articles

WorshipIdeas editor Don Chapman was interviewed last week on the nationally syndicated radio show “Speak Without Fear” by speaking coach Deb Sofield. In the interview (starting around 26:20) Don shares tips for artists on marketing their music, the decline of CCM and newsletter/blogging tips. Listen to the podcast at iTunes…

David Stagl on trying to mic the choir: I think I’ve turned a corner in my career. Earlier this year our music department approached me about trying a choir at one of our PM services. Historically I haven’t been a fan of choirs, but I was actually into the idea…

One of March’s media stories has been the success of the History Channel miniseries, The Bible. The first episode, which premiered on March 3, had 13.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen, making it the highest entertainment (read: non-sports) broadcast of 2013. The interest in a cable series makes it clear…

Almost every church in the world will see an attendance spike this week. In the this-is-really-obvious-research-finding, we found that Easter was the highest attended day of the church year. (OK, really, it was about Mother’s Day, as USAToday reported in a front page story on our data, but Easter was…

Do you ever stop and ask yourself, “Why do people visit my church?” Do you ever ask yourself, “Why don’t they come back?” Why is it that churches across the country see people coming in the front door only to have them exit the same door and never return? I…

In the mid to late 1990s, the “Modern Worship Revolution” was in full swing. I was finishing up college and the very first Passion album (Live Worship from the 268 Generation) was being released. Rock bands were becoming increasingly common in churches and the church music landscape was evolving significantly.…

Hey my name is Peter aka NUBSY and I spend my days working for Hillsong Church as a production designer working on the way our church buildings and conferences look. I thought I’d try (as succinctly as possible) to explain why I’m so passionate about what I do. When I…

CCM artist Shaun Groves on worship songwriting: Songwriting is a craft. As in any craft – ice skating, painting, public speaking, cooking – there are best practices that border on being rules. These standards sometimes define the craft. For instance, if an ice skater glides into the spotlight carrying a…

Why construct a new building when you can upcycle an old one? Pastor Mike Connaway’s newly planted VLife Church hasn’t started holding official services. Yet the youthful nondenominational congregation is already embracing its new home (House Painters In Bergen County New Jersey are one the ones who helped us in…

In an informal survey of pastors, Thom S. Rainer asked a simple question: What do you wish you had been told before you became a pastor? 1. I wish someone had taught me basic leadership skills. “I was well grounded in theology and Bible exegesis, but seminary did not prepare…

Christian retailers would be not be surprised if worship leader Darlene Zschech has prayed the prayer of Jabez—“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1 Chron. 4:10). There is no doubt that, in fact, God has done just that for the recording artist who is now known…

It’s Sunday morning. Your parking lot is covered—no one is getting inside without being safely directed into a parking spot. Your greeters all remind you of a hug from your grandmother—warm and a little bit squishy. And your ushers are kind of like your parking team, but they couldn’t handle…

If you see any of these seven warning signs in your church, my advice is to run as fast as you can. A friend of mine from England recently asked me for counsel regarding a serious dilemma. His pastor had been involved in extramarital affairs, yet the man never stepped…

When a new believer is baptized, it’s a momentous event. A life’s been changed for eternity! Try these fresh ideas to make baptism a true celebration: Smile. Express true joy. Baptism is a holy ordinance, but it’s also a joyful event. I love it when the church breaks into spontaneous…

Most Americans have first-hand experiences in churches or parishes. What happens, if anything, in the hearts and minds of those who attend? To explore this matter, Barna Group surveyed Americans who have attended a Christian church sometime in the past and discovered what they say about their experiences in these…