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Christian Theme Park

Dec 20, 2006

Last week I visited the Holy Land Experience in Orlando. It’s a Christian theme park that’s been lampooned in the media – it even made an appearance of sorts on the Simpsons.

Actually it isn’t bad at all. It’s educational and I learned quite a bit. It’s more like a glorified museum than a theme park. $35 gets you in. I saw what interested me in 3 hours:

1. Wilderness Tabernacle. You sit in a dark room and learn about the Old Testament Tabernacle, watching an actor dressed like a priest explain the details and rituals in a huge replica.

2. The Scriptorium. I love old stuff [I have a page from a 1618 KJV Bible framed on the wall] so I really liked this. It’s an hour long guided tour through an elaborately decorated museum filled with actual old Bibles, as well as the history of how the Bible was preserved through the years. Most interesting was the “Martyr’s Bible” with blood stains on it – some guy was killed for owning an English Bible translation. I didn’t realize what a big, dangerous deal it was for Tyndale to translate the Bible into English [as explained by a quite realistic Disneyesque audio-animatronic version of Tyndale.]

3. Jerusalem Model. My favorite part of the Holy Land Experience was the miniature model of Jerusalem, based on the time when Jesus was crucified. It fills a large room. A tour guide stands near the side of the model and explains it… historical events, the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, etc. I can’t believe what a small town Jerusalem was in those days – only a mile by 2/3’s of a mile! I now have a mental picture of where everything happened and I’m looking forward to making my way through the Gospels again this year.

If you want an afternoon break from roller coasters and mouse ears while you’re in Orlando [and don’t have easily bored kids or teenagers] try the Holy Land Experience.

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The WalMart Effect

Oct 23, 2006

A quick update…

Back in June 2006 I wrote a blog called “The Next Big Thing” which described the new multi-site video church concept.

As of right now [late October 2006], only 4 months later, Andy Stanley’s church network now has a partner church in Greenville that shows videos of his preaching.

The 7,000+ NewSpring Church in nearby Anderson is looking for property to build their first video venue here in Greenville.

A Greenville megachurch of over 5,000 is planning their first video venue.

Another Greenville megachurch of over 2,000 is in the exploratory stages of creating their first video venue.

Like I said in the first article, what will happen if [or when] Rick Warren plants a church in your town? Suddenly, I’ll bet the battles over the color of your carpet, or whether you do enough hymns will matter that much in the face of fierce competition by a megachurch on the move.

Which church do you think your average visitor would rather go to: a church that allows off-pitch Aunt Sally to sing solos, or a mega church with standards? [By the way, you don’t have to be a megachurch to have standards.]

In other words, churches, get over your dumb, ingrown habits and start getting serious about your mission. Or you’re going to go out of business.

If all this is happening in little old Greenville, your town is next.

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Time Capsule

Oct 4, 2006

I took a trip to the past last Sunday. Remember when Brooklyn Tab was all the rage? I think every choir in America had a copy of “He’s Been Faithful” in the early 90’s.

Funny, when something was “it,” that something tends to stay “it,” thinking that it’s still “it.” Brooklyn Tab is still doing what it did back then. Same lush orchestrations. Same quasi-jazz chords. Same template of quiet opening, with soloist, then a great big choir ending. It was wonderful and all, very touching, just like it was back in 1991. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Lots of suits and ties, so I felt kinda weird in my jeans. I would imagine a visitor off the street would feel weird, too. Now I remember why I like the fact that contemporary churches typically don’t dress up.

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My American Idol Experience

Aug 21, 2006

I just got back tonight from the American Idol tryouts in Birmingham. No, I’m too old to audition – I went with Seacoast worship leader Chris Sligh.

What an experience! Chris had to be at the BJCC Coliseum by 5am, along with thousands of other contestants and friends. Crowds were estimated to be 8,000 to 12,000. After waiting in line for a few hours he finally entered the building and took his assigned seat. He didn’t audition for over four more hours!

