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"Worship is man's full reason for existence. Worship is why we are born and why we are born again." A.W. Tozer

Monday, October 31, 2011

John Mark McMillan | Economy

I have had the privilege of getting to listen to this new album from John Mark McMillan for about the past month and it is absolutely fantastic! If you're at all familiar with his last album, The Medicine (you can check out my review of that album here), then you will not be disappointed at all with this brand new release, Economy. This project keeps the familiar voice and rich, creative lyrics of John Mark. As I said about his last album, you can't help but be drawn into what he is creating. As you hear how John Mark talks about the album you get the sense of how personal it is to him and the realness comes out in the music. He's not making an album just to make an album; it's an album that serves a greater purpose. John Mark says this,
"There's a lot of hope and a lot of looking forward on this album. It's more than just thinking you can live, but you can thrive. You can survive and we can do it together. The first time someone hears this album, they could walk away with the feeling that they experienced something real, that they feel the heart of a real person."
As a worship leader I love that this album lends itself to corporate worship more that The Medicine. A couple weeks ago I had the chance to attend the San Francisco show of David Crowder Band's 7 Tour and John Mark played some of these new tunes and it felt more like a time of worship than just a show. As you listen to these songs you really feel the hope of a Savior that can overcome anything we find ourselves up against.

Sheet of Night: The CD begins with the familiar John Mark sound. Right away you get the feeling for the album though and the contrast between darkness and the hope we find in the light. "The devil's dealing dirty. The living isn't easy. But like diamonds we shine up against the sheet of night, the jet-black sheet of night. Whoa, we've got a blood, we've got a love that that'll brave the flood."

Murdered Son: It's with this track where I really started to feel the ability to be used in corporate worship. This is a song that shares the hope that we have through the Gospel; the Son of God dying for us so that we can be raised as sons and daughters of God. "Glory to One, God’s murdered son. Who paid for my resurrection. Once from the dust, once from the grave, daughters and sons from the ashes you’ve raised. And hidden our faults even from your own face. And scattered our debt upon the waves. Glory to the one who overcame in death. Glory to the one who paid for my offenses." Download the chart here.

Sins Are Stones: On this track, you will notice the familiar melody from the hymn O Come All Ye Faithful. This is another track that I believe will work well in corporate worship. The familiar melody, even though with different lyrics, will make it easy to catch on to. This is a song, that for those of us that have been changed by Christ, we can truly sing out from our hearts in praise! "By the blood of a son, I have overcome the grave. Recompense is made for the guilty and the shamed. For eternity is gained in the arms of the slain. Oh my soul praise him." Download the chart here.



Special thanks to Integrity Music for providing this complimentary pre-release album to listen to and review. You can download the album here on iTunes or amazon.com.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Sunday Setlist - 10.30.11


Week #171 of Sunday Setlists. Here is our setlist for Sunday, October 30th.

- The Lord Reigns by Gateway Worship / Happy Day by Tim Hughes
- Mighty to Save by Hillsong
- In Christ Alone by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
- All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises by Travis Cottrell

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-171/

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sunday Setlist - 10.23.11


Week #170 of Sunday Setlists. Here is our setlist for Sunday, October 23th.

- Hosanna by Paul Baloche
- It Is Well by Todd Fields
- Glory to God Forever by Steve Fee
- O Worship the King by Chris Tomlin

It was a good morning of worship at Bethel. The team did great and I felt that the songs really linked up well with the message this morning. It's my prayer that what we're doing is really drawing people in to worship. So often it looks like people are participating and I know people show it in different ways, but I really hope that somehow they're connecting with God through our time of singing. I pray that for myself as well.

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-170/

Monday, October 17, 2011

Sunday Setlist - 10.16.11


Week #169 of Sunday Setlists. Here is our setlist for Sunday, October 16th.

- Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee by Charlie Hall
- Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King by Gateway Worship
- Glorified by Jared Anderson
- Your Grace Is Enough by Chris Tomlin

Struggling to write things here this week. I pray that it was a great service, but personally I just wasn't with it on Sunday. We had a great three days before Sunday with other Bethel couples for a retreat, but then late Saturday I had other things that went late into the evening and then Sunday I woke up with a headache. Was tired and not really with it. I don't like mornings like that, but I guess everyone probably has them. Praying that everyone else had a great morning of worship.

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlist-169/

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Rumors of God by Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson

Even though Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You've Only Heard About by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson is an easy book to read, it certainly is a book worth reading by everyone. Whitehead and Tyson explore the notion that says the churches best days are behind them and argue that that is not the case. They explore "rumors" about God and the Christian life that we truly need to take to heart. In the beginning of the book they quote C.S. Lewis; "The world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumor going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life." God calls us to come to life in Him, and we can do that by continuing to unpack these "rumors" that Whitehead and Tyson go through. As we search the scriptures, our hearts, and ultimately God's heart, we begin to realize that these "rumors" are not rumors at all, and we turn to the TRUTHS of God! I love how the authors reiterate this truth at the end of each chapter.
- "These are the stories of statues coming to life. The rumors are true."
- "And most of all may you discover that these rumors of God are true as you pursue his fame and deeds in our time."
- "May Christ be our gain and may we take hold of the life that is truly life."
- "May we all experience not just the rumors of passion, but its overflowing reality as we remain in his love."
- "He is waiting to confirm that the rumors of grace are true."
- "The rumors of freedom and forgiveness are true."
- "May these rumors of commitment become a defining reality in our day."
- "I believe people would find out that the rumors are true-that we are, in fact, handiwork."
- "May we be the hands and feet of Jesus and transform these rumors of justice into reality in our world."
- "The rumors of God are true. Jesus rose from the dead, and so did the hopes of all those who are looking for a revolution. The statues are coming to life."


Special thanks to Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze for providing this complimentary book to read and review. You can purchase the book here on amazon.com.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Sunday Setlist - 10.09.11


Week #168 of Sunday Setlists. Here is our setlist for Sunday, October 9th.

- How Great Thou Art by Paul Baloche
- Everlasting God by Brenton Brown

It was a good service this morning. We've been having a missions emphasis these last two Sundays. Our speaker was Jeff Gilman who is the director of the Redwood Gospel Mission here in Santa Rosa. We also had their Men's Choir with us (which is why we only had two songs). He brought a great message. I also took a step out and lead without chord charts this morning. This is something I've really wanted to do, and luckily with only two songs and them being songs we do quite often, I decided to give it a shot. It went great. It was really nice to not have that little distraction of music on a stand in front of me. I felt like I was able to connect with the congregation more. Definitely gonna work harder at this in the future. I would love to be able to not use music at all on Sunday mornings.

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-168/

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Sunday Setlist - 10.02.11


Week #167 of Sunday Setlists. Here is our setlist for Sunday, October 2nd.

Ohio Edition:
- In Christ Alone by Keith & Kristyn Getty
- The Heart of Worship by Matt Redman
- Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

California Edition:
- Forever by Chris Tomlin
- Indescribable by Chris Tomlin
- All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises by Travis Cottrell

This week I was on vacation back in Ohio. My wife and I took a week to visit my family as well as attend homecoming at our alma mater Cedarville University. It was a great trip! Always enjoy getting to spend time with my family, but it was also a blast to get back to CU and see a lot of great friends and profs. I'm so thankful for my time at CU and it was great to be back. It was also my classes 5 year reunion. Hard to believe it's been that long already (though technically only 4 years for me as I extended my college time to 5 years). Our trip ended by being able to worship with our old church there, Southeastern Baptist Church. It was great to see everyone there. During our time back at CU, I was also blessed to have the opportunity to lead worship in chapel. It was so great to lead the student body in worship. I got together a great group of friends and everything went incredibly well. So I will add one more setlist to this post.

Cedarville University Chapel Edition:
- God Is Able by Hillsong
- Stronger by Hillsong

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-167/