The Worship Homestead

In last week's episode we discussed the structures of church, and how they get in the way of fruitfulness according to the Bible.  But what if you attend or work at an institutional church? Can you still see transformation?  This week, we talk about: - The sneaky way the religious spirit tries to derail transformation.  - Why you should forget about programs and focus on the design...

Have you heard about "engagement"? It's the new attendance. And everyone online has ideas for how you can increase engagement during your Sunday service.  Most of those ideas will fail. Let's talk about why. Today we discuss: -The basic structures of church (stage, pews, specially trained ministers, onlooking crowd) that work against true fellowship.  -What participation looked like in t...

The Olympic opening ceremonies. By now everyone has seen it. And everyone has an opinion.  But how should we as Christians think about it?  In this episode we talk about: -the history of the Olympics, both ancient and modern. -who the Olympics are for, and who they aren't for.  -where I saw God quietly working during this year's ceremony.  Enjoy.  To access my free worship...

Is the rapture soon? Is the craziness in the world a sign of the last days? Today, we discuss: -The attitude God wants us to have about the earth and our role in it. -Why checking out from this world is not an option. -Why even world-wide revival is too narrow a goal to shoot for.  -What being a citizen of Heaven really looks like.  Enjoy.   

Should we worship God for who He is or what He has done?  Here's a better question. Have you considered there may be no difference?  Today, we dive deep into the difference between how we Westerners think of God, and how the Israelites thought of Jehovah. It makes a big difference for us today. We discuss: -The difference between Greek and Hebrew thought. -How our Western heritage tricks...

Here's a surprise. It never says in the New Testament that we should worship the Holy Spirit.  Some people say we shouldn't do it if it isn't in the Bible. Is that the end of it? Nope. Today we talk about: -Some other things Christians do which aren't in the Bible. It might surprise you.  -How we should respond to the silences in the Bible, according to the Bible. -How one man in the Bib...

Cory Asbury is a well-known worship leader. He spoke on a podcast recently about the difficulties of being a new dad and his workload at IHOP KC. Today, I want to talk about the way God made worship and ministry to work for families. We discuss: -How the Levites shared ministry between three generations. -Why worship teams of only young people self destruct. -Why we keep setting talented worship l...

Slang. Jargon. Lingo.  Should you use it in a worship song?  Today, we discuss: -How humans use slang to make in-groups and out-groups.  -Why slang isn't just for teenagers.  -Why speaking outside your peer group is important.  -How Jesus spoke, and what we can learn from Him.  Enjoy.  To access my free worship training guide, visit: https://www.blueprintsounds.c...

Church scandals are in the news. How are Christians supposed to respond? Here's a different take, based on scripture. -God judges the shepherds, but He also has some things to say to the flock. -The Western church is, unfortunately, a breeding ground for narcissistic and predatory leadership. That's not my opinion. There are statistics that prove it. Why do we choose leaders who hurt people? - Wha...

Lifeless worship. The nightmare of any worship leader. But there are actually two kinds, and one is harder to diagnose.  Today we discuss: -Why worship isn't a duty, or product. Worship is a cycle.  -Why giving and receiving is crucial to worship.  -How to know if your worship is cut off from the life of God.  -How to stay connected to life in worship.  Enjoy.  To acc...

In this final installment of "7 Levels of Worship" we look at the Mercy gifting. We discuss: -Why the Mercy gifting gets things through their heart rather than their head -How the Mercy is designed for fulfillment more than any of the other gifts -How the Mercy gift parallels a piece of furniture in the Holy of Holies -What some of the pitfalls are for the gift of mercy -What being a worship leade...

God has given each of us one of seven designs. Today we look at the gift of Ruling, and what our gift affects how we worship. We discuss: - How to know if you are a Ruler. - What some of the pitfalls of being a Ruler are. - What God intended for your gift to bring to others. - How being a Ruler may color how you worship. To access my free worship training bundle visit: https://www.blueprintsounds....

