Soundchecks

In many ways, sound check is the foundation of a good rehearsal. But in the scope of our preparation, the sound check can often receive the least amount of attention.

Like most things, the main work of a soundcheck begins before a soundcheck. Have you ever walked into a soundcheck where things are still being set up? It is a bit like being invited over to someone’s house for a meal, and they are just coming home from the grocery store. Whether it is a team, you as the worship leader, or the person running sound, you have to make sure that the right equipment is set up for serving.

Whatever the rhythm for your context, communicating that expectation to all involved is essential. Will they show up to plug and play because someone else has set up the sound? Are you a mobile church that requires all hands on deck to get the equipment set up and torn down each weekend? Whatever the situation, the instruments, inputs, layout, lyrics, any printing, and set lists need to be ready for the band to run with their primary responsibility - leading musical worship. Don’t waste valuable rehearsal time on set up.

Once the space is set up, finding consistent rhythms will help your team have a plan as to the way you move through soundcheck. I’ve worked with some sound people that like to dial in the EQ of each instrument before the band begins to play a note. I’ve worked with some sound people that like to do a line and level check, and EQ on the fly. Knowing the rhythms that work for you and your sound person will help you know how to plan, prepare, and communicate to your team about what they expect during a sound check.

For a team to be able to play well together, they need to be able to hear. This means part of your soundcheck needs to be spent making sure that everyone can hear in a balanced and clear way. Whether using in-ear monitors, or floor wedges, rehearsals will feel disjointed and discouraging if there are constant starts and stops to adjust levels of monitoring for the team.

One of the things that I have experienced slows every soundcheck to a stop is musicians playing or talking over the top of the sound person attempting to check, or communicate with a specific member of the team. There is a level of respect and care we provide for one another when we are aware that there can be time for conversation and playing around on our instruments - and the sound check is not that time.

Worship leaders need to help lead the team through a soundcheck so that they can ultimately lead a team through the rehearsal.

Rejoice: Luke 10:1-2, 17-20

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” - Luke 10:1-2, 17-20

For all of our accomplishments and abilities. 

For all of the time, energy, and study. 

For all of the places, we seek to find value, significance, and worth.

The invitation of Jesus is to rejoice not in what we have done, but in what He has done. We don’t rejoice even in our own works on behalf of Christ - but rejoice in the once for all work of Christ to ensure right relationship with God, everlasting life, 

and eternal joy.

What accomplishments have turned from joy to pride or boasting in your heart?

What might it look like to rejoice in the work of the Lord today?

Rejoice: Habakkuk 3:17-19

“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” - Habakkuk 3:17-19

Both and. Not, either or.

This is life. This is faith.

That we can be forsaken by our own father and mother, 

but never left or forsaken by God. 

That weeping may last for the evening but joy comes in the morning.

Joy and sorrow can inhabit the same space.

That we can become people who count all things as loss for the surpassing worth 

of knowing Christ.

What does sorrow reveal?

How might you glimpse the deeper, truer reality of the surpassing worth of Christ even in the midst of sorrow?

12 March: Liturgy + Set List

• GLORIOUS DAY

  Call to Worship: Psalm 24:7-10

  We get to do this as we gather - lift our eyes, lift our hearts, lift our lives to behold the King of Glory. But that only occurs when the Holy Spirit does what only the Holy Spirit can do - lead us in all truth, and reveal more of the character and identity of Jesus. We have been in the Gospel of Mark for several weeks, and we have seen the question about Jesus’ identity come up several times - ‘who then is this…’ this is the King of Glory. And this morning we will learn a new song that both asks and answers the question of Jesus’ identity - the one and only, the Holy God. We’ll teach you the chorus first, it goes like this:

• ONLY A HOLY GOD

• COME THOU FOUNT

  More than words we sing, that song is really the testimony of every follower of Jesus, because we all are prone to wander, we all are faithless. And still, God always remains faithful. We are entering the third week of Lent. And if the whole of your journey of faith has been as a part of churches that look and feel like ours, the season of Lent and its rhythms may feel unfamiliar to you. Because in Lent we pause, we reflect on our sins, we look to the cross, we confess our sins to God, and one another, we repent and turn from our sins, and turn to Christ. These rhythms and practices do not belong to a specific denomination, but they belong to the people of God. So we are going to spend some time now in quiet reflection, as you find your story in those words we have just sung - prone to wander - and we look with joy to the cross. Then we will confess our sins to God and one another:

  Corporate Confession

Merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against You
in thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved You with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

In Your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
And direct what we shall be,
So that we may delight in your will and walk in Your ways, To the glory of Your holy name.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. [From the Book of Common Prayer]

Brothers and sisters, hear the good news - God does not treat us as our sins deserve. He is faithful when we are faithless.

