ENCOUNTER MARCH 2024

Here are the lyrics to some of the “wordier” songs for our time together on Sunday 24th March PM….

HERE FOR YOU

Let our praise be Your welcome

Let our songs be a sign

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let Your breath come from heaven

Fill our hearts with Your life

We are here for You, we are here for You

To You our hearts are open

Nothing here is hidden

You are our one desire

You alone are holy

Only You are worthy

God, let Your fire fall down

Let our shout be Your anthem

Your renown fill the skies

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let Your Word move in power

Let what’s dead come to life

We are here for You, we are here for You

We welcome You with praise

Almighty God of love

Be welcomed in this place

We welcome You with praise

Almighty God of love

Be welcomed in this place

Let every heart adore

Let every soul awake

Almighty God of love

Be welcomed in this place

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PRAISE

I’ll praise in the valley

Praise on the mountain

I’ll praise when I’m sure

Praise when I’m doubting

I’ll praise when outnumbered

Praise when surrounded

‘Cause praise is the water

My enemies drown in

As long as I’m breathing

I’ve got a reason to

Praise the Lord, Oh, my soul

I’ll praise when I feel it

And I’ll praise when I don’t

I’ll praise ’cause I know

You’re still in control

My praise is a weapon

It’s more than a sound

Oh, my praise is the shout

That brings Jericho down

As long as I’m breathing

I’ve got a reason to

Praise the Lord, Oh, my soul

I won’t be quiet, my God is alive

So how could I keep it inside?

Praise the Lord

Oh, my soul

I’ll praise ’cause You’re sovereign

Praise ’cause You reign

Praise ’cause You rose and defeated the grave

I’ll praise ’cause You’re faithful

Praise ’cause You’re true

Praise ’cause there’s nobody greater than You

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FREEDOM

Step out of the shadows

Step out of the grave

Break into the wild

And don’t be afraid

Run into wide open spaces

Grace is waiting for you

Dance like the weight has been lifted

Grace is waiting

Where the Spirit of the Lord is

There is freedom, there is freedom

Where the Spirit of the Lord is

There is freedom, there is freedom

Come out of the dark just as you are

Into the fullness of His love

For the Spirit is here, let there be freedom

Let there be freedom

Bring all of your burdens

Bring all of your scars

Come back to communion

Come back to the start

Chains will fall, prisons shake

At the sound of Jesus’ name

Lives made whole, hearts awake

At the sound of Jesus’ name

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WE CROWN YOU

To the One who wore a crown of thorns

To the One who took the lash and scourge

For the hands and feet that were pierced by nails

For the sacrifice that has torn the veil

We crown You!

We fall face down and we worship!

We all cry out “You are worthy God!”

“You are worthy, God!”

To the One who gave His very life away

Who took upon Himself all our guilt and shame

Hanging on a cross for the world He loved

With His precious blood purchased men for God

We crown You!

We fall face down and we worship!

We all cry out “You are worthy God!”

“You are worthy, God!”

To the One who endured

All the shame of the cross

To the Lamb who was slain

As atonement for us

To the Son who overcame

All the power of death

We praise…

For the stripes for the wounds

For the beating You bore

For the tears for the blood

That was willingly poured

For the merciful, wonderful, majesty of Your love!

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GREATER THAN IT ALL

I fix my eyes upon the cross

I’m reaching out with all I’ve got

I’m letting go to start again

I need your love, that’s why I’m here

Waiting outside my life, it calls

So while I’m here I’ll give my all

You are my peace within the storm

Here at the cross I find my home

You are greater, Jesus, you are greater than it all

Than it all, Grace and mercy found me

Oh, the blood of Jesus is greater

Grace and mercy found me

Oh, the blood of Jesus is greater

Lord, I believe you rose again

So I don’t believe this is the end

You never fail, you have a plan

My life you hold within your hands

So I’ll walk by faith and not by sight

You are my source, you are my light

In you, I live, I will not die

You stretched these wings now I can fly

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A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

Who else would rocks cry out to worship?

Whose glory taught the stars to shine?

Perhaps creation longs to have the words to sing

But this joy is mine

With a thousand hallelujahs we magnify Your name

You alone deserve the glory the honor and the praise

Lord Jesus, this song is forever Yours

A thousand hallelujahs and a thousand more

Who else would die for our redemption?

