June 29, 2008 Worship Set

I must admit that this song written by John Mark McMillan has really caught on in the worship community as of late. It's called "How He Loves" and I first discovered it when Kim Walker from Jesus Culture / Bethel Church covered it on one of their albums. Then I stumbled onto John Mark McMillan's version on YouTube which is one of the most incredible stories you'll ever take in. And now there's another YouTube video making its way around the web using this song and cardboard testimonies. So it was confirmation that we needed to play this tune. It did not disappoint.

Call to Worship:

• Promises by Desperation Band

Worship:

• Not to Us by Chris Tomlin - This is an old one but a good one. We probably haven't played it in a year but the church is familiar with it so it was easy to sneak it into the worship set. They seemed to be into it.
  
• Glorified by Jared Anderson - I love this song and the church has been responding. I hope the whole Desperation Band covers it on one of their upcoming albums.
  
• Hallelujah to My King by Paul Baloche - This feels like a contemporary hymn but it's a song that warms my heart

Offering:

• How He Loves by John Mark McMillan - Raw. Emotional. Tugs at your heart. Makes you want to weep. This song says it all. Jesus loves you.

My favorite part of the service was seeing some of my friends worshipping in the back of the gym...arms and hearts raised without a care in the world.

June 22, 2008 Worship Set

I felt like bringing back some songs we've already played before as our call to worship and offering tunes. They had been blessing me lately and found myself humming them at random times.

Call to worship:

• Our God Saves by Paul Baloche

Worship:

• Everlasting God written by Brenton Brown arranged by Lincoln Brewster
• King of Majesty by Hillsong United
• Madly by Steve Fee

Offering:

• Maker of Heaven by Desperation Band

A lot of these songs by these groups are obviously written by real people, not groups. But the names escape me. I included the names of the groups since we play their arrangements and style. I really like running Everlasting God and King of Majesty into each other since they are both in the same key and relatively same beat. I am going to experiment next weekend in running Everlasting God into Holding Nothing Back by Tim Hughes at a worship concert.

I was starting to get burned out on Madly by Steve Fee until we played it last weekend as the recessional for a wedding. It's the perfect wedding song in so many ways!

June 15, 2008 Worship Set

Ahhhhh, Father's Day. I won't ever take this day for granted as a father of three boys. I have a huge responsibility to lead and guide these boys into men that can one day lead their families in communion with God. So it warms my heart to sing songs to the Father and to be intentional in our worship. I was very purposeful in a couple of songs to our Father.

Call to worship:

• Father Blessed Father (Newsboys) - I lead this song at a wedding and haven't been able to let go of it ever since. It's got a really cool, melodic almost moody sound to it. And it ends with some killer harmonies.

Worship:

• Endlessly by Desperation Band - I love rocking out to this song!
• Made to Worship by Chris Tomlin - This is the epitome of why God designed us they way He did and a good reminder.
• The Stand by Hillsong United - I layered this song with lots of scripture verses. I had my vocalists each read some scripture at the intro of the song and then read a bunch more before the bridge...all about standing with God.

Offering:

• Abba Father by the Daniel Doss Band - This song REALLY grew on me and I have fallen in love with it. It's a beautiful love song to God about being a great and mighty Father!