Exploring Christian Worship

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5 Timeless Leadership Lessons I’ve Recently Relearned

10/6/2014

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Reconnecting with Truths 
Some periods in life seem to be filled with important lessons, and my last few weeks have been a reminder that we are never too old to learn new lessons (or at least be reminded of ones that we should already know). One of my recent commitments is to listen more carefully to my life and be more in tune with what is going on around me. As a result, the lessons that have come my direction have been rich.

Being extended grace is one of life’s biggest blessings

 Recently, I found myself in a situation in which there was no good solution – either decision I made could end up offending someone and being costly. Finally, after several days of trying to discern the best way forward, I made a decision which involved placing a potentially difficult phone call. While I could have received harsh words and a cold and scolding tone, instead I was treated kindly and given understanding and gentle words. 


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7 Encouraging Words for Music Ministry Leaders

9/8/2014

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Encouraging the Worship Team 
Recently, I was asked to bring a challenge to all the worship and music ministry leadership in a church where a close friend of mine is the music and worship leader. As I thought for several weeks about what to say to those who play instruments, sing in the choir and worship ensemble, run sound, design bulletins, and much more, I finally settled on the remarks that follow. I hope that they might also provide perspective for you and for those involved in your church’s music and worship ministry.

Any time we speak about worship, our communion with God, we are dealing directly with what is immensely sacred, i.e., encountering the divine, touching holy things. Worship is the most important practice in our lives and in our church – giving praise and adoration to the one who created all that is.

When we lead others in worship we are participating in the only activity on earth that will also be a part of heaven. Consider the following:


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18 Easy Fixes to Music Ministry Scheduling Challenges

8/4/2014

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Considering Alternatives 
As people have become busier and overcommitted, scheduling rehearsals and other music and worship ministry activities is increasingly challenging. With many longer working hours, economic challenges, two career families, children involved in extracurricular activities, long commutes, and the advent of technology and our being always reachable and connected, many people are left with little margin for other activities, and often church commitments may be the first to go. Yet, those in leadership realize both the benefit of music and worship ministry participation for the individual and the contribution that regular participation makes to the faith community. What can we do to encourage participation by those with little time to offer to the church and its ministries? 



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6 New Realities in Music and Worship Ministry

7/7/2014

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Assessing What Matters Most 
I’m hard at work these days revising From Postlude to Prelude: Music Ministry’s Other Six Days (Morningstar 2004), a book that I wrote which explores what musicians who serve the church do from the end of one Sunday’s service (postlude) to the beginning of the next (the prelude). The book explores nearly every imaginable topic that ministers encounter each week – worship planning, exploring our call and vocation, budgets and financial management, ministry situations, job transitions, purchases and maintenance, working with others, and much more.


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3 Benefits of Short Term Musical Missions

6/2/2014

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Is It Worth It? 
I'm preparing to go on another short-term mission trip. By the time you read this, I’ll be on my way home from Malaysia with at team of twenty-six students and faculty serving with our Christian brothers and sisters there. While we’re there, we’ll teach three, two-day music and worship workshops in which our students will offer eleven different sessions from guitar to song leading to basic worship philosophy. We will also offer music that we’ve learned in the last several months – both songs from our country and others but, most importantly, music from the Malaysian culture that our students have transcribed from oral sources and arranged for our pick-up choir. As you can imagine, we’ll also enjoy this beautiful country, its natural beauty, and its delectable cuisine.

Each year as I prepare to take students to other countries for music and missions engagement, the question comes up about whether all of this is worthwhile. Is the financial and human capital that we invest worth what is accomplished? Could the money be invested toward training by local leaders or by enhancing existing in-country structures?



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    C. Randall Bradley
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Copyright 2015 Randall Bradley
  • Home
  • About
  • Publications
    • Christian Worship: It's Theology & Practice
    • From Memory to Imagination: Reforming the Church's Music
    • From Postlude to Prelude: Music Ministry's Other Six Days
  • Blog
  • Media
  • Contact