Whose resurrection means I’ll rise?

There isn’t time enough to sing of all You’ve done

But I have eternity to try

Praise to the Lord, to the lamb

To the King of Heaven

Praise for He rose, now He reigns

We will sing forever

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KING OF KINGS

In the darkness we were waiting

Without hope, without light

‘Til from Heaven You came running

There was mercy in Your eyes

To fulfill the law and prophets

To a virgin came the word

From a throne of endless glory

To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father, praise the Son

Praise the Spirit, three in one

God of glory, Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming

And to reconcile the lost

To redeem the whole creation

You did not despise the cross

For even in your suffering

You saw to the other side

Knowing this was our salvation

Jesus for our sake you died

Praise the Father, praise the Son

Praise the Spirit, three in one

God of glory, Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

And the morning that You rose

All of Heaven held its breath

‘Til that stone was moved for good

For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs

And the angels stood in awe

For the souls of all who’d come

To the Father are restored

And the church of Christ was born

Then the Spirit lit the flame

Now this gospel truth of old

Shall not kneel, shall not faint

By His blood and in His name

In His freedom I am free

For the love of Jesus Christ

Who has resurrected me

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HOLY FOREVER

A thousand generations

Falling down in worship

To sing the song of

Ages to the Lamb

And all who’ve gone before us

And all who will believe

Will sing the song of

Ages to the Lamb

Your name is the highest

Your name is the greatest

Your name stands above them all

All thrones and dominions

All powers and positions

Your name stands above them all

And the angels cry holy

All creation cries holy

You are lifted high holy

Holy forever

If you’ve been forgiven

And if you’ve been redeemed

Sing the song

Forever to the Lamb

If you walk in freedom

And if you bear His name

Sing the song

Forever to the Lamb

We’ll sing the song

Forever and amen

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WORTHY IS YOUR NAME, JESUS

Worthy Is Your Name, Jesus

It was my cross You bore

So I could live in the freedom You died for

And now my life is Yours

And I will sing of Your goodness forevermore

Worthy is Your name Jesus

You deserve the praise worthy is Your name

Worthy is Your name Jesus

You deserve the praise worthy is Your name

And now my shame is gone

I stand amazed in Your love undeniable

Your grace goes on and on

And I will sing of Your goodness forevermore

Be exalted now in the heavens

As Your glory fills this place

You alone deserve our praise

You’re the name above all names

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I SPEAK JESUS

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over every heart and every mind

‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence

I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

‘Til every dark addiction starts to break

Declaring there is hope and there is freedom

I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every stronghold

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over fear and all anxiety

To every soul held captive by depression

I speak Jesus

Shout Jesus from the mountains

Jesus in the streets

Jesus in the darkness over every enemy

Jesus for my family

I speak the holy name

Jesus

Faith is spelled r.i.s.k…..

Last December I was given the challenge to choose a word for the year. A word that I was going to claim. I chose courage.

Someone once said to me – “Never pray for patience! Because God will test that and keep you waiting!” But you know what happens when you pray for courage? God challenges you with things that are really scary. Like terrifyingly scary. But once you take that leap and just get on with the task He has set you – you realise that there is no place you would rather be than walking in His direction.

I forgot I claimed this word back in January. Until today. I was reflecting on how amazing our time of worship was Sunday night at church and realised that it was only down to some risk taking that we were able to meet with Jesus in powerfully new ways. My heart was proper racing when I was prompted to speak or sing out or do nothing at all – but once I jumped and did what I felt I was being told it was the most beautiful place to be in. Meeting with Jesus and knowing that others were led there too.

Before the service I sensed that God gave me a picture. It was of a rickety old rope bridge and Jesus was the other side of it. He was saying that we have to risk this scary experience in order to really meet with Him. He would always be there if we didn’t take the risk, but only at a distance. I hate rope bridges, I especially hate them when someone else swings the thing and I’m trying to cross! But taking that risk isn’t always going to be a comfortable one. But the rewards for it can be awesome! And if it means meeting with Jesus more intimately then bring it on yeah? Easier said than done but if we aren’t obedient to Holy Spirit’s promptings then that is never going to happen.

I heard Tim Hughes’ new song: Only the Brave earlier today. He has taken one HUGE risk leaving his amazing job at HTB behind and planting a church of his own – totally trusting in the Lord. Just thought I’d finish my random blurb with this chorus….

