let us be aware of the full nature of the prayer.

Worth a Read

2009-06-10T10:57:00.002-04:00

This might be an old post to some of you, but I find it refreshing and wish I had heard this advice when I was 25 years old...so long ago it was.
25 and Over

Mixing The Old And The New

2009-06-04T16:26:00.006-04:00

I just attended a conference where this was one of the main topics of discussion in regards to corporate worship music. There are so many levels to this idea, but right now I am thinking on a more superficial level...what are the great rock bands and songs that have successfully incorporated classic instruments or vocal arrangements?

Just off the top of my head I am thinking of some instruments that are traditional dubbed "classical":

Organ
Intervention - The Arcade Fire
Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum
Fix you - Coldplay
Where The Streets Have No Name - U2
The Beach Boys

Pump Organ
Something To Live For - Ed Harcourt
Motion Picture Soundtrack - Radiohead

Harp
Motion Picture Soundtrack - Radiohead
The Well And The Lighthouse - The Arcade Fire

Strings (my favorites)
Nightswimming - R.E.M.
Cathedrals - Jump Little Children
The Arcade Fire

The list of bands, songs and instruments could go on and I am only listing a few to hopefully encourage those of you out there that it has been done, it has been done well and will continue to be done.

Marrying the old with the new is not inherently easy so when attempting to do so please keep in mind that what may work in one church context or church culture may not in another. You need to make sure you write and arrange for your specific, indigenous culture. Also, take a long-term approach to doing this.

Long term view of things...for corporate worship songwriting.

2009-05-13T11:56:00.003-04:00

How many of us actually take the time to sit down with our pastors and elder teams and ask "what do we want our church to be in 50 years" or "what kind of Christians do we want to cultivate in our communities"? I confess that those questions never made it on my docket until a few of weeks ago. I have thought about it from time to time, but it never seemed to be pressing. And now I find those questions to be a haunting element of my thinking when it comes to song writing and selection. Not just for this Sunday, but for many to come. Unfortunately, I know I am not alone and I fear that we worship leaders too often take our queues from whatever the *Christian Top 40 culture tells us we should be playing or singing rather than taking our queues from what we sense God may be wanting to speak to our congregations or from our pastors and those commissioned and charged with the shepherding of our local churches. This alone can be a hard pill to swallow because it deals with submission to one another (that is for another post at another time).

So, the challenge I face as I look through our present roster of songs is:
Is this a song I hope we will be singing in 50 years (styled aside)? Does this song aid in the cultivation of what our church leadership sees as a need for our body or does the song simply play to my strengths as the worship/musician/artist? Will this song help "Sally Homemaker" understand that Christ is present with her while the diapers, laundry and dishes pile up? Does this song help the addict who is fighting for freedom understand how grace and holiness work in their life? Does what I write encourage people to hear from God on their own as they cultivate a love and appreciation for both scripture and community? If I am unsure about a song's effectiveness in helping us fulfill our mission then the song is not worthy of the beautiful community with which I am privileged to serve.

Now to the task of putting to practice my new found convictions.

*It very well could be that there are any number of popular songs out there that are perfect for where your church is at. My concern is when we blindly throw songs into our rotations simply because they are "successful" and we hoep the success of the song.

Hearing from God...at dinner.

2009-05-12T19:35:00.003-04:00

Today I was challenged to attempt reading the gospel text from the daily office (Luke 8 - Parable of The Sower) at dinner with the family as a way to inspire my kids (ages 7, 5 and 2.5) that they can hear from God (Kris mentioned he was doing this at their house). And two Sundays ago Kris taught the lesson of the Good Shepherd and how we lack not necessarily the ability to hear God, but the know how. You see its not as complicated as we often make it...at least it shouldn't be. We can hear from God through silent listening, community and friends, scripture, even nature, etc. if we were to simply learn how to quiet ourselves and create time to make it happen.

So tonight did I not only see my kids ask to "keep talking about God" but I heard them process the text and share what they thought about it. Granted our youngest, Oliver, was all over the place and loud and as destrcutive as usual, but the truths that Elliot and Bella grabbed a hold of made my heart melt with joy. They were also very encouraged to know that the simple act of reading the text was a way of hearing from God. Elliot likened the seed growing up in the good soil to growing in friendship with someone to the point where you become best friends. It made me tear up. He then said that he always wants to love God and hopes he never lets the rocks and weeds take away his love. We closed with a prayer asking God to guard and keep us.

Oh, he also said that "Jesus was God AND a person mooshed up kind of like an alien that can strangle the devil without using his hands...he can use his eyes to do that". Personally, I never read that anywhere in the bible, but I must confess that that sounds like a pretty amazing God!

Raising The Bar...On Songwriting.

