Recommended Reading!

Five Mistakes to Avoid in Church Sound by Curt Taipale

This is a very helpful article for musicians, sound operators, pastors and budgeters!

Squirrel!

A funny thing happened to me the other day whilst I was serving in the music ministry team at church. A lady fainted in the back row during the third song.

Of course, this wasn't funny for her, and huge props must go to her husband who caught her. I'm glad to report that she is okay.

The funny thing was me. This all happened whilst I was leading a song, and what surprised me was how easily I managed to disengage my brain from what I was doing and turn my attention to the mild chaos in the back row. I still carried on singing the song and playing the right chords, but my mind was elsewhere. The people closer to the front may not have even noticed.

This led me to consider two things. As musicians serving in a church, I think it is good to cultivate a certain 'multitaskability', because things are going to happen around us that might throw us off. But for the sake of serving, being able to be aware of what is going on around you in the service and being able to carry on with your ministry is a very good skill to cultivate.

On the other hand, how easily are we distracted when we've been doing this for a long time? Have we gotten to the stage where we know the songs, with the words and the music so well, that it's like hitting 'play' on CD player? Do our hands and voices do their thing whilst we look around, watching the weather outside, look at who's in church today? If we're very good, we might even be able to do this without our faces even giving it away. Of course, you need a very convincing 'worship face' for that!

To serve well in this ministry, we need to engage with the songs we sing first. Once we have engaged, we can lead others and encourage them to engage with them. Our time of singing in church is a special time of praise to God our Father, who has gloriously saved us by his Son Jesus Christ. Let's make it that and try to shut out the distractions.

Very Useful Article on Micing Singers

Shure Notes Issue #43 - Engineers' Round Table

Worship Leader Magazine - Your Comments Please!

Commercialisation or helpful resource for gospel-centred ministry? Real church, or glossy-paged, celebrity-worshipping quasi-Christian subculture?

Have a read of a free edition http://blog.worshiptogether.com/worshiptogether/2010/10/free-septoct-issue-of-worship-musician-magazine.html

...and have your say here!

O Holy Night - ou est-il?

O Holy Night is one of the best loved Christmas carols of the last 150 years. I currently have a beautiful version by Kerrie Roberts on my iTunes, and it has been covered by everyone from Mariah Carey to Andrea Bocelli.

The song was originally written in French as Cantique de Noel, with music by Adolphe Adam, and words from a poem by wine merchant Placide Cappeau, in 1847.

What is fascinating about the song is the richness of Biblical imagery and ideas in the French version, that gets sadly lost in the English version. I suppose it wouldn't have attained it's great popularity if the lyrics had retained their hard-hitting talk of original sin and the wrath of God!

To compare the French, literal English and popular English texts, go to Wikipedia.com. Just to give you a taster, have a look at this line from the third verse:

French:

Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave :

La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert.

Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave,

L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.

Popular English:

Truly he taught us to love one another,

His law is love and his gospel is peace;

Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,

And in his name, all oppression shall cease.

Literal English:

The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:

The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.

He sees a brother where there was only a slave,

Love unites those that iron had chained.

Seems like Placide Cappeau was onto something! In verse 3's talk of liberation from slavery and oppression, which has become so political in our time, we have lost a Christmas reminder of our slavery to sin (Romans 6v17-18), Christ's destruction of the power of sin and death (Colossians 2v13-15), and Jesus Christ gladly considering us his brothers and sisters! (Hebrews 2v10-13).

So, who's going to have a crack at singing the literal words this Christmas?

Leading Songs

Too easily our song leading in church can become mechanical. The service leader announces the next song, the musicians play the intro, the singing starts the singing ends, and then the service moves on. Box ticked.

Here are a few principles to think about as we lead songs.