Only the brave will go where you go

Into the fire, but never alone

We know you’ll always carry us home

Only the brave will go where you go

Love and prayers

Erica x

Hear The Whispers of Heaven….

Just a quick one tonight. At the end of a seminar about song writing (audio is available here http://www.worshipcentral.org/life/article/song-central-wcconf-14) a lady called Debs at the end spoke to us all about something she had strongly on her heart. What she said blew my mind at the time. And reading it back again just gets me excited all over again. God is doing a huge new thing, there is a shift in our worship going on right now – we can either move with Him or stay where we are and only be half as satisfied as we could ever be. I hope it inspires you as much as it has inspired me.

God wants to sing over his church. We are the carriers of His singing, to break walls down and sing a new song. God’s heart.

God is looking for people who will write out of their hearts He’s asking us to come up higher and storm the heavenly realm and bring Heaven down to Earth.

In Joshua the Levites (worship leaders) went first to break the walls down simply by worshipping God for who he was and what He could do. He wants us to do the same today. We need to see the spiritual realm, worship prophetically and BE BOLD to do it!

Do not be ashamed of the gifts God has given you. If anyone has ever said that you are weird or that there is something wrong with you for being prophetic or worshipping prophetically there is nothing wrong with you! We are in the world but not of the world! You need to come up and walk in the identity that your heavenly father has given you. There is nothing wrong with having a prophetic anointing on your worship!

We need to step into our giftings. God is calling us to sing a new song. There is a new song coming from the Heavenly realms. Its not going to sound like how we hear songs etc today. Its going to be Heaven singing, heavenly songs that God is longing to sing over His people.

We need to hear the whispers of Heaven and then sing them out!

Whew. Alot of that really spoke to me. But especially the last bit – to hear the whispers of Heaven – to be so in touch with the heavenly realms that we can hear/sense the small things going on and know what God wants to say to us. But not just to hear them, but to have the boldness to sing them out!

Erica xxx

Leading Worship for the World

I’m planning to do a series of blogs based on all the notes that I wrote at the Worship Central conference back in 2015. There were so many fantastic points made that need sharing and reflecting on months after and I personally find it really helpful rereading them and typing them up like this.

Martin Smith led a seminar called “Leading Worship for the World”. The video is here if you want to see the whole thing

To lead worship for the world means not keeping it contained inside a church. It means bring God’s light and love into the world and God anointing our gifts and using them to touch people and move them to know and see His glory whether we are speaking of Him of not. It means that when the music in the church gets so on fire it spills out into the world. How might that look like?

It is pretty amazing that God can take someone’s life, pluck them from obscurity and give them an assignment. Something only they can do. Something that God has created them to do and none of us are here by chance. None of us musicians have the gift of music by chance. God gave birth to us and gave those with the gift of music to sing the new song. We are all alive for this moment in history.

God wants to give us more faith for what God has called and chosen us to be. And we need to take whatever we have inside of us and let it explode for the sake of the glory of God!

A shift is happening – God is about to do something in our generation. We need to re position ourselves for where God can do it. Believe that God is going to give you something new, fresh and something that will spill out into the world.

It can seem that our worship music is a little religious. We have somehow got stuck in a moment and need God to unstick us. A creative community within our churches can seem a dumbed down version of all the potential it could be. For many of us it is about respect for the people that we are serving because not all of us respond to things getting spontaneous and loads of new songs every service etc. But it is not a rebellious thing – its is about freedom.

The devil has got hold of a generation (in the creative world) where there is a holy fire that God has put on us to let loose our Holy Spirit creativity that will not be created to serve the institution of church but to set the world on fire!

Our creativity was not intended to serve the institution of the church but to set the world on fire.

Martin then refers to 1 Samuel 16: 14

¹⁴At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and in its place a black mood sent by God settled on him. He was terrified.

^15-16Saul’s advisors said, “This awful tormenting depression from God is making your life miserable. O Master, let us help. Let us look for someone who can play the harp. When the black mood from God moves in, he’ll play his music and you’ll feel better.”

¹⁷Saul told his servants, “Go ahead. Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸One of the young men spoke up, “I know someone. I’ve seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He’s also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him.”

¹⁹So Saul sent messengers to Jesse requesting, “Send your son David to me, the one who tends the sheep.”

