Justice League

I've always been a sucker for superhero teams - Avengers; Titans; Runaways; JSA; Teen Titans and of course the Astonishing, Amazing & Uncanny X-Men. But my favourite is the Justice League of America. It is kind of like the Real Madrid of the DC Universe. More often than not each incarnation of the team has included the iconic 'Big Three' (Superman; Batman; Wonder Woman) combined with other classic DC characters (The Flash; Green Lantern; Green Arrow; Aquaman) and many others too.

They are a team of fantastic individuals. They are powerful beyond imagination - yet only together, with the whole greater than the sum of the parts - can they defeat various threats to the world (or universe) (or multi-verse).

In one of my favourite JLA stories is the Pinocchio-esque tale of 'Tornado's Path' by Brad Meltzer in which Batman, Superman and Wonder look at reforming the team after the Infinite Crisis event.

Batman, the shrewd tactician, is intent on forming a perfect team - every skill and power present, every threat covered, full of experience and ability. But in the end they end up with a team of heroes who 'happened' to be involved in the 'Tornado's Path' story. Which annoys Batman until he is reminded that is how the team originally formed - when a group of heroes happened to gather round a disaster.

The team isn't who Batman would pick. It has holes. It has inexperience. It has relational issues. But sometimes the best team is not the one you would pick; it is the one that is there.

In my life I have sent up many prayers for better drummers/guitarists/singers/sound engineers. And that isn't wrong (I don't think!) but if my only plan to go forward is to get in 'better people' then when 'better people' leave we are left short and without a plan B.

The lessons I need to learn are more to do with the valuing and releasing of who is here already rather than looking to acquire new talent from outside. Embracing the creativity of our teams is key to their development and our collective growth.

Perhaps God does has have others He wants to bring to our teams but we need to be careful that our prayers don't slip into the realms of telling God that the people and resources He has given us aren't good enough. He doesn't make mistakes. I need to believe that.

I love Paul's beautiful imagery of the 'Body of Christ' in 1 Corinthians 12:

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

It speaks of how our diversity is not just important or preferable - it is essential. It is God's perfect intention. Team is not optional - it is a necessity of the very design of the Church.

Before I pray for better people I need to seek to honour the people we already have. Sometimes the best team is the one that is there.

dg

Music Heals

Recently I’ve bought a lot of new music - something I tend to do before going on holiday, to go with a pile of books, comics and a pair of cheap flip-flops. As I was listening to all this new music I felt all the usual joys and fascinations that fresh new music brings, but I was also experiencing something else; a peace; a calming effect; a refreshment.

I was experiencing healing.

My heart and my soul were being restored. It was certainly spiritual. Yet the music was not ‘worship’ music nor was it ambient or chill or remotely meditative. It was beautiful and creative and inspiring however. And that was healing me in ways I didn’t even know I needed healing.

When David takes his lyre to Saul in 1 Samuel 16 his playing refreshes Saul and causes his spiritual torment to cease. No words, no voices or songs. Just notes, just music. The spiritual power held in music is beyond our understanding.

I cannot comprehend how an electronic beat created in another part of the world that some how finds itself as an mp3 on my phone can hold the power to heal me. But it does.

I do not know why the resonant frequencies of a guitar or drum or piano would have the ability to reach into my soul and breath life. But they do.

Of course not in all music do I find healing. But some music resonates with the depths of your soul - causing it to be still, restoring things to their intended nature. It is a wonderful mystery - and an incredible blessing to find music that can do such powerful work.

Andy (or Whatever happened to the 'Revival Generation')

Andy grew up in a Christian home. His parents are baby boomers, born in the late Fifties and became Christians themselves during the house church movement. They brought their children up attending church and doing plenty of colouring in at Sunday school. During his early teens Andy Though at the beginning to experience some personal encounters with God at youth camps and youth weekends.

Then one summer, at the age of 15, he goes to Soul Survivor and has the best time of his life. God is real and He loves Andy. He experiences worship like he never imagined - lively, passionate, real. He meets God powerfully. He is filled with Holy Spirit. He is full of dreams and potential. He is on fire.

He comes back different. It’s not like coming back from a great summer camp or youth weekend. Andy is a new person - seeking God, believing in His power to change the world and believing his generation can transform the church. He grows in faith and seeks out more experiences of worshipping and encountering God and looks to serve the Church and make difference in the world. He learns about being ‘salt & light’ at school. Slowly but surely being a different kind of person around his school friends. Many even notice the changes - some are even drawn into church and they go to Soul Survivor and they become Christians too.