2009-05-04T22:09:00.005-04:00

Cantores, vide, ut quod ore cantas corde credas, et quod corde credas operibus comprobes.

Take heed that what you sing with your mouths, you believe in your hearts, and what you believe in your hearts you show forth in your works.

— Blessing of Singers decreed by the Fourth Council of Carthage (c. 350-410 AD)

Two Books Every Worship Leader Should Read

2009-04-25T19:50:00.004-04:00

Recalling The Hope of Glory

Music In Christian Worship

The Anima Christi CDs have arrived!

2009-04-20T16:40:00.002-04:00

Presently they are only available at Trinity for $10, but will soon be available on iTunes and CDBaby.com.

Birthday Gift

2009-04-04T21:19:00.006-04:00

Jennifer bought me this pendant for my birthday. I absolutely love it! It is a beautiful reflection of the Trinity.

Also, thanks to everyone who has brought me cake, beer, cards and spoken birthday wishes to me. I love you and appreciate the "family" that God has placed me in.

Cleaning Fairies

2009-04-03T17:43:00.002-04:00

I just want to say a big thanks to cleaning fairies who cleaned Bella's room and did our dishes! You bless us so much!

The Blessing of Pain

2009-04-03T07:14:00.003-04:00

Our dear Bella complained of pain in her "tummy". We thought it was the usual stomach bug, but when a little vomiting did not relieve he woes and she did not sleep even one hour because of the pain we took her to the doctor. He did the usual battery of tests and decided it was a stomach bug and sent us home with the advice that her pain and fever would subside in a day or so. The symptoms made sense, except for the pain. I have not ever seen any of our kids in such misery, writhing on the coach uable to pay attention to the cartoons. We did not sleep the following night for the same reason as before. Her pain would not let her be at peace. Then she had white stool. That is never a good sign. I called an ER doctor friend who advised me to take her to the ER (this is where the long-story will be short).

The ER doctor said that she really does have the simple symptoms of a stomach bug, but did not understand the pain she was experiencing. Mind you, at this point she is no longer in pain and actually able to walk around. Oh, did I fail to mention she was unable to walk due to the pain? While they drew blood, etc. I called my ER doctor friend to let him know what was going on. He was adamant (he is never adament) that they x-ray her abdomen. He knew something was not right from the pain and the white stool. I went back in our room and spoke with the doctor until he agreed to do the x-rays. It turns out that our sweet little girl had a tumor on one of her ovaries and it needed to be removed. They operated several hours later and found out that her ovary was twisted and had been for a few days by the looks of it. The great news is we caught it in time so that both of her ovaries should heal completely.

Once again I am reminded that pain is not something to avoid, but rather something to explore. It tells us that there is something not right. Something somewhere inside is out of place and not only needing to be restored, but asking. Pain is a form of communication that I have spent a great deal of time and energy throughout my life trying to ignore or silence with noise and busy-ness. It is a dialect that I am trying to understand so that the things that are twisted and broken and dying for life inside of me can be heard. Now to learn to right response.

Thank you to everyone who has been with us through this. We love and appreciate your prayers, support and friendship more than you know.

May the peace of Christ be with us all.

These watercolor paintings from her classmates are up on the walls in the hospital room. They have made Bella and the whole room cheery! Thank you!

Preparing for the afterlife...

2009-03-30T10:10:00.003-04:00

..should not be this complicated.

This past week I took my family to the King Tut exhibit and the Civic Center. Then my wife and I visited the Terra Cotta Army on exhibit at the High. I am museum'd out! My back hurts, my legs hurt and my brain hurts. So much history crammed into a few days it not good for my system.

So, it turns out that I just spent a bunch of money to see a bunch of crap some insecure megalomaniacs created back in the day to prepare them for their "heavenly" after-life rule and reign. Thanks museums, but I liked you better when you had paintings.

The Anima Christi Project is finished!!!

2009-03-19T11:27:00.002-04:00

The project is being shipped of for pressing later today and we hope to have it back by Easter. Thank you all for your patience and support!

For the time being you can hear a sampler at www.trinityworshipmusic.org

Shaving or "How I Learned To Live Life"

2009-02-28T21:39:00.004-05:00

I was shaving today and started thinking back, as I often do, about how I learned the art of shaving. It is kind of a sad story, but not in the end. You see, I was a late bloomer so I did not begin a weekly shaving rhythm until I was about 23 years old. That's right, I said "weekly". Even now at 35 I shave only twice a week. I guess I went from being a late-bloomer to a sparse-bloomer, follicley speaking.

