El Ben
03-25-2007, 01:09 AM
Hey folks,
I am Ben Harrell, otherwise known as El Ben the Terrible, El Ben the Brave, and El Ben the Incredibly Horrible Driver. I'm 22 years old, recently graduated from bible college (the Master's School of Ministryhttp://www.msomonline.org ), and currently involved in full-time ministry, whatever that means. I'm currently the student ministries pastor/worship leader at Christian Renewal Church, Saint Simons Island and I've recently started playing and leading a little at Elevate Young Adults ministry.
As far as it goes with music in the context of arts, I've loved it since being a kid. I've been jamming out to eighties hair metal, nineties grunge, and even the occasional country song since I was old enough to talk and music has always been a part of my life. I've been involved in instrumental and vocal performance for the past fifteen years ranging in variety from orchestral performance to lead vocals for a rock band I was briefly in during High School.
As far as it goes with music in the context of ministry, I lead worship (quite horribly) for the first time when I was about seventeen. Things picked up in bible college, where I met my best friend, Clint Barley, who is probably one of the most incredible worship leaders I know. He gave me some pointers, and now I can lead worship without people wincing, which is a great feeling. :)
My philosophy on leading worship is simple. I have no lengthy 12-point message on the theology of worship or a comparison of modern-day worship to the Tabernacle. Here's my thoughts. It's not about how correctly I worship, how creatively I worship, or (dare I say) even how much that I connect with God. It's all about serving His people. As a worship leader, I exist to serve the people I lead, and regardless of how I feel, or what I want to do, my job is to get them connected with the Holy Spirit, and if I have to sing Kumbaya M'Lord to do that, then so be it. To me, it's all about creating an atmosphere where people connect with God, because trust me, God can do more in someone's life than me, you, Matt Redman, Darlene Zschech, or Israel Houghton could ever hope to.
As far as genres go, I like to do a lot of varied stuff. A typical worship set for me is a blend of gospel, modern, and prophetic/new wave worship.
Things I DO Like (when it comes to worship):
1.) A band that knows each other. There's nothing like the pure liquid satisfaction of a drummer and bass player who play the same beat pattern or a lead guitar who knows exactly the right place to put that big U2-ish swell.
2.) Having a drummer. CRCSSI is the only place I've ever been in music ministry where I haven't had to beg, borrow, or steal a drummer. Honestly, is it that hard to find one?
3.) Those moments when the music fades-down to a barely-audible tinkling and the voices of the people fill the room. (The old Benny Hinn crusade tune "Hallelujah" is a great one for this.)
4.) Opening my eyes to see that people are feeling the exact same thing I am.
5.) Experiencing the presence of God moving through someone else on the team besides me. (i.e.: when other people lead)
6.) Being able to turn around to two of my student leaders (who are also on the worship team) and being able to say "Go." and watching as they lead people into an intense moment of worship.
Things I Do Not Like (when it comes to worship):
1.) Theologically splitting hairs. We've got enough divisions in the Body without Joe Blow or Susie Q. trying to prove how much they know by arguing moot points.
2.) The awkward times when worship leaders talk between songs. It's just not my thing. Some people dig it, but I don't talk a lot in worship. I figure that's the preacher's job.
3.) The lack of FLOW. Chopiness is the Devil. I hate it when bands will finish a song and then just STOP, then move on to the next song. Even if the song is in a different key, add a transitional chord for crying out loud! For me, I like things to flow together nicely.
4.) People who completely leave God out of the equation of worship. There's a big difference between playing an incredibly-layered worship set and playing something that people can worship with. I've been places with incredible music, but lousy worship
5.) Those services (we all have them) where it's no one's fault, there's no spiritual reason, and no logistical reason for the unadluterated suckage that's going on, but the suckage continues to flow.
6.) The lack of depth. To me, worship should be a platform, not only for connection to the Holy Spirit, but for the edification of the body via the gifts of the Spirit. Worship, to me, should be a time where the Holy Spirit is free to do whatever He would like to do, no matter how uncomfortable or strange it may seem
Well, there we go. That's my rant. Stick a fork in me. I am done.