The entire bottom half of the Coliseum was filled with people. Section by section, contestants were lined up to take their turn. There were 14 booths, each with 2 judges who judged 4 contestants at a time. Each vocalist was asked to sing about 30 seconds of a song.

Even though Chris is a really great vocalist he’s flunked the past two seasons of Idol auditions. He decided he needed some sort of quirky gimmick to get himself through so he grew out his naturally curly hair into an afro. Hilariously, that’s what seems to have won this round for him – people told him all day that they “loved his hair.” The judge complemented him on his “great look” [as well as his vocal talent] and predicted he’ll make it all the way to Hollywood. The music biz is all about the image, folks!

Chris was handed the coveted yellow paper [signifying his triumph] and walked out as the crowd applauded. Judges are picky this year and few were chosen – guesses are not even 300 people were chosen for the next round, so it’s quite an honor that Chris made it.

Here’s how it works: anyone who makes it past the first round is either really great or really terrible. This round is basically meant to weed out the mediocre middle [although I watched the judges pass on a terrific young singer a la Paris Bennet… people in the crowd actually yelled out in protest “you should have kept her!!”]
In the next round Chris will have to audition before the show’s executive producers [the big wig$ who own the show.] If he makes it through he’ll then go before Simon, Paula and Randy. Then, hopefully, on to Hollywood where fame and fortune await.

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Postmodern Stations

Aug 8, 2006

A few weeks ago I talked about how Seacoast Church is doing the new postmodern stations thing [read “Postmodern Path” below.]

What’s so new about Communion and prayer? Here’s what: Seacoast’s version is optional and interactive.

The modern service order is linear – announcements, music, offertory, sermon – insert whatever – all in a straight chronological line. Everyone is experiencing the same thing, together, simultaneously.

The postmodern mind is different. Think of a teenager listening to his iPod, doing homework and watching TRL [MTV’s Total Request Live] all at the same time. This mindset can multitask, and in fact, would prefer to multitask. We live in an overstimulated age and a one-track mind can be boring.

While the Seacoast service is mainly linear, there is a portion that isn’t. During this portion of the service, a person can choose to do one, none, some or all of the following:

1. Participate in congregational singing.
2. Move to a station to receive Communion.
3. Move to a station to make an offering.
4. Move to a station and pray with leadership.
5. Move to a station, say a prayer and light a candle as a symbol of that prayer.
6. Move to a station, write a prayer concern [sin, healing, etc.] on a piece of paper and nail it to a cross.

Here’s how the current service order looks:

>5 minute countdown video.
>2 upbeat worship songs.
>welcome, announcements.
>sermon.
>3-4 songs or hymns, during which you may participate in any or all of the 6 options above.
>benediction

Church. It’s not just for sitting anymore.

See pics of the Seacoast Greenville stations at my new Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/worshipideas/sets/

Postmodern Path blog entry:
https://worshipideas.blogspot.com/2006/07/postmodern-path.html

Blended worship on a budget. HymnCharts.com is the best sheet music value on the Internet. Download a free contemporary hymn arrangement.

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LifeChurch.tv

Aug 1, 2006

Want to visit a cutting edge church to recharge your creative batteries? How about Saddleback? Status quo. Mosaic? Overrated. Willow Creek? They had their heyday in the late 90’s.

Surprisingly, I found the most innovative church I’ve *ever* visited not in a major metropolitan area like LA or Chicago, but in Oklahoma City, of all places. LifeChurch.tv is simply the most amazing church I’ve ever experienced.

With 9 campuses (one is virtual!) LifeChurch.tv has a combined weekly attendance of 17,000 people. It’s one of these video church networks I’ve been talking about lately.

Greg Atkinson and I visited the South OKC campus first, then caught the second service at the main campus north of town. Each location has 6 service options.

