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As a worship leader in Anglican churches for over 20 years now, I’ve witnessed first hand the all-too-common polarization of worship ministries, with worship teams on one side and choirs on the other. And I’ve witnessed the slow and steady dwindling of choirs, as evidenced in this study by Duke University last year (Pay particular attention to pages 9 – 10.)

Over the last two and a half years, since I began as the Director of Worship and Arts at Truro Anglican Church, I have been forced to grapple with this problem, on a small scale in my local church. As a non-classically trained musician who doesn’t direct choirs, tasked with directing a music program with a long history of a vibrant choir at the center, but whose choir was experiencing the trend occurring throughout protestantism, I was suddenly face-to-face with the questions: Can our choir go against the trend? Can our choir and worship bands work together? Can our choir grow? Can our choir attract new people? Can the culture in our rehearsals change? Will there even be a choir at my church in 15 years?

I’m more and more convinced that the answers to those questions can be a resounding “yes!”

But how?

The answer to that question is not so easy. But within the body of Christ, and within the protestant Church itself, there are churches with vibrant, multi-ethnic, cross-generational, musically-flexible choirs, which are a worship leading force in their services, and attract members from a wide range of musical backgrounds, many of whom may have never read music even once in their lives.

And many – if not all – of the churches that actually have growing and vibrant choirs, are outside of the fairly narrow stream of white/reformed and/or evangelical denominations.

One such church is Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta. Having watched their services online for years, I can say that they are living proof of the kind of wonderful and flourishing ministry that’s not just possible with a choir, but also possible with respect to partnership between generations. Their choir is a thriving cross-section of their congregation and community, and there is a beautiful community between the choir and band which is increasingly hard to find. Their worship director, Mark Blankenship, has served that church for 30+ years, and the fruit of his ministry is something that can (and should!) encourage all of us who are wondering if choirs have a future, and if they do, whether they can co-exist and co-operate with a worship “band”, or whether we’re stuck with separate services.

Here’s their choir/band/orchestra doing one of my new favorite songs, “How Excellent” (this is a special song – not intended to be sung by the congregation!):

My colleague/partner-in-crime/choir director Andrew Cote and I made a trip down to Atlanta a couple of months ago to visit Mount Paran, to observe one of their choir rehearsals, and to meet with their worship leadership. Tomorrow I’ll share some of my take-aways.

Happy 2017, worship leaders! It’s a new year, with new opportunities, new songs to sing, new services to plan, new albums to record, new skinny jeans to buy, new interns to make our lattes, and new Twitter followers desperate for our selfies.

May I suggest some worship leader resolutions to make 2017 even more epic than a live worship album recorded in a boat on a mountain by a lake inside of a campfire in the middle of the night in outer space? Here we go:

More banners!
Your church may not be able to afford expensive lighting, set design, backdrops, or the most basic element of life itself (i.e. fog machines), but I bet your church can afford some good old-fashioned banners. I’m talking about the banners with streamers, glitter, glued-on letters, and inspirational phrases. Let’s commit ourselves to flooding our sanctuaries with big, bold, beautiful banners, and we will usher in a new era of innovation.

And more tambourines!
As they say, “where there’s a banner, there’s a tambourine”. And “where there’s a tambourine, there’s a praise party”. Bring those tambourines out of the vault, unlock the safe, remove the trip wire, disable the electric shock security fence, call off the attack dogs, and hand those tambourines out as generously as the big dollop of hair gel that keeps your hipster hairstyle in place.

Literal octave jumps
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I think octave jumps are the single greatest thing in the whole world. Congregations love them, and they’ve been hugely instrumental in helping people sing. To further enhance the effectiveness of octave jumps (which are the moments in a song when you go from singing in a comfortable range to all of the sudden singing like an intern just poured a latte down your neck), it’s time we actually insist that our congregations jump – and I mean literally jump – when we do an octave jumps. I call these “literal octave jumps”. Because we’re literally jumping, while jumping octaves. Or, conversely, we can call them “octave jump jumps”. Or, if your name is Jack, they can be called “Jumping Jack’s Jumping Octave Jumps”.