It is happening. Not all at once. Certainly it’s not easily or simply. But it is happening. The world around him is changing. By the time Andy is 18 he is a fantastic example of a young Christian man. Still on fire, but more experienced and wiser, with a greater sense of calling. He does a gap year - six months working and serving the Church, five months in the developing world, cementing his passion for social justice and making a difference in the whole world. On his return to the UK he heads of to Soul Survivor again before he begins University in September - he sings his heart out, he sets his eyes on God, he is nervous about Uni but excited about what God will do.

The next three years are hard. University life is so contrary to the life he wants but he is not going live like a weird hermit or monk. He is here to be salt and light and he will try his damnedest to do just that. But it is harder here. A lot of the Christians he meets at Uni aren’t like him. Many have been living of their parents faith for their whole lives. They aren’t passionate about God in the same way - in fact after a term or two those ‘Christians’ don’t look much different to everyone else at Uni. The other type of Christian he meets are the opposite. They seem frightened of the Uni life - determined to be good and unwilling to have any of their beliefs and perceptions challenged. Andy finds little companionship amongst either of these people. The CU is dry - full of committees and theological disagreements. The local churches are fine - in fact they much like the church he grew up in, but he is not a ‘son’ of this church and is unable to make a difference here, especially as he is only there for half the year and the 10:30am family service is not that conducive to student life.

These years have been hard but he gets through them. He still loves God, he still believes in making a difference in the world and he is excited about life beyond Uni. He loves the city he studied in and looks to get a job and put some roots there. His degree was in design but is competing with hundreds of other designers so takes a job in a coffee shop. He continues to go to the same church with the family service. There are a handful of people his own age who kind of get this God thing so he can tolerate the stale worship and the dry preaching. A year later he is sick of his job and decides to quit do a further course in web design. Once he has qualified he stays in his job at the book store that he picked up to make ends meet, trying to do some freelance work for his friends in his spare time - he’d love to get his own business off the ground but it isn’t easy. Two years later he is sick of the book shop and has little hope of getting his business going. He had put aside a bit of money for his business and decides to spend of traveling for 9 months. He visits Thailand and Australia, Mexico, USA and Canada and finishes it off with a city tour of Europe. On his return he decides that now he is 28, he needs a career and so he gets an apprenticeship as an accountant. It’s not the creative life he had imagined but it is stable and makes him feel like a grown up - which very little else in his life does.

He no longer goes to church with any regularity. He no longer reads his Bible or prays with any conviction though he would still calls himself a Christian. He has had a few girlfriends, even has one now, but isn’t sure if he has ever been in love. He wants to get married and supposes that one day he will have kids. He likes the Nooma DVD’s and got into Velvet Elvis. He went Soul Survivor Momentum a year ago, which was cool, but it felt like a chunk of teenage nostalgia. He still has a couple of his favourite worship albums on his iPhone. He no longer designs anything. His heart is stirred when he reads articles about famine, sex trafficking and poverty. He gives to Tearfund but he no longer dreams about changing the world himself.
__________________________________________________________

This is the story as it stands now - and there is much the Church can learn about how it deals with, and invests in, teens and early twenties - but this is not the end of Andy’s story or the end of the story for the rest of his generation. They are still ‘saved’. They have already had a fair amount of experience in serving and leading and being involved in positive Church life. They still have a heart for social justice. But they are numb and apathetic to Church and discipleship. They require a church environment that is authentic and honest. Quality and accessibility matter to them: the quality and accessibility of preaching; the quality and relevance of the worship music; the way the church presents itself. But most of all they are numb and they want to experience God again. They want to feel the presence of God once more. They are full to brim with dormant dreams and unlocked potential. They could still be the generation that changes the world.

Self Projection

Carrying on from the thoughts about Self Promotion - I have been thing a lot about Self Projection - particularly through the ADHD-satisfying social phenomena of Twitter & Facebook.

What do we say about ourselves on Twitter & Facebook? What are we trying to tell the world about ourselves? What image of ourselves are we trying to project?

