Responsible Christian by guest blogger Jennifer Peña
Life does not always span out the way we hope or plan, and it consists of many paths full of events and circumstances we might not understand the purpose for right away. Such was the road I chose when I was approached about leading worship at my church. I entered as a newly saved Christian with a considerable amount of experience in music, but obviously, not much in worship. My campus pastor, who had become a person of great significance in my life and my walk, asked me if I would help out until they found somebody else to fill the position. I obliged, thinking that helping out shouldn’t demand too much of my time or attention, or interfere with me reaching other goals I had set for myself in my life and career. But I was wrong. Worship wiggled its way into every crevice of my life, and consumed me from the minute I said “Sure”, with a shrug of my shoulders, and crossed the line onto a yellow brick road of sorts.
Experiencing the surprising workload in the first week, I quickly realized that this position required more responsibility than I had anticipated. I would need to manage my time wisely, and do my work well. Nobody wants to let down the church, or far more importantly, God! As the weeks went on, I improved at completing the work that appeared on my leaders’ long list of expectations, but I had grown so accustomed to only being responsible for my family and myself that dealing with that responsibility and sudden change proved difficult for me. I will admit that giving up crossed my mind on numerous occasions, but in growing as a Christian, I came to realize that leading others in worship happened to be my calling. This job ended up being so much more about loving God’s children, opening their hearts to accept and hear from Him, encouraging the team of musicians around me to grow close to Him, and growing closer to Him myself than the tedious tasks of selecting songs, assigning parts and scheduling musicians that had been so overwhelming in the beginning.
So, it turned out that my “expertise” in music is not what got me the job or helped me to keep it long after replacements had been found, but rather my heart and craving for the opportunity to inspire and lead others by example that the leaders of my church saw. Given the chance to uncover the purpose of my existence, my obedience put me right where I needed to be, leading me home, and there really is no place like it. I believe that God had many lessons to teach me about responsibility in the past year, and I understand now that He meticulously placed me on that perfect path where He could best demonstrate His power and control in every aspect of my life, fulfill His promise to strengthen me in times of need, and teach me that I can always trust in Him. Most importantly, He graciously provided me with the platform I would need in order to be a responsible Christian and fulfill my primary duty in obeying His commandment to “go and make disciples.”
Great Expectations by guest blogger Monica Carrion
When I was asked to contribute a blog post, I was plagued with doubt and fear about what I should write and what people would be expecting of me. That got me thinking about expectations in general—what we expect of others, our relationships, our jobs and about what God is expecting from us. Expectations can be used to push us forward or grind us to a halt. In a worship context, the expectation of perfectionism and creativity are heavy. But I sat back and asked myself, what is it that God is expecting of us in worship and as worship leaders? I know that I am hopelessly flawed and I have much to learn still about God, worship, leading, and being a Christ follower. Some days it is all I can do to be a decent human being. But luckily for me, God doesn’t require that we be perfect musicians, perfect leaders, or even perfect Christians.
As I was reading in my quiet time, I came back to the heart of worship. God boasted about David who was a flawed man, king, and Christian, but a true worshiper. I think it is impossible to believe that we can be anything more than that. In my most humble of studies I found that a true heart is what God is seeking. As musicians, we can excel in our craft, maintain creativity and create dynamic worship service, and God will give us those achievements if our worship is sincere. However, worship leaders cannot expect to take anyone to an atmosphere of worship if they are not there. Oswald Chambers explains: “‘Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . .’ (Isaiah 55:1). Are you thirsty, or complacent and indifferent— so satisfied with your own experience that you want nothing more of God?” We must satisfy ourselves with God before we can help others find satisfaction in Him. This truth is where I find my personal conviction. My private worship and prayer time could be more and should be more!