Unlike other video churches that operate on a delay (perhaps playing the sermon on video or DVD,) LifeChurch simulcasts the services live to all their campuses. Each campus has its own band, worship leader and campus pastor. The music may vary, but when the sermon begins, what you see is what’s happening at each campus.

LifeChurch really puts effort and $$ into their plants – I actually liked the auditorium of the south satellite better than the main location. The children’s facilities are top-notch… Disneyesque, actually [see pics, link below.] The signage, decor, coffee and bookshop are all first rate.

What sets LifeChurch.tv apart, though, is the overwhelming sense that these people know what they’re doing, and it’s not in the typical 2nd rate church way.

Like most seeker churches, the emphasis here seems to be on the sermon. The music was wonderful and more participatory than similar seeker churches, but not really long enough to satisfy those with a worship bent. I heard some Starfield songs as well as a rocked-up version of Lakewood’s “You Are Good.”

The sermon [although I wonder if that word really can describe what’s happening here] is where I connected. It was the most meaningful God experience I’ve had in a long, long time.

What made it so meaningful was a skillful, artful blend of a movie clip and pastor Craig Groeschel’s talk. This week’s theme was “At the Movies” and featured clips from the recent Johnny Cash flick that highlighted his tough childhood and his eventual turn to Christ [quite a solid testimony.]

Most pastors integrate a video by preaching a sermon point then announcing “watch this clip!” Here’s what was genius about LifeChurch: I sometimes couldn’t tell when the movie clip stopped and the preaching started – it was that seamless and professional.

Craig’s sermon points were previously filmed at different locations… a cemetery… an old house… it wasn’t just a talking head at a pulpit. He usually preaches live and is broadcast live, although this particular week the entire sermon was recorded.

One of my favorite moments of the service was a clip of Johnny and June making their way to an old country church and a choir could be heard in the background singing a hymn. The clip transitioned to Craig wrapping up his sermon, but you could still hear the audio of the choir, which slowly faded into silence. It was almost like watching a documentary. And unlike many seeker churches, I heard solid stuff – talk of sin, repentance and a need for Christ. The south location reported over 200 professions of faith last month.

Check out my pics from the trip, link below. But before I sign off, a few quick impressions:

1. Coordinating graphics are a subtle clue that a ministry has it together. Their fonts aren’t cheesy. Colors match and are used throughout the ministry, everywhere from coffee shop signage to seat colors and decor. Notice the cool font used for lyrics [see pics, link below.]

2. I saw some very unique signage – words projected on the hallway walls [see pics, link below.]

3. The guy running the song lyrics was singing along.

4. The stage lighting was exciting and appropriate. I counted at least 10 robot lights.

5. A brilliant use of the Internet. The .tv Internet domain suffix is rarely used, so they probably have it all to themselves! An upcoming sermon series is at mysecret.tv, and is a takeoff of similar, popular website. I’ll bet they register a new domain for every new sermon series!

6. Keep an ear out for new worship leader Stephen Cole – I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about him in the future. He’s the freshest, most engaging worship leader I’ve seen in some time – a great vocalist and guitar player. Stephen is the worship pastor at the main campus in Oklahoma City.

7. Instead of a keyboard pounding “Just As I Am,” a movie score orchestration faded in as a backdrop to Craig’s sermon wrap up (invitation.) The orchestration was probably taken from a commercial stock music library, but the effect was absolutely beautiful and added weight to what Craig was saying. Props to a church that can rock, but isn’t afraid to use some classy music.

Visit their extraordinary website:

https://www.lifechurch.tv

See pics from my visit at my new Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/worshipideas/sets/

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Postmodern Path

Jul 25, 2006

A few weeks ago I talked about a new phase of my life – I’m now working with the music team of Seacoast Church here in Greenville. You can read more about it at this blog.

At my first staff meeting, campus pastor Chris Surratt announced that the Seacoast campuses were going to make a big change – head pastor Greg Surratt wanted to implement prayer, Communion and offering stations into the worship.

