We're just back from 9 days of music in the deep South. Over those days I played, spoke and lead 13 separate times, from little lounge concerts to communion services to music workshops.I'm a bit tired now that we're home. I fell asleep before tea reading Karl Barth.One memory hangs with me. On Friday night, I played a concert in Burns Hall at First Church in Dunedin. We had a wonderful turn out. Some old...
Read MoreRead MoreOn Friday night, I headed to the famous York St Studio to film the music video for the first single from the new album. It was a chance to get some of the musicians together again, with a totally different brief: this time we didn't have to worry about sounding good, just looking good. This was a bit of challenge! Just ask Rowan or Matt how many times it takes to pick up your guitar...
Read MoreRead MoreIt’s all about context.There seems to be so many mega churches putting out albums full of generic worship songs that talk about Gods grace and goodness but miss the heart of it all… sometimes it just seems like they are just putting words to paper, and do ‘Worship by numbers’ – now please hear me I’m not saying that these songs aren’t authentic or can’t be used… I just sometimes think they lose their organic-ness...
Read MoreRead MoreThis is an image of an icon by an artist called Rublev. It depicts the Trinity, the family of God, sharing a meal at a table. The side of the table that we view the image from is empty, as if we are invited to come and share in fellowship with them.In fact, it isn't 'as if we are invited' - we are. We are drawn and welcomed into this worth-giving, dignity-assuring, value-establishing communion. It...
Read MoreRead MoreAnother day off and another new chapter in the Embodied Worship Project. You can read other posts about it here and here. It is my way of using music in worship to explore how we can enact the story of God in our world - rather than just talk about it, or even worse, just listen to someone else talk about it. In the posts linked about I have worked through the movements of 'Call...
Read MoreRead MoreA week or so ago, in the wake of the marriage amendment bill being passed, my good friend Rowan (that's him) made a post on facebook. Without really laying his cards on the table, he acknowledged what an emotional journey the debate had been for both sides. To the 'winners' he said, For those who are now able to marry, congratulations! Marriage is a beautiful thing and I pray that you honor the vows that you...
Read MoreRead MoreA few months back, I started working on a side project (now that I'm a real musician I'm allowed one. My wife said so). The project was to see if I could write music that was more of a sound track for a kind of worship that doesn't really exist in my world yet.Much of our worship is static. It is stunted. We stand up to sing. We sit down to pray (or vice versa...
Read MoreRead MoreSuccess does a funny thing to you. Our of nowhere springs this desire for more, of the same kind.Yesterday we had another amazing album release gig. This time in Tauranga. I played to my adopted 'home crowd', and a big one it was too. It was a truly wonderful afternoon, with many old friends from Katikati coming to share in the celebration. It was also very special, because Ness (my wife) sang with me. This hasn't...
Read MoreRead Morehttp://nztop40.co.nz/chart/nzalbumsWe had a wonderful album release at St Columba's last Sunday. We had two wonderful services, sharing some of the songs, and a great chance to talk about the depth and breadth of worship - the rich and living conversation God calls us and frees us to share with him.It was beautiful. People connected. We gave the songs we'd been given, and people responded. They bought albums and took the songs home so they could...
Read MoreRead More