Sermon: Mark 5:1-20

No true encounter with Jesus ever leaves us the same. And if you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, you were not a good person made better by Jesus, you were not even a demon-possessed person freed by Jesus, you were a dead person who has been made alive in Christ. Let’s behold the power, wonder, grace, mercy, and kindness of the Lord. Would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together:

• RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

• GRAVES INTO GARDENS

  Benediction: Jude 1:24-25

Rejoice: Psalm 16

“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” - Psalm 16

As the season of Lent moves us closer toward the cross, it moves us toward a greater awareness of our own sin and brokenness. But also toward greater joy and gratitude, that our sin, not in part, but the whole has been nailed to the cross, that we bear it no more - praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul.’

What if your prayers today were less of a laundry list and more about delighting in Him? Who He is, what He has done. Resting, trusting, celebrating. 

How might you set the Lord before you today?

How might you endure this moment in light of the fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore promised to followers of Jesus?

Kenyan Reflections

‘We would like the team to lead worship in several languages…’ That request came along with the invitation to lead worship for the global assembly of a large missions organization that would be hosting its annual conference outside of Nairobi, Kenya. I had led worship in English and Spanish before, but never on this kind of scale. But part of leading worship is learning how to serve the people.

And this gathering would be made up of over 200 missionaries from multiple countries. Graciously, the Lord provided a team of amazingly talented musicians to help me lead, who could also carry some of the languages needed for our time in Kenya.

I have a post coming in a few months that will outline some of the things I have learned about leading worship in various cultures, but for the moment, let me leave you with this encouragement: the Church is global, diverse, and advancing. I pray that these small glimpses of a global church will fuel joy and enthusiasm in my daily serving within my local church… I hope you have the opportunity for those glimpses as well.

SUNDAY

• Doxology (English, Spanish, French)

• Abide

• Goodness of God (English, French)

• 10,000 Reasons

MONDAY

• Mambo Sawa Sawa (Swahili, English)

• Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (English, French)

• O Praise The Name (Anastasis)

• Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me

• How Great Thou Art (English, Spanish, French)

• I Love You Lord (English, Spanish, French)

• In Christ Alone

• Abide

• We Fall Down (English, Spanish)

• Agnus Dei

TUESDAY

• Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) (English, French)

• Is He Worthy

• Great Are You Lord (English, Spanish)

• Our God

• How Great Is Our God (English, French)

• Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me

• Blessed Be Your Name

• Wonderful, Merciful Savior

• Abide

• There Is A Higher Throne

• Jesus Paid It All

• Doxology (English, Spanish, French)

Charity, Keith, Aaron, and Akim. The outdoor event space where we led. One of our speakers, Rene.

Remember + Review: Lamentations 3:21-25

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” - Lamentations 3:21-25

In the middle of lament, a word of comfort: the never-ceasing love of God, His unending mercies, His great faithfulness, and His goodness for those who wait and seek Him. Sometimes remembering will lead to lamenting - an honest assessment and confession of reality to and before a caring Father. We can lament the brokenness of the world, lament the brokenness of our lives, and lament the brokenness of others - and we can still find a place of comfort that sustains us in our remembrance as we remember the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

What needs to be lamented in your story today?

How might you seek comfort not in numbing, avoiding, or coping, but in the unchanging character of God?

Remember + Review: Genesis 9:12-17, Hebrews 8:12

“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”” 

- Genesis 9:12-17

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 

- Hebrews 8:12

God is not like us. Made from dust with a finite mind forgetting keys, and where we left our shoes. Forgetting dates in the calendar, and special occasions. God remembers. Remembers forever, because He knows all things. God knows the cattle on a thousand hills, the gold and silver in every mine, the number of hairs on every head, every sparrow that flies and falls to the ground, the name of every star, every grain of sand, and every word before it is on the tongue. He knows all things, he remembers all things and yet he chooses to remember our sin no more.

How might God choosing to remember your sin no more change the way you think of your own sin? What about those who have sinned against you?

