19/10/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

How to encourage your music team, even when you’re not the leader

Sometimes church musicians are so busy being musicians that they forget how huge the task is for their Music Ministry leader. They expect the leader to do just about everything, to encourage and hold the team together, sort out all problems, plan ahead and keep things running smoothly. Now while the leader is the leader for a reason (like their good musical and leadership skills) how great would it be if every single player and singer and sound technician took up the opportunity to positively influence the way their team functions. Consider the following list, of 10 ways team members can be more encouraging members of their music team:

1. Read God’s Word regularly and let it impact your daily life. Be growing in your both your knowledge and likeness of Christ.

2. Pray for your team leader, for other team members, and your own role in the team. Pray for the impact of the Gospel through your music, that people will be saved, that people with grow in Christ.

3. Engage in deep relationships with others, investing time and showing genuine concern.

4. Consider others as better than your self. Listen to others as you rehearse and play, and give “space” in the arrangement where others can contribute. (Don’t just play non stop from the treble clef to the double bar line!) Remember that your ears are the most important instrument in a band.

5. Reflect on the songs you use in church – give your leader feedback (positive and negative).

6. Show initiative: Keep your ears open for new songs which are encouraging, Christ-focused, catchy, beautiful and singable. Suggest new arrangements for old songs.

7. Be consistent in attending rehearsals, and on time. Rehearse at home if possible. Be at church consistently, even when you are not singing/playing.

8. Go the extra mile; hang around, tidy up, pack up music.

9. Be more than a musician: don’t see music ministry as your only role in the body of Christ. Don’t become blinkered to other gospel opportunities. Take a break and look at other areas where people are needed to serve.

10. Promote peace and unity of purpose.

Now while I’m no expert at leading music teams, I have been working on that task for quite some time … And I find these are the areas which team members most often neglect. I hope this list will be helpful for your musicians and if you are the leader, I hope you reap some rewards from these suggestions very soon! Bless you!

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Oh for a humble attitude to church, especially the music

12/10/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

NEW ALBUM: “Hymns for the Christian Life” by Keith and Kristyn Getty

NEW ALBUM SPOTLIGHT: “Hymns for the Christian Life” by Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Click on the link above to find out info about a new album by the Gettys, who always can be relied on for writing singable, beautiful and Truthful modern hymns. Enjoy!

03/10/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

Grace upon Grace flows to us through Christ

John 1:16 says:
“From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (NIV)
“From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” (NLT)

Living in God’s grace means gaining some daily appreciation for the depth of God’s love shown to us in Christ. His mercies are new every morning, in fact, every moment. What confidence we can have in knowing the grace of God.
This song from Sovereign Grace Music has been a great blessing to many in our church. My favourite line is in verse two “Your mercies crown our lives all our days”. There is mercy, grace and forgiveness, for all the rubbish we do, and the good we don’t do. Jesus has won salvation for us, completely. Enjoy!

Through the Precious Blood

VERSE 1
You have ordained every breath we take
In pleasure or pain, there is no mistake
Gladness and grief, both are in Your hand
And sufferings brief carry out Your plan
And our fleeting sorrows will yield an endless prize
When some bright tomorrow
We’ll see You with our eyes, and

CHORUS
Grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Through the precious blood of Christ
Father of lights, Giver of all grace

VERSE 2
Father of lights, giver of all grace
Your mercies crown our lives all our days
River of Life, quench our thirsty souls
For no true delight does Your love withhold
And in every season
We are satisfied
For just one reason
Christ was crucified, and

BRIDGE
All good gifts, every good thing
Comes to us freely, so freely
All good gifts, every good thing
Comes to us freely, so freely
Through the precious blood
Through the precious blood

26/09/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

Impossible to be silent

Although my 16 year old daughter is well acquainted with the distinctive features of different film genre, there is one filmmaking convention with which she cannot abide: the Hollywood musical – with the notion that normal people could just burst into song in the middle of a conversation. It doesn’t matter where they are or who they are with, they just sing! Now don’t get me wrong. She and I both love watching these musicals, Singing in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Sound of Music all being on our favourites list. But for her, this ‘random singing in real life’ just lacks all credibility. We have some hilarious debates about it!

Victor Hugo is credited with saying, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

In these film narratives the characters literally burst into song because they can’t help it! Simple dialogue just will not do for these characters (or for that matter opera singers and Broadway actors, or the composers and screenplay writers behind all these). Words cannot express the largeness of their thoughts and emotions. They are compelled to sing.
Is it any different in real life? We sing at the football (well I have heard people do!), at birthdays, to our babies. My husband sings strange songs to our girls at times, most often in the morning when trying to get them out of bed.