First of all there is the Profile Pic/Avatar. If you are a worship leader or rock star in waiting (they are not always the same thing - really!) you will probably have a profile pic something a bit like this:

Earnest worship face? - CHECK

Big Stage visible? - CHECK

Taylor/Gibson/Avalon? - CHECK

Converse Trainers? - CHECK

"Hey world - I LEAD WORSHIP. (sometimes on a big stage where people take photos of me)"

The visual nature of digital communication allows us to present ourselves in whatever way we choose. And many worship leaders want to project an image of themselves on a stage behind a microphone. I find that interesting.

Then there is the nature of updates, these come in 3 basic categories:

1. Blatant Self Promotion - (my new album/conference/blog post/book/video)

2. Mentioning the day to day of successful worship ministry (band practices/choosing songs/song writing/conference anecdotes/stories from the studio) - complete with pics from the iPhone!

3. The Good Father/Husband routine - ("I am a successful worship leader but I also devote satisfactory time to my wife & kids") - HOLD the PRESS! 'Father loves kids' SHOCKER.

There is also a sickeningly strange new trend on Twitter for ReTweeting your compliments; basically every time someone compliments you on your song or album or whatever then republishing that compliment so everyone else can see it. Tempting though it might be - we should remember - "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."

So, what am I trying to tell people/friends/followers about myself in the images I present and the things of my life that I choose to highlight?

Is it my identity as a musician or a worship leader or even as a good father/husband?

Is it my intelligence, artistic taste or cultural significance?

Is it my importance to the wider Church?

I am just asking questions here, not throwing stones. Telling the world via the internet what your life is like (including the exciting cool bits) is part of our 21st century culture. And it isn't a sin. But if all we portray of our identity is simply a 'stage persona' then we are in danger. In danger of creating an image of ourselves we can't sustain. An image of success and importance. An image of identity based on our roles and giftings.

And the great danger is that we would believe our own bullshit and let what we project of ourselves become what we think of ourselves. And the problem with that is it isn't even half as good as the truth:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;"

dg

God Will Raise You Up (So Relax)

"God will raise me up."*

Easy to understand, but it can be much harder to believe.

I hope I'm not the only person who has an internal dialogue in my head about where I am, where I could be, where I perhaps 'should' be and, of course where God wants me to be. All in relation to the measure of my influence, responsibility and progress.

Nope? Just me.

And time and again I want to help God out. Hurry things on a bit. Just to give Him a little hand making my influence larger and my responsibility greater and my progress faster. He is quite busy after all.

So it's east for me to end up shrouding self promotion in more appealing ways: 'We are blessing/resourcing/equipping/encouraging the church' - rather than 'flogging our latest song/CD/book/ministry'

But the more I think about what will really bless, resource, equip and encourage our churches, I have one conclusion: More of Him, more of the Spirit.

Books, CD's, Songs and ministries help. But only if they are full of Him and only if they point undeniably towards Him.

So when we feel like giving God a little hand raising up our products, efforts and ministries we can maybe think twice.... because....

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (1 Thess 5:24)

If I am called, really called, to lead worship for the thousands and write songs for the millions then 'He will do it'. It doesn't matter what I facebook or tweet or blog. It doesn't matter what marketing strategy I put in place. It doesn't matter what network I foster.

He is faithful and He will do it.

And He will do it in his timing.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Check out Kim Walker-Smith from Jesus Culture talking about Self Promotion, amongst other things:

I'm with her on this. I've never asked to lead worship at anything. I've never sent an unsolicited demo of my songs to anyone. And yet I've still managed to lead worship at some cool stuff and had a bunch of my songs published and used.

So the first question is this:

'What do I most want?'

Is what I want whatever God has for me, no matter how it ends up looking (all of which will be good, and fulfilling and utterly satisfying)? Or is what I want influence, responsibility, fame, success, money, status, recognition or a whole manner of other temporary and fleeting satisfactions?

And if I can answer yes to the former, the second question is this:

'Can I wait for it?'

Can I stick out the months and years of not having what I want yet, or even deserve, because God's timing is perfect? I know I can. But I have to choose it. Again and again.

God will raise me up, of that I can be certain, so I can just... relax and enjoy the ride.

dg

*This is a follow up to a post from November - 'Self promotion - Good, Bad or Ugly?' . Which if you read that may help you understand this post a bit better.

7 Things... Part Seven: Write in Seasons

I am glad that I've never experienced the frustrating experience of 'writer's block'. I know many people who have - going weeks, months and even years without being able to write any songs. In fact it is the opposite for me, I simply don't have the time to write all the things I'd like to write.