^20-21Jesse took a donkey, loaded it with a couple of loaves of bread, a flask of wine, and a young goat, and sent his son David with it to Saul. David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.

²²Saul sent word back to Jesse: “Thank you. David will stay here. He’s just the one I was looking for. I’m very impressed by him.”

²³After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out his harp and played. That would calm Saul down, and he would feel better as the moodiness lifted.

David was an excellent musician. Whenever the darkness depressed Saul, David would play and make things right. This is our calling as musicians to do that same thing for other people in the world.

Ask yourself – why was I given the gift of music? To be involved in leading worship maybe, but to also bring healing and light in the dark places. Now we’ve learnt about worship over the many years its time to use what we have learnt and spread it out into the world.

The best creative stuff is going to come from the church in this generation. There are so many Christian musicians already playing in mainstream bands, in the clubs and on the stages of high profile festivals. We are one day going to be the little shepherd boys and bring our gift of music into the dark places and God is going to use that. For it to be great though, its got to be a little bit wilder. We were born to be creative and wild and set God’s fire lose. And if we aren’t doing that then we’re only half the people that God has created us to be.

Over the years if has been the general thing that if God has given you a gift of music, singing and leading worship then you should use it for the church. And we have believed that so much that we have kept our gifts for the house and not out into the world. So it has bred a generation of “this is what we do: but while we’ve been doing that it feels like the river has been changed.

There was a picture given of an amazing bridge – but there was no function for the bridge because the river had moved! The river has moved in worship or its moving. And that’s why we need to be prophetic and be ahead of the game and not follow the world. There is whole generation of musicians and artists who are not going to be tamed and will speak to the world. And this could be a challenge to ask the Holy Spirit to come again, to breath his fire into our hearts and to be wild again. A lion was never meant to be trapped in a zoo. And there is something inside of us that needs to be set free.

Wherever you go sing over people. Whether in church or out of it – just explode wherever you go! God is saying “I love you and I love it all”.

Just like Saul in Samuel 1 the world is screaming “Is there anybody out there that can play the harp?” That can bring light into the dark places, that can make people feel better about themselves and when we play or sing the Spirit of God is going to move and the glory of God is going to come.

How. Very. Exciting!

Erica xxx

The Big 5

http://www.worshipcentral.org/life/article/big-5-wcconf-14

Here are some more notes from the Worship Central conference I went to last year. In this seminar Luke Hellebronth, Nikki Fletcher, Ben Cantelon & Henry Marsden speak about five big topics that can transform the way your team leads worship. Auditions // Transitions // Musical Direction // Rehearsals // Team Morale.

AUDITIONS

Set the bar high but reach down low.
Remember it is an anointed job
Build teams up for longevity
Focus on a person’s character above gifting
Meeting first can help a relationship to be formed and help you to learn where the potential team member starts. The Levites were a huge family and this is so important when leading worship together.
Check for commitment/dedication
Encourage them to choose songs/arrangements
Ask yourself – do they get it? are they spirit led? are they teachable? do they really care about what they do?
When giving feedback speak the truth in love. If not the answer they’d might like give them pointers to grow and always offer 2nd chances.

TEAM MORALE

Relationship – love people more than the task
Vision – have one for your team, think about what does encountering Jesus look like for your team?
Culture – what we bring is more powerful than what we do
Fun – Jesus has done the worship, lets just join the party
Encourage, encourage, encourage
Speak well of each other
Recognise and release giftings, ensure everyone is doing what they are really good at
Pray together

REHEARSALS

Honour the sound, visual and production team
If you want to see fruit you have to be prepared
Be clear in your communication
Hold people acountable, give reachable targets and encourage improvements
Know what to want to leave with having achieved in rehearsals
Honour time
Have fun – “High standards – low pressure”

TRANSITIONS

In this part of the seminar Ben Cantalon goes through the process of changing from one song to another. Have a listen for some great ideas and examples to flow from one song to another.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Have you ever noticed the guy playing the bass at the back with a “secret microphone”? Well I was just gobsmacked to know that many “professional” worship bands have an MD nowadays who speaks the directions through the band’s in ears. This frees up the worship leader to focus on moving with the Spirit. Here is a lowdown on what he/she does…There is also a part on the audio (3/4 towards the end) when Henry Marsden demonstrates how he directs a band during a time of worship.