• Because we worship in song in response to God's revelation of himself in his Word, the leader should 'lead' the gathered church into the song from God's Word.
• The musical introduction should be part of the journey, setting the appropriate feel and atmosphere, as well as leading into the song musically. Think about the length, musical complexity, and instruments involved in order to do this.
• Mean the words we sing! Communicate this to the gathered church in our facial expressions and body language as we lead.
• Grasp the opportunity provided by musical interludes in songs to reflect on what you're singing, and enjoy praising God.
• Lead out of the song appropriately. Ensure that you put it down gently, and don't drop it! Note that you can even drop an uptempo rocker - you need to bring it to good end in order to move on in the flow of the service.
• After the song, leave space to breathe before moving on in the service.
• Perhaps it is appropriate to pray to God about something the song has raised.

These ideas all serve to ensure that the main thing is kept the main thing - God's people gathered to hear God speak and to worship him together. A good exercise if you are a muso or a service leader is to grab a song from your reportoire and go through these points with that song and see what you come up with. It might change the way you approach your church service!

"I Don't Do the Singing"

As much as I enjoy my job, one of the challenges for people in my position as a paid music minister is the perception that you are responsible for the singing. I'm not talking about the congregation standing up on a Sunday with shut mouths as they let you bring their praise before God, as if by proxy - I'm talking about fellow church workers!

There is a great danger in specializing our ministries to the point where normal Christian activities are 'outsourced' to the qualified person. If (as is usual in my church situation), someone else leads the service and leaves me to lead the songs, their is a great temptation to sit back and wait for me to finish my 'bit' before they continue with their 'bit'. Maybe it's a good time to look over your notes or remind yourself what notices you have to give!

The Bible commands Christians to sing to the Lord, and to come before him with great joy. 1 Chronicles 16v9 says, "Sing to him; sing praise to him; tell of all his wondrous works!" Psalm 5v11 says, "But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy." No one is excluded from the command to sing, no matter what their position, or musical ability, or even their singing voice.

This command to sing joyfully can be freely fulfilled knowing that God doesn't care about the quality of our voices, but rather looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16v7). After all, he created the human voice, and he declared his creation good (Genesis 1v30-31). Do you not think that God delights in the heart that desires to glorify him by singing his praise, without concern for what others might think of how we sound? (Here's a thought - doesn't a crowd of thousands of mildly tipsy sports fans sound amazing when they just belt it together? I'm sure they're not thinking about they quality of their voices!)

In days gone by, anyone who got up in front of the church was expected to be able to sing. Often the singing was led by the minister singing, with the organist accompanying. I suspect that because it was the norm, people just went for it and found that they actually could sing. It's a shame today that singing together is so not the norm that we are scared to try in case we can't.

Let me encourage church ministers, service leaders and others to commit this to prayer and in God's strength and enabling to be a model for those we lead. Often we are concerned for those who we see not singing in church; we worry that their hearts are far from the Lord and rightly so. But maybe they just need to see someone else doing it, someone who isn't trained, who isn't a musician, but is just a Christian opening their hearts to God with the voice God has graciously blessed them with. Anyone who stands in front of the church should, in everything they do, model a right response to God. A true love for Jesus is caught as well as taught!

Perhaps I should consider it gospel ministry to equip and enable my fellow gospel workers to sing...

Sound Ministry Series Part 8 - The AUX buses

So, what's a bus? Well, it's something that gets you from one place to another! On a mixing console, when we see the word BUS, that's just what it is - a routing device to get the signal from one place to another.

The AUX (which stands for auxiliary, meaning secondary or additional) buses are used to create a second, third, fourth or even fifth mix (with the front of house mix being first) that can be used for stage monitors, recording of sermons and worship, cry-rooms, broadcast, etc.

Each channel should have knobs labelled AUX1, AUX2, etc. These are used to control the level of that individual channel in the AUX mix. Somewhere on the far right of the desk should be other knobs or sliders also labelled AUX1, AUX2, etc. which are used to control the overall volume of the AUX mix. Near the top right of the desk, either on top or on the back, there should be outputs for each AUX bus for plugging in a cable to take the signal, well, anywhere you want!