So as I was thinking about why my ability to write remains constant and is not particularly seasonal (it is only seasonal is so much that I may have 'seasons' with more time devote to it - rather than ever being unable to write a song) - and here are a few things which I think help me 'keep the tap dripping' in regards to writing songs:

A lot of Scripture & a lot of prayer: the more I read the Bible and the more I pray the more songs I have to sing. And that really is as simple as it sounds...

Devour what inspires you: I listen to a lot of new music; I read a lot of books; I read a lot of comics; I watch TV and Film that inspires me - when you cram all that creativity in often it wants to get out again!

Write for writing's sake: When I was co-writing once in the middle of writing the song the other person was getting a little frustrated that I wasn't bothered that the song wouldn't be that easy to sing in church - they said "It's not a painting to hang on my wall". I've since thought about it and I now think I should have replied "No, it hangs on Jesus' wall". I write because I like it. I write because I want to. Whether or not I choose to sing them at church, is frankly, up to me.

Invest: Time & money. We all wish we had more of them. There will always be more important things to spend it on. Always more noble ways of using your resources. But I find value in creativity; value in being inspired; value in wasting time writing songs. It's a different kind of stewardship.

hope all these posts have helped

dg

7 Things... Part Six: Making songs 'Unique'

Again, I certainly value the idea of being yourself as a song writer. But sometimes you can think that what that means is to be completely individual and idiosyncratic.

Now this a temptation I can fall for... especially in a bid to escape the 'narrowness' of modern worship. I love diversity and personal expression and I'm committed to local expressions of worship. But one thing has been nagging at me recently...

If you do things your own way then you have to do it on your own. And not only is that hard to do, it also isn't always totally satisfying.

And there can be real joy in collaboration. Finding common ground with others is a liberating and precious experience.

Sometimes, in a bid to sound like no-one else, I can ignore the parts of my writing which sit near by what others are doing. I can seek so hard to avoid familiarity and find a unique, even idiosyncratic place that I can forsake the message in the music. Expressing individuality rather than expressing the very thing my heart wants to say.

For example, so many modern worship songs overuse terms like "Holy" "Glory" and "Worthy". Then out of a desire to avoid their potential for cliche, and to remain unique, I can dismiss their use altogether. Though actually what my heart often wants to say is precisely that: "You are Holy, God"

I neither want to be obsessed with making my songs 'Universal' (to please everyone) or 'Unique' (asserting my individuality). I just want to articulate accurately what my heart wants to say. No matter how universal or unique that may be.

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” C.S.Lewis

dg

7 Things... Part Five: Making songs 'Universal'

Now I genuinely like the 'Universal & Unique' rule to writing worship songs (usually attributed to Brian Doerksen) - it speaks of connecting with many people whilst still being yourself... but in recent years the value of songs being 'Universal' has been taken a little too literally.

I have commented many times on what I call 'McWorship' - the phenomena of being able to step into a church in London, Seattle, Cape Town, Phuket, Sydney, Rio or Basingstoke and here the sames songs sung in virtually identical ways - as if all our churches were CCM franchises.

So I have begun to value a song's ability to be local far above its capacity to be universal.

I am now concerned more with whether or not my song will connect with my church and its relevance to what God is doing amongst us. Whether or not the song relates to churches in Melbourne or Mississippi seems like a pretty irrelevant question.

Unless of course you want to be a globally successful worship song writer. And apparently a lot of people do.

dg

7 Things... Part Four: Working Hard on Songs

You get an idea for a song and then you work, work, work until it is perfect, right?

Not for me.

The 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration rule has never worked for me. If anything I'd reverse those percentages around... I find that when I 'work' at a song, trying very hard to make it better, where I end up is a place where I need inspiration to improve it; inspiration to finish it; inspiration to enjoy it.

Many times I've spent hours working hard at my songs only to end up with something I can't stand the sound of. And how do you know when a song you don't like is finished? Is it when you REALLY hate it? It makes no sense.

This is how I work now: I only work on songs I am enjoying and feeling inspired by; I only do it for as long as I am enjoying it and feeling inspired by it; when I hit a creative brick wall I will try something else instead, safe in the knowledge that my song will still be there if I want to work on it again.

Of course there are moments where perseverance and effort is required to get a breakthrough in a song you want to finish. But if that is your predominate experience of writing you will be good at problem solving not song writing. Do a Sudoku instead.

