You did it! You survived the worship leader’s busiest season of the year. Most of us work our tails off throughout November and December preparing for special events and additional services. By the time New Years’ arrives, many of us are exhausted and ready for a break.
But there’s just one problem: you still have to lead worship on Sunday. And the Sunday after that, and the Sunday after that. Next thing you know, Easter will be right around the corner and it’s back to the whirlwind.
If you’re not prepared for it, the first few weeks of January can easily turn into a post-Christmas slump. Many are tempted to “phone it in” for the first part of the month, but if the church’s leaders are marked by fatigue or a lack of passion, we fall short of our calling to serve the body of Christ. And trust me, your congregation can tell when you’re going through the motions!
It should go without saying that every time we gather to worship God is important. He deserves our best not only on Christmas, but every day of the year. So if you’re feeling the Boxing Day blues, here are a few ideas to help you ward them off:
SPEND TIME IN THE WORD
If you’re like me, when things start to get busy, one of the first things you put on the backburner is spending time in the Word. It’s easy to justify: with all the extra work required of us this time of year, we’re spending plenty of time reading Scripture! But reading for work and reading for spiritual nourishment are two different things.
If you’ve fallen off in recent weeks, now is the perfect time to get back on track. Spiritual fatigue is far more perilous than physical fatigue, so give your devotional habits extra attention this month.
“Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 8:3
GIVE YOUR TEAM A BREAK
On the administrative side of things, try giving your team a break! Working with a cranky worship team can add to the post-Christmas snowball effect. Chances are, you’re not the only one who went over-and-above for your church last month. Reward your musicians with a week off.
For the last several years, I’ve led a solo acoustic set on the first Sunday of January. Not only does this give my team a break, but it gives our church an opportunity to hear each other sing God’s praises in a special way. I used to dread this Sunday every year, but now I look forward to it.
Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! – Psalm 96:1
TAKE TIME OFF
Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is take a Sunday off. Even the most capable worship leaders get tired, so make sure you’re evaluating your spiritual health on a regular basis. Occasionally, our leadership suffers not because we don’t plan well or because our hearts aren’t in it, but because we’re tired!
While taking a week off may not be possible for you right now, try to carve out some additional time for rest in the coming weeks. Sabbath is one of the most important practices for pastors; you can’t serve well if you’re constantly running on empty. And consider planning some downtime for after Christmas next year, especially if you’re feeling extra ragged right now.
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” – Mark 2:27
How are you handling the post-Christmas season? What works for you? Do you have any traditions or special methods of combatting malaise in the new year? Let us know in the comments!
About a year ago, I picked up my friend David from the airport and gave him a ride to The Grid Studio in Lincoln, Nebraska. His band, Remedy Drive, was deep into the recording of their new record, and he was flying in for a few days to record vocals and fine tune a few early mixes.
During the hour-long drive from Omaha to the studio, David opened up to me about how the project was shaping up to be drastically different from their last two studio albums. Remedy Drive was making a conscious decision to forge ahead without a label, to sing and play without second-guessing their lyrical and musical choices. Commodity, as it would come to be known, would be an album on their own terms.
But we’ve all heard this story before, haven’t we? Record labels are evil conglomerates whose sole purpose is to squash creativity and cater to Becky, the 40-year old soccer mom who listens to Christian radio…ahem, religiously. We’re supposed to celebrate when bands “stick it to the man” and do their own thing, right?
Yawn.
If the story of Commodity was just another tale of a band breaking free from the shackles of their label, I wouldn’t be writing about it. Thankfully, Commodity is a record borne out of of faith, conviction, and most importantly, experience.
David told me he wanted to affect change with this record. He wasn’t content just to sing songs this time around; he wanted to do something tangible. In just a few short months, David would be traveling to Southeast Asia to partner with Exodus Road in rescuing children from sex slavery. Commodity is a record about ending this horrendous injustice, and David wanted to take the first step in inviting Remedy Drive’s listeners to get involved.
As a result, Remedy Drive has created a record that is not safe for the whole family (when’s the last time you heard a song on Christian radio that references atom bombs and uzis?). But it isn’t needlessly crass or edgy; rather, it is an album about the dangerous, gritty reality of our time, and how God’s desire is for his people to be a part of the solution. When Remedy Drive sings songs about freedom and hope, we are not given the option to write them off as amorphous, ethereal concepts. Just as Jesus proclaimed freedom to real prisoners and real victims of oppression, we are called to be active in doing justice within our 21st-century context.