I am Ben Harrell, otherwise known as El Ben the Terrible, El Ben the Brave, and El Ben the Incredibly Horrible Driver. I'm 22 years old, recently graduated from bible college (the Master's School of Ministryhttp://www.msomonline.org ), and currently involved in full-time ministry, whatever that means. I'm currently the student ministries pastor/worship leader at Christian Renewal Church, Saint Simons Island and I've recently started playing and leading a little at Elevate Young Adults ministry.
As far as it goes with music in the context of arts, I've loved it since being a kid. I've been jamming out to eighties hair metal, nineties grunge, and even the occasional country song since I was old enough to talk and music has always been a part of my life. I've been involved in instrumental and vocal performance for the past fifteen years ranging in variety from orchestral performance to lead vocals for a rock band I was briefly in during High School.
As far as it goes with music in the context of ministry, I lead worship (quite horribly) for the first time when I was about seventeen. Things picked up in bible college, where I met my best friend, Clint Barley, who is probably one of the most incredible worship leaders I know. He gave me some pointers, and now I can lead worship without people wincing, which is a great feeling. :)
My philosophy on leading worship is simple. I have no lengthy 12-point message on the theology of worship or a comparison of modern-day worship to the Tabernacle. Here's my thoughts. It's not about how correctly I worship, how creatively I worship, or (dare I say) even how much that I connect with God. It's all about serving His people. As a worship leader, I exist to serve the people I lead, and regardless of how I feel, or what I want to do, my job is to get them connected with the Holy Spirit, and if I have to sing Kumbaya M'Lord to do that, then so be it. To me, it's all about creating an atmosphere where people connect with God, because trust me, God can do more in someone's life than me, you, Matt Redman, Darlene Zschech, or Israel Houghton could ever hope to.
As far as genres go, I like to do a lot of varied stuff. A typical worship set for me is a blend of gospel, modern, and prophetic/new wave worship.
Things I DO Like (when it comes to worship):
1.) A band that knows each other. There's nothing like the pure liquid satisfaction of a drummer and bass player who play the same beat pattern or a lead guitar who knows exactly the right place to put that big U2-ish swell.
2.) Having a drummer. CRCSSI is the only place I've ever been in music ministry where I haven't had to beg, borrow, or steal a drummer. Honestly, is it that hard to find one?
3.) Those moments when the music fades-down to a barely-audible tinkling and the voices of the people fill the room. (The old Benny Hinn crusade tune "Hallelujah" is a great one for this.)
4.) Opening my eyes to see that people are feeling the exact same thing I am.
5.) Experiencing the presence of God moving through someone else on the team besides me. (i.e.: when other people lead)
6.) Being able to turn around to two of my student leaders (who are also on the worship team) and being able to say "Go." and watching as they lead people into an intense moment of worship.
Things I Do Not Like (when it comes to worship):
1.) Theologically splitting hairs. We've got enough divisions in the Body without Joe Blow or Susie Q. trying to prove how much they know by arguing moot points.
2.) The awkward times when worship leaders talk between songs. It's just not my thing. Some people dig it, but I don't talk a lot in worship. I figure that's the preacher's job.
3.) The lack of FLOW. Chopiness is the Devil. I hate it when bands will finish a song and then just STOP, then move on to the next song. Even if the song is in a different key, add a transitional chord for crying out loud! For me, I like things to flow together nicely.
4.) People who completely leave God out of the equation of worship. There's a big difference between playing an incredibly-layered worship set and playing something that people can worship with. I've been places with incredible music, but lousy worship
5.) Those services (we all have them) where it's no one's fault, there's no spiritual reason, and no logistical reason for the unadluterated suckage that's going on, but the suckage continues to flow.
6.) The lack of depth. To me, worship should be a platform, not only for connection to the Holy Spirit, but for the edification of the body via the gifts of the Spirit. Worship, to me, should be a time where the Holy Spirit is free to do whatever He would like to do, no matter how uncomfortable or strange it may seem
Well, there we go. That's my rant. Stick a fork in me. I am done.