What? They navigate the music so the worship leader can see the bigger picture. The worship leader leads the spiritual which the MD leads the practical. A co-leader in a band could take this role on in a smaller church who is able to read what the the worship leader wants and convey it to the band. The MD is also the person that arranges music and ensures that the band knows what each person is doing.
How? Using a microphone that is only heard on the monitors/in ear monitors just for band guidance. They give count ins, count outs and reminders and instructions for chords, sections and outros etc.
When? They may give instructions during junctions between solos and sense/read when the worship leader wants to go.
Why? To communicate with a band.

So some rather useful stuff that has helped me to revise some important points and learn some more. The main point I want to claim from it all it is this:

What is the culture you want to create? Be that culture!

Erica xxx

Spontaneous VS Prophetic Worship?

A couple of months back I was wondering to myself what is the difference between spontaneous worship and prophetic worship? If there even was a difference. So in true Erica style I tapped the question into Google and found yet another pretty interesting video of Brian Johnson talking on the subject.

There is also another summary on this website http://www.worshipu.com/blog/spontaneous-worship-vs-prophetic-worship/ but here are the points that I caught from what Mr Johnson had to say about the matter.

When preparing a set list we need to prepare it like it depends on us and lead like it depends on God. One way of looking at spontaneous worship is being on holiday. When away you need little bit of planning before you go, but sometimes to get the best out of you time away its good to just go with the flow and be spontaneous.

Worship leaders are prophetic. They could hear from God at the time of preparing or even when leading. Choosing songs can create the moment. God is involved in the preparation and choosing of the songs. He wants our ideas. Someone could be given a word about a song being sung during that service and evoke a response. That is prophetic.

I totally agree and love hearing him say that music in it’s very nature is prophetic. It has the power through God to cause change and music opens the door to invisible realities whether evil or good. Music is basically a series of vibrations and God created the world all interconnected with sound, light and vibrations. Vibrations hold the world together to keep it’s shape. Music is prophetic. It creates. It can change a mood and an atmosphere.

Music can change an atmosphere. It can open the reality of God to people who might not necessarily know it, feel it or sense it. When you tap into something and you can feel yourself saying “woah”, that’s when God is breathing on what you are doing. And that’s a good thing. Creating an atmosphere where God’s voice can be heard is a very good thing.

A very important point he makes is that it is more about presenting our hearts than presenting our music. We have to learn as prophetic musicians and worship leaders to be funnels of what God is saying. A funnel from what God is saying to our own personal emotions and feelings. God isn’t against emotional responses to Him. Prophetic is more than an emotional response – it’s what God is saying.

The thing that causes people to question and bow and worship is more important than the music. There are many examples of God moving through worship. In Jericho when they marched around the wall they laid up a shout in worship and God moved! When David played before Saul God moved Saul and ministered to him. God uses music to be used in powerful powerful ways.

Our God is a gracious loving God who doesn’t judge our worship to Him. A lot of times in our own emotions we release. When we praise or play before the fact – things happen. There is a reaction because of that. Songs are a runway for that prophetic and tapping into what God has to say whether it is a spontaneous song of praise or a prophetic word.

Spontaneous worship can shift and turn into a holy moment. You can hit a nerve during a spontaneous time and then just know God is involved and speaking. We need to cultivate these moments and learn when they happen. We need to practise just as much this process from spontaneous to prophetic.

Good advice for worship leaders and musician is instead of getting intense about prophetic start out with your love for God. He doesn’t care what that expression looks like. If you have 10 minutes to pray spend 8 minutes of it in worship, adoration and paying attention before the Lord. You are going to get your best moments when you hearts are in a place that are turned towards God. When God does it naturally and it is not forced he will take it way further than you could on your own in your own power.

God is very much into giving us something and seeing what we will do with it. We aren’t robots. We are children of God.

Phil Driscoll (a worship musician) says: “I’m trying to keep my craft for the level that will allow me to flow with the Holy Spirit”. Learning for head knowledge is great but to be an effective prophetic worship leader it’s about learning how to hear what God is saying and then play it/sing it out. It is important to become one with your instrument. You don’t want your limits to limit the Holy Spirit. I really hope that a few of my worship instrumentalists get the chance to read this because I find this such an amazing, liberating thing and they really need to be encouraged that God wants to use their skills to minister to our church in beautiful ways they could never imagine.