My father left when I was 13 years old and was not around to show me how to shave. I knew nothing of razors, shaving cream, electric shavers, straight razors, how to open your pores with a hot towel and then close them post shave with cool water...nothing. Nope, I learned to shave from several sources. The first was a movie. Lethal Weapon to be exact. There is a scene where Danny Glover's character is teaching his son how to shave and that was my first lesson. The next lesson came from an old college friend and room mate of mine. I headed over to his apartment one college day to work on some music. When I arrived he was finishing up shaving. I studied him. I don't think I actually knew that I was consciously "learning", but the part of me that felt a lack of skills honed in on every move he made. My final lesson came from another dear and old friend who was also a room mate of mine in college. He began shaving from the womb and was well endowed with facial hair which needed to be shaved every morning. I feel for him b/c now that I am older I am grateful I do not "need" to shave every day. I learned razor technique from him. (And to this day my wife gets annoyed at the subtle thumping sounds as I tap the razor on the rim of the sink.) I learned this from him. I guess I learned by osmosis. I slept in and missed class, but was learning every morning from him and his routine.

So, as I continued my shave today I realized that there must be other things I learned from peers and mentors. My mother taught me to drive in a boat of a car and my brother-in-law taught me how to drive stick. But I learned "how" to drive from riding around with people. The technique was not what shaped my driving. It was other people's habits that I picked up while living life and riding in their cars.

I picked up the guitar because I saw girls liked it, but I learned how to play from friends and ultimately my favorite artists (of whom Don Peris is the absolute top choice).

The list of things I have learned (and am still learning) and from whom I have learned them could go on and on. This thought alone brings me great comfort and joy. Comfort because it reminds me that I have never been alone on this journey. And joy because I know I will not finish my journey alone...or stupid.

Beautiful Album

2009-02-20T19:51:00.005-05:00

It is very rare that I come across new music that immediately sweeps me off my feet. I think that has more to do with the fact that I am a music snob and less to do with the reality that most "new" music is bad. At least that is what I am told.

Anyway, my friend Mark DiCristina turned me on to Loney Dear's latest release entitled Dear John and I must say that it has renewed my hope for music. So far my favorite track is titled Violent which can be seen here on Paste's website.

This project is epic and if you have not heard of them...now you have!

An Amazing Quote Quoting Others Regarding Worship Music

2009-02-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

"Because we are serious about what we are doing at our (church) services we can never take lightly the words that we sing. In The Barber of Seville, Figaro sings, "If a thing is too silly to be said, it can be sung." As we know, some Christian songs merit that verdict. But John Wesley wrote (back in 1761), "Above all, sing spiritually, have an eye to God in every word you sing."

- from Worship By The Book by Mark Ashton with C.J. Davis

New People To Admire

2009-02-02T20:23:00.003-05:00

I just returned from the AMiA (Anglican Missions in America) conference and have to say that I met some amazing and extraordinary people. I was inspired and challenged by each and every one of them...Andy Piercy, Mark Russell, Todd Hunter... the list could go on and I hope it will as I continue to find and develop these relationships in the Anglican stream of faith. Of course, there is Archbishop Yong Ping Chung, Archbishop Kolini, Bishop Rucyahana, Achbishop Tay, of whom words would not begin to describe. Pick up a copy of Never Silent if you have not heard of these men and their journey.

Pic

2009-01-18T00:21:00.003-05:00

Over the holiday break our friend, Damian, who works at Cartoon Network gave the Reardon and McDaniel families (sans Mady & Scout) a tour of the facilities. The phone booth in this pic (housed at the Turner Studios) is the actual phone booth used in the Matrix. It apparently is broken.

Revisiting Articles

2009-01-17T11:15:00.005-05:00

Upon reading more and more articles on worship I am taken back to a very good one on songwriting by John Mortensen in the Cutting Edge Spring 2006 Issue(a Vineyard USA publication).

It is definitely worth a read.

Worship & Theology Quote

2009-01-07T09:29:00.003-05:00

I am presently listening to a teaching on corporate songwriting given by Andy Piercy, Director of Worship Development for the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA). In his teaching he quotes the ishop of Maidstone saying (paraphrased) "Worship leaders are the most influential theologians in the church, because people don't go home and sing the sermon in the shower". He says that he can tell a church's theology by looking at the songs they sing and write.

This is why I sometimes harp so much on the present state of modern worship (my own songwriting included). Are we writing songs that subversively undermine orthodox theology or are we writing songs that underscore the very gospel that saves and ushers in the kingdom of God?

a New Song for a New Year

2009-01-03T14:17:00.003-05:00

Here is a new one we will be doing this new year. 2008 brought a great deal of ups and downs to people in our church community and I hope this song gives us tracks to run on no matter what camp we happen to find ourselves living in at the moment.

Hallelujah (Help Us Pray)

Peace be with you.

Marty

"Our World"?