Bring back the bass solo
Every song would be improved upon by the presence of an extended bass solo. Preferably introduced by the worship leader saying “hit it, Gus!” Even if your bass player isn’t named Gus, you should call him Gus, because it will make him a better bass player. And then surprise Gus at unrehearsed points in a song with a call for a solo, and let him solo so low that your soul goes “woah!”

Leather jackets as the new robes
I’ve noticed something recently, happening on a large scale in worship leading, which basically means that I saw it once or twice and therefore can overgeneralize it and make a sweeping statement, thanks to the power of blog. All the cool worship leaders are wearing black leather jackets. And gold necklaces. And leather pants. I have never worn leather pants, or a gold necklace, or a leather jacket. And now I know why my worship leading has always been so “khakis and blue blazer” if you know what I mean, and I hope you do, because I sure don’t. It’s time to go full-throttle on the biker look, and buy our entire worship team black leather jackets and leather pants. It’s the new robe, and it will make our selfies look FANTASTIC.

Catch phrases
Every year I suggest new catch phrases to take your worship leading to the next level. This year, it’s time to start working some of these in, on a regular (i.e. twice-per-song) basis:

1. “Let me hear you SCREEEEEAAAAAAAMMMMMM!”
2. “Mmm, mmm, mmm, you’re sounding delectable!”
3. “Sing it again, con fuego.”
4. “Here comes this next part.”
5. “Now just the Grandmas sing…”
6. “How ’bout them worship apples?”

Any one of these catch phrases, especially when accompanied by the playing of a tambourine and/or the waving of a banner, while wearing a leather jacket and doing jumping jack’s jumping octave jumps, following one of Gus’s bass solos, is a non-refundable ticket into the awesome-sauce factory for you and your congregation.

Zero-tolerance (and $20 bucks!) for worship team mistakes
I once heard a story about how the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown (no relation, unfortunately) would handle ANY kind of mistake, wrong note, or missed cue from any member of his band. According to the story, James Brown would spin around, point at the perpetrator of the mistake, and say “$20 bucks!” And he was serious. This was how he demanded near-perfection from his musicians. I’m thinking about trying this with the musicians at my church, and I’m sure they’ll be totally in support of it and won’t mind at all. This is how you build good morale on a worship team, and gain your volunteers’ affection, while also earning money towards a new pair of skinny jeans.

One-song-Sundays
Ever since Delirious released their 29-minute-long single of “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” in 1995, worship bands have been trying to out-do one another with song duration whenever possible. This past year, a worship team from Sacramento released an extended play version of “Good, Good Father” that literally lasts for three years. In this vein, I think it’s time we begin experimenting with single-song Sundays, where we only sing one song, but sing it for a really long time. Drag the first round of the song out for about 7 minutes, then insert a 3 minute musical pause (call it a Selah), then add layers of “woahs” for 5 minutes, then throw in 5 HUGE choruses, do a triple literal octave jump, then fake-end the song, but don’t really end it, because there’s another 4 minute musical build-up coming, before a reprised (but more epic) woah section, followed by 4 more choruses, and a final verse and a half. This will take about 30 minutes. You’re good to go! If you need to fill more time, add in a bass solo.

Pre-programmed congregation loops
Utilizing loops in worship music is all the rage these days. At your very fingertips, at the press of a button are pre-programmed loops of a drummer, or a cellist, or pianist, or multiple layers of synth pads (you can never have too many), or whatever instrument(s) you desire or can’t find in time for Sunday. One thing I haven’t seen or heard much of is pre-programming a congregation too. I say, why not? Uproarious applause, energetic clapping (preferably on beats 1 and 3), and the frenetic shaking of multiple fish-shaped tambourines, will all add to a feeling of raw, kale-fed, organic-ness in your church’s music.