Here are some worked examples:

Recording the sermon

Plug your recording device, like a computer soundcard or a tape recorder, into their AUX1 output. Increase the volume of the overall AUX1 volume (the one on the right of the desk) to about halfway. Use the AUX1 control on the preacher's microphone channel to adjust the recorded volume. Your AUX1 bus is now your recording mix! You can add other channels to this mix by using their AUX1 controls.

This idea is the same for a cryroom. Just plug the cryroom feed into the AUX1 output.

Stage Monitors

Remember that each AUX bus can provide you with a separate monitor mix (depending on how many monitors you have). For now, let's use AUX2 and AUX3 for vocal and instrument monitors respectively (remember that AUX1 is our recording bus).

Plug your monitor sends into their respective AUX outputs on the mixer. Adjust the volume of each AUX mix to about halfway. Ask the band to play, and let them help you to determine how much of each instrument or vocal needs to be added to each monitor mix. You can also walk up there yourself and take a listen, but that's going to involve a lot of walking back and forth! The vocal mix (AUX2) will need more vocals and less instruments, and the instrument mix will need the opposite, but still enough vocals to hear the words so they don't get lost!

Finally, always ensure that your AUX buses are "pre-fade". There should be a button on each channel allowing you to set your AUX buses to pre- or post-fade. If they are set to post-fade, any change you make to that channel in the main mix will also affect the monitor mix. For instance, you turn up the piano in the main mix and it also goes up in the monitor! Pre-fade allows you to maintain completely independent AUX mixes.

The only time you may want post-fade AUX buses is if you are controlling an effects unit from an AUX bus. If this is set to pre-fade, the sound from the effects unit will still be heard when you turn the channel down.

Remember, however, that if you have your AUX buses on pre-fade, the MUTE switch won't work on the AUX buses - i.e. you will still hear a "BOOM" on the monitors when someone unplugs even if the channel is muted - you will have to turn down the AUX buses separately.

Comment if anything's still unclear.

Next time: The PAN control

Sound Ministry Series Part 7 - A Final Word on EQ

Before we move on to the AUX buses, maybe it would be good to have a final word on EQ.

The hard part of mixing with EQ is the time spent learning what different frequencies sound like. When most of us hear a low sound, we imagine that's it's lower than it actually is. Same for highs - we imagine they are higher than they actually are. So, we need to learn more or less what 120Hz sounds like, what 2kHz sounds like, and so on. We also need to learn what frequencies are produced by what instruments and voices. It might sound like hard work - and any ministry is! - but spend time playing with the EQ whilst you're mixing and you will definitely learn a few things.

Always cut rather than boost. If a vocal is missing some clarity, try and cut some 240Hz before boosting the 5kHz. This ensures that you keep the overall level under control and prevents problems caused by too many boosted frequencies (like feedback).

Lastly, remember that EQ tends to relate across channels. If your vocal is getting lost, try and create an open space for the vocals by reducing a little 2kHz-5kHz in the other instruments. This will help balance the sound as a whole.

Mixing is more than adjusting volumes between instruments and voices. It is ensuring that the total sound that comes out of the speakers is comfortable, enjoyable, intelligible and audible for those hearing. The EQ is the steering-wheel to get you there!

A document that has helped me hugely is http://www.digitalprosound.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/mixing_excerpt1.htm.

Next time: (I promise!) The AUX buses

Sound Ministry Series Part 6 - The Low Frequency EQ Knob

Hey guys. It's been a while since the last post, so let's dive right in!

The next knob on your channel after the mid range is usually your low frequency. This control typically allows you to boost or cut everything from 80Hz or so and below. Remember that if your PAD switch is in, you are already cutting the lows to an extent. Therefore, the Low knob and the PAD switch are interactive.