We hear differently and we respond differently in worship. Pictures, daydreams, words, insights, feelings, allowing there to just be a flow. Learn how you hear and don’t try to hear like someone else. We need to learn what He is anointing in our lives. Sometimes talking isn’t as powerful as when we sing it. But sometimes it can be the other way round. Learn how to communicate the prophetic song put it into some kind of form so people can hear it and respond to it. Sadly this can mean a long time of trial and error.

Another great point is the challenge to be more concerned about the heart than being right. There are no limits with God. He will break every rule that you will make.

Music feeds the spirit. And it is a very wonderful privilege to put the lyric of God into people’s heart so that they can grasp it and remember it in their everyday lives.

It is just so exciting to be reminded that music is so so so powerful and God wants to use it in so many ways to move, change and minister to the church. Its up to us now to listen, proclaim and respond.

Erica x

Every single one of us gets to play….

Worship wonderings....

This whole subject of prophetic and spontaneous worship excites me! I love the insight that God gives to us so we can see where He is moving, what He wants to say and how He wants us to respond to Him. I used to see prophecy in complete isolation with worship leading a few years back. How wrong was I! It is just amazing that like in James 4:8 – if we “draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. And when we draw near to God in worship and praise He longs to draw near to us with encouragement and edification. Just wow!

I went to the New Wine Conference at the weekend and it was just so lovely meeting with God and worshipping in a building filled with so many other like minded people. And when a room full of people proper give it their…

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Nick Drake: A Deeper Note

I went to the Worship Central Conference in November 2014. It was awesome. And I intend to go again this year if anyone else wants to join me 🙂

Anyway, I’ve found a load of notes in my journal from the seminars and keynote talks. I thought I’d put them on here in case they of use to anyone else. Plus it is so useful for me to re-look at them too – I forgot I wrote some of it!

Nick Drake did a seminar called “A Deeper Note”. It asked the question – “why do we sing” and looked into the theology of worship.

He started by giving a quote from Pete Ward (Selling Worship) that “As the mass is for Catholics, the sermon for Protestants… so the sing of songs is for Charismatics”.

What does it mean to encounter God in sung worship?

Encounter = the weight of his glory impressioning on us… an imprint left by Him. [people who come to church] should expect to be encountered by God. It is a memorable meeting of two people.

How do we know the church has God involved and moving?

John Wimber says we know this when “We are headed towards one goal – intimacy… marked by close association, presence and contact”.

What does it mean to have intimacy with God in sung worship?

It means an inward direction, coming towards Him, one direction INTO God, bringing ourselves. But it is also an outward direction with all things are happening and moving in Christ. The Spirit is the perfecting agency and cause bringing it all into completion through us. It is also about meeting for we can look more like Him, through us and to others

How do we articulate ENCOUNTER in our church?

WORDS – what do words do?

They more than declare reality. They open up the reality that they talk about and then evoke an experience. Nick Drake does go on to say that repeated words have more power (!)

MUSIC – what does music do?

It has the power to affect emotions and it can affect us physically. It is a physical action with VOICE and INSTRUMENT

Music + Words = Song

– Melody heightens words with meaning.

I love this next bit by the way…

THE PATHWAY OF SONG

WORDS affect our INTELLECT, then our EMOTION and the our BODY. MUSIC affects BODY, then our EMOTION, then our INTELLECT.

Words and music affect the same things but in the opposite order

PRAISE AUTHORISES EXPANSIVENESS!!!

God longs to see your face and who are becoming and most fully you are in Him. SINGING BRINGS THAT!

Sometimes what we are singing is the action of the Spirit manifesting His power. Without the Spirit this opening up doesn’t happen.

Where is the power in sung worship?

Singing enables an openness, an expansiveness. Music leaders should encourage and give the people that confidence to be have that power to bring that openness and allow the Spirit to move. We need to “saturate people in song” and get “under” the room.

We need to sing, and to self reveal ourselves as much as we can reveal before the Lord through song and not be inhibited!

It matters in how we pray and prepare
It matters that we are utterly dependent on Him
We need leaders who are incomplete without the Holy Spirit.

