Seeker Sensitive

Seven Points on Seeker Sensitivity. Definitely worth a read, although I personally see a difference between being seeker sensitive and being seeker driven. I'm pretty sure that this article is more concerned with the latter. 

New Digs

So we've moved into our new church home, and we're having a great time. I was really worried about the acoustics, though. On my first walkthrough, and while we were setting up our audio equipment, I was listening to all the reverb in the room and thinking, "Oh, boy. Won't be fun to try to control that noise."

But I was very pleasantly surprised! During our first Sunday service, the sound was great. Those of us on the Worship Team that morning were blown away by how well we could hear the congregation singing, too. That was a tremendous encouragement for us.

We still have a few details to work out with our stage arrangement and monitor mix, but I have some ideas for that. We also need to figure out how to mount our projector somehow. Right now we're back to song sheets, and while that's not a tragedy, we like to have our people looking up while we sing.

So all in all, loving the new building.

The Worship Wars

Don Chapman over at worshipideas.com has another great article on the Worship Wars. Definitely worth a read.

Confessions Of A Worship Snob

From Confessions Of A Worship Snob:

But at some point in the last year, I realized that I was spending more time snootily picking apart the songs than I was actually singing. And I realized that my overly critical attitude was completely distracting me from the act of worship. It’s hard to get much out of a Sunday sermon when you’re mentally agitated over the praise song used earlier in the service. That was a problem, and I knew deep inside that the problem was more with me than it was with the church’s choice of Sunday music.

As a veteran of the Worship Wars myself, I really enjoyed this post. As a worship leader, I try to do three things with the songs I choose. First, I try to pick songs with messages that underscore the pastor's theme. Second, I try to pick songs that resonate with people, at an emotional level, at a spiritual level, and at an intellectual level. Third, I try to pick songs that my team can do with excellence, so that we can bring our best before God. I can't say that I always (or even usually) succeed, but that's the goal anyway.

Mission Rescue

This week is Vacation Bible School at NewSong West. The theme is MIssion Rescue. Each night we talk about a different kind of rescue hero (firefighters, police, soldiers, and EMTs) and relate each to a Bible story. Very cool. I'm leading the music for the kids. Now I have to be honest: I don't normally do very well at leading music for kids. I don't know why, but I just don't. But the group we have this year is great! They're really responding to the songs and having a great time! And it's hard not to have a great time myself when there's a half dozen kids in front of me who are dancing their hearts out!

Welcome

Welcome to my worship blog here at newsongwesst.com. Not much here yet, but expect great things soon. :)