These low frequencies are going to really affect the fundamentals of the rhythm section (bass guitar, kick drum, 'body' of acoustic guitar sound, bottom end of the keyboard, etc.) They can give the music a more powerful sound in larger doses, or a bit more body in smaller doses. That's when it's used right. Used wrong, it will make the music sound boomy or muddy, and if cut too much can make everything sound 'thin'.

Be careful with lower frequencies. Lower frequencies are what we call "omni-directional" - they go everywhere in all directions, even behind the speaker! This means that a little boost goes a long way.

Be aware, also, that as you get lower you will begin to feel the sound more than hear it. This means that even if you can't hear the difference you are making, you might still be reprogramming someone's pacemaker in the 3rd row (just kidding).

On vocals, low frequencies won't to do much, especially if you have the PAD switch in to reduce handling noise.

Next time: the AUX buses

Sound Ministry Series Part 5 - The Mid Frequency EQ Knob

Next on the channel we have either one, two or four knobs that control the midrange. When we talk about midrange, we mean the frequencies between the highs and lows. Most of the sound is actually concentrated in these frequencies, so your mid range control is pretty powerful!

If you have 1 knob called "MID", it works the same way as your high and low controls, boosting or cutting a very large range of frequencies.

On better mixers, you will have a MID control and a FREQ control. The MID control does the cut and boost thing, but the FREQ control allows you to decide on which frequency the cut or boost centres on. Imagine a bell-curve (up for boost, down for cut) where you are able to move the apex left and right across different frequencies to get a visual image of this in action.

If you have the luxury of four knobs, you have a LOW MID with a FREQ control (around 800Hz) and a HIGH MID with a FREQ control (around 3kHz). This allows you the best management of your midrange.

To get to know how these controls behave, it is important that you grab a mic, cut the MID knob all the way, and then turn the FREQ knob backwards and forwards while speaking into the mic. Do the same with with the MID knob boosted all the way, and you'll quickly hear what's going on.

The best way to use these controls is to listen out for offending frequencies in instruments or voices, then cut your midrange by 1/4 and 'sweep' your FREQ control until you find the point on the dial where the problem lessens. Remember to look at what frequency you have stopped on and try and remember what it sounds like - it will help you get there quicker next time.

The best thing to do with this control is to play with it and listen for the results. Try boosting a little on your singer's mic and then sweep until you find a pleasing result.

Next time: the Low EQ knob

Sound Ministry Series Part 4 - The High Frequency EQ Knob

The first knob you encounter in the EQ section of your channel strip will be the High Frequency knob (sometimes labelled "HF").

This knob boosts or cuts all frequencies above 12kHz (which in note terms is the F# in the 9th octave of the piano).

This control can be used to remove excessive 'essing' or brittle-ness from a vocal, or it can be used to add clarity and sparkle to instruments and 'airiness' vocals. If you are micing a drum kit, use it to add shimmer and brilliance to your cymbals.

12kHz is the top end of the human voice's range. This frequency would most significantly affect your soprano singer, a church organ and the cymbals of a drum kit.

Remember, as with all eq'ing, to use it gradually and sparingly. Don't just randomly turn knobs. Turn it a little, then listen carefully. Has the sound improved? Has it deteriorated? If you are making adjustments during a service, ensure that you do things so gradually that the congregation wouldn't notice you making the change.

Also bear in mind that higher frequencies are very directional (in contrast to low frequencies, which just go everywhere!). If you are making adjustments here, you need to make sure you are listening in the direct path of the speaker to hear the actual affect, or you may end up increasing too much high frequency.

For more info on eq, check out this video series: http://www.prosoundweb.com/videos/video/introduction_to_equalization/

Next time: the Midrange control knobs

Sound Ministry Series Part 3 - the PAD switch and the Low Cut filter

Your mixing desk may or may not have a PAD switch, but if it does you can use it to make very high signals easier to work with. For instance, if anything on stage has a built-in preamplifier (like a guitar effects pedal, or a specialty microphone) it may just distort when you plug it in to your desk, even with the gain and channel volume set really low. Use the PAD switch to get the level down so it is easier to control and doesn't distort.