2008-12-17T10:10:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I found my self in the kitchen after dinner listening to the radio and enjoying the holiday music as I did the dishes. You know the songs like 'Christmas Shoes' and that Alvin and the Chipmunks song? By the way, 'Christmas Shoes' is not the worst song ever written, but I do feel strongly that if 'Christmas Shoes' were written in ye Old Testament days they would have probably taken the author(s) outside the city walls and stoned them. 'I want to buy these stones for the songwriter's please'....

So the dishes are almost done and it happened. I heard what I would say is the worst Christmas song written in a while. I heard a song entitled, 'Welcome To Our World'. Everything about the song is actually not too bad until we get to the chorus. The verses are a bit cheesy, but sweet considering it is a Christmas song. The piano is typical and the melody predictable. But none of these things can cause a song to shoot to the number 1 spot on the "Most Worst Song Ever" chart. The reason this song has been given the title is because of its interpretation of Christmas. The problem I have is that it is not "our world" and we are not welcoming God into our domain. In a culture consumed with "self" the last thing we need is a phrase (or song) that reinforces what we believe; it is our world and everyone else is just living in it.

We need to reorient ourselves with what it means to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings into the created order he created. Our prayers, songs and thoughts should be more along the lines of "thank you for inviting us into your Kingdom". It may sound like semantics, but it is not. There is a clear distinction between us saying "welcome to our world" and God saying "welcome to my world". And that is exactly what Christ is saying through his birth, baptism, death, burial and resurrection. He has welcomed us into his way of things, his order, his world.

This season I have made an effort to take our church's challenge of making room and creating time to ponder the wonder of Immanuel (God with us) very seriously. All of us have some form of pain or suffering around Christmas simply because the holidays force us to be with people we can normally conveniently avoid...the weird uncle, the divorced parents, etc. But what I have found in my heart this year is an awakening in what it means to pray "Your Kingdom come and Your will be done...." Rather than self medicating with shopping, movies, music, etc. to avoid the awkward emotions that can creep in during the holidays. I have asked God for the grace to slow down and be still. When I do I am oftentimes flooded with bad memories, pain, regret and even sadness at the state of many of my relationships. But that is not the only thing I feel or think this Advent season. Hope has somehow found a way to stand up in the midst of it all. Hope that rests not is the sentiment of the manger scene, but in what is coming means for all humanity. His kingdom has come.

I guess my beef is that I don't want to welcome God into my world. I want him to welcome me into his kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Its not about us.

On a side note: The author of "Welcome To Our World" Michael W. Smith has co-written with Amy Grant one my favorite Christmas song entitled "Christmas Hymn". I look forward to leading our church in worship with this song each year as it is a wonderful telling of the Gospel.

Cooking School? Who needs it!?

2008-12-03T16:45:00.005-05:00

I hesitate to post this, but I really think it needs to be shared. Names have been left out to protect everyone involved.

Over the past few years I have been introduced to an interesting new way of cooking by someone very dear to me (and it is not my wife. She is a great cook). Basically, if you are out of something, say cream for your mashed potatoes, simply open the fridge, grab the Carnation French Vanilla Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer and serve it up! Or lets say you are experimenting with cooking with wine in your marinara sauce. There is no need to go out and buy a dry wine or wine-vinegar to balance out the tomatoes. Use the Raspberry Manoschevitz that has been sitting in your pantry for the last few years. And who needs mayonnaise on their ham sandwich. What's that in the fridge!? That will do! Throw on some of that onion and chive cream cheese with your slice of ham.

The list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. However it would be wrong of me to not tell you that every single meal that has been made for me in such a fashion have all been made with the perfect amount of love.

My Kid Makes Me Laugh

2008-11-02T20:56:00.004-05:00

After morning church today my family and I lunched at Willy's. My oldest son turned to me and says something completely unrelated to anything my wife and I were talking about. He says "Dad, why don't we hear your music in restaurants"?

I guess that was his way of telling me he liked my music better than what he was hearing. My kids don't request I play my songs while I am at home. They would much rather hear Johnny Cash or Paul Simon's "Graceland". So not only did this make me feel good, but it also reminded me of the irony that one actually can hear a song I wrote in a restaurant. If you listen very carefully and closely you may actually hear "Poorest King" at Chic-Fil-A's that play Adult Contemporary Christian.

One Voice

2008-09-24T12:05:00.005-04:00

This past Sunday night the Lazarus Ministry, Trinity's ministry to the homeless, held its 2nd annual Health Day where we block off an entire city block and have medical stations set up for health screenings as well as stations for clothing, shoes, hair cuts and shaves.