Today we look at the Giver gifting. We discuss: -how God made the Giver to bless generations.  -why the Giver is predisposed to savor God's goodness. -the challenges a giver faces in doing what God called them to do.  -What worshipping like a Giver can look like.  Enjoy.  To access my free worship training bundle visit: https://www.blueprintsounds.com/worshipboosterpack

In our fourth segment of this series, we look at the exhorter gift.  God made exhorters to shine! But it's a high risk, high reward proposition. In this episode we look at: - Some of the outward signs of an exhorter gifting. They aren't hard to spot.  -Why exhorters so often find themselves on stage.  -The dangers that come with knowing people and how they work like an exhorter does...

In our third segment of this series, we look at the teacher gifting.  God made you with a special ability to see revelation in His word. Find out: -How your gift parallels an item in the tabernacle.  -How you might know you have the gift of a teacher.  -What your special challenges and greatest mission are.  -How teachers worship God.  Enjoy.  To access my free worshi...

Do you have the gift of a servant? If so, you have an important part to play in worshipping God. In today's episode we look at: -Some of the signs of a servant.  -What some of the pitfalls of being a servant are. -The greatest fulfillment you can have as a servant (spoiler: it's not meeting the needs of others).  -How God meant for the servant to function when worshipping.  To acces...

Did you know that there is a sequence to worship? Today, we start our 7 part series, looking at God's order for proper worship. Along the way, discover how your design fits into one of those seven stages. There's a lot to unpack so let's get going. To access my free worship training bundle visit: https://www.blueprintsounds.com/worshipboosterpack

Today, I want to explain what it takes to be a musical director of a band. We discuss: -How a musical director prepares for rehearsals. -Why a musical director needs to know WHY a song works, not just HOW it works. -How musical directors get the best out of their musicians during rehearsals. -How to problem solve on the fly during rehearsals. -How musical directors lead during a performance. -What...

Maybe you've heard about house churches. They are a growing movement. But what are they like? Today, my friend Ric Shields and I sit down to discuss life in a house church. We discuss: -how my family's house church began. -the struggles and triumphs of having a house church. -advice for those just starting a house church. -the differences between house church and brick and mortar church. Enjoy. To...

There are easier ways to do church. You can get off-the-shelf songs, tracks, charts, and arrangements from bigger churches. But a worship homestead is all about self sufficiency. Why? Why does it matter who wrote the song? Today I speak to house churches, home groups, bible studies, and any other small group of believers. I show you: -Why writing your own songs for your own community is part of yo...

Can you really get a song from Heaven? In today's episode we talk about: -Why talking about songs from Heaven makes people uncomfortable. -What the Bible says about God giving us songs. -My own experience with God giving me a song. -How God likes to work with us in the creative process. Enjoy. To access my free worship training bundle visit:  https://www.blueprintsounds.com/worshipboosterpack

Did you know God has a sequence for creativity? We see it in the life of David. Today we talk about: -What comes before creativity, and why. -Why creativity isn't just for the privileged few. -What creativity is not. -How God grows us into creativity. To access my free worship training bundle, visit: https://www.blueprintsounds.com/worshipboosterpack

Joyful, masculine worship. Did you know there was such a thing?  Today, we talk about: - The status of worship music today, and what is missing.  - Why some songs work in a stadium, but not a living room. - Why we need to worship God in a feminine and a masculine way.  - How to write a joyful, masculine worship song.  Enjoy.  To access my free worship training bundle visit...

Did you know that God hid the blueprints for the Church in an ancient altar? This week we finish our series on Joshua's Altar. Turns out, it holds clues for us today about what God want the church to look like. We discuss: -Why the altar was made of stones. -Why the stones had to be uncut. -Why the altar was covered in white plaster. -Why the altar had the law of God engraved on it. -Why it matter...

Did you know that God hid the blueprints for the Church in an ancient altar?  In this episode look at the parallels between Joshua's altar on Mt Ebal, and the Church Jesus promised to build in the New Testament.  Today we answer the question: why did God command the stones of the altar to be "uncut". The answer is fascinating.