The low cut filter (or high pass filter) is usually a button near the channel input. It essentially dampens the lower frequencies present on that channel, often from about 100Hz down. Don't use this on your kick drum, bass guitar and piano, or you will lose the low-end richness of those instruments. Do use it on all microphones and other instruments that don't produce very low sounds to eliminate traffic noise from outside, handling noise and the low frequencies from other instruments being picked up in those channels.

Next time: the high frequency EQ knob

Sound Ministry Series Part 2 - Setting Channel Gains

The "gain" control (sometimes called 'trim' or 'level') is the first control knob you encounter at the top of each channel on your mixing desk.

The purpose of this knob is to control the level of the input signal into that channel. If this control is not set correctly, you won't have adequate control over the volume of that channel when you use the fader/slider.

If the gain is set too low, the signal will be too weak and you may introduce system noise (sounds like hissing) as you turn up the channel to compensate. If it is set too high, you may introduce distortion which may damage your equipment, or the channel may feed back.

To set the channel gain is quite easy. Use the "Solo" button (or PFL on some mixers) on channel one to display that channel's levels in the visual meter on the far right of the desk. Next, have someone speak, sing or play into that channel alone at performance levels and turn up the gain until it just peaking into the orange/yellow. If it goes into the red, you are too high. If it stays in the bottom green, then ensure that the -20dB "PAD" switch is not pressed in on that channel.

Repeat for all channels. Remember to keep the volume low (or better, off) for this exercise.

Done! Now our channel gains are set. This will give you the best signal to work with, and if gains are correctly set it will be easier to balance your mix across the channels, because each fader will respond similarly to your adjustments.

Note: Mics will require large amounts of gain, so don't be surprised if you end up in the >75% range. Instruments will usually require less gain, especially if you are using DI boxes.

Next time: the PAD switch and the Low Cut filter.

Sound Ministry Series Part 1 - Setting Up

Before you even turn on the desk or the amp, you will need to set up. Start by plugging in everything (mics, instruments, etc.) so that you have the minimum to plug in when the system is on, which could damage the speakers. At this stage, turn on things like guitar amps and keyboards.

As you plug things in, remember to arrange things logically across the stage. It is good practice to use Ch 1 for whatever is furthest to the left of the stage, and then work across to the right from there, moving up the channels. Write down what (and who) is in each channel for easy reference. This way, the desk visually mirrors what is on the stage.

When everything is plugged in, turn on your desk first, and then your amplifier. This avoids the "bang!" of turning on the desk after the amp is on, which could damage the speakers.

As you approach the desk, never assume that the last mix is still applicable. If you have the luxury of time, this would be a good time to turn down all the faders and gains and zero the eq's.

Next time: Setting Channel Gains

Sound Ministry Series

After an amazing and encouraging workshop this last Saturday, I thought it would be helpful to start a series on the basics of sound operation. Very often, the guys behind the desk do what they can very willingly, but are not confident in their knowledge of the whole picture.

This series of short posts will start at the beginning and go through the stages of setting up and mixing for a Sunday service. God-willing, it will add confidence to what you are doing, expand your knowledge and help you serve the body of Christ better.

Lastly, thanks you so much for your valuable ministry!

Mars Hill Music - Some Do's and Don'ts

Mars Hill Church in Seattle (Mark Driscoll's church) have been producing some amazing worship music, and a lot of it is now available for download with a suggested donation.

I have recently downloaded their Rain City Hymnal EP, which is a collection of traditional hymns that have been rearranged, the Red Letter album, and the Good Friday Live Worship album. They have all blown my mind.

The interesting thing about them is this: it is always very obvious what Scripture passages the lyrics come from, the hymns all use the traditional words (thees and thous, and other very evocative, profound English words and phrases that have fallen out of common use) but the music is the edgiest, most creative combination of synths and grinding electric guitars, earth-shifting bass and gut-thumping drumming I have heard in ages! It seems like they're channeling the Seattle-sound in a big way. The version of Psalm 51 sounds like they had Soundgarden as the backing band!

