Back In His Footsteps

To this day I still use the word God spoke to me when I truly began living for Him. For those of you who know me you may be familiar with my life verse, but for those who don't I've probably used it in my blog before. The scripture is from Romans 12: 1-2 and it was the word God spoke to me when my eyes were reopened to Him.

I had lost His footsteps somewhere along the road and I was traveling down a path I shouldn't have been on. Up until I finally left my first college my walk with the Lord was absent, but he changed that once I dropped out. Looking back it was God leading me away from the school, so that he could work on me and reclaim me. Looking back on that period in my life God put a pause on everything and made me sit down and talk with Him... for about a year and a half. When I mean sit down and talk with Him I mean praying and asking hard questions and Him giving me hard answers. Answers that tore me up and changed me completely. This is where my life verse comes in.

I had read it right before I left my first college and then about five hundred times once I got home. For me the second verse related directly to where I was which states "Do not any longer conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve God's will for you, His good pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2)." WOW! Every time I read that verse, or recite it those incredible memories get stirred up and I get fired up. During this year and half God drilled this into me to the point where I only wanted to be transformed by the renewing of my mind according to what His word told me. This is something I never thought would happen.

Since the second verse had pushed so hard into me, once the first verse finally hit  me my eyes were truly opened. "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1)." It wasn't enough for me to leave the bad things alone, but fully give myself to Him. Simple yet profound.

After this moment I felt my footsteps realigning with His and then the train start to move. That train brought me here, to Visible Music College, where God has me fulfilling his good, pleasing, and perfect will.  Last class we talked about time and it's different terms. One of those terms is Kairos referring to the fulness of time, or a season of life...

That was a season of life where God worked in me and truly rocked my world.

Running Sound: Know the Basics

http://www.musiccleveland.com/PA_System_Basics.html

This past summer I got the most experience I've had running sound. I didn't necessarily run a board for an extended period of time, but I did get to set up a system and see how it works. My home church had to set up and take down every Sunday and so as I helped my friend (the sound guy) set everything up I paid attention to how he did things and worked the room to get the best sound out of it. During the week when I would have worship practices I needed to set up a system myself, so that helped me get very familiar with how things worked. Although I may not be able to mix well and EQ rooms right now, I have enough knowledge to step up if need be.

Basic System:
- mixing board
- amps (supply power for speakers, instruments, mics, ext..)
- speakers
- cables (mics, instruments, speakers,ect..)
- microphones/instruments

Setting it up:
1) Make sure all power is OFF
2) Plug necessary cables into the input/channels of the mixer and then into the designated microphones/instruments
3) Plug speaker cable into the output socket of the mixer
4) Plug other end of speaker cable into the input socket of the speaker
5) Plug the amps into the mixer board (if you have them) and then you will plug the speakers into the amps
6) When turning it on: Mixer first, then amps, then speakers.
7) When turning it off: Speakers first, then amps, then mixer

That should be a how to on a basic PA type system with instrumentation. If there seems to be some iffy things then let me know, after all I don't know it all. I would also suggest running through these steps with your whole worship team so that everyone has an idea of how to set it up and turn it on to get things rolling. It can't hurt, but only help.

My goal is to grow in proficiency with sound so that if I ever need to step up and run it, I can. Hopefully this helps those who may not have understood before and gives you an idea of the basics.

God Bless!

Are you a Follower or a Leader?

I remember when I was in high school people would ask this question all the time. Are you a follower or a leader? Every time it was asked I didn't really answer because I didn't care, but it was somehow followed up by a condescending; Oh, your a follower... Every time this came about it made it seem like it was bad to be a follower, or to follow something rather than to take the lead, or be the initiator.

A few days ago in class the statement was made that in order to be a good leader you must be a follower first. I haven't thought about what happened in high school in a long time, but this idea brought me back into the past and through the path I've traveled up until now. All I have to say is transformation is amazing and you wouldn't even notice when it takes place. This was the case in my instance. Through these years I had put myself into the "follower" mindset, but God had a different plan which was using that in order to make me a leader. Now it all makes sense!

I wish that someone would ask me that question because then I'd answer, "Both". You need to be a follower first in order to be a leader, but as you become a follower you also become a leader. Very interesting and inspiring.

"Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ". (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul one of the biggest if the most important leaders in Church history. Not only did he start it, but throughout his entire life he led it alongside other apostles. Paul was a leader and he recognized this, but he also recognized his place as a follower to the biggest leader of all, Christ. It takes many things to become great followers and leaders such as humility, patience, strong will, and many others. The great thing is that these appear more so once we follow the example of Christ and become like Him.

So as we follow leaders here who we will learn from and get incredible insight from we can't forget our ultimate leader which is Christ, who called us all the follow him.


Be Blessed!





             

Preference is good, right?

Since I began leading worship one of the reoccurring issues i've faced is preference. It's easy to pick out songs and arrangements that I'm familiar with and I like, but it's harder to do the latter...... right? Preference was key to my success and also key to the stunt in my growth as a leader. 

Last class we talked about a whole bunch of incredible ideas for worship leading and worship ministry. Low and behold preference was one of the topics, but at this point my viewpoint had changed dramatically since the years past. After looking back, I saw the journey of following my own preference to laying myself down. Laying myself down..hmm.. why does that sound familiar?

^{..... "16} This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16 NIV).....

Right! It's in the bible. On a worship team it's as simple as letting someone else choose the way a song should end, or how to arrange it. It's as simple as removing yourself and allowing others to step in. Preference is a crutch that a lot of worship leaders hang on. Not only is it harmful to you personally, but to you're congregation as well. If I followed my personal preference every Sunday then I could easily stunt the guidance from the Holy Spirit when choosing songs and who wants to do that? Not me! 

Jesus constantly laid down His life for others. Since we're supposed to follow His example of living then why wouldn't I do the same? Why wouldn't I lay down my life to allow more amazing things to happen on the worship team, in the Church, and in His Kingdom. 

^"21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21 NIV)

Dear Lord, allow me to follow in Your footsteps in order to become more and more like You each day, so that I can lay myself down for others and move my preferences aside. 

Amen.