Musical Trends

There has been a growing clutter of papers lying all over my bedroom floor. It's finally reach the point of ridiculousness and I decided to clean some of it up.

I had a lot of guitar tab/chord sheets lying around and so I decided to organize all of them alphabetically so that I can find the correct song and not waste paper by printing off new chord sheets. It's interesting to see some of the musical trends over the past 1.5 years (at least for song's I've had to learn). I used to like to keep track of what songs were sung in church each week to be aware of what the congregation is familiar with and what has been sung to death and shouldn't be repeated for a while. Based on my fleeting memory, I've organized them into what has been sung in church, what has been sung in YF (uni/young adult fellowship) and some randoms (personal favorites or from Hope Church). It's also interesting to see what kind of song writers/artists are popular as well.

Church Songs:

1 Corinthians 13 - Rob Smith
Worthy of All Praise - Rob Smith (we sing this one a lot...)
Because He Lives - William J. Gaither
Before the Throne of God Above - Charitie L. Bancroft; music by Vikki Cook (I really like the Shane + Shane cover ...they're vocally so talented)
Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
Christ Alone - Bryson Smith and Philip Percival (not to be confused with 'In Christ Alone' as I found the hard way at 8:30am on a Sunday morning)
Forever - Jesse Reeves, Chris Tomlin (sung LOTS)
Grace Like Rain - Todd Agnew
Highest Place - Mark Peterson (it's lyrically very sound but it's one of the most awkward congregational songs to sing that I've ever come across)
How Deep the Father's Love For Us - Stuart Townend
How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash
Indescribable - Laura Story, Jesse Reeves (Chris Tomlin did NOT write this song...FYI)
Let Your Kingdom Come - Bob Kauflin (sung heaps but a great song - my favorite Sovereign Grace song)
Lord Reign in Me - Brenton Brown (sung to death...)
My Chains Are Gone (Amazing Grace) - Chris Tomlin
Psalm 103 - Mark Peterson (lyrics are of course sound since it's taken pretty much right from scripture but again, Peterson has awkward-ish melodies. Nothing against him 'cuz I know how hard it is to write a good song)
Refiner's Fire - Brian Doerksen
Teach Me Your Ways - Chris Griffiths
This is My Desire - Reuben Morgan
This Is Your House - Graham Kendrick
Voice of the Lord - Michael Morrow (Emu have a few I like)
We Are His People - Philip Percival (this one gets sung a LOT)
We Belong to the Day - Michael Morrow (sung a LOT)
Your Grace Is Enough - Matt Maher and Chris Tomlin (we sang this for an entire month and never sang it again...)

YF Songs:

Above All - Penny LeBlanc & Paul Baloche (we sung this once, I don't think anyone knew it)
Amazing Grace (Grace Flows Down) - David Bell, Louie Giglio and Rod Pageant
Before the Throne of God Above - Charitie L. Bancroft; music by Vikki Cook (I really like the Shane & Shane cover...they're vocally so talented)
Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
Create In Me a Clean Heart - John Carter
Enough - Chris Tomlin (I don't think we've sang this on Sunday but I could be wrong)
Everyday - Joel Houston (I'm pretty sure we've only sang it once or twice max
Forever - Jesse Reeves, Chris Tomlin (sung very often)
From the Inside Out - Joel Houston (YF camp)
Grace Like Rain - Todd Agnew
Hosanna - Brooke Fraser (I don't actually think we've sang this...maybe once?)
How Can I Keep From Singing - Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash (sang it twice. As with most Tomlin songs you have to transpose it 3-4 semitones lower)
How Great Thou Art - Carl Gustav Boberg; translated by Stuart K. Hine (we sang this once, I picked it because I liked a Paul Baloche cover)
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever - Martin Smith
I Offer My Life - Claire Cloninger, Don Moen
Indescribable - Laura Story, Jesse Reeves (Chris Tomlin did NOT write this song...FYI)
It Is Well With My Soul - Horatio Spafford (probably my most favoritest hymn...the story behind the song just absolutely blows me away)
Let Your Kingdom Come - Bob Kauflin (this was sung a LOT)
Lord Over All - Sonicflood
Lord Reign in Me - Brenton Brown (we sung this to DEATH)
Majesty (Here I Am) - Martin Smith (very little Delirious? in the mix)
One Way - Hillsong United (sung to death...)
Refiner's Fire - Brian Doerksen
This Is My Desire - Reuben Morgan
Unashamed - Jon Neufeld, Tim Neufeld, Doug McKelvey (go Starfield!)
Voice of the Lord - Michael Morrow (Emu music has a few that I like)
We Fall Down - Chris Tomlin
Who Am I - Casting Crowns (I don't think we've sung this much in YF. Used for RICE Rally and CiA teens fellowship once)
Worthy of All Praise - Rob Smith
You Are My All In All - Dennis Jernigan (another great story behind the writing of this song)
You Loved Me - Trevor Hodge