Song writing should always be a delight before it is a discipline.

dg

7 Things... Part Three: Write for my Church

When finishing a song or choosing which of my songs to use I definitely think a lot about my church; where it's at; what it can cope with; what would be helpful...

But when I'm writing, when I'm creating the song, I don't write for my church. I write for my King.

That sounds very holy of me, doesn't it? But I'm not trying to get a semantical one-up against other song writers, I've just noticed that other writers can be so consumed with trying to write what will work for their church that they can lose sight of what will bless their God.

And all good worship songs, and I mean ALL of them, are written to worship Him. Getting it to work at church...? That comes later.

dg

7 Things... Part Two: Consult a Theologian

If journalling is the first rule then this is heralded as perhaps the most important.

Give your songs to a 'Theologian' to critique.

I've never done that. Not once. Not even for a line. And I think I've managed to avoid serious heresy and half truth.

In fact I've always preferred the approach of becoming a theologian, rather than 'consulting' one. I've preferred to do the reading myself; forming an orthodox theology, with a solid Christology at its centre. And that is without being a natural academic myself- I never much enjoyed academic study (I don't even have a degree!) - but when it comes to personal theological development I've always tried to take the initiative.

Which is why I've never felt the need to get a Theologian to tidy up my songs - I try to write songs that don't need tidying!

And that is what I encourage other writers to do - read; study; do a course; become a good theologian

dg

7 Things... Part One: Journalling

KEEP A JOURNAL!

Rule number one of being a Worship Song Writer.

Keeping a journal or diary can have many benefits... if you are that way inclined. Recording your thoughts and prayers (and answers to prayers) is something many people enjoy and some even find it invaluable.

I've never really gotten into it. At my house there are a number of nice books with notebooks which have the first and second pages (perhaps third, if you're lucky) with journal entries but then just blank pages. I guess then I just forgot, or didn't have anything to say or couldn't be bothered.

So I've never done journalling well. What I have done though, is song writing.

Rather than record my ideas in a book I naturally try to write songs out of those experiences and ideas that inspire me - even if the song does not end up being a 'congregational' one... perhaps this is one of the reasons why I apparently write 'a lot' - in a conversation about how frequently I write another writer was astounded to find out I wrote (conservatively) 'a couple of month'... I've never thought that was a lot!

One of the reasons my journals stayed empty is that it all ended up in songs... so if you want to write more songs maybe try journalling less and song writing more... what's the worst that can happen? (cue Dr.Pepper music)

dg

7 Things Worship Song Writers Do That I Don't (& Why)

I am starting a new mini-series: '7 Things Worship Song Writers Do That I Don't (& Why)'

After talking to a lot of writers over last couple of years and really thinking about how I write songs I've noticed that I do things a little differently - not necessarily better, but different. Mostly they are things you are told to do in song writing seminars that I don't do... for various reasons...

Hopefully this will be helpful to other writers or want-to-be-writers...

Here goes!

dg

Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

Delirious?

Tonight saw the last ever Delirious? gig in London at the Hammersmith Apollo. There will be many gushing tributes and a bucket load of hyperbole about what they have done as 'History Makers' - it can be difficult not to get too sentimental at such times - and in that regard I have no idea how one ministry contributes to the Kingdom of God in comparison to any other, but I can tell you some of the ways this incredible band have influenced me...

"Cutting Edge 3" - I had heard a lot of the songs from Cutting Edge 1 & 2, a number of them had quickly become church favourites - 'Lord You have my heart'; 'Thankyou for saving me'; the hoedown of the 'Happy song' - the songs were amazing but the recordings were a little too, well, happy-clappy-folky for a boy who was into Nirvana and Blur and the Stone Roses. But then came Cutting Edge 3. It is hard to imagine that there was a time when worship bands didn't sound like U2, but Martin Smith was the first to write these epic songs, with huge guitars and big themes. The scope of the record was hugely impressive; 'Did you feel the Mountains Tremble' is still the bench mark for epic worship songs and 'Oh Lead me' is achingly, spine tinglingly beautiful, whilst 'I'm not Ashamed' is as raw and unabashed and unafraid as any popular worship song since. On 6 track cassettes, self funded and produced, they pioneered it all.

