"Chocolate Ice Cream Cone" is one of the earliest songs I remember my dad singing. Kenny Roberts was on a local television show when I was very little, but my dad sang this song a lot.
Dad wasn't good a yodeling, but he made up for it with love.
He sang a lot of songs that I remember...and will remember
As I transition churches, preparing for my move, I want to take the time to say what New City Church is doing right.
1) it's not about the style, it's about the substance. There are old hymns that are not good, there is new music that is wonderful. Both old and new, take the good, leave the bad.
2) what is good - songs that point to Jesus. Those that point us upward, not to within ourselves.
3) (from "Worship by the Book") What is the most important instrument of worship? The congregation. What is right, is making the congregation the most important instrument of worship. That means not disrupting worship with the band, not drowning out the congregation with the band.
4) A vital skill to have is knowing the difference between performance music and corporate worship music. There's a place for performance music; but it's not necessarily corporate worship music.
Corporate worship music is not performance music where the audience sings along.
I have been blessed by my time at New City. They've got it together, in a lot of ways.
My church is using music from Mars Hill. 😉
This one is a little "7-11-ish" but good enough that I wrote it on the palm of my hand while we were singing..
Changed
In Jesus’ name I’ve been changed,
I’ve been filled,
I’ve been found,
I’ve been freed,
I’ve been saved!
In Jesus’ blood I’ve been loved, I’ve been cleansed,
And redeemed, and released, rearranged
But how can I show You that I’m grateful?
You’ve been so generous to me.
How can I worship more than singing?
And live out Redemption’s melody.
I have been blessed – now I want to be a blessing
I have been loved – now I want to bring love
I’ve been invited – I want to share the invitation
I have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
In Jesus’ name we are changed, we are called,
We are chosen, adopted, and named!
In Jesus’ blood we are loved, we are healed,
We’re forgiven and free of our shame!
We want to show You that we’re thankful
Flooding Your world with hope and peace
Help us to worship more than singing
Giving Redemption hands and feet
We have been blessed – now we’re going to be a blessing
We have been loved – now we’re going to bring love
We’ve been invited – we’re going to share the invitation
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
Thank You for this new life, thank You for the invitation!
God, we want to live it loud enough to shake the nations " in Your name!
We have been saved – we’re going to shout about the Savior
We have been found – we’re going to turn over every stone
We’ve been empowered – to love the world to Heaven
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
©2003 AARONieq Music
It's the New Year and changes are coming. Tom is dropping out of college and the rule was (for both kids) that if they're not in school...they leave.
I don't know what's going to happen in my personal (romantic) life, but my relationship with my son is not good.
anyway... the post title. I love this song. "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)"
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name
I'm not writing this to slam the church, because I really, really like it. Rather, I want to 1) rant a bit to get it out of my system and 2) get my thoughts in order before I talk to the pastor.
Last spring I visited a new church (new to me, but new...to everybody; it was a new church plant and I got a flier in the mail)
The preaching was saturated with the Gospel and I was so hungry for that (and still am, on a daily basis)
The singing part of the service was WONDERFUL; full of rich and deep theology, respectful of the writers of the old hymns and completely focused upward. I could leave behind the horizontal and be pulled into the vertical.
One thing happened and I almost didn't go back...but I did go back - and it was equal parts sermon and singing that drew me back.
I spent most of my summer out of town, and I went back to this church in the late summer, early fall. My first time back, was the last day for the (now former) music minister.
Since then, my haven for worship has steadily changed. The preaching is still some of the most Gospel saturated that I have EVER heard.
On the singing...three things have been added, that add up to one huge negative (for me)
1) the insertion of man-centered band playing both at the beginning and middle of a worship song. No matter how theologically rich a song is, if you stop singing in the middle, because the band puts the focus on...well...the band....the focus is now OFF God.
2) More 7-11, less conscience worship. 7-11 singing is the equivalent of the "repetitive prayers" that Jesus said belong to the pagans
3) The utter disrespect for the great people of God whose hymns and songs reflect the pain and faith in their lives, but raping them with the insertion of 7-11 in the middle.
I detest the thievery of old and beautiful hymns by a crop of youngsters to steal the hymns, add a few 7-11 choruses in the middle and slap their own name on them.
4) (and this is a "me thing") when you spend 20 minutes focusing my mind and soul upward toward heaven in worship, don't pull me back into the horizontal with a 10 minute "meet and greet" toward the end of it.
look up, look up, look up...and now for something completely different!
If you want to do the "meet and greet" - do your band and 7-11 early (one or two songs, please) THEN do the meet and greet early, THEN let's do business with God.
I love the preaching, but if the music keeps slipping toward K-FLUFF, I'll reevaluate.
we sang this in church this morning. I'm still fairly new to the liturgical calendar and it resonates with me.