You can read an interview with one of the worship pastors and band frontmen here.

Music like this, however, can raise some issues for us as local church musicians. Here are some helpful suggestions for things we can learn from this approach to church music.

• DON'T try and mimic what is done at Mars Hill, unless you have some phenomenal rock musicians with pro quality gear, a 10, 000W PA system, a congregation of 3, 000.
• DO learn to use what resources you have, just like Mars Hill has done. When you do a good job with what you have, you will have a solid foundation to build on. Jesus said in Luke 16 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much". If all you have now is a violin and a guitar and singer or two, work hard with that and ask God to bless you with more.

• DON'T use heavy rock for your worship services because that's what Mars Hill is doing.
• DO think about your congregation and what music would suit them best. If it is heavy rock, then pursue that.

• DON'T think that the only way to present these songs is to do them the same way Mars Hill have done.
• DO learn to separate out the song itself. Use the chords that are downloadable from their website and try and do the song with just a voice and an acoustic guitar or piano. The strength of a good song is its ability to "carry" in a variety of musical contexts, not just the one it is written in.

Lastly,

• DON"T get discouraged that your church's music will never be like Mars Hill's.
• DO listen to these songs to be encouraged, get ideas and learn a thing or two about the variety that can be present in the music Christians use to worship God.

Using A Capo

Guitar player, love your capo! And learn to use it. It is one of the most valuable tools a guitarists has.

A capo is useful for

• Playing simple chords in a difficult key.
• Changing the sound of chords. This is important for when two guitars are playing together, because if one guitar uses a capo to play the chords in a different position, it can help the guitars to sound more distinct. You can also use it to "lighten" the sound of the guitar by playing the chords in positions higher up the neck.

The key to all of this is to learn the notes on your neck and learn your open chord shapes, and learn where the capo must go to play various chords. For instance, you need to know that placing the capo behind the 3rd fret and using the chords from the key of G (G, C, D, Am, Em) you will be playing in Bb. This is because your root note is now at the 6th fret on the low E, which is Bb.

Similarly, if you have the capo behind the 5th fret and you use the same chords, you will be playing in C. And if you use the capo behind the 4th fret and use the chords from the key of D (D, G, A, Bm, Em) you will be playing in the key of F#.

This does take learning, there are no shortcuts. Perhaps the best advice is to start thinking about the chords in songs in terms of their scale degrees instead of just their names. So in G, G=I, Am=ii, Bm=iii, C=IV, D=V, Em=vi and F#m=vii. Try and work out how chords in other keys relate to each other like this, and you will begin to become a musical demon! Then it becomes easier to 'translate' a chord to a different capo position.

Remember also that the capo functions exactly like your guitar's nut. In order for it to work properly it must be as close as possible behind the appropriate fret so that the strings break hard over the metal of the fret.

Troubleshoot:

1. Setting the capo too far back from the fret will make the strings buzz
2. Setting the capo skew will make the guitar sound out of tune
3. A capo that is too tight will pull the strings out of tune, a capo that is too loose will make the strings buzz. If you can adjust the tension of your capo then great, otherwise it's time to go shopping.
4. If you get all the above right and the guitar is still buzzing, sounding out of tune, etc., it's time to take it to the shop for a service.

Lastly, don't buy a rubbish capo. The best ones are by Shubb (http://www.shubb.com/), but Dunlop and Kyser also make great capos that are quick and easy to put on and take off, and can be clipped the headstock when not in use. The only problem with these is that they pull the strings slightly sideways because of the clamp action. (My favourite is the Dunlop Trigger capo http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=67&pmh=products/capos)

If all of this is a bit complicated, never fear! Perhaps a video will help... watch this space!

Top Ten Tittilating Titles

This is a Friday post for a bit of a chuckle. As those involved in worship and music ministry we must always be careful of taking ourselves too seriously - instead we must always strive to take God seriously.

