Repetition on Sunday Morning and the songs we sing!

MIckey — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:55:34 +0000

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition it’s kind of like Location, Location, Location in real estate, it makes a difference. Many times as a worship leader I get asked, “If you pick out the songs we sing, why do you pick the same ones over and over”. I thought I would take a few minutes and explain some of the reasons we repeat songs in our worship services.

1. It’s Biblical

The Bible is full of repetition. Jesus repeated himself numerous times. Paul told the Philippians to, “rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Phil 4:4 ESV). In the Bible repetition happens to show emphasis and importance, which leads us to #2.

2. It helps us learn

When I was in High School and college if the teacher said something twice I knew it was important and was probably going to reappear on an exam. So I wrote it down and then when studying I would repeat it so I knew it so I knew it (sorry I couldn’t help myself). Most of the songs we sing are scripture put to a tune. If we are repeating a song it usually has really solid Biblical truth that we as a church/congregation/Christ follower can stand on and use in our everyday life. I have to tell my children repeatedly to clean their room, brush their teeth, go to bed and this is a daily occasion, if we are only in church once a week (some of us once a month, cough cough) we need to repeat the Biblical truths God has given us so we can learn them.

3. If you know the song you might sing it

I know it’s not very popular to sing in church for some people, although we do have a good group of singers in our congregation. We also have people that like to not sing, not because they can’t, but because they won’t. The most common reason is fear, well here is some repetition for you, the Bible has 366 verses that tell us not to fear. But the chances of you singing a song that you do not know or have never heard if you don’t like to sing are slim to none. So we try to do at least 2 songs that are very familiar so no one can have excuses for not doing some congregation singing.

4. I want to honor our musicians hard work

Our band spends countless hours learning each song we do and if we are singing different songs each week that adds to the practice time. When we do a new song on Sunday each band member has spent approximately 8-10 extra hours on that one song, listening to it and learning it. We have spent as a band an extra 1-2 hours rehearsing it and learning it together. We usually play it 6-8 times together before we ever play it in front of the congregation. All of our musicians are volunteers and give of their time, talent, and treasure to ensure each week is the best. They all work full time jobs, are spouses, and parents if I’m constantly loading them with music to learn they will have to compromise their responsibility to be a disciple, spouse, parent, and steward. If they are already familiar with the song we are doing if cuts their prep time significantly. I feel as one of their pastors I need to honor their time or something in their personal life may suffer.

I would love to hear your thoughts on repeating songs on Sunday morning

Mickey

The Meaning of the Song: You

MIckey — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:26:44 +0000

I wanted to give you a little insight on a song that we have been singing lately and challenge you to not just sing it but believe it. Today we will look at the song called “YOU” by Hillsong Live. This song is actually off of their 2010 release called “A Beautiful Exchange”, so it a couple of years old. It was written by Joel Houston who is one of their main worship leaders and one of the heads of their entire worship department at Hillsong Church. He also is the creative director for Hillsong United which is more of a touring band from their church.

Verse 1:
Invading all my weakness
You wrapped me up in grace
The worst of me succeeded by the best of You

Verse 2:
My heart is overtaken
My soul is overwhelmed
The worst of me succeeded by the best of You

Verse 3:
My dreams have found their purpose
My future in Your hands
This life would have no meaning if it weren’t for You

(PreChorus)
So I lay me down
For Kingdom come
Steel all that is within me
Cause all I want in this world is more of You

Chorus
And the less of me it is You
Increasing as I fade away
Your light for all the world to see
God It is You who breaks the chains
It is You who lights the way
And everything I am cries out for You

Verse 4
Lord make my life transparent
Your life in mine displayed
And let every earthly glory
Go back to You

I love how this song is journey of the Christian walk. From verse 1 when God invades your life and shows you His grace. To verse 2 when you are taken back and overwhelmed by Him, to verse 3 when you are becoming who Christ wants you to be. The Chorus and Verse 4 is a prayer from John 3:30 to make my life more of Jesus and less of me.

The Prechorus I think has one of the coolest lyrics we sing and it took me time of researching and reading to find out the meaning of it. These words are from Romans 12 that we are offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Jesus as our acceptable worship, but doing that takes faith. The line we sing, “Steel all that is within me”, is a prayer to God to fortify and make everything that He has made in me strong. For the longest time I thought it was just maybe the way those crazy Aussie’s said still and that they need to be versed in American english, but certainly that was not the case and now it is one of my favorite lyrics.

I hope this helps when you are singing this song and understand the meaning of it. Below is a video of Hillsong performing it.