Worship Confessional #10
I’m biased… but tonight marked the beginning of yet another groundbreaking-could-only-have-been-a-God-idea series in KYC called “Letters to Hollywood.” Each week we’re basing the entire feel and content of the service around certain Hollywood-status musicians/artist. Each of which is handpicked by the subject matter of their songs.
This week was Kid Rock. He has a bad mamma jamma new CD out. Quite a few of the songs have lyrics of him crying out for more in this life than fame, fortune and all the “stuff” he already has. So we’re taking a no-strings-attached initiative to write encouraging letters to Kid himself letting him know that we love him and God loves him and has a plan for his life.
It’s gonna be awesome. Pray that God uses us, KYC, to actually reach into Hollywood from Davenport Iowa and make an impact on somebody’s life.
Here’s the set from tonight:
-Yesterday Threw Everything at Me – Athlete
-More of You – Planetshakers
-Panama/Bigger In Me – Van Halen/New Wine
-Nothing But the Blood – Charlie Hall
Worship Confessional #9
Today continued the second week of Pastor Dan’s series “Quarterlife Crisis.” So far, Brooke and Brandon, or should I say “Samantha” and “Brad” have graced us with video blogs. Check out last week’s:
Here was the lineup for this week:
Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2
You’ll Come – Hillsong
You Are Good – Israel and New Breed
Redefine – New Wine
Hosanna – Hillsong
Worship Confessional #8
Today was the pilot episode of “Quarter Life Crisis” as well as the groundbreaking (for Rock Church) 1pm service time. Both were a success. Here’s what we did:
God of Ages – Hillsong
Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsong United
Whisper His Name – Deluge
Next we we’re going to open the service with the worship song “Why Georgia.” Hopefully there will be some quarter-lifers who can identify with it.
Worship Confessional #7
We mixed it up a bit today. Took a little trip back in time and did some old gospel goodies. ”I’m Gonna Wave My Hands” by New Direction and “I Wanna Thank You” by Clint Brown. Both of which are the types of songs that will push you out of church-mode very quickly if executed properly.
The first, by name, is pretty obvious as to why somebody might forget that they are at church while participating in the songs. Full of hand-waving and jumping-up-on-one’s-good-foot, “I’m Gonna Wave My Hands” definitely went over well.
The bridge section of “I Wanna Thank You” gets all call-and-response like with separate congregational parts for the men and women. But it’s not in the rock-anthemic way that you may be thinking of. It’s more senorita-esque by Justin Timberlake… except replace “It feels like somethin’s heatin up” with “Really been good really really been good,” and “I don’t know but I’m thinkin bout” with “I wanna thAAAAAnkyou” with some ghettitude behind it.
Here’s a look a the whole set:
I’m Gonna Wave My Hands – New Direction
I Wanna Thank You – Clint Brown
Nothing But the Blood – Charlie Hall
Here In My Life – Hillsong
Worship Confessional #6: New Wine vs QC River Bandits
1 hour 35 minutes post show…
KYC brought something tonight to Modern Woodman Stadium that I don’t think has ever been brought before.
The moment New Wine hit the stage and started playing, it was unmistakable that these people came to praise God with EVERYTHING they had. It was raw. It was authentic. It was sweaty. And it was outside of the four walls of our building. Tonight we WERE the church. And we proved to ourselves, God and everyone standing around that we didn’t have to be it in a building.
I got to see at the faces of the people of Rock Church and the amount of passion they put into their praise to God on a weekly basis. It reminded me how awesome praise nights are… we need to get one on the schedule for the near future.
Tonight I took part in an already-happening movement in the Quad Cities. We are the next generation church. And we are redefining stuff…
P.S. I think I’ve led more anointed musical worship experiences with bad monitor mixes than with good ones. Funny.
Make a Joyful Noise – Derek Trucks Band
Alive In You – New Wine
One – Tonex
My God – Jonathan Stockstill
Soul Music – Country Fried Soul Band
Blow the Trumpet – New Wine
My Life Depends On You – Jermaine Edwards
Freedom – New Wine
Closer – New Wine
Hold On – Fred Hammond
The Stand – Hillsong United
Worship Confessional #5
Today I broke 100 blog posts. Yesterday KYC broke 200 in attendance. Tomorrow we continue to break into the heart of this world for Jesus!
Last night at KYC we decided to dream big and let God break into our hearts and ignite birth into us something that only HE can take the credit for. Justin preached on expanding our imagination and letting God spread his wings in our lives. Here was the set:
-Imagine Remix (Beatles esque)
Imagine there are no boundaries
To what the Lord can do
He’ll put our pain below us
And give us something new
Imagine all the people
Living for a cause
Imagine there are no limits
I wonder if you can
No matter what the circumstance
To have a faith that stands
Imagine all the people
Giving praise to God
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday You’ll join us
And the world with live as one
-Hosanna – United
-Sweep Me Away – Charlie Hall?
