The Other "hat" of the worship leader

A challenge issued to my own worship leadership...

Do I look CRAZY?

It’s the thing that pops in your head nearly every time you hit the stage. What are people thinking when they see me up here? Can I be too energetic? Will people think I’m crazy? 

Stage presence is such a huge part of what we do each week. HUGE. Music is really important... I don’t have to tell you that. We spend a lot more time on our rhythm and our sound than we do on our smiles. But don’t ever think it’s not important. Here is a gut check... the congregation, for the most part, will feel inclined to respond with about 60% of the energy that we do. No pressure. 

When you come to the stage, you bring your life with you. The moments that you spend on stage are not separate from the moments that you live in your car, in line at Beans and Cream, and on the phone with your best friend. You are the same person. I believe the difference lies in the message. In our everyday moments our message is sometimes happy, sometimes sad, even angry. We can and will say any number of things in those moments. When we are on stage, however, our message is almost always one of praise.  Singing words of praise to the God of the Universe. Recognizing how we must become less and He must become greater (John 3:30)

When we sing scripture or lift up phrases like “...if this life I lose, I will follow You” we are really saying something! If we are listening to ourselves at all, it will affect us. It will interact with our emotions. It might cause us to smile, it might cause us to lift our hands... and that’s okay. 

We should be comfortable on the platform. We should smile. We should clap our hands (at the appropriate time, on two and four :) We should lift our hands. I think God wants us to be sincere. Reacting. Affected. Moved... as we worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and invite others to do that same. 

Let’s all work on this together. We all know it’s a process that takes time. This is the part worship leadership that we tend to forget about. This is just a gentle reminder. Have fun!

Review - Steven Curtis Chapman - "Beauty Will Rise"

Have you ever peered into someone else's hurt? Just for a second even? Have you ever caught a glimpse of something that you truly believed exceeded your deepest hope.

We don't like to talk about these types of things.

Our American spirituality (just like our "every man for himself" mentality) has taught us that we shouldn't show weakness in our belief. But on the contrary it's pretty amazing how dealing with our deepest questions draws us closer and closer to God. 

There is a hope that is deep and it is in Christ.

You know when someone truly believes - because when they enter that hurt... that deep deep well of hurt - the hope is even deeper. 

I've never seen that hope so well displayed in a record as in "Beauty Will Rise" - Steven Curtis Chapman's latest project. 

I don't typically review albums in this form. Even though I make my living in music, I'm much more prone to recommend a book title than a record. And frankly, I wouldn't throw this title out for just anyone. It's full of truth in pain, hope in sorrow. 

In addition to it's worthy themes, it really impresses me musically as well. Chapman takes his legacy of well-produced pop studio records and strips away the gloss coating. His voice is rigid at times, clearly in pain. I wouldn't doubt if he accepted first takes on his vocal tracks. He emotes heartache that's welcome. Anyone knowing his tragedy of losing a daughter believes every word that he sings - but somehow he takes it a step further in the raw arrangements of these cuts. 

Several songs stick out. One that I'll mention is "February 20th" I think it's fascinating how Chapman focuses on the day his daughter comes to know Christ rather than the day she passes into eternity. He details the simplicity of the day and his daughters eagerness to meet Christ. 

Chapman clearly understands that the well of hurt compares none to the well of hope. And the deepest of hope lies in redemption. 

Check out the newest record for Steven Curtis Chapman - "Beauty Will Rise"