Here is link to the whole talk together with slides (with lots more fab quotes and points that I didn’t get to write down in time).

http://www.nickjdrake.com/2014/11/worship-central-lecture-2014.html

Erica x

Brian and Jenn Johnson video notes…

Ok, so I said that my next blog would be notes from Brian and Jenn Johnson’s seminar on Prophetic Worship at Worship Central 2013. So here are my notes from it. Most of it is about prophetic worship, some are just thoughts that are really useful too. I think that Bethel church are providing amazing resources for the church at this time and really equipping us to encounter Jesus as much as we can. I hope it makes sense to you and if as affirming as I have found alot of things people have been talking about on this subject lately. xxx

What is prophecy in worship?

– Having a heart that is open and willing to not know what to do with what God may be saying but having a heart that wants it more than what you fear it will look like.

– Anything that has the breath of the Spirit on it. At the right time. A prophetic song can be sung in that moment.

– Its about keeping the antenna on and going with the flow and singing it out.

– When we look for the mind of Christ we shouldn’t be surprised when we get it.

– Its about submitting to Christ and encouragement and exhortation

When co-leading?

– Brian and Jenn usually have a ten song set list with ideas to pull from

– Sometimes you don’t know what to do and that is when you take the risks and start singing out in the moment.

– Honour the point with each other

What helps to hear from God and step out?

– The worship hat needs to always be on. Its not about “preparing” for worship – its a lifestyle. Brian goes on to say that Jesus lived His life in ministry mode all His life.

– Hearing God’s voice is something you need to keep practising.

– When you obey Him when you don’t understand then He will use you more and more.

– Start to want the risk of hearing Him to outweigh the fear. Pray for COURAGE and care more about going for it than the fear of failure.

– Start to say and believe – “Why do I care what they think?!” Cross over that line! Care more about worship and being in His presence and going for it and representing Him than what it is going to look like!

– Sing something in the moment and just watch God do His thing. Vulnerability and humility is important.

– Some people are born to naturally get it – but we can all grow in it.

How do Brian and Jenn Johnson help teams grow in prophecy?

– Encourage no fear and it’s ok to make mistakes. Say to them “anything you do won’t scare me” Be open, honest and accountable. Discuss things constructively too though to encourage others to practise in it and develop this gift.

How can you help congregations to be open to space/prophetic?

– Bethel are blessed to have a 24/7 prayer room where people worship and pray. Its a very good space to feel out the spontaneous and prophetic. (Is there a space for this in Milton Keynes maybe? Sorry, just a thought!)

– Practise to keep the flow. Practise individually. Practise in teams.

– Encourage and say maybe “We’re going to hold on this chord progression and I encourage you to sing out your own song…” Keep on making baby steps in the safe places you can make risks and it slowly starts to happen in meetings it may hardly happen in.

– At 29:28 they give an example of spontaneous/prophetic worship.

– David played skillfully before the Lord. He knew what to play in that moment. We should be developing our skills to have that same musicality and insight.

How can we begin the prophetic/spontaneous in a church setting that has no idea about it?

– No matter what you’re doing, whether sticking to a song list or stepping out you should always be taking the temperature of the room from back to the front and feeling things out.

– Maybe go off the page a little and catch a phrase that we can sing easily together like a hook.

– We are leading everyone in church all at different life stages.

– Prophetic/spontaneous worship doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can be something everyone can sing. The goal of this is not only to show God to people in the room but also that the person can have a moment to respond because of that moment.

Do worship and evangelism connect?

– People can come to Jesus through prophetic ministry.

– When worshipping and creating an atmosphere people will question “What is this?”

– Worship and evangelism are very connected and our goal is to point people in the right direction.

– We are created to encounter God.

Intimacy in Worship?

– Its about relationship and engagement.

– Our view of the Father is so drastic and there needs to be a healthy teaching on the love of the Father. A healthy perspective of the Father is important.

– Ask God. Show me how you look like as a Father. Show me how you look like as Son. Show me how you look like as Spirit.

– The heart of God is for us to be in love with Him.

Family Life?

– Jenn said that a lady once said to her to not let anybody tell you how your family life should look buy to let HIM tell you how this is going to look!

– If the enemy can get you overwhelmed then he can get you giving up. Declare the opposite of putting yourself down. Declare that God is greater and because of that you won’t be overwhelmed! (Jenn wrote God I Look To You by first saying “I am so overwhelmed” but then made a much stronger emphasis by saying “I won’t be overwhelmed”) The words we use have so much power and shape on our lives.

