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February Songwriting Showcase [Songs Based on Psalm 31]
March 4, 2010
At the beginning of February I issued a challenge to The Worship Community and invited any and everybody that wanted to participate to undertake a songwriting challenge.
Write a song for worship based on Psalm 31.
An Experiment in Writing
December 29, 2009
Over the last two years, I have been writing a self-biographical novel titled “What the Church has Taught Me : and What I am Trying to Forget.” It is basically a story of this artist/father/son as he struggles in his attempt to find a place and purpose in the Kingdom as both a servant and a son. In anticipation of it’s publication, The Worship Community has graciously allowed me to publish a couple of chapters of the book for your enjoyment/critique, but be forewarned. This is a vain attempt to hook you on the story, and then compel you to purchase a copy when it releases! I hope you are okay with that. Please enjoy, and know that your opinion is both welcome and necessary!
I Stand Before Your Throne
December 2, 2009
Recently, the words to a song that I wrote a few years ago keep running through my head. I feel compelled to share them here in the hope that they will be a blessing to someone.What Makes a Great Worship Song?
June 10, 2009
What is a “Worship Song” Anyway?
In order to define what makes a great “worship song” we have to figure out what a “worship song” actually is. Is it a song by a “worship artist?” Is it a song that you sing during “worship?” What kind of “worship?” What is it?
Jazz Livin’
June 3, 2009
I was having coffee at Starbuck’s with a friend and fellow musician today when the conversation turned to one of his favorite jazz recordings: Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea doing a lot of improvisation- free flowing spontaneity within a very loosely sketched, skeletal arrangement.
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Our Creative Community
May 7, 2009
Accountability.
Discipline.
Two words that aren’t typically associated with creativity.
Songs in the Night
April 10, 2009
As a songwriter, my inspiration for songs comes from LIFE stories. My inspiration often comes from the things God brings me through. Darlene Zschech once said, “A song needs to be lived before it is sung”. Those are the words that ring in my heart whenever I sit to write a song. Life is not always a bed of roses and romantic sunsets, sometimes life gives us lemons. So where in LIFE do we derive inspiration for a song? Here is an example from my life that I hope inspires you to write songs out of your own walk.
Tips For Introducing Original Songs
March 18, 2009
This year, our Praise and Worship Team is focusing on new and original music. We have a few songwriters, including myself, whose songs have been lying dormant. It is time to revive them. So how do you introduce an original song to your Praise Team? Read on for some ideas to help you out.
Developing A Songwriting Community Through Your Church, Concluded (pt. 4)
November 11, 2008
Writers Mingling Before A Sojourn Songwriting Seminar
In the previous three articles we looked at reasons for establishing a songwriting community, ways to do that, and how to establish the community through regular workshops and fellowship. But if your goal is to produce new worship music for your church fellowship, then your songwriting group hasn’t arrived until it’s doing that. And it’s not going to do that in the most efficient manner until you provide clear direction and lay out a vision.
This can be as simple as saying “We need more songs about the cross” or “we need some good ‘Call to Worship’ songs and some songs of assurance.” Then you need to communicate how writers should submit songs. If you have a small church and only a couple writers, this might be an informal process. Large churches will need to come up with specific procedure, which might look something like this:
Developing A Songwriting Community Through Your Church, Part Three
October 6, 2008
Now we’re diving into the middle of how to start a songwriting group, so if you haven’t read part one and part two of this series, I’d encourage you to begin there. I’m going to begin this article by addressing pastors, elders — whoever is in charge of “shepherding the flock” of your church. If this doesn’t describe you, then you still have a role to play in this article: show it to your pastor. You’ll need to give him an idea of the kind of sub-group you’d like to launch within his church’s music ministry, and you’ll need his counsel.