So is it any wonder that God’s gathered people must sing. How could we NOT sing?
The gratitude we feel because our sins are forgiven, the awe we have for God’s amazing grace, the freedom from shame. . . All this cannot be expressed adequately by mere words. The wonders of our God must be sung! He is beyond the limits of our spoken words and imaginations. So too the astonishing nature of his salvation plan for mankind. If I could find a statistic about how many new praise songs are written about and to God each day I would include it here – but Google was no help. Probably the number was beyond the grasp of Google’s search engines.

So think then….what is the effect of encouraging people to sing God’s praise, when they don’t feel like it? Or when they don’t really know God? Does this work in reverse? Does singing the words inspire the feelings that would have made us burst out into to song in the first place? And what about churches who do not sing when they gather? What does that say to them? to us?
Comments welcome, as always.

Great Christmas music to ease your planning stress

Around this time of the year, every year, music team/worship team/church band leaders everywhere get a strange kind of nervous twitch whenever they remember how many weeks it is ’til Christmas. By October you could describe them as rather nervous, by November totally stressed, and it’s panic stations by December – but only if they have not sorted out their Christmas music repertoire! Finding great NEW item songs can be tricky… and there’s only 96 days to go.

Well I have got some great news for you (though there are no free steak knives involved). I’m going to share with you my favourite Christmas songs. They are tried and tested (except the new one I’m trying this year) and true to the gospel, with a great festive feel that even non-Christian Christmas visitors will appreciate. So hopefully, while it is still only September, you can settle on some great Christmas songs – and feel most smug that you are organised so far ahead of time!

Here they are. The first 4 come from a great album by Sovereign Grace Music called “Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man” (click the title to listen to all these songs. Find free lead sheets, guitar tabs and mp3s for all these songs here)

Hope has Come (fast and cheery – great with chimes or bells)

Christ the Lord is born today (great Christmas Day item)

Glory be to God on High (bright upbeat song)

Salvation is Born (a gentler feel – I used this with a choir, soloist in v1 and ending, arranged the chorus in 3 part harmony).

Is this not the Carpenter? from Emmanuel: A musical celebration of the Life of Christ
The One who made the world made this world His home
This child that grew to man came unto His own
But His own received Him not, Even looked into His eyes, yet never recognized Him, saying
“Is this not the Carpenter – is this not the Son of Mary?”

“Is this not the Carpenter – is this not the Son of Mary?”
Saying “This is but the Carpenter – it’s only Jesus, Son of Mary.”
It’s a sadness without measure, They had been with Him forever
And still not realized He was the very Son of God, saying
“Is this not the Carpenter – is this not the Son of Mary?” . . . read more

So Let Us Shine from Emu Live 2 (lyrics, pdf music and mp3 here)
For desperate people at their darkest hour, When fault and failure held us in its power
A babe was born – he said, “I am the way”.
He came to earth to turn our night to day, He came to earth to turn our night to day
So let us shine! And show the world his love
So let us shine! Because he first loved us
So let us shine! And show the world his love
This baby is the light of the world.

And this last one, is new to me, untested, but I envisage a string section and some groovy chimes and bells!
Shout for Joy by Paul Baloche – as recorded on his most recent CD “The Same Love”
(Note that the CCLI version of the sheet music has a different bridge. I’m going with the one on the album.)

Merry Christmas! (Just a little early)

Ps. Since writing this post I have included another which might be helpful – some new songs from Francesca Battistelli. Click here to read that post.

17/09/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

What is so amazing about “Amazing Grace”?

It just dawned on me that though I have been blogging for almost a year now on the subject of music and grace, I haven’t even made a single mention of that most famous combination of music and grace: John Newton’s “Amazing Grace“. It has been an anthem of hope and faith for generations.
But why has this hymn had such an impact? What does Newton point out about God’s grace that resonates with us so strongly? Is there something in the music which made it so popular?

At the time Newton penned Amazing Grace, hymnbooks did not contain music; they were simply religious poetry books. The first time Newton’s lines were joined to music was in 1808, in A Companion to the Countess of Huntingdon’s Hymns, set to the tune “Hephzibah” by English composer John Jenkins Husband. More than twenty musical settings of “Amazing Grace” circulated with varying popularity until 1835 when William Walker assigned Newton’s words to a traditional song named “New Britain”.

According to author Steve Turner, the joining of these words and melody was a “marriage made in heaven . . . There was a rise at the point of confession, as though the author was stepping out into the open and making a bold declaration, but a corresponding fall when admitting his blindness.”

Sing through the lyrics at the end (if you need them to test his theory). I think Turner is quite right. It is at this very point we can see why the hymn works so well in communal praise. As we sing this appropriately-shaped melody together, we step out into the open and make a public and communal confession of our wretchedness, our need for God’s forgiving grace. We declare we have moved from ‘lost’ to ‘found’, from hopeless to being filled with hope! As we declare this together, the Spirit works.

