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All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. http://read.ly/Ps22.27.ESV

Blended worship probably means different things to different people, but the most common use of the phrase seems to be in regards to styles of music used for worship services. The typical goal of a blended worship service is to use music from different generations to create an environment that appeals to (or provides a worship experience for) different generations. It’s basically a little something for every generation represented: some hymns, some choruses, some traditional, some contemporary…you get the idea.

I’d like to propose an ancient approach to the Blended Worship gathering. Throw out the emphasis on style. Style is important to an extent, but shouldn’t be our main focus.

Through relationships and really serving our congregations we can learn a little about them and hopefully they can learn a little bit about us and why we do what we do.

Focus on unity. Emphasize being on the same page.

It’s one thing to try and shove modern worship music down the throats of older generations that prefer a more traditional approach. It’s another thing (and a totally different thing might I add) to try and lovingly win the trust and support of those older generations by letting them in on your methods.

To just throw them away and leave their heritage, traditions and even music styles behind is not the goal…which is why I think we try and create a “buffet” of musical styles with our blended worship services. We want our older generations to be happy and we want our younger generations to be happy. Our goal should be to create an environment (regardless of music style) where everyone KNOWS the who, what, and why of the elements involved.

Who: If your primary service wants to reach out in any shape, form or fashion, WHO is the target group? If everyone knows, understands, and ultimately supports reaching out to a specific target group, it’s easier to grasp the selected music style chosen.

What: What elements can be used to create an atmosphere that influences that particular target group? Most likely music is the gateway. If ALL generations understand this and are on board with this, it’s so much easier to sacrifice preference.

Why: Creating a serious vision/mission statement for your music ministry can go along way to help ALL generations understand the purpose of your worship ministry. Insider focused? Outsider focused? A little of both? Balanced? Young target? Old Target? In between?

The more I hear about different services being cranked up to cater to the different generations the more I’m saddened. I feel like with our good intentions to really create environments where people feel comfortable expressing their worship, we’re falling into a hidden trap. One that the enemy has set for us and that we’ve not seen coming. It’s a little wedge of good intentions that continues to divide generations.

I’ve gone as far at times to think that even having youth group and children’s ministries can (at times) take away from “family worship.” I know I can be extreme with those thoughts, so I won’t linger on them, but at the same time I can’t help but wonder what the Church in America would look like if we worshiped TOGETHER. Young and old. Not saying we shouldn’t have separate ministries, but I just wonder.

Blended worship to me is all about getting people on the same page. Not fragmenting our services into sub services for the sake of pleasing people. Sure we want our congregants to express their worship fully, but if the first thought in their minds is, “This is MY favorite style of music” or “I hate this style of music” then it seems to me we’re only catering to self and not teaching sacrifice.

Blended worship shouldn’t be about the music, but more about blending generations together into ONE SHARED HEART. ONE SHARED PURPOSE. ONE SHARED VISION.

Bringing glory and honor to God TOGETHER.

Ultimately these are just my thoughts, and are not in any way an attack on any individual “blended worship” services or “approaches” but just what I feel the Holy Spirit has dropped into my heart to wrestle with. If you’d like to join me in wrestling with and pondering these thoughts, please do.

Had a great time squeaking out some high high high tenor parts this past Sunday at www.sscommunitychurch.com. Not that they’d be high for a tenor, but I’m not really a tenor! More like a lazy baritone! But I was a trooper and squealed them out.

1) Glorious (Munizzi): Key Gm. I’ve done this one for years but never really had to actually sing! Did I mention my part was high? It was a fun song to open up with. Fred had a nice click and accompany track set up and the band played the arrangement well. This isn’t an easy song to pull off.

2) Glory to God (Fee): Key A. This js the first time I’ve sung this one. Really enjoyed it.

3) Take My Life (hymn): Key(s) D, Eb, E. One of my favorite hymns of all time. Used as the “prayer” of consecration over babies and their families in a time of baby dedication. Was vey nice!

4) Revelation Song (Riddle): Key D. Not the rocked out arrangement I’m used to leading, but I wasn’t leading, just singing high tenor, so I just rocked that! Ha just kidding. I love this song backwards and forwards so you could play any arrangement and I’d eat it up. This one was REALLY easy to jump right in and sing with. I slipped over on to the keys (Fred slipped back to the grand) and I added some nice string pads while singing the tenor.

5) If You Say Go (old vineyard): Key D. Hadn’t heard this one in a really long time. But it ended the message time really well. I think people really responded as we closed with this one each service.

Loved being a part of the team this week and I’m looking forward to many more!! Join me and other worshipers from all over sharin our Sunday experiences!

Simple is good. Less is more.

After a busy summer and a VERY busy beginning to fall, including TWO moves, I wanted to slow down and just rest. My design reflects this. A simple single candle.

This month’s design is based on Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”

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I’m posting this via iPhone, since I’m currently without Internet at our new place here in the beautiful Golden Isles region of Coastal Georgia. We’re still unpackig boxes, but we are OFFICIAL residents of our “dream” area!!

I was invited by my good buddy, Fred McKinnon, to sit in with the St. Simons Community Church band this Sunday. Definitely an honor and an opportunity I wouldn’t miss!

Fred was out of town on a mission/training trip for Compassion and so he asked me to fill the “keys” slot in the band.

Rehearsal thursday night went great. I jumped right in and added what I could when I could. Apparently it was sufficient because everyone was very nice.

Sunday morning went well.

1) I See The Lord: I think it’s an old Ron Kenoly tune. Key G.

2) The Rock: and old gospel, bluesy tune. Key G. This one was fun. Got to cut loose with some bluesy stuff and even play a little solo in the middle.

3) Hosanna: (Baloche) Key G. Pretty standard arrangement.

4) I Can Only Imagine: Key E. Switched over from keys to grand piano on this one. Love playing a REAL piano!! Went well. Standard arrangement.

5) 6) 7) Medley of Come to the Table, You Are My King and On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand: Key D. These were during the after message communion set.

I really enjoyed playing this week. It was VERY nice to come in to a well running ministry and just offer my talents to serve the congregation and to worship God in music WITHOUT wearing the leader’s hat. Everything was so smooth and well thought out: from the organized and labeled IEMs, to the snacks in the green room, to the communion for the team in the back between services. I loved my first day of serving with the band.

It was a pleasure and I hope to do it again soon!

join me and other worshipers as we share our Sunday experiences and Sunday Setlists.

Today was my first day volunteering at St. Simons Community Church.

We do a livestream for each service and one of the volunteer stations is manning the chat and camera work for the internet stream. I really enjoyed it. For most of my participation in Sunday Setlists I’ve been singing or playing an instrument in front of everyone.

It’s REALLY nice to sit back and serve BEHIND everyone!!

Looking forward to next week too. I’ve been invited to sit in with the band on keys.

My favorite “moment” of this week was A Mighty Fortress (Christy Nockels): The team did an AMAZING job with this one, and honestly I didn’t want it to end.