I told my team last week that we had to be examples of worship, but I quickly realized that extends far beyond Sunday morning. The reason David could defeat a Goliath was because he spent all his time worshiping God in the fields. I began to ask God at what point did I stop chasing Him? Did I think I could actually catch Him and all of His wonder? Our chasing of God embodies true worship. Pursuing Him in everything and with everything shows our thirst for Him. “Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:3-4 NLT). Our worship is found in seeking the Lord!
What are your Goliaths? I am not going to sugar coat the fact that being in a worship ministry is tough, but we can fight our battles in worship. The big breakthrough that we have been praying for, the obstacle that we cannot seem to overcome, or that mountain that we just seem to keep circling will all find their victories in Christ. The children of Israel had to march around Jericho screaming and blowing the trumpets for seven days before the walls fell down. We must realize that God has a plan for all of our detours and delays. I don’t know about you, but I need to have some walls come down in my own life. I want to make it a priority to not just make great music, but to make great worship. God expects it from me. He desires true worship from all of us. Only when we keep our focus on God and chase Him without ceasing will the true joy of worship be found: “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:11 NLT).
Monica Carrion Worship Director Bay Area Fellowship – 5 PointsTRUST by guest blogger Jennifer Peña
One of the most beautiful and satisfying things in ministry is the opportunity we are given to let God use us in changing people’s lives by utilizing the talents He’s given us and by choosing the right music for worship each weekend. We work on it weekly with the highest hopes for life change and acceptance of Christ by visitors, seekers and anyone who’s ready for something more in life. But what happens when you don’t know why you’re making the choices that you’re making?
Father’s Day weekend was a difficult one for me because I really wanted to take advantage of the fact that a lot of dads (and families) that don’t usually attend church were going to be there. I really wanted to touch someone. I wanted to reach someone’s heart by picking the right songs. But, most importantly I wanted a dad to visit, accept Christ and see the awesome plans that God has in store for them and their families. Actually, that’s every day, every weekend!
The week started out with a few song changes because I originally had three musicians, then it was two, then one. Tuesday morning, I had posted three songs on Planning Center with the fourth song pending because I wanted it to be the “special song” for the fathers in the audience. Song choice is limited when you only have one guitarist and one vocalist. So, I spent the entire day listening to music, getting ideas and interpreting lyrics. But, nothing felt right! Finally at about 9pm, I posted a fourth song I felt satisfied with and let my guitar player know that the complete set was posted.
I woke up Wednesday morning with a different song on my mind. I didn’t understand why since I was totally satisfied with the choice the night before. At this point (the day before practice) I had a musician who had probably already started learning the other song. I already knew it also. The thing that I didn’t understand about the new song in my head was that it talked about giving up! I argued my points with God for a while to make it easier on myself and I thought I could actually convince Him to let it go! (Haha!) As I asked why and awaited His explanation, I heard Him say, “trust Me.” I thought, “Hmmm, He must have a plan. One person out there might really need to hear this song.” This next part is what it’s all about.
I humbled myself and recognized that I am just His tool, His instrument, His vessel. In order to carry out His plan, I must obey. He knows so much more than me. So, I surrendered and called the guitar player to inform him of the last minute change. It worked out perfectly because he hadn’t started practicing the other song yet. I was happy and grateful for the conviction that I had felt and the chance that I had been given to prove my trust in Him. It was then that I KNEW that lives were going to be changed! The same thing happened later that day while choosing videos for that service and all throughout worship while sharing with the audience. Thank God that my reasoning and split-second feelings were quickly and completely overpowered by the power of TRUST.
Jennifer Peña Worship Director Bay Area Fellowship – Padre IslandBAF Beeville Update
We are currently working with architects Turner + Ramirez on the design of the building and have decided to level the floors in both of the large rooms. They were slanted because the building was formerly a movie theater. This will be an added expense but is more cost efficient when considering wheel chair access, cost of movie theater seating etc. So, here’s what we’re looking at so far…..