"Live & in the Can" - I remember first seeing that cool looking can in the London branch of Wesley Owen, off Oxford Street behind Selfridges, and I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard it. That is how important this album was for me. It opened my eyes and ears to what could be done on a worship album. The riff driven 'Come Like You promise', the fragile intimacy of 'What a friend' the thundering desire of 'Obsession' - here were a band (their first album as 'Delirious?' in fact) utterly passionate and full of a revolutionary hunger - when you play this album you feel that change is imminent, the Kingdom is coming and God is with us. Alongside that year's Soul Survivor album (1996 - on which they featured) , 'Live & in the Can' represents all that is good (and now sadly lost) about live worship albums. You could feel the hunger, you could sense the Presence. There is no higher accolade than that.

"Draw Me Near" - I'm sure Martin can't even remember how it goes, but this is a song I wrote when I was 15 that he ended up singing on 'The People's Album' when I was 16. I was so delighted - and still am.

"Deeper" - When this hit the charts (even if it was only number 20) it felt like a landmark. Think about it - a song about going deeper into God, knowing Him more, loving Him deeper, was in the top 20. Remarkable.

"And the wonder of it all is that I'm living just to fall more in love with You"

"Glo" - They had two great stabs at infecting the charts (King of Fools & Mezzamorphis) which were packed full of great songs, some with explicit references to God, but largely had more ambiguous lyrics of searching and desire. I bought all the singles (including Deeper again as an EP) and was fully behind their chart assault. Then came 'Glo' and suddenly we all got a glimpse of what we were missing. 'God's Romance'; 'Investigate'; 'My Glorious'; 'What would I have done' and the brilliant 'Jesus Blood'. My head said 'Go for the Charts!' but my heart said 'I want more songs like these!' - This is a GREAT worship album - 'Audio Lessonover' didn't stand a chance.

"World Service" - By the time this album came around in 2003 the Americans had got very good at copying Delirious. (Well, we all had). Rather than churn out a worship album straight down the MOR route of Nashville they reminded everyone that not every song had to be mid-tempo or cliche ridden. The highlight of this album, 'Majesty' was probably their last great contribution to the wider church's song canon (apart from the 'Our God reigns' chorus - can 7 simple words ever have so much impact). A worship band once more - 'To God in Heaven/Be the Glory".

So thank you Martin, Stu, Tim, Jon and Stew (and lately Paul) for all you gave us. For all your songs meant and still mean to me. For writing from the depths and singing it with all your hearts.

I thank God for Delirious. I really do.

dg

Self Promotion: Good, Bad or Ugly?

I've done it. Many times. Advertised and publicised things I'm doing or records I've made or talks I've given etc....

But I know one thing:

I have always felt like an idiot doing it - I've never been comfortable with any aspect of it. Whether that is a personality thing or that I have a sense of it being 'wrong' or 'disobedient' in anyway, I'm not sure. I don't know.

So I've either not done it at all or done it a way I don't like or done it in a way that undermines itself with overly depreciative tones

Though it seems now to be a normal part of having a 21st Century ministry - websites, facebook fan pages, MySpace, street teams, publicity, tours etc. etc. etc.

Whatever I've not been able to reconcile, a lot of other people seem totally OK with.

I know I'm an idealist - I'd greatly prefer others to lift me up; advocates who will believe in me and what I do - and for word of mouth to do any 'promotional' work that needs doing.

And because I see everyone else running ahead and promoting their stuff left, right and centre, I often feel a little left behind - because what I'm doing is not packaged and presented and publicised in the very intentional way others are doing it - my stuff certainly doesn't reach everyone it could - but does it reach everyone that it 'should'? That is the question I cannot answer.

I don't think my problem is a lack of confidence or self confidence, in fact if anything the opposite is the problem - it is more likely pride than an absence of self belief. (I pretty much believe my songs to be as good as anyone else's - no existential angst here!).

Also my problem isn't that I am so very humble that I don't promote myself - I guess true humility wouldn't think about it all, and certainly wouldn't be writing this blog post.

My problem is that I don't like promoting myself, not one bit.

In thinking and wrestling this I've found two verses that have really helped

He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:30)

and

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

So I want your help and thoughts. Self promotion, do you think it is:

Good - a normal, natural thing. Highlighting the good things God has given us and offering them up to the wider Church in order that it may be blessed.

Bad - an unnatural, ungodly approach. Full of pride, self interest and ultimately harmful for the Church and an unhealthy distraction - even as far as creating idols of people and their gifts.

Ugly - there is nothing 'wrong' with it but it is a little tasteless and crass.

all your comments are greatly appreciated - I'd love to have a good discussion on this issue...

dg

If only the problem were consumerism....