Commodity is a record that benefits from the gift of credibility lent by the musicians who created it. I can trust David when he laments, “Jesus, where are you? They’re far too young. Jesus, how long now? Your kingdom come,” because he has witnessed the injustice of human trafficking with his own eyes. These are not cheap lyrics lazily lifted from the Psalms, but the words of a man who is close enough to his Savior to ask questions without the fear of being cut off.
Musically, it is the most cohesive and deliberate record the band has ever made. Producer Philip Zach‘s contribution marks a sea change for Remedy Drive, but the songwriting and musicianship that fans have come to expect remain intact. Songs like Under the Starlight and Love Is Our Weapon benefit from the influence of current pop production, and flashes of the band’s signature sound shine through in various musical moments like the unexpected jam at the end of The Wings of the Dawn. Old school fans are even thrown a bone with The Sides of the North, Remedy Drive’s first recorded instrumental in over 10 years.
Will Commodity be accepted by the wider world of Christian music? Who knows. But what I do know is that this is an important record, and it has the potential to speak both into the musical homogeneity and the lyrical blandness of a faltering industry.
I believe in this record. I recommend this record. If you care about Christian music being substantive, cast your vote with cash and buy this record. The album drops on September 23rd, and you can pre-order it on iTunes right now. To read about David’s experiences with the Exodus Road, check out his blog.
As the Worship and Youth Pastor for a mid-sized suburban church, I’m responsible for selecting the songs we sing from week to week. While we don’t stray very far from the expected contemporary/blended approach to worship, our congregation is generally open to trying anything that’s a) Jesus-centered and b) singable. This gives me a lot of freedom to seek out new music.
Many bemoan the fact that much of modern worship music is vapid and without real substance, but it seems that this stereotype is slowly becoming the exception rather than the rule. Even groups who were once known for their less-than-stellar songwriting are making significant strides (Have you heard the latest album from Hillsong United? It’s excellent!).
There’s also a rich landscape of music that exists beyond the world of Christian radio, and I enjoy uncovering the diamonds in the rough. Below, I’ve listed five artists that give me hope for the future of worship music. It’s entirely possible that you’ve already heard of them, but for many in my circle there’s probably something new to discover.
The Royal Royal I first came across The Royal Royal when they were simply called “Royal” a few years back. A worship leader friend shared a link to their blog, which contained early versions of tracks that would eventually appear on their debut record, The Royalty. I was immediately hooked by their pairing of theologically-rich writing with pop-inspired production. The Royal Royal wears their influences on their sleeves, sometimes coming across as “musical chameleons”; any given song by the band could fit along with the likes of The Cars, Arcade Fire, or The Black Keys.
Real Strength is one of The Royal Royal’s more congregation-friendly tracks:
Citizens & Saints
Mars Hill’s music ministry has been stepping up its game in recent years, and one of my favorite bands to emerge from their camp is Seattle’s Citizens & Saints. As you might expect from a Mars Hill band, Citizens & Saints produces their own brand of biblically grounded worship singalongs. The group recently announced that they would begin touring and recording full-time, so don’t be surprised if you hear more about them in the coming year.
Here’s Hail the King, released under their former moniker, “Citizens”:
The Liturgists
I know, I know. For some, it’s anathema to approve of anything even tangentially related to Michael Gungor right now (let alone a project that has stirred up a bit of controversy on its own), but there’s no denying the talent and creativity behind The Liturgists. The ongoing collaborative project has received input from members of Gungor, The Brilliance, Sleeping at Last, and more. While The Liturgists’ recordings are perhaps best suited for personal worship, several of their spoken-word songs and meditations could be put to use in a corporate worship gathering.
I’ve chosen to share Garden from their Easter project of the same name, sung primarily by worship leader Aaron Purdy:
Matt Papa
With worship music, you often have to pick two out of three when it comes to lyrical integrity, singability, and musical quality – Matt Papa consistently hits all three right on the mark. Papa is a worship leader I’ve been telling people about for years, but he unfortunately has yet to receive his “big break.” However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is content never to attain worship superstar (oxymoron?) status. He would much rather turn the spotlight on Jesus, which is made abundantly clear in his music. Channeling the lyrical spirit of Keith Green, Matt Papa refuses to mince words about the big God to whom he sings.
This unplugged version of All for Your Glory is an excellent example of Papa’s work:
David Potter
Omaha’s own David Potter is a wonderful example of how you don’t always have to look to CCLI’s top 25 to find songs for Sunday morning (how many weeks in a row were you planning to sing “10,000 Reasons,” anyway?). Potter is one of the many worship leaders who are breathing new life into time-tested hymns, reworking the music yet honoring the words. He is just as careful with his original songs, using scripture and well-known liturgies for his lyrics. I have had the pleasure of working with David in various settings over the years, and I can attest to his desire to serve faithfully in the local church. Perhaps the next “perfect song” for your church isn’t one written by Chris Tomlin or Phil Wickham, but someone within your own ranks.