We also had a worship service which includes music, teaching and Eucharist. We set up the stage, sound checked all the instruments and mics and then waited until 7pm to begin the service. Once 7pm rolled around a light rain started and then picked up to the point where I decided we needed to stop after the second song so we did not electrocute ourselves and endanger everyone else. Trying to lead worship outside in the city is quite a challenger without a PA system, but that is what we did. I unplugged my acoustic guitar and asked everyone in the congregation to move in as close as possible. Prior to this there were pockets of Trinity people mixed in with the homeless. But after this we were all shoulder to shoulder singing and worshiping our God. The voices of the homeless and the non-homeless, the young and the old, and the white and black were indistinguishable. It was a glimpse of what I think we will see and hear at the great banquet at the end of the age.

The rain stopped shortly thereafter, but we decided that this was exactly how it was meant to be and left everything turned off. I think God allows things like this to happen to show us things we might otherwise miss.

My voice was very fatigued the next morning and I know Kris probably lost his voice after preaching. But that did not matter. It was an honor to be in such a beautiful setting with my brothers and sisters in Christ, under the overcast sky and tall buildings worshiping and singing in one voice to our God.

Mistaken Identity

2008-09-02T21:00:00.003-04:00

We have, unfortunately, had a lot of car break-ins and suspicious persons in our neighborhood in the past few months. Two months ago I was borrowing a bicycle that was stolen from our shed in the back yard. It looked as though the thief(s) also wanted our yard blower, but opted to simply place it in the middle of the yard instead. All of this criminal activity has elevated the terror level of the neighborhood to RED - a heightened sense of paranoia and "justice".

I too find myself suspicious of almost every car that does not seem to fit in with what I know the neighbors to drive. Three weeks ago I requested a homeless man leave the neighborhood as he had no business here. In his drunken stupor he refused so I called the police which motivated him to move on.

Two weeks ago I spotted a very sullen and unsavory looking character sitting on the corner of my street. His dog looked even worse than he did. As I drove past him a "righteous" justice kicked in so I decided to circle back around and see what his business was on my street. My street is not a cut through for anything and pretty much leads to some dead ends. So, if you don't live on our street you are either lost or up to no good. As I came upon him for the second time I rolled down my window and politely asked the man if he needed help with anything. His reply was, "Why"? "Well, I noticed you were wandering around and you don't seem to be heading anywhere", I replied. He said, "I am walking my dog!" in a very rough and irritated tone. Feeling a bit out off by his response I stated that "it appears you have no business here"! "I have lived in this neighborhood for 30 years" he blurted to my surprise.

I guess I have a bit more to learn what it means to be a neighbor in the truest sense of the word.

Thank You!

2008-08-23T21:10:00.006-04:00

Back in May my car failed to pass emissions (computer problem in the dashboard) which left me without mobility save bumming rides from my friends. So, I decided to post something on the bulletin board on the Trinity site asking for something to borrow, buy or simply get for free (www.trinityvineyard.org). Well to my surprise someone gave me a very nice single-speed bike, not a rusted out clunker, but something that I would have bought for myself! Here is a picture of it.

Well, I have been riding it almost everyday to and from Trinity and that has inspired my oldest to jump back on his bike and try his best to rid himself of his training wheels. We have been having wonderful times riding together and so I must say 'Thank You' once again to the generous soul who gave me a bike, the gift of health and family time.

Much love.

We are home.

2008-07-21T18:28:00.004-04:00

We just returned from Kenya and I will be posting more about our adventures once I reacclimatize to Western life as well as the time change. Until then enjoy this picture of the team that broke the mold.

Click here to visit the team blog.

What Not to Write

2008-01-17T09:45:00.000-05:00

In a worship songwriting article John Mortensen wrote, "can we agree to a ten-year ban on rhyming 'adore you' with 'before you'"? This kind of thinking inspired me to create a list of what not to write in a corporate worship song. Its not an exhaustive list, but merely a starting point. I am sure I will be adding to the list as time goes on. Feel free to comment or add your own. And please bear in mind that this is simply my opinion.

I have broken the list down into 3 simple categories:
Words, Rhymes & Phrases, Concepts

Words:
awesome
victorious
sword
zion
kiss
caress
intimate
bride

Rhymes/Phrases:
adore you & before you (Thanks John)
love & above
down & crown
audience of one

Concepts:
anything that evokes images of war
marriage imagery

A Great Quote On Baptism

2008-01-15T22:36:00.000-05:00

"Since according to the Gospel teaching, a man must be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, those are not to be considered validly baptized who have been baptized with beer".

- Pope Gregory IX to the Archbishop of Trondhjem in Norway

A Great Quote On Worship Music

2008-01-09T09:48:00.000-05:00

Music is something I am always thinking about. Specifically how to write better corporate worship songs that express the uniqueness of the local community while maintaining harmony with the theology and traditions we have in our rich history. This is really the motive for the two most recent worship projects at Trinity: Prayers of The Saints and Hymns.

For me, this quote from John Mortensen sums up my desire to marry the church past with the church present.