Beeville Campus Pre-Construction
Here’s a video shot by our MultiSite Pastor John Atkinson showing our newly purchased building in Beeville, TX. It’s in the “pre-construction” stage right now and will give you a good idea of what’s involved in refurbishing a old building for use as a multisite campus.
The Worship Side of Starting a MultiSite Campus
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, so I thought I’d update everyone on what we’re doing at Bay Area Fellowship. We currently have 7 multi site campuses; Alice, 5 Points, Padre Island, San Marcos, Rockport, West Side & Kingsville. We will be opening our 8th campus this fall. Our new location will be in Beeville, TX, which is about an hour north of Corpus Christi. The building is an old movie theater which has two large rooms in it. One side will be used as the children’s area and the other for worship. It’s in pretty rough shape so there will be a lot of remodeling done.
Whenever we look at a building, one of the first things I do is check out the dimensions of the room (height, length, width), acoustics, stage space, wall types etc. As the Pastor of Worship for MultiSites, I’m in charge of A/V (audio/video) install and purchasing, so these specs are important to know. The worship side of the Beeville building is 35′W x 65′L x 18′H.
I’m a hands on/visual person so whenever I get the specs that I need, I start drawing things out and planning for every cable (length, type) and outlet we’d ever need. The illustration below might look like a mess, but it helps me visualize the live stage and everything I’ll need to make worship happen.
A great FREE program to use to plan out stage construction is Google Sketch. It’s a 3D program which can get a little tricky but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple. The illustration below is taken from a drawing I made in Google Sketch which shows the auditorium from different angles. These pictures are very useful when presenting your ideas and vision for the stage to the Campus Pastor and whoever signs the checks :0)
As I mentioned before, I handle the purchasing of the A/V equipment needed for worship, so in trying to be the best steward possible and to stay organized, I create a spreadsheet and list everything that we’ll need with online prices by category (see below). This gives us an idea of what the total cost for A/V will be. I submit a copy to my supervising Pastor and keep one for myself, then print out a copy without the prices and take it to the area music stores for bids. This gives me an opportunity to compare the two and negotiate for a better price where applicable. The equipment below is what best suits us. Please do your research. Visit your local music store and A / B a couple of PA systems and try to include everything you’ll need to give the worship area the feel and look of your style of worship.
As far as vendors are concerned, I find it very useful to use local businesses that you can form a good relationship with. This really comes in handy when you have rehearsal on Saturday and you blow a sub. If you’ve got a good relationship with the local guys they’re more likely to come on over and swap it out or send you a loaner. There will of course be items that cannot be purchased locally like the projector, screen, CAT5 baluns etc., so there will be a little bit of online shopping going on as well. A few online sites I use to get prices for the equipment needed are…
As you can see, there’s a lot involved in this part of opening a campus. It’s important to do your research. I haven’t even talked about recruiting musicians yet! That’s a whole other story and this one’s already to long :0) As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to submit.
10th Annual Independent Music Awards
Corpus Christi’s Own Joey Davila Band Joins Ra Ra Riot,
Melissa Auf der Maur, Flying Lotus,
Jim Campilongo, Jackson Browne and David Lindley
As Nominees for The 10th Independent Music Awards
More Than 300 Self-Released and Independent Label Talent Nominated
For Immediate Release
March 22, 2011 – Corpus Christi based Joey Davila Band join Ra Ra Riot, Melissa Auf der Maur, Flying Lotus, Hemoptysis, Darrell Scott, Jim Campilongo, Jackson Browne and David Lindley and other self-released and independent label talent as Nominees for The 10th Independent Music Awards (The IMAs), the influential awards program for independent bands and fans. Representing the broad spectrum of today’s global independent music scene, the more than 300 Nominees in nearly 70 Song, Album, Music Video and Design categories were culled from submissions from North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.