It probably has a lot to do with the truth which James expresses here:
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16)

This hymn is a prayer! We pray together as we sing. We confess (our wretched need for God’s grace) to one another, and look with eyes of faith to the glorious future for us who are ‘found’. The power of this prayer-song transcends time, culture and place. I would predict that there are many more centuries of life in Newton’s hymn.

(Nb. If you are so young that you only know of Amazing Grace as being part of Chris Tomlin’s “My Chains are gone” then you should note how skilfully Tomlin has mimicked the rise and fall of the “New Britain” melody in his additional chorus. In this way he moves our focus to the flood of mercy experienced by all who are in Christ. Such amazing grace!)

Here are the 6 verses of the hymn:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home

Yea when this flesh and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace

When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun

And Tomlin’s clever chorus:

My chains are gone, I’ve been set free
My God my Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing Grace!

If you want to think a bit more about this grace, watch the film trailer . . . or the whole film AMAZING GRACE (2006).

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Saved by a violent grace Keep your ears tuned to the gospel of grace

27/08/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

A shot in the arm for your church music team

Sometimes being part of a church music team/worship band is an inspiring and encouraging thing, something you absolutely enjoy and look forward to. But other times it can become a bit of a drag, unfortunately! And if you are the leader, and you are experiencing the latter emotions, then oh dear! This is not good news for anyone, especially the congregation. Something needs to change and fast.
What to do?
The Cambridge online dictionary defines “a shot in the arm” as something which has a sudden and positive effect on something, providing encouragement and new activity. And that is precisely what I believe this great little set of 6 bible studies can do for you.

The study book “Sing for Joy” written by Nathan Lovell (2010) is produced by the insightful people at Matthias Media, as part of a range of Interactive Bible Studies. It would be a great shot in the arm for a flagging music team (or leader) as they work through it with others, in order to re-energise and refocus. It would allow you to raise and explore all those tricky issues about the behaviour and motives of church musicians/music in an unthreatening manner. Each study is around 8 pages long (in 60 page study booklet).

Here is a sampling of the topics you will discuss while diving into God’s Word together:
#1 What is Church and Why do we sing there? – looks at music as a natural expression of joy, and why singing is the right response for God’s gathered people.
#2 Praise be to God – looks at the nature of biblical praise, the songs of the Bible, and how we praise God in ways other than singing.
#3 True Worship – traces different meanings of the word “worship” and the implications for how God’s people serve in the Old and New Testament eras. The ideas of worship and sacrifice are explored through the texts of Romans 12 and Hebrews 12-13. Connections are drawn between true praise and true worship.
#4 The Function of Church Music – looks at the many different ways music benefits God’s gathered people.
#5 The Gift of Musicians – explores what it means to be gifted musically, and how to be a servant-hearted leader as a musician, rather than a self-focused one.
#6 Music & Lyrics – considers the importance of song lyrics which should “continually refocus our mind on Christ, teach us His Word and remind us of what he has done for us” (p.57)

One of the most useful and simple definitions given in these studies regarding with purpose of church singing was this: “we sing in church because we are rejoicing over who God is and what He has done for us. Our singing is a response to the Gospel – an extravagant, joyous response to our God who has delivered us from our enemies, redeemed us for Himself, and gathered us together as his people” (p.35)

Describing church musicians as both servants and leaders was a really interesting approach, and a really useful one I think.
“Like it or not, musicians are in the role of leadership within our congregations. It has always been this way. In David’s day there was a band consisting of 120 trumpets as well as cymbals, harps, lyres and a whole tribe of singers (2 Chronicles 5:12)! They dressed up in fine linen and stood apart from the rest of the congregation and led them in praise. What a spectacle that must have been!” (p.47)

We will definitely be discussing that at our next team meeting! You can order these studies by following this link to Matthias Media. I am sure they will help get your whole music team back on the same page. . . and singing from the same score!

31/07/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

New songs say ‘God is doing something now’!

Sometimes change can make us very uncomfortable. It can make us feel totally out of control, it can rob us of things to which we feel entitled. Let’s explore this for a moment in terms of church music.
We Christians develop a real attachment to the songs of our faith. They become associated with the ups and downs we have been through, or the exciting time of our youth, or the time we first came to faith. When we sing them the songs instantly conjure the emotions of those times. This is why some people just can’t sing songs from the funerals of dearly departed friends and family, without being overwhelmed by sadness.

So should we learn new hymns and spiritual songs, especially when such change can cause great angst? I had a conversation with a lovely friend over the weekend who was frustrated with a lack of interest for changing and updating the songs they sing in their church. Many of her congregation are still attached to the ‘Scripture in Song’ repertoire which became popular in the 70s and 80s. The musical style of these choruses hark back to this era . . . and make some people really cringe!