– Submit your schedule to the Lord.

– Keep things paused until God unpauses them. Be seasonally minded.

Closing comments

– Brian said: “In your pursuit for excellence don’t forget the things that got you there” Some of these things only you and God will ever know. Let God know that it is all from Him and all for Him.

– Don’t forget the things that you learned on the way and then when you arrive that you continue these things.

– God declares who He is through us.

– Know who you are. Loved. And made in His image.

Great, I’m off to watch some more videos when babies are a napping 🙂

Love and prayers

Erica xxx

Every single one of us gets to play….

Anyway, before I go off on one again. We went to a seminar called “Prophecy in Worship” led by Becky Drake and Nick Herbert. I just thought to blog a few notes I took from it, many of which I found very affirming. Hope they are of use or interest to you…

WHAT IS PROPHECY IN WORSHIP?

– James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”

– Worship is a 2 way dialogue. Its assessing God’s voice and movement and leaders need to develop the skill/gift of managing it.

– It is opening a space and surrendering to what the Holy Spirit wants us to do/sing/say

– I love this one… Its about creating and giving SPACE for the Spirit to break in

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

– Have an expectation of God moving

– expect more from Him

– be aware and remember that that is so much more of God than we could ever imagine. And feed that expectation.

– Acts 2:17 – ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams’.

– every single one of us has the ability to hear from God. John Wimber said “Every single one of us gets to play”

BE SPONTANEOUS

– Its about doing the right thing at the right time.

– Its about getting insight

– John 5: 19 “I only do what I see the Father doing”

– Are we too ordered in a church service? Does is feel like the church in Corinthians when anything could happen? When was the last time you had a chat with the service leader/band members/minister in the moment?

– steward anything God is doing in the moment

CULTURE IS KEY

– Know why you do what you do!

– Continue to develop personal relationship with God and ask Him what He wants said, sung and done.

– Worship opens doors to God’s kingdom

– Many leaders have this wrong sense of responsibility to lead the worship and to lead the spontaneous etc – but we are to instead steward God’s plans and movements.

PROPHETIC SINGING

– Like David and his harp instrumentalists can use their music to bring God’s heart to His people. And singing can too.

– The main reasons to sing out are to edify and encourage. If it isn’t really what God wants to say its ok to take a risk as long as it edifies and encourages.

Things to do to get a prophetic song

1.) Pray for it!

2.) You can craft a set. Matt Redman does this and plans for the spontaneous times – they might be used, they might not, but its good to have plans for the band to follow just in case. Its about creating some time that is free for the Spirit.

3.) Have a bank of scripture to memorise amongst band that God can draw upon and then use them to maybe put scripture into a new song or an already written song.

4.) Stand back from the mic. speak or sing in tongues to fill up and reflect. Then take the bold move to put music to what God is saying and the responses (I bolded bold because thats a key word to me at the moment concerning all this stuff)

5.) Be disciplined with it. Maybe start things and then just stand back and see if the song is in the room. Don’t dominate – you aren’t leading, the Holy Spirit is.

6.) Don’t get too anxious! It is a partnership. God will use anything edifying and encouraging.

7.) Learn to minister/pray for others too. And encourage band members to get training as well so they all know what to expect and how to respond to God when He is on the move in times of worship.

TAKING RISKS (ARGH!)

– All God wants you to do is be obedient and let Him work

– Its about the Spirit of God leading the worship and standing in the moment and going for it

– “A risky space becomes a holy place”

1.) Recognise the tension between spontaneity and reality. See your set list like a boat and try to lead your worship like a meandering river rather than linear. Take risks but maybe go back to the boat (set list) if/when things get a little choppy. But take risks to stay in that place of freedom for as long as possible.

2.) Think about how to respond if the congregation steps out or doesn’t. Think about the expecations.

3.) Don’t be afraid to wait – and question the culture if not

4.) Embrace mess

And above all KNOW WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO... Blessing comes in unity.

If you have an hour (or chunks of time) to what this. I found this really lovely insight about prophetic worship from Brian and Jenn Johnson at the Worship Central conference a couple of years ago. I’ll type up some notes on it in my next blog soon too 🙂

Erica x

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