Scream the Prayer

Learning...

2010-09-15T11:03:00.003-04:00

I'm just a sinful man, redeemed by grace and learning to love.

Constantly learning... being a worship leader I'm also constantly learning what works and what doesn't. My previous posts share some of my frustrations, although I see some of them as somewhat childish. My experience as a worship leader for about a year now has taught me many things that I previously was very naive and ignorant about. It's a strange balance one has to maintain, picking songs that the congregation enjoys and knows, which may include some that are outside of your own musical preferences. I know singing How Great is Our God or Blessed Be Your Name for the millionth time does get a little under my skin, but seeing the congregation sing it out loud over so many other songs with lifted hands tells me something. Just like everything else, it isn't about me. At all.

Like I said, I'm learning. What I personally prefer musically, emotionally, or for any other reason doesn't really matter much. God deserves all of the honor and praise we can possibly give him.

Frustrations towards "Worship" Music

2009-05-21T12:01:00.003-04:00

Does anyone really do what they say or sing when they worship? Where is the heart-felt passion and creativity for the God who created and saved us?

This could be just me, but there seems to be lacking something great in about 90% of our modern "worship" music. I put worship in quotations because most of the time, "worship" leaders and musicians probably aren't worshipping. Most of it is formulaic stuff brought up from the same old chord progression and key with the typical drum beats. There are a few of what I've found to be honest worshipers in bands writing music, a few of which I will list at the end. I find more passion and worshipful hearts in bands that don't even like to consider themselves "Christian" bands and stuff that is far from generic rock.

Now I am not saying we need 20 minute prog epics in our worship services or experimental post-whatever. But I honestly believe that "worship" music has been commercialized and put into this soft-cheesy-rock box.

Here are some of the bands of which I spoke of. These are all not church-friendly bands although there are some post-rock ambient types which either some or most songs are church friendly. -- Future of Forestry, Mute Math, The Glorious Unseen, and The Listening. And then you have the other side of my musical spectrum, metal, with War of Ages, Oh, Sleeper, and Becoming the Archetype (who actually do this insanely brutal cover of How Great Thou Art).

My Budget Rig

2009-05-20T13:05:00.002-04:00

Well here's the thing, I am a poor college student. Being as such, I do not have thousands or even hundreds of dollars to spend on gear. So what I do buy, or have bought, I take great care into researching and figuring out the best price for sound or value.

Right now, I have an ESP EC-50 with dual humbuckers running into a Digitech RP90 Multi-effects pedal into an Orange Crush 30r combo. This has pretty decent tone for what I paid, plus it works for the different styles that I play. I use the Orange's awesome distortion for pretty much everything, especially at full-gain for my post-hardcore band, Into Exile. For worship type stuff, I run clean with a delay on the RP90, and then throw on the orange distortion for leads. I also have an acoustic, a Fender Sonoran. It's pretty simple but it works for what I do.

Guitars:
ESP EC-50 and Fender Sonoran

Amp:
Orange Crush 30r

Pedals:
Digitech RP90 and a footswitch for the orange.

Fiction

2009-01-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

I've been writing some fiction for quite a while now. I've been at a sort of stand still for the past few years, but I'm going over and revising trying to get into my story as much as possible. My cousin drew a cover for it, which is pretty awesome. Here it is. It pretty much sets the tone for the setting of my story and the mood as well.

A Photo

2008-06-19T13:46:00.005-04:00

I took this photo today. It should just tell you how I felt at the moment. A picture is worth a thousand words eh?

Doubting Thomas

2008-05-27T21:45:00.007-04:00

I borrowed a CD mix from a good friend one evening and put it in the Jeep stereo on the way home. I had been going through struggle constantly at the time. It was night and the roads were quiet and free. I was relaxing and spending time in contemplation and then this song came. The words brought tears to my eyes; it was like they were saying everything I wanted to say to God but couldn't. Here it is.

Doubting Thomas: Nickel Creek

I looked up the tab and learned the song
this is not the original this is my recording
it's the video :]

What will be left when I've drawn my last breath,
Besides the folks I've met and the folks who know me,
Will I discover a soul saving love,
Or just the dirt above and below me,

I'm a doubting Thomas,
I took a promise,
But I do not feel safe,
Oh me of little faith,

Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face,
Then I beg to be spared 'cause I'm a coward,
If there's a master of death I'll bet he's holding his breath,
As I show the blind and tell the deaf about his power,
I'm a doubting Thomas,
I can't keep my promises,
'Cause i don't know what's safe,
oh me of little faith

Can I be used to help others find truth,
When I'm scared I'll find proof that its a lie,
Can I be lead down a trail dropping bread crumbs,
That prove I'm not ready to die,

Please give me time to decipher the signs,
Please forgive me for time that I've wasted,

I'm a doubting Thomas,
I'll take your promise,
Though I know nothin's safe,
Oh me of little faith

My Soul Screams- Reflections

2008-05-20T22:59:00.003-04:00

This is the part of the blog where I will be posting my poetry or other people's poetry relevant to our discussions. Per to the title, "My Soul Screams" I believe that poetry is an outpour of the soul.

Everything is a reflection
of something or another
with the colors of the sun
and a child of his father
Everything we see
is a reflection of light
colors so beautifully
and the moon in the night
Everything I am shines
not because of anything I've done
For He is the source of my prize
and He is my father and I His son.