David Potter’s rendition of Rock of Ages is a favorite of mine:
Upon the completion of our three week study in Israel, a number of us remained with JUC for a few extra days to go on an excursion to Jordan. Although I wasn’t required to write a report for the school, I thought it would be fitting to share my experience here on the blog. I’m condensing the entire trip into one post, but I’ve tried my best to be thorough!
DAY ONE: JERASH, JABBOK RIVER, DIBON, ARNON CANYON
Our journey to Jordan began early on Saturday morning with a long bus ride to the customs checkpoint along the Jordan River. After sending my personal effects through a couple of x-ray machines and receiving a ‘how do you do’ from a particularly handsy security guard, my passport was stamped and I was welcomed into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Our first stop was at Jerash, or Gerasa, a Decapolis city. Some believe that Jerash is the city called Gergesa in the Bible (where the ‘swine miracle’ took place), but seeing how far it is from the Sea of Galilee makes it somewhat doubtful. I tend to agree with our instructor, who believes that Gergesa is modern-day Kursi.
Jerash has been impeccably preserved and restored, offering plenty of fodder for picture-taking:
An arch of Hadrian marked the entrance to the cityLooking down the cardoThe pillars were ridiculously tall – I got a little nervous when our guide showed us that you can rock some of them back and forth
One of my favorite moments at this stop was when we visited the amphitheater. To demonstrate the acoustics of the building, our tour guide asked me to sing for my classmates. I sang the first verse of ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,’ and sure enough, the sound echoed throughout the seats. It’s not every day that you get a chance to sing a Christian hymn at the site of ancient Roman ruins in a predominantly Muslim region!
The large amphiteater in Jerash
Our next stop was at an overlook of the Jabbok River, where Jacob wrestled with God. Throughout our course we learned about how, in the Bible, whenever someone crosses a body of water, it often symbolizes change. Whether it’s the Red Sea, the Jordan River, or here at Jabbok, some kind of transformation takes place. This is something that I didn’t pick up on before, so now I’m interested in learning more and exploring its parallels with Baptism.
The Jabbok
We then traveled to Dibon, where we learned about Israel’s relation to the Moab. Our instructor told us about the discovery of the Mesha Stele and how it informs our understanding of Israel’s conflicts with the Moabites.
A shepherd tending his sheep amongst the ruins at Dibon
Our final stop of the day before heading down to Petra was the Arnon Canyon. The Arnon served as a boundary line for various tribes throughout the Bible (Moabites, Amorites, Reuben, Gad, etc.). More than anything, this stop provided yet another breathtaking view of the land of the Bible.
The Arnon Canyon
DAY TWO: PETRA, DANA WADI, BOZRAH
I won’t lie: day two of our trip is the reason I signed up for the extra excursion. I’m a huge Indiana Jones fan, so being able to visit Petra was a dream come true. Petra itself has little relevance to the Bible, except that it belonged to the Nabateans. Here, I behaved far more like a tourist than a student, taking few notes but many photos.
Entering the Siq (the deep canyon entrance to Petra)It’s starting to look a little Indiana Jones-ish…Our first look at the Treasury – just like the movieMassive.A wide shot of the Treasury
At one point, we hiked up 850 steps to Petra’s highest point, the site of ‘The Monastery.’ The only negative side of walking up all those steps is that we had to walk back down them later! This was by far the most strenuous hike we went on for the entire trip, but it was so worth it.
Above: The Monastery. Below: Sweat StainsTook this photo from below to try to show y’all how tall this thing really isStanding on the altar inside the MonasteryClimbing up to the highest pointStanding inches away from the edge – our instructor’s only rule for this outing was “don’t die”Looking back at the Monastery
On our way to Bozrah, we stopped by another scenic outlook, this time near the Dana Wadi. It gave us a spectacular view of the land from which we just came.
The Dana Wadi (pronounced “Donna”)
When we arrived at Bozrah, we learned about Edom and its relation to Israel like we did the day before with Moab. We learned that many of the biblical prophets (e.g. Jeremiah, Amos, Obadiah) had a low view of the Moabites. They were a people marked by violence, rebellion, and disregard for the one true God – which ultimately became their downfall. It truly is interesting to see how Israel has persevered throughout the ages when so many of their contemporaries fell by the wayside. The only thing that differentiated them from the people around them is that they were called out by God.