It is the commonly held wisdom that one of the central problems with today's church is that Christians too often approach church as a 'consumer'; the people don't come to give, but simply to be entertained.

I can see how that would fit. Rampant consumerism is one of the less desirable traits of our wider culture. Yet as I watch the gatherings of consumers at football grounds, U2 concerts and the audiences of X-Factor what I see is dramatically different to what I witness at gatherings of Christians:

Shared communal enthusiasm
Passionate exuberance.
A freedom of inhibition
Willingness to self express
And of course, excitement verging on (and frequently achieving) hysteria.

When the consumers meet to consume this is what we see. When the Christians meet to consume... this is what we don't see. Not usually anyway.

In fact, I don't even agree that consumption is wrong in church:

"Taste and see that the Lord is good"

"Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

"Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

"...so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones"

We like to call 'consumption' other things when we meet together; empowerment; receiving; blessing; anointing; impartation..... you know the type of thing, words that make us feel virtuous.

The problem is not consumption or consumers.

The problem is a lack of consumption.

And a lack of giving.

In fact, it is a lack of engagement in general, perhaps best described as 'apathy'.

I really wouldn't mind if the problem in our church was consumption. People who receive and receive and receive at least get half of what its about - they just need to give more. The people who stand there with their hands in their pockets with their mouths shut wearing the expression of a droopy haddock are not even half the way there.

Oh how I would love to see our church with a consumption problem - receiving and enjoying and engaging - if it were only that then at least we would have some passion to work with, some shared experiences, some willingness to engage.

Alas, the consumer is not the millstone around the neck of the 21st Century church, it is the apathetic, the disinterested and the passive.

When what is 'consumed' is God (rather than a good show and a clever preach) then that 'consumption' compels the 'consumer' to give, to share and to love.

I for one intend to consume as much as I can.

dg

What I think about when I worship.....

I wish I could write here that when I worship all that I think about is God. That my only considerations are of Him and who He is. I wish I could say that when I worship God I am relieved of all thoughts of myself. I wish I could tell you that, but I can't.

Certainly that is what I try to do. To only think of God. To become so enraptured in the divine that my sense of self vanishes. I have been taught that is the right thing to do, and I think it is. To try, that is. But I feel like a failure and a fraud. Rather than becoming fixated on the transcendent nature of God I find that when I see Him, when I love Him, when I worship Him, I often end up thinking about me; my life; my heart; my worth and many other facets of my existence.

I can't help it.

As soon as I realise that I've drifted into thinking about me again, I quickly repent like an eager Catholic to a priest, and try to do better by concentrating really, really very hard on God. This includes scrunching my eyes shut so tight that it begins to hurt - repeating my mantra "I become less, You become more, I become less, You become more, I become less, You become more"

Then if I'm lucky, the worship will finish quite soon and I can relax my face muscles and feel the relief of being able to think of myself again without the guilt wringing thoughts that I am a self-centred, narcissistic, pride filled, fraud of a worshipper.

God must be pleased. But I probably should do better next time.

So I've been wondering:

Why is it that I can't manage to worship the way I 'should'?

Why are my heart and mind so easily turned?

Am I so filled with rampant ego and pride that my worship is doomed to failure?

And in chewing this over I've realised:

God loves me. And that is the truth.

God gave His Son for me. And that is the truth.

God made me in His image. And that is the truth.

God wants to reveal Himself to me. And that is the truth.

God has a plan for me. And that is the truth.

God knew me before I knew myself. And that is the truth.

God is living in me. And that is the truth.

God is speaking to me. And that is the truth.

God is lifting me up. And that is the truth.

God is transforming me to be more like Him. And that is the truth.

God welcomes me as a friend. And that is the truth.

God cherishes me as a son. And that is the truth.

Humility is not the absence of self. It is to view yourself modestly. Appropriately. And it is impossible to see God and not see His love. His love for me, for you, for all the world.

In the middle of our worship He will speak to us; He will convict us; He will comfort us; He will delight in us.

That is the mystery of this ontological circle. That as I ponder in awe who He is, I begin to understand who I am. And from there I look to Him again in wonder and mystery. That He would love me.

This is humility - to know God's love and to bow before it. To take the crown He gives us and lay it down. And when He puts it back on our heads we are humbled again and compelled to lay it down at His feet once more.

When I worship I realise that He loves me.