"Solidarity with the ancient church free us from the contemporary demand to be instantly perky when we worship, and gives us permission and time to mourn, meditate, and wait...in short, to be human".

Hymns - A Trinity Worship Project

2008-01-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

We have just finished our latest worship project and it is available at Trinity. It will be available on iTunes in a couple months and CDBaby.com in a couple of weeks.

For more information on this and other Trinity recordings visit Trinity Vineyard Worship

Worship Songwriting Part 3 - Composition & Audience

2007-12-10T17:53:00.000-05:00

I have two thoughts when it comes to adding composition to lyric: "Who is the audience"? and "Does the composition compliment the lyric"?

"Who is the audience"?
The first key to composing worship music is knowing your "audience" or congregation. What is palatable? What is not? What is the median style and preferred taste of the worshippers? What is the median style and preferred taste of the leaders and musicians? If you are unsure of the answers to these questions then you need to go on a fact finding mission. Or you can write songs and try them out repeatedly and see what the results are. But bear in mind that a fact finding mission can save you time and credibility.
All you need to do is simply ask people if they prefer the Beatles or The Rolling Stones. If its the Stones then their a bunch of idiots and you can write whatever music you like. If they answer the Beatles, well then you are in a good class of people. After congratulating them on answering correctly ask them what CDs are they currently listening to. Ask people what radio stations they have dialed in, do they read PASTE or do they not care at all about music?

Once you know your audience and you have the idea for your song follow these steps:
1 - Forget about the congregation's style preferences. After all you are the worship star...I mean, you are the songwriter. Seriously though, take a minute and forget about what everyone else likes and make sure that before you serve a dish to someone that it is something you would eat. Write a song you would listen to.
2 - Now compare your new song to what you know to be true about your congregation's style preference. Is there a big difference? Is there no difference at all?
3 - Fix it. Fix the song so that it will be palatable. BUT please do not dumb it down to the lowest common denominator. When we do this as writers we lose the tension that is essential in leading worship. We need to find ways to remain in the tension of being accessible and challenging at the same time.
4 - Get honest feedback from people you respect and listen to it. We see the result of the contrary when we watch American Idol auditions. It would seem that no one gives most of the would-be contestants honest feedback. That, or they simply ignore the what people are telling them. Either way the results are the same.
5 - Be willing to kill a song or re-write it. If you love it and your peers love it, but its just not working in your congregation...kill it and start over.

"Does the composition compliment the lyric"?
Andy Park's "In The Secret" does not truly match up lyrically and musically. I think he actually pointed that out to my good friend Billy Somerville.

I once saw an interview with Winton Marsales and in it he said his father would tell him to stand in the corner and play one note until he could play it through every emotion. I really like that idea and try to incorporate that into my writing and playing. Too often we try to make up for lack of emotion in music with more pedals or software and while those tools can be helpful they can never replace the simplicity of a note payed with passion. Listen to B.B King for example. He never plays anything complicated...no delay, no reverb, no overdriven amp...just simple notes played with passion. Its as if his notes cost $1,000 each and he spends them wisely. Try to take the same approach to your writing and playing. Strum a G until you can strum it and pick it and pluck it through every human emotion. Let the listener feel what your lyrics say.

meditations on the 7 signs - Sign #5

2007-11-25T13:31:00.000-05:00

The text this week is John 6:16-21 and is the account of the storm at sea and Jesus walking on the water.

I can really relate to this account and grab hope from the text because I recall times in my life (even recently) where Jesus felt absent and the wind and waves seemed to be howling after me. My boat rocks and the noise climbs in to sit right next to me along with the chill of frigid air. It might be an oversimplification, but this passage reminds me that sometimes I just need to sit tight and hold on because Jesus IS present even when I do not "sense" him. And not to hold on simply so I can reach my destination, but to hold of because of the words of Psalm 23, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me...". So many times I ask to be removed from the valleys and yet here I am being challenged to "walk" in the valley. Here in John 6:16-21 I am being challenged to sit tight in the boat

meditations on the 7 signs - Sign #4

2007-11-12T15:58:00.000-05:00

This week's text is from John 6:5-14 where Jesus fed five thousand with a few fishes a loaves of bread.

This was one of my favorite passages when I was young. I think mostly because I would imagine myself as the boy with the loves and fishes hoping to be used by Jesus. Then for some unknown reason it drifted out of my mind as I grew up. I no longer saw myself as having the opportunity to play that part. I don't think it was because God could use me. I think it had more to do with the fact that when we grow up we so often leave behind our innocence in our approach to life and to Christ.