Guitar endorsement deals
Last year, at the beginning of 2016, I did something incredibly difficult and painful: I sold my McPherson acoustic guitar. It was a beautiful instrument, played like a dream, and sounded better than any other acoustic guitar I had ever played BY FAR. A year later and I’m still in withdrawal. And so I think it’s time for worship leaders to begin accepting guitar endorsement deals. And selflessly, out of a desire to lead by example, I will gladly step forward and accept the first endorsement deal from McPherson Guitars. Their least-expensive guitar will suit me just fine, and I will gladly play any guitar they voluntarily send my way, anytime they choose, hopefully sometime this week.

Last but not least, I think we can all agree:

We need more worship albums, songs, etc.
There just isn’t enough new music out there. There aren’t enough new songs to choose from, and I think I can speak for most worship leaders when I say that one new album a day just isn’t enough. I need a new album, or an EP, or a single, or at the very least a modernized re-tuning of the entire book of Psalms in Hebrew, by breakfast at the latest, and then by lunch before I run out of songs to pick for the coming weekend’s services, and then something fresh by dinner so I can spend my evening curating the best of the best, before starting all over again in the morning before my intern brings me my latte, wrapped in a scarf, so I don’t injure my hands.

Here’s to 2017, worship leaders. You look great in that leather jacket!

One of the things I miss the most about my dad is hearing his voice. Not only his speaking voice, but also his singing voice. He was a great singer, and he loved to sing all kinds of songs – from silly songs to old hymns to “Mr. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkle to new worship songs – all with his strong, confident voice.

This being my first Christmas without my dad, I’m grateful for the memories of hearing him belt out Advent and Christmas songs. My brothers and I liked to tease him for royally messing up a song called “Happy Birthday Dear Jesus” during one of his children’s sermons one Christmas Eve, but at least he tried, and at least he was comfortable singing out loud in church, which is actually pretty difficult for a lot of men.

I’m also grateful that a year ago today, he sent me this little clip from his church (Holy Trinity Church in McLean, Virginia) singing the carol “Once in Royal David’s City”. The verse they’re singing has the lyrics:

“And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love, for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above. And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.”

You can hear my dad’s wonderful voice join in on that last line of the verse:

https://youtu.be/0KUd00mBbiE

 

“And he leads his children on…” I can’t sing that line now without choking up.

This is a hard Christmas for me and my family, being the first Christmas since dad died in April. But because of Jesus, and because of his redeeming love, and because my dad had trusted in that redeeming love of Jesus, he is now with his Lord in heaven above.

And so this carol is now my favorite of them all. Because I can hear my dad’s voice, belting out with the saints and angels, the praises of the One who came to David’s royal city so long ago, to break the curse of sin and death, and to lead His children on to the place where he is now gone.

A few years ago I re-arranged this carol, and wrote a new verse (verse 4), and am happy to share it with you below. Special thanks to my good friend Joshua Spacht for his genius brass and strings orchestration, which is also available for free below.

In these last few days leading up to Christmas, may we all be amazed again by the good news of the Gospel, that Jesus came to save sinners, that we may have eternal life with him. I’ll be belting out that good news this Christmas, and I know my dad is joining in. I can’t wait to hear his voice again soon.

Once in Royal David’s City

Chord chart
Choir score
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2

One of the truest truths of worship leading is that you never know what’s going to happen on a Sunday morning. You can prepare, plan, rehearse, and practice until you’re blue in the face, but when Sunday morning comes, literally anything could happen. Off the top of my head, here are some of the unanticipated Sunday moments that stand out to me over the last 10-15 years:

• The time one of my instrumentalists went on a profanity-laced tirade just minutes before our service was supposed to start, in front of the whole worship team
• The time our computer than ran our projected lyrics completely failed, thus causing me to change the entire song list at the last minute to exclusively songs out of the hymnal
• The time I was walking up on stage and a matriarch of the congregation stopped me to angrily demand I stop repeating the choruses so often
• The multiple times someone has had a medical emergency in the middle of the service
• The Easter when 2 of our 3 services had to be significantly delayed because of crowding and parking issues
• The time I had an extended meeting in-between services with a group of significantly disgruntled church members
• The time a well-intentioned gentleman decided to present me with a document detailing why contemporary music is satanic – again, just moments before the service started
• The time I was leading worship for a conference with all new musicians, and was told I (and the sound crew) would have all day to set up and rehearse, but at the last minute was told that the venue would not be free until 15 minutes before the opening set was supposed to start
• The countless times I could tell we’re not quite ready for that new song, or that new arrangement, but we have to start the service anyways!