Known for celebrating artists that follow their own muse, The 10th IMA Nominees are an eclectic mix of rising stars including Strawfoot (Alt. Country Song), Hemoptysis (Metal/Hardcore Song), and Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three (Amerciana Album) and established talent including telecaster virtuoso, Jim Campilongo (Instrumental Album), experimental multi-genre artist, Flying Lotus (Music Video and Dance/Electronica Song), and indie rockers, Ra Ra Riot (Pop/Rock Album). Perhaps better known as major label acts, this year’s Nominees strutting their independence include former Hole bassist, Melissa Auf der Maur (Indie/Alt./Hard Rock Album), and songwriting legend Jackson Browne with David Lindley (Live Performance Album).
Winners will be determined by a panel of 62 influential artist and industry judges including Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Pete Wentz, Bettye LaVette, Seal, Adam Duritz, Ozzy Osbourne, Arturo Sandoval, Martin Atkins, Andrew W. K., Shelby Lynne, Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour), Bill Bragin (Lincoln Center), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone), Pat McGuire (Filter Magazine) and Evan Schlansky (American Songwriter) and will be announced in mid-March 2011. Music fans have until July 11 to cast their votes at The IMA Vox Pop Jukebox to determine the fan-selected IMA Winners.
Hear the music of all Nominees at: http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/10th/album
Artistry Has Its Awards
Celebrating the democracy of creativity and meritocracy of talent, The Independent Music Awards honor exceptional independent artists who are, traditionally ignored by mass media and big box retailers. For the past 10 years, artists and labels from around the world have found new fans and prominence through The Independent Music Awards. Produced by Music Resource Group, publisher of the popular industry networking database The Musician’s AtlasOnline, and producers of the original webTV series, Grooveable Feast, The IMAs use its unrivaled access to performance, promotion & distribution opportunities to connect Winners and Nominees to new audiences and revenue opportunities. Earning IMA honors goes beyond a badge of distinction. Artists credit The IMAs with increasing recognition among music fans and industry gatekeepers. Past winners and nominees include: And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Cursive, fun., The Flatlanders, Spinerrette, Holly GoLightly & The Brokeoffs, Vienna Teng, The So So Glos, Cephas & Wiggins, The Matches, All That Remains, The Cliks, Oran Etkin, State Radio, Lee “Scratch Perry, The Very Best, Tim Easton, Marco Benevento, Kes The Band, Jamie Lidell, Lacuna Coil, The Trews, Joan As Police Woman; Koko Taylor, Miguel Migs; Speech, God Forbid, Lionel Louekee; Jeff Healey, Johnny Dowd, Chris Whitley, Ike Turner, The Apples in stereo, Mary Gauthier, Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland), The Mooney Suzuki, and Denque Fever among many others.
Give ‘em Heaven in 2011
This is for all of my Musician buddies out there. Happy New Year! I pray that this is the year that you give back to God what He has given to you, the gift of music. There are so many churches in your area that would be extremely blessed if you were to lend a hand in the worship bands, whether as an instrumentalist, a vocalist, a sound engineer, or even a producer. If you’ve ever thought of your church’s music or worship music in general as “mediocre,” its time to be part of the solution. As your fellow musician that has been playing at church since 2002, I encourage you to “make the ask” and become part of a life changing ministry that will bless you and everyone around you immensely. Let’s give ‘em Heaven in 2011! Woo!!!
Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! (as sung by Elton John)
Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! (as sung by Elton John). If you are going to add Saturday services, please have a plan of attack. Let the worship/production teams know about it 6 months in advance and figure out your scheduling. Things to think about are….
Will the same band do all services? Will you do video worship on Sat. and full band on Sun? Maybe you could do a solo acoustic/vocal on Sat. and full band on Sun. When would they rehearse? If rehearsal was on Thursday and services were on Sunday, whats the schedule with a Sat. service? Will they cancel Thursdays and rehearse on Sat. a few hours before service? If they get paid, will they be getting paid more?
It’s a lot to think about so having your plans in order will benefit everyone involved.