Meditating on this passage has really challenged me to reconsider my role in the kingdom and how I can not only be used by God, but how I must become more like a child in my approach to being used by God.

meditations on the 7 signs - Sign #3

2007-11-05T11:30:00.001-05:00

The text this week is John 5:1-9 and is on the healing of the invalid at the pool of Bethesda. A man, who had been waiting by the pool for 38 years for his healing, was found by Jesus and healed. But this miracle was preceded by a question from Jesus: "Do you want to get well"? I always read this question to be a bizarre one. Of course he wanted to get well! After all, that is why he has been waiting for 38 years by the pool. Hello Jesus?

But as I have being living life and living it with other people I have to come to find that not all wounded people (myself included) want to be healed. I have seen the tragic blows inflicted on people actually become an identifying marker for them; something that makes them unique and grants them permission to not "be" where they should be in life. And as I look at my life I can see the same pattern emerge and pop its head out for a bit.

In these signs we are supposed to see something deeper about Jesus. This sign tells me that Jesus is not just about healing wounds. He is about healing lives.

On a side note, Kris' sermon mentioned that this guy was probably a real jerk and a loser because he did not bother to get Jesus' name, Jesus warned him to stop sinning or something worse was going to happen to him as well as the fact that he ratted out the Christ to the leaders. I personally had never heard this take before and must say that it makes sense to me and brings me encouragement that Jesus is all about healing jerks as well as people I deem "deserving" of healings and miracles.

meditations on the 7 signs - Sign #2

2007-10-29T00:06:00.000-04:00

This week's text is John 4:44-56 and is where Jesus heals the official's boy.

This text hits me in a very sensitive spot. Perhaps a spot that needs to be further met by Christ. As I read how the official's son was healed at Jesus' word I think about the two miscarriages my wife and I have experienced in the last 3 years. I think about how, at times, I feel that it is unfair and at other times I feel Christ's peace and assurance. I think about how we had to visit the ER and run tests and prayed for a good report and how both times the reports were not good at all. I think about how we are heartbroken and devastated.

I am not envious of this official and his son's healing. I feel like I can relate to what the official was probably feeling before he heard the news that his son had been healed; complete and utter uncertainty when life in in the balance. I know what it feels like to beg and desire for a miracle.

But then I look at the text and see Jesus is actually not very interested in showing the Galileans or us the miraculous we often times seek. He says that unless we se the miraculous we wont "believe". He is about getting at our hearts. He is about the ultimate healing from sin and bondage to freedom and true life. The official and his family experienced the miraculous and believed, but that is what we must wrestle with. We will believe when we don't see the miraculous? Will we believe when we don't see the signs we want?

We cannot forget that Jesus performed this sign very unwillingly.

meditations on the 7 signs - Sign #1

2007-10-25T15:36:00.000-04:00

Over the next 7 weeks (6 now) here at Trinity we are going to be meditating on the seven signs of Jesus in the gospel of St John. Signs are not only miracles, but they point to something beyond themselves. The first sign we are looking at is in John 2 where Jesus turns the water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana.

I love social gatherings. Partly because I love people, but also because I love making people laugh. There is nothing wrong with that, but as I look back on my younger days I can see where I felt the need to be the life of the party because it fed part of my identity. Who doesn't like being the center of attention - well, I guess there are a few of you out there that don't. To each his own.

But here we see Jesus doing something miraculous and does nothing to promote himself. In fact the text indicates that very few even knew of the ordeal - an almost secret miracle. His intervention was out of a desire to save this family from imminent disgrace. And we see his silence on the matter worked in tandem with the miracle. It had to or the wine would have been for not.

I would challenge that the miracle at the wedding feast was not the water being turned to wine, but his choice to use discretion. If he would have touted his doing then, sure the party would be saved, but the family's reputation would have still been damaged. Jesus cares nothing for merely saving parties. He is about saving mankind to every extent.

Golddust vs. Golden Bowls of Incense

2007-03-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

Last night I took part of a Night of Worship with another Vineyard worship leader. We had a wonderful time of worship with about 200 people from all over the metro area. It reminded me that regardless of where we come from when we worship together we are joining with the saints and the heavenly hosts and all of creation. There is a universal thread that runs through it all and the focus is Christ; nothing else.

But my heart is a bit troubled and frankly I am angry. I found out that there was a "prophetic" conference days before at the same venue and they had to turn people away as the building was filled with about 700 attendees. (Now the host church had no idea of the type of conference. They were simply allowing the people to use the facility). Apparently, the "prosperity gospel" and the "prophetic" are heavily joined with these charlatans and their circus. At best it is all fabricated and at worst it is nothing short of devilry. Levitation? Golddust & feathers appearing? Talking directly with angels and the Apostles? www.FreshFire.ca is the website of this modern day Simon Magus (If you aren't familiar with who Simon Magus was read Acts 8. He is also considered to be the "Father of Gnosticism").

