New Music Tuesday - Albums to Check Out

Do you remember back in the 90's (that's still strange to say) when you would buy a CD, or a single, and wear that thing out?

Yeah... I'm still that girl.

I love listening to entire albums to get a feel for the artist, listen for overarching themes, and often find some really great pieces of music.

If this isn't something you do, I strongly encourage it! There have been some great Christian albums drop in the last few weeks, and my challenge to you this week is to pick one up (or listen on Spotify) and enjoy the music.

If you don't listen to a lot of Christian music outside of your time at church, here are some of my personal faves in the new release category to get you going. Let me know what artists and songs you are in to right now, too!

Majestic (Live) - Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe is one of my absolute favorite worship leaders, as she completely surrenders herself to God's presence. The lead single from this album, Forever, is one not to be missed. Breathe On Us, the second track, is a wonderfully upbeat worship opener that invites the Holy Spirit in to your time of worship.

Passion: Take It All (Various Artists)

The Passion City Church team and Passion Conferences has truly been one of the leaders in modern worship. The Passion 2014 album dropped last week, with many new staples for Christian Worship. Be sure to check out Christy Nockels' first track on the album, Let It Be Jesus, as well as Chris Tomlin's Almighty and Crowder's Come As You Are.

This is a very strong album in terms of congregational worship. With strong melodies, rousing instrumentation, and infectious lyrics, expect to see many of these introduced at FBC Bicknell this year!

 

All Sons & Daughters 

For mellow, coffee house style music with strong lyrics, check out All Sons & Daughters new album, out today. The sound is just like their other albums, but if it isn't broke, don't fix it, right? I could listen to their harmonies all day, anyway. Check out More Than Anything or King of Glory (Restore My Soul) to get a good listen for the sound.

(Aside: All opinions are my own, and I made this post because I felt like it. :) The album links are affiliate links to Amazon, however, if you'd be so kind to purchase through them!)

What albums and artists are you in to right now?



MV

Sunday Setlists: May 4

 John Stidham brought a *super* challenging/convicting word on the things that tempt us, and resisting those temptations yesterday at FBC Bicknell.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. - Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)


Traditional:
Holy, Holy, Holy 
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Come Thou Fount
God Will Make a Way
Contemporary:
Your Grace Is Enough
Our God
Awake My Soul
The Lord Our God

Sunday Setlists: April 6

With Holy Week just around the corner, hopefully I will pick things up around here. Planning our Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter services are one of the favorite parts of my duties! This is without a DOUBT the most exciting time of the church year for me!

April 6 - Open Doors

Days of Elijah

Sing to The King

COMMUNION

Scandal of Grace

Blessed Be Your Name

Scandal of Grace has been one of my favorite songs for nearly a year now, and this was our first week singing it! God's timing is perfect, but I can't help but wonder why we hadn't worked it in before now.

What are some of the highlights of your Holy Week services over the years?

Sunday Setlists: March 16, 23, 30

Talk about a major fail on my behalf! Life has been so beyond crazy, and my ill-fated attempt at blogging has suffered the consequences!

Nevertheless, here are our contemporary set lists for the month of March:

March 16 - Overcoming BarriersOne Thing Remains

I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)

This is Amazing Grace

The Stand

March 23 - Moving Down the Line

New Song We Sing

Our God

I Will Follow

10,000 Reasons

March 30 - Posture is Everything

Build Your Kingdom Here

Happy Day

Forever (Chris Tomlin)

Children of Light
And traditional:

March 16
Be Thou My Vision

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Sitting at the feet of Jesus
As the Deer

March 23
Victory in Jesus

My Savior's Love

Blessed Assurance
Here I Am, Lord

March 30
We Have Come Into His House
Surely the Presence
He Is Here
The Wonder of It All
He Keeps Me Singing


 

Sunday Setlists: March 9

My church kicked off a new sermon series this week, with the sermon titled "The Call of Neighboring". Here are the set lists created for both Traditional and Contemporary Worship:

Scripture References:
Acts 17:26-27
Galatians 5:14

Traditional
His Eye Is On The Sparrow
At Calvary
Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer
Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated

Contemporary
Indescribable
This is Amazing Grace
Burning In My Soul
With Everything

5 Scriptures for Workplace Worship

While worship is where my heart lies, my paycheck comes from other means. This isn't an issue for me, as I see my role in the church as a blessing and an honor that I would be able to lead others into His presence.

Do you find yourself wearing different hats between a career and your work in church? So many times, I find myself being a completely different person than I am on Sundays, Wednesdays, or even after 5:00 when I'm at home. Being a single, female, mid-20s business woman, it's so hard to have Biblical principles in my career, while still being successful! Can I get an Amen, or am I the only one?

One of the blessings of my position is that I'm in a very Christian community and have the freedom to cover my desk area and computer screen in posters and post-it's of Scripture.

Because I believe all our worship should first and foremost come from The Word, here are some of the Scriptures I have around my desk:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for The Lord, not for men."
          - Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." 
          - Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

   "Let your conversation be always full of grace,
                                                 seasoned with salt,
   so that you may know how to answer everyone."
             - Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
          - Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
       - Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

 The Fruits of the Spirit are the Scripture I refer to most often. Thanks to a print from Etsy, I try looking at the poster whenever I'm thisclose to coming undone at someone and decide, "okay Lord, let's work on some gentleness today!"

If you work in an office or classroom, what are some Scriptures that get you through the day?
If your job is at home, what Scriptures keep you encouraged?

Hindrances in Worship: Shout aloud to the God of Jacob

Psalm 81:1(b), "shout aloud to the God of Jacob!"

Do we really shout in worship? (I do if there are enough people in the room...and it sounds SO bad.)

During corporate worship (Church gatherings, conferences, etc.), it can be so awkward and uncomfortable to collectively "lift a shout" here in southern Indiana. What may seem like an act of spontaneous worship can come off as forced and contrived.

The majority of my shouting comes in my personal time of worship. Be it in the car or at home, I find myself surrendering myself to His presence when I can completely lean in to the Spirit. Do you find this to be true to yourself? If so, why is it easier to really, really worship in private than in corporate worship?

As a worship leader, it seems there's a very fine balance between engaging a congregation in worship and really surrendering to The Holy Spirit in personal worship, during a service. So many things are running through your mind. Here's my mental list at any given time during a set:
- What words come next? 
- Is the microphone even on?
- The next song... do I remember how it starts? What is the transition?
- Are my pants zipped? (All. The. Time.)
- I think the guitar came unplugged.... hurry up and find another instrument to listen to!

So many distractions. But here's the truth, friends:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV (emphasis added)

All those thoughts? Hindrances. Entangling. Distractions. Lies. Deceit. 

This is my prayer, that we may fix our eyes on Jesus. If we really are to fix our eyes on him, then whether our worship service be traditional or contemporary, or whether we are a member of the congregation or on the platform, do the rest of our distractions not fade away?

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus", Helen H. Lemmel, 1922.

So, if I'm in the light of His glory and grace, why do I care who sees me shout and get excited for the God of miracles?  

Throw off everything that hinders.... Look full in His wonderful face...

 This... Yes...