I have found a great rationale for new songs from Rick Warren, author of the “Purpose Driven Church” (1995). “If you study church history you’ll discover that every genuine revival has always been accompanied by new music. New songs say ‘God is doing something here and now, not just a hundred years ago’. Every generation needs new songs to express its faith“.

Another great insight comes from a Presbyterian minister Rowland Lowther (2002). He says that his favourite Christian song is “When I survey the Wondrous Cross”, to the old hymn tune, “. . . but for the sake of the Gospel I would be willing to change the musical style so that those wonderful lyrics could impact on the next generation. . . What matters to me more is not that I be moved, but those in the next generation has those wonderful old lyrics to a music format that can lift their spirits to worship the same living God that the writer of this hymn worshipped hundreds of years ago”.

Great point. I think it also comes down to the concept of “renewing our minds”. By hearing the gospel explained by new people, in new and fresh ways, our understanding of God and the gospel of His grace is strengthened and deepened. That has got to be a good thing.

“My Hope” in God’s grace

For many years I have been a church music junkie (still am). I spend lots of time seeking out great new songs to inspire the local church. Paul Baloche is one writer who usually delivers great songs about great bible truths and the great love of our Saviour.

This one is a fairly recently release, the song “My Hope”. We have taught it at our church; actually it became a sort of theme song to a sermon series on Deuteronomy. The song speaks of the guidance and the faithfulness of God, how through every test His GRACE is with us. Amen to that. Our God is not fickle or changing. That’s why we can hold on to Him. I’m really looking forward to teaching about 600 women this new song at a Women’s conference (called GROW) in Brisbane early next month. I hope you enjoy the song too.

“My Hope” from the album The Same Love, Paul Baloche 2012
Nothing will change if all the plans I make go wrong
Your love stays the same
Your light will guide me through it all
I’m hanging on, I’m leaning in to You

Nothing can reach the end of all Your faithfulness
Your grace is with me through every shadow every test
I’m hanging on, I’m leaning in to You

I don’t know where You’ll take me
But I know You’re always good

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Your great love, Your righteousness
I will not walk another way
I trust Your heart, I trust Your Name
I’m holding on, I’m holding on to You

You are my Rock when storms are raging all around
You shelter me God
I’m safe with You on solid ground
I’m hanging on, I’m leaning in to You

I don’t know where You’ll take me
But I know You’re always good

My hope is built on nothing less than Your great love, Your righteousness,
I will not walk another way, I trust Your heart, I trust Your Name
I’m holding on, I’m holding on to You

CCLI Song # 5882177 Alyssa Mellinger | Ed Kerr | Paul Baloche | Sheila Rabe
© 2010 kerrtunes Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by Crossroad Distributors Pty. Ltd.)

19/07/2012 by sevennotesofgrace

This is How we Know (John 3:16)

If you have only recently joined me for the Three Sixteens, you should know that this series explores my observation that nearly all New Testament books have some “lightbulb” moment, a standout verse, event or promise, landing at the point of chapter 3 verse 16. (And no one knows why!) The 3:16 of John’s Gospel is no doubt the most famous of all. It has been printed on shirts, cards, keyrings and stickers and taught in Sunday School songs til it has become the most famous bible verse of all time (even with non-Christians). And fair enough. This verse reveals God’s great love to us in Christ, his great sacrifice of sending his perfect son to be scorned, suffer and die, to satisfy the law and save us as his own. This eternal life cannot be earned, it is free and available to all who will believe.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Since I really don’t need to convince you that this is a significant summary of God’s love and His redemptive purposes in Christ, I won’t. Instead I will share a song where another clever person (yes, being cheeky here) noticed the 3:16 connection. Matt Redman has connected John 3:16 with 1 John 3:16, and put them together in a song called “This is How we Know” (from the album We Shall not be Shaken, 2009).

1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

Redman takes us from God’s great love, demonstrated in Christ, to our response: love God and love others! We recently taught this song to our evening congregation, to match with the sermon series in 1 John. It’s not the easiest song for a congregation to learn, but it is worth the few weeks of revision for the benefit of singing these glorious truths together. You can find the lyrics below.

THIS IS HOW WE KNOW

This is how we know, this is how we know what love is
Just one look at Your cross
And this is where we see, this is where we see how love works
For You surrendered Your all
And this is how we know that You have loved us first
And this is where we chose to love You in return

For You so loved the world that You gave Your only Son
Love amazing so divine, we will love You in return
For this life that You give, for this death that You have died
Love amazing so divine, We will love You in reply, Lord

And our love will be loud, Our love will be strong
Our love should be hands and feet that serve You in this world
So let it stay true and let it endure
That You will be glorified worshipped and adored