So how sad is it when only 200 people gather to "give" to God and over 700 turn up to "get"? I know this should not surprise me as the gospel narratives are filled with accounts such as this. The masses wanting a sign, crying out for a miracle when all the while the greatest miracle of all (the sign of Jonah), Immanuel, is denied.

May God have mercy on their souls.

Worship Songwriting Part 2 - The Curse of The Rhyme

2007-03-03T14:23:00.000-05:00

No, its not the title of the latest Harry Potter book, but simply a few of my thoughts on "creating" rhymes and cliché lyric that do no one any good at all.

Why does worship music suck? Rather, why does the lyrical content and the method in which it is conveyed suck? After giving this some thought and searching my own journal entries of potential songs, I think we can point the finger in several directions. But most of the guilt should lie with our lack of taking the call to educate through music seriously. Worship leading has gone the way of the buffet-style caterer and not the sober-minded educator. But in reality this is nothing new. The poorly-written song has been a legacy in Christian music. Don’t get me wrong, we could spend a great deal of time poking holes in the "poetry" of pop culture as well, but their job as writers is to simply emote and sell a record. Our job is a bit more difficult. We are entrusted with the task of making the song accessible in both composition and lyric while remaining theologically accurate as we walk on the tightrope of creativity, which, by the way, is stretched over the abyss of cheese and cliché. And we all know what happens when we fall.

So, you have a wonderful idea inspired by scripture and you have studied and researched and meditated upon it for days on end and you know within the depth of our “knower” that this is a message that MUST be sung by the congregation, but how?! The first thing I will suggest is to get rid of the grand idea of rhyming everything. Rhyming is a great advantage in helping the average congregant remember a song, but it is not a requirement. Sure Bono is great at it, but you are not Bono. If things can naturally rhyme without sounding contrived or forced then go with it. But I have seen too many writers hung up on a song or a line simply because they were plagued with the curse of trying rhyme. In a Cutting Edge article on corporate songwriting John Mortensen nsaid that we should issue a moratorium on rhyming "adore you" with “before you". I would like to add a few of my own pet peeves to the list. In the end, what makes a corporate worship song memorable is what people can take with them. Focus on the theology and message first and rhyming second.

The second recommendation I would make is to not use the word ‘awesome’ to describe the Lord. Verbiage is another crucial element in articulating a message. We should all stop trying to sound deep and overly poetic. If there is any depth to the music we write let it come from truth and theology. Let us shy away from the ‘thees’, ‘thous’ and ‘thines’ of the King James translation. And let us also do away with the “church-esque” lingo that has no bearing on the unchurched or non-believer. Instead, let us draw from life. The most powerful and potent poetry comes from writers who draw from the language of daily life. Now I love a hymn as much as the next guy, but we should try to not take our queues from poetry written in another time and another language.

Maybe one day I will post some of the “songs” I have written that have never nor will ever see the light of day. Oh, the cheese in my journals.

So, when it comes to writing a corporate worship song remember that we are not caterers, but educators.

Body Parts Are Nice.

2007-03-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

There is a self professed "prophet" who has a video stream with some amazing news that he shared on his website. Apparently, there is a 'creative room' in heaven where Jesus keeps body parts and when we experience healing we are taken up into this room and fitted with our new part. I had no idea and thought that news such as this should be shared with all!

Maybe I will see YOU up there when I get my new hernia-resistant inguinal muscle.

Worship Songwriting Part 1 - Content

2007-02-12T22:05:00.001-05:00

From time to time I get requests from people asking for my advice on writing corporate worship music. Although I have written music for a while I do not by any means consider myself the best source. But I do try to help out as best as I can. These are a few of my short thoughts on the subject.

The first thing we have to start with is content. The biggest thing I would recommend is to treat each song like a sermon. I am not sure if you have ever preached or will preach in the future so if I am telling you something you already know feel free to diregard it. What I mean by that is spend as much time as possible researching scripture and texts and concordances for each song's subject. I know when I prepare a sermon I will spend several hours the week before preparing and meditating and chewing on the text. And the odd thing is the shorter the sermon the more prep time is required because when we try to pack theology into a small suitcase (a song is a very small suitcase) we have to pack deliberately, intentionally and thoughtfully. So instead of grabbing a text like Psalm 34 and attempting to immediately comprehend the 'fear of the Lord' and throwing that idea into a song, spend some time asking the Lord what that actually means. Read books on the subject and search scripture for the meaning of things and how they apply to us so that when we pen a lyric it will not only express the emotion we feel as artists, but it will fulfill the greater mission of educating the worshipper about important theological truths. This is the greatest mistake of modern worship songwriting is that we think we only need to emote and that is only a small part of it.

Never

2006-12-13T21:50:00.000-05:00

I made an "inner vow" to never create a blog. Here's to never.