Heard a great question on Sunday from a guy at church.
We were talking about worship and new songs and he mentioned that he spent a lot of time in his car, listening to worship music.
He also said he would love it as a member of the congregation if he could be listening to some of the worship songs we're teaching before they're actually introduced.
This is a great concept - I tend to plan sets in advance, so my band has the songs relatively early...and here's a congregant wanting in on the fun. So I started thinking how I might make that available. Burning CDs or sending him the little band website doesn't really seem like the best way to do it. What to do...what to do.
And then I remembered MUXTAPE. If you follow my other blog, you'll see that I just setup a Muxtape Site for all the stuff I'm digging. Since Muxtape prevents folks from actually "downloading" the tracks, it might be a great way for folks to check out what we'll be singing over the next two months. Sure, it requires some early planning, but who doesn't benefit from that, huh?
Go over and check out Muxtape. It's a cool site. It makes me sad that we, as leaders, have access to some great web applications that could really help us stay connected, get info and involve ourselves in "faith matters" every single day.
Thoughts on Muxtape? Thoughts on other tech developments that might bless and encourage the church?
8/3/08
A CONVERSATION
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3 comments:
I can remember when I was first getting in to this "Christian music" thing.. I wanted to know the music. I wanted to know what version our church was drawing their example from because I loved it and I wanted to put them in my car or CD player at home.. so yes this seems so logical and helpful to the congregation..but then you never know what kind of feedback you will get from people either.. don't like it.. didn't do it right.. whatever but overall I like the idea...
This does bring up another question..Todd, if you plan music weeks in advance, do you have scripture, sermon titles, anything from the pastor as to what the message will be and do you try to marry that with the music? If not give me some insight to your process. I'm sure you've discussed it before but I missed it or slept since then.
Those are some great thoughts/questions....
First off...any time we can get our folks actually listening to worship during the week is a big WIN in my book. Even if their response is a negative one, at least that's evidence that they're listening/thinking/assessing what's going on in a given tune. Which often may lead them to checking out other songs by the artist or other tunes. I guess the "didn't do right" might happen, but I'm willing to be it would be more of a "I like what you guys did with that" response.
Second question - thematic worship is hard for "contemporary" guys. And here's why....
Planning off a theme can really be powerful, but it's also a big challenge. Consider that research shows us that it takes anywhere from 6-7 "plays" for a congregation to actually learn a song. Now, if I'm planning thematically along a sermon based on God's justice...I might find the perfect song. But does that mean I'm going to bring that song into the catalog rotation? And if not, do I really want to invest in teaching a song one time and then not hear it again until that sort of theme comes back around?
At FUMC these days, it's a mix. Sometimes I know way in advance...and when I do, I try to have at least 1 song (hopefully 2) support the overall push of the text. If not, I might try to talk a bit about the theme or read some scripture that lines up with that as well.
When I don't know the theme, that's cool, too, because I plan the sets simply as times of "adoration." Hopefully, our set helps people to turn the eyes/hearts/minds to the Lord, thereby making the "things of this world" "grow strangely dim."
In addiiton to that, I've always got 2 or 3 new songs in mind that I want to teach. Sometimes a theme comes along that gives me an open door to do them and sometimes I just plug them in.
Any of that make sense?
Ok.. so how many songs do you have in your "rotation" for lack of a better term. You have 2 or 3 in your in que.. you have a pile you're working from and I would think you have a pile that you really aren't doing right now. Yeah you can go to those if you have a theme and you know about it but how many in the working pile.
I'm with you on your comments regarding the feedback. I really wouldn't think you would get much negative. I also feel it is great when you open up a door for new ways for people to "worship" outside the doors of the church and music is such a powerful way for that to happen. God inhabits our praise and if we're singing our praises in the car or at the house..just more time to feel a little closer to our creator.
I have to say that this just helps me to be open to a little more freedom.. a little more prayer.. a little more seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit instead of trying to put it together so quickly. I rairly know scritpure or sermon title or topic before Tuesday or Wednesday of the week before the service.
I'm going to try to do a little more advanced planning.. I do believe that the Holy Spirit works with advanced planners and not just with spontanious responders.
Oh yeah.. once again.. how many is in your current "pile"?
Thanks man.
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