Random:

Friend of God - Michael Gungor (RICE Big Day Out)
Hear Our Praises - Reuben Morgan (one of my all time favorites)
He Is Exalted - Twila Paris (I really like this Shane & Shane version. I remember Sunny introduced to me to this awesome cover. Check it!)



King - Tree63 (dodgy theology? Was going to be a RICE song)
Leaving 99 - Audio Adrenaline (RICE Big Day Out song)
None But Jesus - Brooke Fraser (I'm a huge Brooke fan)
Nothing But the Blood - Peter King (used part of it for RICE Rally; there's actually a Matt Redman cover of the hymn that I like better...)
The Time Has Come - Joel Houston (I don't foresee this one being sung anytime soon)
Today Is The Day - Lincoln Brewster, Paul Baloche (RICE Big Day Out)
Wonderful God - Ned Davies (I don't recognize this one but it's Hillsong so probably pre-CCCB)
You Are Good - Israel Houghton

Church Hunting Again

After spending the entire day doing some practice questions for Step 1, I'm feeling extremely unprepared for this exam. I pretty much haven't gotten any decent studying in for the past 2-3 weeks and I've only got about 3 weeks to go. I was contemplating not bothering to find a new church tomorrow and just staying in a spending another full day studying.

A part of me thought, what if I just read my bible for a bit and spend some time in prayer? Would that be a sufficient replacement for driving around trying to find a building to sit in for a few hours? After all, church is really about a body of believers worshiping the one true God together in unity. So what if Albert and I just get together and study the bible and pray together? Maybe even sing a few a cappella songs? I know it sounds bad but I'm only here for 6 weeks and for the next 3 weeks I'm going to be spending every spare moment cramming. Is 6 weeks enough time to even join a small group and make it worth the effort?

After a bit of consideration, I think I will go find a church to attend tomorrow. Not that there's anything innately wrong with having a two-man church service with Albert. I already missed one last week because I was driving up to Rockhampton. It will be a great way to start my day and I really need to stop avoiding most social contact and meet some new people. Who knows? Maybe I'll meet some people who also work at the hospital. Maybe I'll make some friends for life. Maybe I'll even meet some super awesome bogan-ish girl...or maybe I'll just be able to spend some quality time with God.

I think I'll check out St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. I had a look at the Presbyterian Church of Queensland website and their doctrine of faith looks pretty good. Another possibility is Burdekin Baptist Church but I can't find any info about them other than the address and 9:30am service time.

There's a Christian Outreach Centre (COC) here but having a look through what they believe, they have a big emphasis on speaking in "other tongues" through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and prophecy. Are these languages or self-edifying spiritual babbling? On a similar note, there's Burdekin Community Church which is part of the AoG Churches. I know this sounds bad but, since I know I'm visiting and will be attending a maximum of 6 services, I'm tempted to go to a COC or AoG church for their lively worship atmosphere. I know I should commit it to God when it comes to becoming an active part of the a church body. But what about when you're traveling? I know I'm probably not going to join a ministry in 6 weeks so can I be a bit more self-interested? Is it right for me to choose one that meets my spiritual needs whether it be good preaching or a certain style of music for worship?

In the end, I feel it probably wouldn't be good to attend a church when I'm already having reservations after reading their statement of faith. So I'll give the Presbyterian Church a shot and, if necessary, check out the Baptist church next week. Or maybe we'll go visit 6 different churches - a different one every week - and compare the experiences as a little experiment. Perhaps even go visit a Kingdom Hall and/or Stake House. I wonder if there are any opinions out there on whether a Christian should visit and participate in say a JW or Mormon worship service. Normally I wouldn't wag my own church service but in this case, I'm unable to attend my home church anyway. Is it possible to attend a JW or Mormon service, maintain respect for their practices as a "visitor" and also respect God by not engaging in idolatry? It seems like it would be an enlightening and educational experience (combined with a chance to exercise your apologetics during the post-service prosthelytizing). I'll have to give this some more thought...