-Sing – Austeen Ballegeo
Justin challenged us to write our dreams on the “wonderwall” created by Kris K (one of the drummers for New Wine) at the end of service. Here’s a pic of Kev and I getting our “Peter Pan” on.
Worship Confessional #4
Today was awesome. And by awesome I mean to say that there was a point in the service when God allowed every ounce of show/performance to be taken out of the music, and directed back at him.
That’s right, he muted us…
About the point in the second song (Hosanna – Hillsong) where it builds into a climatic bridge full of unselfish requests, God decided he would make sure that our requests were for real.
We tripped the breaker… all sound and lighting was lost (except for the drums & percussion). I was thinking fast to say the least.
Before I knew what was happening, Mannhardt was 200 yard dashing to the circuit box… and I decided to continue leading the song a capella.
AND IT WORKED!
Everyone in the congregation jumped on board as I belted out the lyrics like an opera singer… they picked up on it fast and sang louder than I’ve ever heard them sing before. It was awesome.
When the song ended I transitioned into the next song by light heartedly recognizing the fact that God had used that moment to say, “remember who you’re worshipping.” I thought I had been somehow catapulted back in time and landed smack in the middle of Amos 5:23. We were floored no matter what the case… and continued into what ended up being a stellar worship service.
Aside from that, we were on the new stage today. It’s HUGE and awesome. Luckily none of us were swallowed, never to be seen again.
Here’s the set:
You’ll Come – United
Hosanna – United
More of You – Planetshakers
Here In My Life – Hillsong
I used 4 “awesomes” in this blog (not including that one).
Awesome.
Worship Confessional #3
Michelle Medlock Adams spoke today and did a fantastic job. You’ll probably be able to check her out on the Rock Church podcast on itunes. NEW BEGINNINGS!
Also, I’m finding out more and more that God CAN still speak ahead of time, as today we just happened to be singing the Rock Church original “Prepare Ye the Way,” which Michelle claims to be one of her favorites. You never know how much the praise and worship can encourage or discourage people (namely, the person giving the sermon that day)… and it always helps when we allow ourselves to be fully used by God to provide a killer worship experience. Here were the tools:
Prepare Ye the Way – Austin Vallejo
Enlarge My Territory – Derrick Thomas
At the Cross – Hillsong
All I Need – Austin Vallejo
Worship Confessional #2
Last night there was electricity in the air. And by electricity I mean ANGELIC BEINGS! That’s right, this week was angel week in the four part KYC series “Supernatural.” We introduced a new song and did something that we haven’t really ever planned on doing before.
The song? “Crazy” by Deluge. The unprecedented act? Well you see, the song “Crazy” has a specific dance attached to it called the “Crazy” dance (which you KYC’ers will be getting a better taste of in the near future). So what did we do? We had 5-10 guys on stage with us acting as “hype men” who pumped the crowd up and actually DID the crazy dance during the choruses.
Notice above how I say we’ve never “planned” this before. We’ve definitely had similar things happen in KYC before that were purely Holy Spirit-led. But last night we thought, “HEY! Why not plan on some crazy praisers jumping on stage with us acting-a-fool to get the praise energy pumping?”
Needless to say, it worked out well and contributed to one of the night’s many “wins.”
Here’s what else happened:
Praise Medley: Take Me There (Remix) – Blackstreet
One – Tonex
Lose My Soul – Toby Mac
Crazy – Deluge
You Reign – United (Next Gen.)
The Stand – United
Worship Confessional #1
Indeed I’m jumping onto the “worship confessional” train simply because I can. Tonight before KYC sound-check and tech run-through, I shared with my team that although myself and many other members of new wine and tech team have taken on numerous other responsibilities in ministry since this all began… I still so passionately look forward to the worship leading part of the week. The part where I get to sit back, stop working and simply let God have his way.
As I encouraged everyone to re-focus their attention onto Jesus and his awesomeness, I began to fall in love with Jesus all over again myself. I’m such a believer in learning and growing being directly linked to teaching. I always seem to grow more bountifully when I’m mentoring or teaching people whether it be in groups or individually. It keeps your heart in the right spot.
So here was tonight’s Supernatural week 2 set:
Freedom – ya boy
One – Tonex
More of You – Planetshakers
Here In My Life – Hillsong United
Also:
Pick it up…
-Aus