This list has been compiled from the Songs of Fellowship series of songbooks, which I have to say are some of the best out there. For singable, Biblical, honestly Christian songs, you can't go wrong with these four in your library. That said, there are some clangers in the index which are worth a laugh! Here are my Top 10:

1. I Danced in the Morning (Lord of the Dance)
2. Oh, He's So Sweet (So Sweet)
3. Superlatives
4. I Have An Appetite
5. Great, Great, Brill, Brill
6. I Want To Be Out Of My Depth In Your Love
7. It's Funny How
8. I Once Was Frightened of Spiders
9. Lost In The Shuffle
10. I Am A Lighthouse

If you wrote any of these songs, or if any of these songs help you worship God from a sincere heart, then please don't be offended. Keep singing His praise!

Give your junk to Jesus!

Last week I read a really interesting article from a secular publication on church sound systems. The guy writing it was really perplexed at the phenomenon known as "give your junk to Jesus" where Christians think it's ok, and in fact really commendable to sacrificially give their church whatever beat-up, crusty old bit of audio kit they have rotting in their garage for the sake of ministry.

And this doesn't just apply to church sound, but often to all areas of the church. How about that toaster in the kitchen that threatens to electrocute you just for looking at it? Given by someone with a healthy fear of electrical fires, but who wished to bless the church with a kind gift.

I am injecting a healthy dose of humour here, and I am not thinking of any particular churches. At our own church, we are very blessed by many people who give their best very sacrificially. In my experience though, it is something that all churches suffer from, to a greater or lesser extent. Here's some food for thought:

God deserves our best.

Numbers 18v29 gives Israel guidelines for their offerings presented to God: "You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything that is given to you." God has given us his firstborn son. He has blessed us beyond measure. How can we not give our best back to God? It must be said that if a second-hand toaster is all you are able to give, then give cheerfully! God owns all that we have anyway, he is far more concerned about the attitudes of our hearts.

Second-hand is usually short-sighted.

Receiving a second-hand item will always carry the risk of expired warranty, unforeseen damage and obsolescence. What this really means is that it's cheap to receive, but you'll pay for it when something goes wrong. A church is always wiser buying new, a reliable brand, from a reputable dealer, with a watertight warranty.

Get the right tools for the job.

Second-hand is usually a compromise between what you actually need and what someone is willing to give you. If I want to cut tomatoes, I really need a tomato knife. But if someone has a rusty old chainsaw that they're not using, why should I refuse? (Please note that I am merely making a point - it is a bad idea to cut tomatoes with chainsaws.)

Personal and emotional attachment.

Beware of gratefully receiving the grotty old toaster, only to leave it out next to the dustbin when you realise that it might just kill someone or burn down your church. You may make that person very upset, even to the point of having a negative impact upon their spiritual life. It would perhaps have been wiser not to accept the gift in the first place.

Back to the future.

Buy your second one first. This is a wise word. Yes the price tag is bigger, yes it will take more effort. But when God blesses the church with growth you don't want to have to spend what you spent the first time again and more to meet your needs. In faith, look to the future.

Give cheerfully. Receive gratefully. In faith, ask God to provide what you need. Trust him to build his kingdom the best way possible. And don't give God your junk, give him your best.

Great Hymn Arrangement

A great idea from an odd place. Sufjan Stevens did this hymn for his Hark! Christmas EP. The tune is the traditional tune of Nettleton (87 87 if it means anything to you). and even if you don't have a banjo, an acoustic guitar will do just fine.

Don't be tempted to lose the old hymns! The words are so beautifully crafted to illuminate the truths of God's Word and the Christian life. New arrangements like this can breathe new life into these old hymns and resurrect them for a new generation.

Words:

COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

Robert Robinson (1735 - 1790) and John Wyeth (1770 - 1858)

Praise! Also has alternative lyrics for 3 of the verses.