Living According to God's Will

This weekend for YF, we will be continuing through Colossians with the fourth study in our book "The Complete Christian". The study focuses on the life of a continuing Christian - to continue in faith, stable & steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel. Another big theme is knowing God's will. More than just whether we should choose A or B when faced with big decisions, following God's will is living a life in tune with God by knowing how to please God. It's living a life worthy of all that He is and all that He has done for us, bearing fruit through good works, regardless of our situations.

Here are the three songs we will be singing:

YF Songs 04-04-09

Before the Throne of God Above

We sang this song in church on Sunday and I absolutely love it. I've been listening to this version of it by Shane & Shane throughout the entire week and the powerful lyrics of this hymn just blow me away (and their vocals are pretty impressive too). It's off of their 2007 album Pages. Have a listen to it below!

Before The Throne of God Above - Shane & Shane


To avoid any copyright violations, go check out the lyrics HERE.

YF Has Begun!

Last Saturday, YF had it's kickoff for 2009 with it's launch party that included a free BBQ, a brief gospel message delivered by an ex-YFer, and some games. We had a really great turnout of people with lots of newcomers and I think it's safe to assume that everyone had an enjoyable evening.

For anyone back in Canada who actually reads this, YF stands for "Youth Fellowship" and comprises a group of university/working aged young adults that meet every Satuday evening to worship God through prayer, studying the bible, singing songs, and just having fun! The YF motto for 2009 consists of three Ps: "Prayer, Proclamation, People". To encourage prayer, some brilliant YF team members have produced a fantastic prayer calendar for Feb 2009-Feb 2010. Each week has a country that everyone is encouraged to remember specifically in prayer for that week. It has added much colour to my very boring, white bedroom walls and will act as a constant reminder every time I'm sitting at my desk that I should be praying continually.


"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." - Romans 10:17 (NIV)

The gospel message must be spoken in order for people to hear it. It's the sort of headline news that you'd be a fool to keep to yourself because it applies to everyone and is available for all! God used words to create the heavens and the earth. His words recorded in the bible are powerful; sharper than any double-edged sword; dividing soul and spirit; judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart; able to change lives. We hope this year to be able to proclaim this to those around us at various outreach events, to follow Jesus' example for both public and personal evangelism, and to allow the Holy Spirit to work.

The third P, people, is going to be challenging but is absolutely essential. YF is all about people and God - introducing people to God, growing people to be more like Jesus, and developing healthy relationships between people to reflect God. I've been very impressed with the emphasis on developing mentoring relationships in YF and I'm hoping to explore this more. In the past I would say I've benefited mainly from peer relationships where we've grown together, in parallel, learning from each other and learning together. Now it's time to pass on what I've learned over the years and to find someone ahead of me to learn from. One of the big themes of 2009 for myself is mentorship and I think I may have found some people to connect with academically and spiritually. That's been a huge encouragement for me.

Next week we're kicking things off with an 8-part interactive bible study of Colossians. You can visit the YF blog to find out more!

Winter Jam Session

Got a chance to cap off 2008 with a jam session with my brother and some old friends from church. It brought back some great memories of when we used to work together on various worship teams. These guys (and gal ^_^) are so gifted and it was a privilege to be able to take a few hours, rock up, and have fun praising God together.

I thought I'd put that 16GB SDHC card to use and I setup my dad's tiny little camera to capture a few of the many songs we tried. Took about three batteries worth of video. Next time we'll have to turn up the mics a bit more to have the vocals cut through but here are a few that I liked.

"Hungry" by Kathryn Scott



"Still" by Reuben Morgan



"I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" by Martin Smith (Delirious?)

I actually really liked this version. Rob had this idea to use a different chord progression (Emaj7 Bm7 Amaj7 F#m7 B) and it actually sounded okay. I think I'm going to fiddle around with this idea more...