And that is the truth.

dg

Apple and Christians

'Christians don't just like Apple, they love Apple and need it to operate. On the surface, you would ask yourself how Christians could love a multibillion-dollar company with manufacturing plants in China and mass production, and that contributes to global pollution through the manufacture of consumer electronic devices.

The simple answer: Apple products tell the world you are creative and unique. They are an exclusive product line only used by every Christian college student, designer, writer, English teacher and hipster on the planet. It is important that Christians are reminded of their creativity. Remember, you need a Mac to creatively check email, creatively check websites, and creatively watch DVDs on planes.

Apple products also come with stickers. Some people put them on their computers, some people put them on windows, but to take this to the pinnacle of Christendom, you need to put the Apple sticker in the rear window of your Prius, Jetta, BMW, Subaru 4WD station wagon or Audi.

You then need to drive to a local coffeeshop (Starbucks will do at a pinch) and set up your Apple for the world to see. Thankfully, the Apple logo on the back will light up. So even in a dark place, people can see how unique and creative you (and the five other people next to you doing the exact same thing) truly are.'

taken from stuffwhitepeoplelike.com with the words 'white people' replaced by 'christians'. It works the same.

dg

Mediocrity, Excellence and the Heart Behind It All.

I've often wished I'd been blessed with an extraordinary talent.... the voice of an angel or a Mozart-like musical precociousness or an irresistible charisma.... Sadly that is not my portion. I can sing a bit and play a bit and I hope I am not totally devoid of personality, but my 29 years have so far revealed that I was not born with exceptional talent.

(and yes, I know that I am made in the Image of God and I am exceptional and unique etc.... this is not a post born out of insecurity, rest assured, so don't leave "but David you are wonderful"comments. This I already know.)

But I have been pondering a lot recently on the nature of excellence, particularly in the context of worship. Although I may never be the best, do I settle for not doing my best?

Am I comfortable with my mediocrity?

Well, no actually, I'm not.

It is dangerous ground to start talking about standards in worship because there is only one standard that ultimately counts - the heart of worship behind our songs and words and music. But recently I have been moved by the 'excellent' nature of Old Testament worship - it was always the best.

The best cows. The best doves. The best grain. The Temple made from the finest wood, purest gold and perfectly crafted stone.

Yet with that I know, as every good worship leader should, 1 Samuel 16:7 like a mantra.

Heart. Heart. Heart - it is what the Lord wants more than anything else from us.

Ring fence that thought now. For what I'm about to say may seem contradictory to that - bear with me.

God still wants our best. Actually, I think God still demands our best.

I heard a new worship song recently that was featured somewhere and as I listened to it I was underwhelmed by its mediocrity. Bland tune. Bland chords. Bland lyrics. It was the kind of song that would be good only if it was the first song you ever wrote.

I have no doubt that the heart behind it was sincere. None at all. And I have no doubt that in what really matters, the issue of heart, God was satisfied with this song. But in every other way it was utterly unsatisfying. And although those 'standards' are not the most important thing, the central thing, they equally, are not nothing.

But we want to encourage, don't we? And we don't want to criticise, do we? So we say "Yes that's a great song, well done". There is another name for this kind of encouragement: Lying.

If we say all is good and nothing is great then we kill all achievement. I think some in the church would have it this way. And so we hear mediocre song after mediocre song and we sing bland lyric after bland lyric and we read boring book after boring book. All in the security that what matters is heart so every other consideration is pointless at best and devious or idolatrous at worst.

Wesley Owen is full of good intentions and bad songs and boring books.

So we forget about doing our best. We forget about working hard to be a good writer before we publish a book. We forget about learning more than 5 chords before we promote a song. So we call the mediocre songs good and the good songs great and nobody ends up making anything that's really very good anymore. We kill all drive to improve, to progress, to evolve. We forget about all standards of excellence and achievement and merit because all God wants is our hearts. Right?

No. I don't think so.

We need to do our best because of hearts for Him, not in spite of them. We do our best because of who He is. So we don't say "that's a great song" when it isn't. We don't have to shoot it down in flames either, but we are able to encourage the person without lying about the achievement. Much in the same way that we love people but don't affirm their sin. It just take a little pastoral nous, that's all - and the Holy Spirit is great at that sort of thing.

God wants our hearts, firstly and utterly. But let us never forget that He also wants our very best.

Comments and discussion, as always, are greatly received...

dg