I was so excited I nearly jumped out of my chair. After reading Dan Kimball’s “The Emerging Church” a few years ago I became interested in this new wave of worship and thought it would meet a need in the Greenville area. A big rule in marketing is to find a need and meet it – and since no church that I know of in Greenville is doing the stations thing, why shouldn’t we be the first?

Greg takes a few weeks off each summer, and last year he visited many of the leading postmodern ministries in the country. He felt that God was nudging him to help the people of Seacoast experience a richer, more involved time of worship.

It’s rare that a pastor of a megachurch would be willing to rock the boat and try something so radically new, but I suspect that’s why Seacoast is as successful as it is – they’re not afraid of new things.

The first Sunday, Greg reported that the new format was a hit – he witnessed a shift from a few people participating to hundreds. Since the main campus is a week ahead of the rest of us, we saw the results the following Sunday. The beauty of the stations concept is that people can choose to actively participate (or not) by moving forward to take Communion, give their offering or have prayer, all options during the praise set. I’ll describe these stations in more detail in the future.

Now that we’re having Communion every week we’re keeping an ear out for more Communion-ish worship songs. Chris Sligh, one of the talented worship leaders here in Greenville has written a fantastic Communion song. I don’t know why this guy doesn’t have a record deal yet – he wrote the music and lyrics, sings on the demo like a Nashville session singer and played the guitars on my track. It’s my first collaboration with a Seacoast artist, and you can download a free mp3 and lead sheet here:

https://worshipideas1.wpengine.com/CommunionSong.html

Worship leader, visit WorshipMax.com and learn how your Internet connection can make your life easier. It’s a paid website with over 100 practical articles about contemporary worship as well as weekly resource links and downloads.

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Worship Leader Mentoring

Jul 3, 2006

By Tom Lane

Two things I remember from very early in my life, one is I loved my music and two, my identity was heavily attached to it. It was a challenge any time someone else got promoted or was praised besides me. I felt less than for some reason, funny how it starts early on.

Later I learned there’s so much talent in this big world and how sad if my worth is based on a comparison to any other. A friend who’s a legendary guitar player in his own right helped change that for me. He would stop in mid performance as if he was amazed at something I played or look at me across the stage with such affirmation and praise in his expression. It floored me because I knew in truth he was the amazing talent. What I realized is that it didn’t cost him anything to acknowledge and build me up. It made him stand out all the more and freed me to do the same with other players, feeling good about just being the best me I can.

We each can take steps to move over and make room for those around us. It’s a good practice and helps us to see who we are more honestly. It may be hard to prefer someone or pass an opportunity along that will lift another’s spirit but it will always come back to you! Give these a try if you haven’t already:

1. Adopt a younger Muso you know that needs encouraging in their gifts and talents.

2. Schedule regular time with them, to befriend and teach them anything you know and that has helped you. Pass it on!

3. Affirm their strengths and praise them any time you can. Gently encourage their weaknesses!

4. Bring them with you to do what you do, let them learn from you in a professional or ministry situation.

5. Develop your own internship program where they can begin to assist you on a regular basis for a specified time with any and everything from small to big.

6. Model and teach responsibility in all areas of life. Be available!

7. Give them the platform and opportunity occasionally with the grace to learn and fail in the process, fade into the background and let them shine!

8. Train your own replacement or sub.

9. When you’ve done all you can, help find another mentor or opportunity to usher them onto.

10. Commission and bless them as they go and let them go!

Mentoring sounds like and old man’s job really, that’s at least how I always thought of it. Sadly it took me too long in life to wake up to the truth that it’s a part of discipleship we’re all commissioned to do by Christ Himself. In fact the youngest of you can impact someone in your own world.

Hopefully you don’t feel threatened or guilted into anything but excited that what you have as an individual musician and as a band in any setting can be given away! Make it a part of who you are and what you do-you’re Vision!

Our positions and titles only entitle us to serve. Move over and make room!

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