Let Your Glory Shine

I wanted to get my hands on Lincoln Brewster's latest album, Today Is The Day, so I thought I'd head down to the local Christian bookstore that's about 5 minutes away from my house and check it out. Unfortunately, I didn't know (or had forgotten) that Christian Publications went out of business in Calgary earlier in the year. I was very disappointed because now if I want music or a book I'll have to blindly order it online without the benefits of browsing through it first. I guess they just can't compete against the giants named Chapter/Indigo or Amazon when it comes to pricing and one-stop shopping for everything.

Anyway, I've been listening to tracks off the CD online and I just love this one song called "Let Your Glory Shine". At the beginning of the song, Lincoln erupts into this Van Halen-like intro and launches into a really great sounding song that would be great to use to end off a worship set. It's got a catchy riff with a nice bluesy-rock feel to it. Go to his MySpace page to listen to the full album version of the song or watch a live version of it below:



I enjoy reading the thoughts that Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Ministries shares on his blog. I've learned a lot from him about the role of music in worshiping God and the important things to keep in mind when involved in the music ministry. One statement that he made with regards to being "lead worshipers" (and applies to everyone) is that our goal should be to magnify the worth of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. That is the purpose of the music ministry in a nutshell.

When I attend a service on Sundays, one of the aspects of worship that I love is the music. Songs are a very powerful way for us to connect with God for many different reasons and shouldn't be reserved for just Sundays either. There's no reason why singing can't be a part of our own personal worship at home, in the car (great place to just belt it out), in the shower, or walking to work/school.

Have you ever found it easier to remember the lyrics to a song rather than simple prose in the absence of music? I know it's tough for me to memorize a whole passage of scripture. I was so encouraged when I found out that the Sunday morning adults bible study class was combining scripture memory with their study of the sermon on the mount. I joined them just as they were finishing the beatitudes in Matt 5 and they hope to have chapters 5-7 completely memorized by the end of it all! I'm surprised at how many songs I can sing along to on the radio or how many worship songs I know the lyrics to by heart. That's because combining words with music helps us to remember better. So one of the keys to singing is that it helps us remember God's word.

Bob also pointed out that singing should be a response to God's grace. We should be thankful and grateful for all that God has done for us. Especially this Christmas season, we celebrate and thank God for sending his son Jesus through the singing of various Christmas songs.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Col 3:15-17 (NIV)

Finally, we sing to reflect God's glory. Paul tells the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit. And how can they do that? By speaking to one another with psalms, hymn and spiritual songs. He encourages them to sing and make music in their hearts to the Lord, to always give thanks, and always in the name of Jesus Christ.

I <3 Baptisms

I love witnessing baptisms and hearing testimonies. Today I had a chance to see how baptisms are done by Chinese Christian Church Brisbane as four brothers and one sister took that step of obedience and were baptized in front of many family and friends this afternoon. It was really cool to hear how God revealed Himself to these people, how God changed their lives, what they had to go through in order to reach where they are today and to see that they have decided to follow Jesus all the days of their life! We were all there to celebrate and hopefully we can all help them to continue to run the race to win the prize and keep them on track! Congratz to all!


I was happy to see that CCCB encourages water baptism by immersion. Of the various forms that I've come across (sprinkling and pouring come to mind), immersion definitely seems symbolically more significant and I would recommend it. I remember talking to a pastor back home about the various forms and he was okay with other methods and gave me some biblical support for sprinkling and pouring from the old testament. He talked a bit about the meaning of the Greek "baptizo":

1) to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
3) to overwhelm

This past year my church did a baptismal ceremony at a community wave pool. We booked out pool at like 6:30am on a Sunday morning before it opened up to the public and did it there. Seeing a few girls from the young adult fellowship group get baptized in the ocean at camp was also awesome.

Is immersion necessary? I've come across a few churches that insist on water baptism by immersion and will often require people to be re-baptized if another method was previously used. I personally think immersion is best but not absolutely necessary. What if the person is confined to a wheelchair? Or what if they have a medical condition where they can't be place into water? Like perhaps if they are bedridden and immunocompromised and want to be baptized? I think using sprinkling or pouring in those cases are okay. Baptism itself is not a determinant of salvation (and baptism without true repentance is meaningless). It's supposed to symbolize doing away with, or washing away, our old sinful lives and having our new lives in Christ. Whether a person is baptized with a sprinkle of water, a swimming pool full of water, or dunked into an ocean does not change the fact that they are included into God's family. I think that this relational aspect is key and that methodology of baptism should not be a divisive or exclusion factor within the church!