1 Lord! Who throughout these forty days,
For us didst fast and pray,
Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins,
And close by Thee to stay.
2 As Thou with Satan didst contend,
And didst the victory win,
Oh, give us strength in Thee to fight,
In Thee to conquer sin.
3 As Thou didst hunger bear and thirst,
So teach us, gracious Lord,
To die to self, and chiefly live
By Thy most holy Word.
4 And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy Passion-tide,
Yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesu! with us abide.
5 Abide with us, that so, this life
Of suffering overpast,
An Easter of unending joy
We may attain at last!
A while ago I wrote this, remembering ancient history.
Today, the song still resonates.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!
Pull back the curtains, snap off the string.
This tired and lonely man is offering everything.
Tie up the main mast, boys, we’re going into the storm.
Passion’s not found in roses, but it’s in the thorns.
Farewell to the reckless, I want the real thing.
This life is knocking, son, open up and let the truth ring.
Posing is a past time. Ring a bell for selfishness.
I’m through with fallacy. Whatever happened to progress?
(Push forward. I won’t stop. Keep going till I drop).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (Upright and standing tall).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...for this. (Can’t stop).
To all my brothers, to all my brothers’ sons.
You can’t find freedom in money, it has to be won.
Spin your wheels in this graveyard; build your casket of chrome.
You’re on a road to nowhere, boy, and it’s taking you home.
(Push forward. I won’t stop. Keep going till I drop).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (Upright and standing tall).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...for this. (Can’t stop).
No one told me I’d pay for this. Drinking pleasure that’s turned to piss.
Standing firm on this sphere of sand. King of the world, yet I see no land.
No one told me how to deal with this. Shooting targets that don’t exist.
Standing firm while I sink in the mud. My heart is pumping, but I have no blood.
For this I was born...born, born for this. For this I was born...born, born for this.
For this I was born...born, born for this. For this I was born...for this.
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (Upright and standing tall).
For this I was born...born, born for this. (This time I give it all).
For this I was born...for this. (Go...)
One of the things I do every January (and it takes me a while) is to go through all my music and sort it into my "big" playlists
It reminds me of the music that I have. Some of it makes me laugh, some it makes me cry.
Some if it reminds me...
This one from Dolly Parton
(...)
I said you'd better get to livin', givin'
Be willing and forgivin'
Cause all healing has to start with you
You better stop whining, pining
Get your dreams in line
And then just shine, design, refine
Until they come true
And you better get to livin'.Your life's a wreck, your house is mess
And your wardrobe way outdated
All your plans just keep on falling through
Overweight and under paid, under appreciated
I'm no guru, but I'll tell you
This I know is true.(...)You better get to livin', givin'
A little more thought about bein'
A little more willin' to make a better way
Don't sweat the small stuff
Keep your chin up
Just hang tough
And if it gets too rough
Fall on your knees and pray
And do that everyday
Then you'll get to livin'.The day we're born we start to die
Don't waste one minute of this life
Get to livin'
Share your dreams and share your laughter
Make some points for the great hereafter.Better start carin'
Better start sharin'
Better start tryin'
Better start smiling
And you better get to livin'...
Listening the Tim Keller on "The Reason for God"
Each Christmas I remember very clearly at a former church, sitting in the balcony during a quiet moment alone. There was a stained glass cross in the front and a giant wreath for Christmas.
Behind the birth of Christ...beyond that, the cross.
It was the reason He came to earth...God, in Christ sacrificed Himself to pay for our sin.
Michael Card - Love crucified arose Lyrics
Album:
Long ago He blessed the earth
Born older than the years
And in the stall a cross He saw
Through the first of many tears
A life of homeless wandering
Cast out in sorrow's way
The Shepherd seeking for the lost
His life, the price He paid
Love crucified, arose
The Risen One in splendor
Jehovah soul Defender
Has won the victory
Love crucified, arose
And the grave became a place of hope
For the heart that sin and sorrow broke
Is beating once again
Throughout Your life You felt the weight
Of what You'd come to give
To drink for us that crimson cup
So we might really live
At last the time to love and die
The dark appointed day
That one forsaken moment
When Your Father turned His face away
Love crucified, arose
The One who lived the died for me
Was Satan's nail-pierced casualty
Now He's breathing once again
Love crucified, arose
And the grave became a place of hope
For the heart that sin and sorrow broke
Is beating once again
Love crucified, arose
The Risen One in splendor
Jehovah soul defender
Has won the victory
Love crucified, arose
And the grave became a place of hope
for the heart that sin and sorrow broke
is beating once again
Love crucified, arose
The One who lived and died for me
Was Satan's nail-pierced casualty
Now He's breathing once again