The ruins at Bozrah
DAY THREE: AMMAN, MADABA, MT NEBO
The first location we visited on our final day was Amman, referred to as Rabbat Ammon in the Bible. It was here that Uriah was killed in battle after David’s affair with Bathsheba. We learned about how the city lies on a ‘tongue’ of senonian chalk between areas with greater resources (Upper Gilead to the north and Medeba to the south). Because the Ammonites didn’t have much, they had to be combative to get by – as such, they are portrayed as being particularly aggressive in the Bible.
Pillars at Amman
We then traveled to Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Madaba to see the Madaba Map. The Madaba Map is a 1400 year old floor mosaic depicting the Holy Land, showing Jerusalem in great detail.
A large section of the mosaic showing various locations in IsraelClose-up view of Jerusalem
The archaeological and historical significance of the map is obvious – it portrays sections of Jerusalem that have been confirmed since its discovery – but the church in which it resides contains equally beautiful works of art.
Icons everywhere – and all mosaicsThe baptism of Jesus, rife with symbolic imagery
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” – Deuteronomy 34:1-4
I confess that I didn’t have many emotional moments during my time in Israel, but something about looking over the land that God promised his people got to me. In heading back to Jerusalem, I was about to cross over and enter the land that Moses’ feet never touched.
Viewing the Promised Land from atop Mt. Nebo
The fact that I’m even here is unbelievable. I know I’ve said this many times before, but I truly cannot say it enough: I am so grateful for the generosity, kindness, and support of the people who sent me to Israel and Jordan. Thank you so much to the donors, Sioux Falls Seminary, Jerusalem University College, Community Covenant Church, my friends, and of course my family! I do not take this experience for granted, and I pray that I will put it to good use in furthering God’s kingdom.
Our final day began at the Cliffs of Arbel. Arbel is most famously known as the place where Herod the Great flushed out dissidents who were hiding in caves along the cliff faces by lowering soldiers in baskets from the top. Our instructor brought us up there, though, to help us process everything we’ve been learning over the last several days.
It was fairly steep
As our instructor told us time and time again, the Sea of Galilee functioned as a ‘microcosm of the nations.’ Because the lake is situated in a high-traffic area (several routes to Damascus pass through the region), people of various nationalities, religions, and political affiliations were forced to interact with each other. Jesus spoke of preaching the Good News to all nations, and from this vantage point they would have been able to see all three political districts that surround the lake. It’s not a stretch to assume that, at one point, Jesus probably took his disciples up there to teach them the same kinds of things we’ve been learning.
You can see the ‘whole world’ from here
Because Galilee was known to be a bustling, metropolitan area, our instructor encouraged us to reconsider our assumptions about what it means that Jesus would occasionally ‘retreat to Galilee.’ More often than not, Jesus is depicted as one who would sneak away to be by himself. While it’s certainly safe to assume that Jesus did this from time to time, references to Galilee should not be interpreted as ‘solitudinal.’ It’s likely that just the opposite was happening – Jesus was leaving Jerusalem to mingle amongst the nations!
When our lecture was over, we hiked down the side of one of the cliffs. Some parts of the descent were fairly precarious, but we all made it down safely. The hike helped solidify just how dangerous it must have been for Herod’s soldiers doing battle here; we were shaking in our boots, even with handrails and a clear path before us.
Don’t worry, mom – you can’t see it very well, but there were handles to hold on to
Our last stop was Caesarea, perched upon the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Here, we caught one last glimpse into the world of Herod the Great. Herod built his own mini Roman kingdom at Caesarea, complete with a man-made port to force affluence and trade in his direction. After visiting Herodium, Masada, and Caesarea, it’s clear that Herod was obsessed with ‘defying God,’ as our instructor would put it.
CaesareaThe Hippodrome
Our instructor explained that in Acts 1, when Jesus spoke of the “ends of the earth,” most Jews would be thinking of the Mediterranean. It was intriguing to consider how they would have heard those words – they knew that Greece and Rome lie beyond the sea, but for so long Jews understood the Medirranean Sea as the furthest extent of creation. Along those same lines, I think it’s important for Christians today to consider what the ‘ends of the earth’ might be for us. Could the Gospel extend beyond the boundaries within which we think it exists? Certainly something to consider.
Standing at the edge of the sea – I would have gotten closer, but I wasn’t wearing adventure shoes
Aside from our test the next day, our visit to Caesarea marked the end of our studies. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn by ‘feeling the Bible in my legs, lungs, and heart’ over the last three weeks. Thank you to everyone who has read these entries and prayed for me!
Check back soon…I intend to write one more entry for the time we spent in Jordan 🙂