I could list more examples of unplanned and unforeseen events before or during a service, and I’m sure that you have your own list as well! You never what’s going to happen on a Sunday morning, what surprises are in store, what people might decide to say unhelpful things to you at just the wrong time, or what technical issues might arise and cause you to jump to plan B without much warning.

It’s hard not to get completely sidetracked, distracted, worked up, and even a little bit angry or annoyed when the unexpected happens, and throws your planning (or maybe just your peacefulness) into disarray. We’re human, we’re not perfect, and we’re trying to balance multiple demands at any given moment.

But I’ve found that the best way to grow in becoming more unflappable on Sundays is simply to put your money where your theology is, and in those high-pressure hours on a Sunday when you’re “on”:

• Hold firm to a high view of the sovereignty of God. God is not caught off guard by anything. So the computer dies that’s supposed to run your lyrics? Don’t be so quick to blame a bad hard drive. God might have a different direction for the service in mind.
• Remain humbly mindful of your own limitations and neediness. You’re going to mess up, you’re not going to be able to control everything, and that’s OK.
• Resist, resist, resist the lie that everything is riding on one service, or one Sunday. Amazingly, Sundays come around once a week. If something goes wrong one week, don’t over react and freak out like your life is over. You (and your church) will be fine.

The reality of worship leading is far messier and crazier than the polished images we see portrayed on worship albums or conferences might let on. Embrace (and expect) the kind of real-life issues that will arise with real people, buggy technology, and maybe just some miscommunication from time to time.

God is in control, and you are not God, and the best thing we can do as worship leaders is to be OK with those truths as quickly as possible. Then we’ll grow in our unflappability, and enjoy ourselves and our congregations a lot more while we’re at it.

What are we coming to church to feast upon?

Is it the beauty of the liturgy, the style of the music, the personality of the preacher, the sound of the instruments, or the particulars of the presentation?

Or it is Jesus Christ himself, present by His Spirit, alive in the Word, remembered at the Table, and exalted in our praises?

Oh what a tragedy when Christians gather for corporate worship and fix their eyes on lesser things, worship at little altars, obsess over preferences, and go home after 90 minutes having missed the forest for the trees. Jesus is beckoning us to feast upon him, to delight in him alone, and to lift our voices – whether they be loud and strong, or weak and feeble – to praise and magnify him.

I lament over how often I miss him. An entire Sunday can go by, complete with three different services, rehearsals, song lists, and sermons, and my attention has been everywhere in the world except for the preeminent One, the Risen Savior himself. What’s not working, what went well, who’s being difficult, what needs to be fixed, who’s complaining, where am I supposed to be, what’s happening next, and why did I mess that particular thing up? My mind is a swirling storm of competing demands that fool me away from feasting on Jesus, in all his glory and goodness.

I wonder how often you miss him too, and how often it has to do with choosing to feed your little appetites with little things that only leave you hungrier than you were before. Corporate worship becomes your time to seek after the things you deem important in order to satisfy the cravings you’ve allowed to creep up in your soul. Jesus is standing there, front and center, and you’re looking around him.

Let’s try looking at Jesus this Sunday. Maybe the sermon could have been improved. Maybe there are technical distractions. Maybe the songs could have been better chosen. Maybe that’s all true, and you have good points, and those points can be addressed later.

But never forget that Jesus is the feast. And he alone satisfies. Delight in him, lift your voice to him, turn your ear to him, and let him smash your little idols on their little altars, so you might worship him alone.

This is my prayer first and foremost for me, and also for you.