Song Choice - Boasting in Christ

If you were only allowed to sing one of these songs, which one would you sing and why?

God Did Not Call Us (I Will Boast in the Cross)

Steve and Vikki Cook (c) Sovereign Grace

Let Not the Wise Man (I Will Boast)

Paul Baloche

Love to hear your comments!

Come People of the Risen King

The music for this song was put into my hand by a congregation member a few months ago. Great song, with great words, but I haven't done it yet as I think there might already be too many Celtic-style songs in our church reportoire, especially for a South African church.

Your thoughts?

Good songs and where to find them

It is often very difficult to find good new songs to sing in church. For one, we often don't have the time to trawl the internet for stuff, or buying CD's is costly.

Here are a few good songs that I have found in the last year:

Strength Will Rise (Everlasting God)

This is a driving anthem of a worship song. Written by Brenton Brown (yay for South Africa) and Ken Riley (YFriday) in 2005, it draws heavily on the words of Isaiah 40, reminding us of God's faithfulness and the need for us to trust him completely. A very easy song to play, and there's a nice little riff for your guitarist to learn (just remember the capo on 3). Don't rush it, but keep it driving.

Where to find it:

Songs of Fellowship 4, Kingswayshop.com

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

The best rearranged version of the old John Newton classic that I have heard. (Better even, than singing it to The Lion Sleeps Tonight - ;)) Written by Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio in 2006 for the movie Amazing Grace. I've had to rewrite it from Gmaj to Emaj to make it more singable. Remember to beat in 4's and not in 3's (like the trad. version), and watch the unusual flow (V1, V2, C, V3, C, V4, rpt last line) and you're there.

Where to find it:

Songs of Fellowship 4, Kingswayshop.com

O Christ Be The Centre

A very repeatable, simple song with three distinct parts. Great to encourage reflection on and commitment to the centrality of Christ in the universe and in our lives. Draws heavily from Colossians 1, and could be just the theme song for your sermon series on Colossians. Written by Charlie Hall and Matt Redman in 2006.

Where to find it:

Songs of Fellowship 4, Kingswayshop.com

God In My Living

Written by Tim Hughes in 2006, this song can seem a bit shallow and repetitive, but I have found that it is a very accessible and thought provoking song for congregations of real people. Like O Christ... it is also inspired by Colossians 1.

Where to find it:

Songs of Fellowship 4, Kingswayshop.com

I Hear the Saviour Say (Jesus Paid It All)

Another classic hymn rearranged. Written by Elvina Hall and John Grape around 1865 (read the story here). Beautiful lyrics about the helplessness of our sinful state and the complete salvation we have in Christ. Various versions have been done by Kristian Stanfill and Aaron Keyes.

Where to find it:

PraiseCharts.com (Stanfill version), Kingswayshop.com (Keyes version)

Behold the Lamb

Another cracker from Getty, Getty and Townend. This is the best communion hymn since Break Thou The Bread of Life. A bit tricky, but don't rush it and you'll be fine.

Where to find it:

Songs of Fellowship 4, Kingswayshop.com

Servant of God Most High

This one's free! Simon Pedley has written some great songs, and this is one of them. As he says: "Isaiah 53 is the culmination of several other 'servant songs', and I wanted to draw in some of the earlier material from chapters 42 and 49, to make the whole song a cry of praise addressed to Jesus." Fairly upbeat and easy to play.

Where to find it:

Songsfortoday.com

You may notice that I have a preference for Kingsway and Songs of Fellowship 4. They are by far the most useful resources I have found for quality music, singable tunes and theologically correct songs. SoF 4is a particularly good songbook, and if you shop around you may be able to pick up a copy on the January sales.

If you choose to use any of the above songs, please abide by copyright laws by buying a copy of either the songbook it comes from, or by buying a downloadable copy of the music. Your church must also have a valid CCLI License in order to copy the music for your musicians, project or print the words, and sing the song in your church services. Please also include the authors' names with any reproductions of songs or lyrics.