5 March: Liturgy + Set List

• PROMISES

  Good morning, Life Church, we are glad you are here worshiping with us. I am glad to be worshiping with you this morning. This past week I had the chance to go to Kenya and lead worship for a group of missionaries from all around the world. And I am aware that I am able to go and serve in that way because my family and my church family released and sent me to go and serve. So on behalf of those that I served this past week, thank you for allowing me to go and serve. They wanted to make sure that I expressed their gratitude to you, our church family for allowing me to serve. And on behalf of my family and me, thank you for caring for and praying for my family while I was away. There are so many things I am still processing about all that I saw and heard, but a few things that I hope will encourage you: I heard the testimony of a woman from a closed country in Asia saying that she was her coworkers have been asking her to pray for them, asking if she can tell them about who Jesus is and what He has done. I shared a meal with a woman serving in Turkey who told me about how she had lost friends in the earthquake, and I was able to tell her that our church prayed for her during the week of the earthquake. I had the sacred privilege of being able to put a name and a face to a place that seemed so far away. I think we can so often think of missionaries as spiritual superheroes… But I am always struck by how ordinary these people are. They have skills, trades, educations, experience, families, and desires, just like us - but they have chosen to very intentionally use those things to serve a specific group of people - sometimes in their home countries, sometimes in far-flung locations. And I do hope and pray that God will raise up and send our missionaries to the ends of the earth from our church community. But I also hope and pray that as we gather week after week and hear God’s Word preached, read, sung, and prayed, and as we gather with our Life Groups and seek to apply God’s Word to our lives, we would be so completely transformed in heart and desire, that we would intentionally live on mission wherever God has placed us. And if you’re wondering, yes, I did wear all black every day, even in the African heat. Let’s hear God call us to worship through His word, this is from Psalm 24:

  Call to Worship: Psalm 24:1-6

• WHAT YOU SAID

• I SHALL NOT WANT

  Sermon: Mark 4:35-41

Corporate Confession:

Merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against You
in thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved You with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

In Your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
And direct what we shall be,
So that we may delight in your will and walk in Your ways, To the glory of Your holy name.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Communion

• O PRAISE THE NAME (ANASTASIS)

Benediction:

Remember + Review: Psalm 77:11-15

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

I will ponder all your work,

    and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Your way, O God, is holy.

    What god is great like our God?

You are the God who works wonders;

    you have made known your might among the peoples.

You with your arm redeemed your people,

    the children of Jacob and Joseph.” - Psalm 77:11-15

We are prone to wander because we are prone to forget. This is why over and over in Scripture the people of Israel are called to remember. Remember the steadfast love of the Lord, remember His promises, remember His deliverance, remember His covenant, remember His unchanging character. The people of Israel built Ebenezeers - stones of help - to remember thus far the Lord has helped me. These stones marked out a moment not just for those who experienced them, but for all who would come after and say - what does this mean? Remember is also retelling - preaching the truth to our own hearts, and also into the lives of others.

What are the ebenezers of God’s presence and provision in your own life? 

What are the ebenezers of your story that are not just for you - but also for others?

What moments from today bear the marks of the heart and character 

of God for you?

Worship Leaders And Presence

The music really ushered me into the presence of God this morning.” I’ve heard it said, and I’m sure I’ve said it myself. Does this sound familiar to you? Certainly, as musicians, there is an affection that we experience for the Lord as we play or listen to music. It speaks to something of the transcendent life for which we have all been created. But the truth is there is no combination of chords that usher us into the presence of God. There is no perfect set list, no skill level of musicianship, and no flawlessly executed liturgy which ushers us into the presence of God. Because there is only one who ushers us into the presence of God - the God-man, Christ Jesus. For followers of Jesus, there is no moment where we do not stand in the presence of God because we stand in Christ who is before the Father in this moment making intercession for us (Romans 8:34).

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” 1 Timothy 2:5

There is no place in all of creation where God is not present. But as followers of Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we carry the presence of God with us everywhere we go. When the people of God gather to worship, God is present and enthroned upon the praises of His people. As we open the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is present and active, lifting our eyes to behold the beauty of Jesus.

We may sense God’s manifest presence in a unique way as we gather, sin, and expectantly wait for God to speak to us through His Word - but God is no more present in these moments than he is as our people get ready for work the next day, fight with their spouse, take their kids to school, and go to sleep at night.

Nothing ushers us into the presence of God or the throne room of grace apart from the God-man, Christ Jesus. And nothing can separate us from the presence of God. So when people tell you that something you did ushered them into the presence of God, remind them - and yourself - it is only Jesus who has done that.

J. Ryan Lister is a clear and helpful writer. If you are looking for more resources when it comes to learning and studying about the Presence of God, I found this short article very helpful.

Rest: Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

Where do we go when our hearts are heavy and our lives are hard? To the One whose yoke is easy and burden light. To the One who carried our sorrows and shame. To the One who intercedes on our behalf before the Father. Our rest is not a reward for struggling through - but rest is the relief of knowing that Christ upholds all things by the word of His power.

Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the places in which God has dealt kindly and bountifully with you. 

How might these remembrances enable you to rest in this moment?